Effective Date: October 15, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applies to: All brand owners and agents who apply for registration of a brand in the Brand Registry.
Article 1: Introduction and Scope
1.1 This document governs verification of brand ownership: the evidence of ownership or licence that an applicant shall submit, the review of that evidence, provisional status during review, re-verification, ownership disputes, and the consequences of a false claim. It implements the registration procedure of the Brand Registry Policy.
1.2 A Seller does not verify ownership under this document by reselling a brand. A Seller proves authorization to sell a gated brand under the Brand Gating Policy (Sellers) (Brand Gating Policy (Sellers)); the Brand's right to designate authorized Sellers is governed by the Authorized Seller Policy.
1.3 If a provision of this document conflicts with the Terms of Use, this document controls for the subject it governs. If a provision of this document conflicts with the terms of a program in which the Brand participates, the program terms control for that program. Policies and help pages explain this document; they do not amend it, and in any conflict this document prevails.
Article 2: Definitions
2.1 Account: the account a person or business establishes with the Company to use the Platform.
2.2 Authorized Agent: a person or firm holding current, written, brand-specific authority from the owner of a brand to register and manage the brand on the Platform. A general marketing relationship is not agency for this purpose.
2.3 Brand: a brand owner: a person or business that owns or controls a brand and that applies for registration or holds a registry record under the Brand Registry Policy.
2.4 Chain of Title: the documents that prove an applicant acquired a brand from a prior holder, including assignment agreements, acquisition agreements, merger documents, and court orders.
2.5 Company: All About Pawz, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company.
2.6 Platform: the websites, applications, and services the Company operates under the name All About Pawz, including aapawz.com.
2.7 Products: goods offered for sale through the Platform.
2.8 Seller: a person or business the Company has accepted to offer Products or Services through the Platform.
2.9 Services: services offered through the Platform, including grooming, veterinary, pharmacy, and fulfillment services, as applicable.
2.10 Trademark Certificate: a federal or state trademark registration certificate naming the applicant, or naming a prior holder together with Chain of Title evidence, as owner of the brand mark.
2.11 Verification Record: the record the Company keeps for each verification: the evidence submitted, the verification path taken, the reviewer's identity, the decision, and the date of the decision.
Article 3: Eligibility and Registration
3.1 An applicant under this document is the owner of the brand or an Authorized Agent of the owner. Verification is complete only when the evidence establishes, on the applicable path in Article 4, that the applicant is the owner or is authorized to act for the owner.
3.2 The registry record for a brand remains in pending status until verification is complete. Pending status is provisional: the applicant holds no portal access, no right to gate, no right to designate authorized Sellers, and no right to file complaints in the brand's name until the record moves to verified.
3.3 The standard of review is asymmetric by design. The evidence of a genuine owner ordinarily satisfies a path in Article 4 without difficulty; an applicant that is not the owner shall not be verified on evidence that leaves reasonable doubt.
Article 4: Evidence of Ownership or Licence
4.1 Path A: trademark registration. The applicant submits a Trademark Certificate matching the brand name and the applicant's legal entity, or a Trademark Certificate naming another holder together with Chain of Title evidence linking that holder to the applicant. The Company shall check a certificate against the public register of the issuing authority. The Company shall decide a complete Path A submission within five (5) business days.
4.2 Path B: business documentation. Where no trademark registration exists, the applicant submits a body of evidence that, taken together, proves ownership: (a) business formation documents in the applicant's legal name; (b) product packaging, manufacturer invoices, or distributor agreements showing the brand in commerce under the applicant's control; and (c) the brand's official website or domain registration in the applicant's name. No single item is dispositive; the body of evidence as a whole shall leave no reasonable doubt. The Company shall decide a complete Path B submission within ten (10) business days.
4.3 Path C: agent. An Authorized Agent submits the Path A or Path B evidence for the owner, together with the agent's written authority, which shall be current and shall name the Platform engagement specifically. The Company may confirm the agency directly with the owner, and shall do so where the authority is undated, where the agent's contact details do not correspond to a known relationship, or where any other inconsistency appears.
4.4 Licence evidence. Where the applicant claims as licensee rather than owner, the applicant submits the licence agreement or the licensor's written grant, which shall name the applicant, the brand, and the rights granted, and shall show that the rights granted include the right to register and manage the brand on the Platform. A licence that does not include that right does not support verification.
4.5 A pending trademark application is not a Trademark Certificate and does not support Path A. An applicant holding only a pending application proceeds under Path B and may supplement the Verification Record when the registration issues.
4.6 Foreign trademark certificates are accepted under Path A where the certificate covers the relevant goods. Business documentation under Path B follows the same standard, using the equivalents of the applicant's home jurisdiction. A brand acquired at a bankruptcy sale is proved by the court's sale order together with the assignment, as Chain of Title evidence.
