Effective Date: October 15, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applies to: All Veterinarians who provide services through the Platform, and all Company personnel who work on the veterinary program.
Article 1: Introduction and Scope
1.1 This Policy states what a clinical incident is, who shall report an incident and within what period, how an incident is investigated and decided, and how incident records are preserved. The reporting duty in this Policy is broad at the reporting stage and exact at the finding stage: a person who is aware of an event that might qualify reports the event, and the investigation determines what the event was.
1.2 If a provision of this Policy conflicts with the Terms of Use, this Policy controls for the subject it governs. If a provision of this Policy conflicts with the terms of a program in which a party participates, the program terms control for that program. The practice of veterinary medicine is governed by the law of the state in which the patient is located, and nothing in this Policy limits a reporting duty that state law imposes.
Article 2: Definitions
2.1 Account: the account a person or business establishes with the Company to use the Platform.
2.2 Client: a pet owner or caretaker who uses the Platform's veterinary services.
2.3 Company: All About Pawz, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company.
2.4 Incident: an event within Article 3.1 connected to a consultation, a prescription, a triage session, or a referral through the Platform.
2.5 Patient: the animal that is the subject of a consultation, a prescription, a triage session, or a referral.
2.6 Platform: the websites, applications, and services the Company operates under the name All About Pawz, including aapawz.com.
2.7 VCPR: a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, as defined by the law of the state in which the patient is located.
2.8 Veterinarian: a veterinarian licensed in the state in which the patient is located, whom the Company has accepted to provide veterinary services through the Platform.
Article 3: What Is an Incident
3.1 An Incident is any event suggesting patient harm, near-harm, or serious professional failure connected to a consultation, a prescription, a triage session, or a referral through the Platform.
3.2 Reportable events include: (a) an adverse outcome following a consultation: the Patient worsened, died, or suffered a complication plausibly connected to the encounter or its plan; (b) a prescribing error: wrong product, wrong dose, wrong patient, a contraindicated combination, or a prescription written without a valid VCPR; (c) a VCPR or licensing violation discovered after the fact, including a session conducted on an expired license; (d) a triage session that understated an emergency: a session classified Routine where the presentation warranted Emergency, under the Teletriage Standards Policy; (e) an exposure of clinical information: session content visible to the wrong party, or a recording mishandled; (f) a near-miss: an error caught before harm; and (g) any event the Veterinarian reasonably believes warrants review. The reporter's judgment is a sufficient basis for a report; uncertainty about whether an event qualifies is resolved in favor of reporting.
Article 4: The Reporting Duty
4.1 Reporting is mandatory. The Veterinarian or staff member aware of the event shall report the Incident within twenty-four (24) hours of becoming aware of it. The period runs from awareness, not from the event, because the duty arises when action becomes possible.
4.2 The report is made through the Platform's incident channel. An Incident that involves injury to a person or an animal, or a legal claim made or threatened against the Company or the Veterinarian, shall in addition be reported to legal@aapawz.com within the same twenty-four (24) hour period.
4.3 The report records: what happened, stated as facts and not conclusions; the sessions, prescriptions, or referrals involved; the immediate steps taken: the Client contacted, the Patient referred, the prescription cancelled; and whether the reporter believes patient harm occurred. The reporter's belief about harm is recorded as the reporter's assessment. The investigation, not the report, determines whether harm occurred and whether a violation occurred.
4.4 Failure to report a known Incident is a conduct violation under the Vet Conduct and Enforcement Policy.
Article 5: No Retaliation; Confidentiality of the Reporter
5.1 No person shall retaliate against a person who reports an Incident in good faith. The prohibition applies to the Company, to its personnel, and to Veterinarians, and covers reports about a colleague as much as reports about the reporter's own work. Retaliation for a good-faith report is a conduct violation under the Vet Conduct and Enforcement Policy.
5.2 A report may be made confidentially. The reporter's identity is protected from the subject of the report during the investigation, to the extent the investigation permits.
Article 6: The Incident Record and Preservation
6.1 The incident record states: the reporter's type; the incident type; the sessions and prescriptions involved; whether the record contains clinical information, which places the record in the highest access class under the Telemedicine Data Handling Policy; the assigned reviewer; the review date; and the resolution notes.
6.2 An Incident attributable to the automated triage tool is additionally recorded with the tool's recorded details from the triage record and the reference content drawn on, because such an Incident is both a patient-safety event and a tool-quality event, and each ground is investigated.
6.3 Incident records are added to, not rewritten. An investigation adds findings to the record; an investigation does not amend the initial report. A correction of a fact in the initial report is added to the record with the correction identified as a correction, and the original entry remains visible.
6.4 On notice of an Incident that involves injury or a legal claim, the Company may place the records connected with the Incident: the incident record, the session record, the clinical documentation, the prescription chain, and related communications: under a litigation hold, as the Legal Holds document provides for records subject to preservation duties. While a hold is in effect, no person shall delete, alter, or permit the routine deletion of a held record, and the hold prevails over any retention period in the Telemedicine Data Handling Policy or the Regulatory Record Retention Policy that would otherwise end during the hold.
Article 7: Investigation and Findings
7.1 A designated clinical reviewer investigates each Incident. The reviewer is a Veterinarian with no involvement in the event, with access to the session record, the clinical documentation, the triage history, and the prescription chain. The reviewer investigates the event: what happened, in what order, with what contributing factors: and not the person as such.
7.2 The investigation concludes in one of three findings (a) No violation. The event was an adverse outcome that was not a failure: the outcome was not preventable, the triage was reasonable, or the prescription was correct. The Incident closes with the reasoning recorded.
(b) Quality improvement required. Something failed, without culpability: an unclear screen contributed, a handover lost information, a reference Entry was ambiguous. The outcome is a corrective plan with a deadline and a named owner, tracked to completion.
(c) Violation warranting enforcement. The event reflects a breach of the Veterinary and Pharmacy documents: practice without a VCPR, falsified documentation, an ignored emergency. The finding is referred to the Vet Conduct and Enforcement Policy for enforcement, which may include immediate suspension pending investigation under the Vet Suspension, Deactivation, and Reinstatement.
7.3 An investigation is completed within thirty (30) days of the report, except where a law-enforcement proceeding or a licensing-board proceeding requires a longer period