4.7 The Company may require additional evidence where submitted materials are inconsistent, expired, or fail to name the applicant. A request for additional evidence shall state exactly what is missing and why. The applicable decision period pauses until the additional evidence arrives.
Article 5: Review and Decision
5.1 The Company shall record each verification in a Verification Record. A verification that is not recorded in a Verification Record has not occurred for the purposes of the Brand Registry Policy.
5.2 On approval, the registry record moves to verified and the rights stated in the Brand Registry Policy attach. On denial, the Company shall state the deficiency and the evidence that cures it. A denial in good faith carries no bar on a corrected application.
5.3 Verification confirms ownership or licence for registry purposes only. Verification: (a) is not an evaluation of the quality or market position of the brand or its Products; (b) is not a legal opinion on whether a mark infringes another mark, is vulnerable to cancellation, or requires registration in additional classes; and (c) confers no exclusivity over generic or descriptive words. The Company does not adjudicate ownership; a court decides ownership where the evidence does not resolve a dispute under Article 7.
Article 6: Re-verification
6.1 Re-verification is required on: (a) a transfer of ownership of the brand; (b) a change in the owner's legal entity, including a conversion, merger, or reorganization; and (c) a credible challenge to ownership, including a competing claim supported by plausible evidence, a court filing, or a trademark cancellation proceeding.
6.2 The Brand has thirty (30) days from notice to complete re-verification. During that period the brand remains verified, authorizations continue in force, and portal access remains open. If re-verification is not complete on the thirty-first day, the record moves to suspended and owner rights pause. Listings already live are not suppressed by reason of the lapse alone, and no new authorizations issue until re-verification is complete.
6.3 Re-verification proceeds under the paths in Article 4.
6.4 A Brand that owns a brand and also holds a Seller Account holds the two standings separately. Suspension of the Seller Account does not remove verification of the brand, and suspension of the registry record does not suspend the Seller Account.
Article 7: Ownership Disputes
7.1 Where two parties claim the same brand, each claimant shall submit its best evidence under Article 4 within twenty-one (21) days of notice from the Company. The Company decides on the preponderance of the evidence: the claim whose evidence, taken as a whole, more convincingly proves ownership. The decision is an evidentiary decision for registry purposes and does not bind any court.
7.2 During a dispute the registry record freezes: no change of ownership is recorded, neither claimant issues new authorizations, and neither claimant has access to expedited complaint handling. Authorizations in force at the start of the freeze continue unchanged.
7.3 Where the evidence does not decide the dispute, the Company shall hold the freeze and direct the claimants to resolve ownership between themselves or in court. The Company shall not record an owner on evidence that does not satisfy Article 4.
Article 8: False Claims
8.1 An applicant shall not submit forged, fabricated, or materially false evidence, including a fabricated Trademark Certificate or a forged assignment. Submission of false evidence is fraud.
8.2 On a finding of false evidence, the Company shall deny the application or remove the registry record, shall terminate the applicant's participation in the brand program, and shall record the finding. Forged evidence submitted in a dispute under Article 7 is treated in the same manner.
8.3 The Brand's indemnification duty in respect of a false claim is stated expressly in Article 11.
Article 9: Fees
9.1 A fee is payable under this document only if the fee is stated in the Brand Program Fees Policy. No other charge of any kind is payable, and the Company shall not impose a fee that that document does not state.
Article 10: Liability
10.1 Exclusion of certain damages. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither party is liable to the other for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages, or for lost profits, lost revenue, or loss of goodwill, arising out of or relating to this document, even if the party has been advised of the possibility of those damages.
10.2 Cap. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company's total liability arising out of or relating to this document shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amounts the Brand paid to the Company under this document in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred dollars ($100).
10.3 Carve-outs. This Article does not limit (a) a party's indemnification obligations under this document; (b) liability for fraud or willful misconduct; (c) amounts the Brand owes for Orders, fees, chargebacks, or refunds under this document; or (d) liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
10.4 Essential purpose. The parties agree that this Article allocates risk between them, that it is an essential part of the basis of their bargain, and that it applies even if a limited remedy fails of its essential purpose.
Article 11: Indemnification
11.1 Duty. The Brand shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company and its members, managers, employees, and agents from and against every claim, demand, action, loss, liability, judgment, settlement, cost, and expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) the Brand's breach of this document; (b) the Brand's Products, listings, or content supplied by the Brand; (c) the Brand's violation of any law or of the rights of any person; (d) a false or unsupported claim of ownership or licence submitted by the Brand or by an Authorized Agent of the Brand, including every claim by a true owner or by a Seller whose authorization, complaint standing, or listing was affected by the false claim; (e) product liability and intellectual property infringement claims arising from the Brand's Products, and product recall costs for the Brand's Products; and (f) taxes for which the Brand is responsible under this document.
11.2 Procedure. The Company shall give prompt written notice of a claim under this Article. The Brand shall control the defense with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company. The Company may participate in the defense at its own expense. The Brand shall not settle a claim in a manner that imposes any obligation or restriction on the Company, or that does not release the Company fully, without the Company's prior written consent.
11.3 Survival. This Article survives the termination of this document.
Article 12: Enforcement and Appeals
12.1 Investigation. The Company may investigate any suspected violation of this document. The Brand shall cooperate with an investigation and shall produce the records this document requires the Brand to keep.
12.2 Notice. If the Company determines that the Brand has violated this document, the Company shall give written notice stating the provision violated and the facts relied on, except where notice would compromise an investigation of fraud, a safety risk, or a legal obligation.
12.3 Opportunity to cure. Where a violation is capable of cure, the Brand has ten (10) business days from notice to cure it and to confirm the cure in writing. No cure period applies to fraud, counterfeiting, a risk to the safety of a person or an animal, unlawful conduct, or a violation that by its nature cannot be cured.
12.4 Measures. If a violation is established and is not cured within the period allowed, the Company may, proportionate to the violation: (a) issue a written warning; (b) remove or suppress a listing or content; (c) cancel an Order or a booking; (d) suspend the Account or a program participation, in whole or in part; (e) terminate this document and the Account; and (f) exercise any other right or remedy available under this document or at law.
12.5 Appeal. The Brand may appeal a measure under this Article by written notice to legal@aapawz.com within thirty (30) days of the measure, stating the grounds and attaching the records relied on. The appeal is decided by a person who did not make the original decision. The Company's decision on appeal is final. A measure remains in effect during an appeal unless the Company directs otherwise in writing.
12.6 No waiver by delay. The Company's delay in acting on a violation is not a waiver of the violation or of any later violation of the same kind.
Article 13: Term and Termination
13.1 Term. This document takes effect when the Brand applies for registration of a brand and continues until terminated under this Article.
13.2 Termination by the Company. The Company may terminate this document and the Account on thirty (30) days' written notice for any reason, and immediately on written notice if the Brand materially breaches this document, engages in fraud, or becomes ineligible to participate.
13.3 Termination by the Brand. The Brand may terminate this document on thirty (30) days' written notice to support@aapawz.com, provided the Brand has no application, dispute, or investigation outstanding.
13.4 Effect of termination. On termination: (a) the rights granted under this document end; (b) obligations that arose before termination: including record-keeping and indemnification obligations: survive until satisfied; and (c) the Company shall disburse amounts owed, less amounts the Company may set off under this document, within thirty (30) days, except amounts held in connection with an open investigation or dispute.
13.5 Survival. The Definitions, Fees (for accrued amounts), Liability, Indemnification, Enforcement and Appeals (for measures taken before termination), Dispute Resolution, and General Provisions Articles survive termination.
Article 14: Dispute Resolution
14.1 Any dispute arising out of or relating to this document, or to the relationship it governs, is governed by the Dispute Resolution Policy, which is incorporated into this document by reference.
Article 15: General Provisions
15.1 Amendments. The Company may amend this document by posting the amended document in the Document Center and giving notice to the Brand at the email address in the Account. An amendment that materially increases the Brand's fees or obligations takes effect thirty (30) days after notice; other amendments take effect on posting. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date of an amendment is acceptance of it. If the Brand does not accept an amendment, the Brand's remedy is to terminate under Article 13 before the amendment takes effect.
15.2 Notices. (a) Legal notices under this document shall be sent to legal@aapawz.com. Operational notices and all other communications shall be sent to support@aapawz.com. A notice to the Company is effective when the Company acknowledges receipt or, for email, one business day after sending, whichever is earlier. (b) Notices to the Brand are effective when sent to the email address in the Account or posted to the Account's notice facility in the portal, whichever occurs first. The Brand shall keep the email address in the Account current. (c) DMCA notices are given as provided in the DMCA and Copyright Policy, to the designated agent at legal@aapawz.com.
15.3 Governing law. This document is governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Subject to the Dispute Resolution Policy, any proceeding arising out of this document shall be brought in the state or federal courts located in Shelby County, Tennessee, and the parties consent to personal jurisdiction there.
15.4 Severability. If any provision of this document is held unenforceable, the provision shall be enforced to the fullest extent permitted, and the remaining provisions continue in full effect.
15.5 Entire agreement. This document, together with the documents it incorporates by reference, is the entire agreement between the Company and the Brand for the subject it governs and supersedes every prior or contemporaneous statement, communication, or agreement on that subject, whether written or oral.
15.6 Assignment. The Brand shall not assign this document or any right or obligation under it without the Company's prior written consent, and an assignment without consent is void. The Company may assign this document to an affiliate or in connection with a sale of all or part of its business, on notice to the Brand.
15.7 Waiver. A waiver of any provision of this document is effective only in writing and only for the instance stated. No waiver is a waiver of any other provision or instance.
15.8 Interpretation. Headings are for convenience only. "Including" means "including without limitation." This document shall not be construed against a party as its drafter. The English-language text controls over any translation.
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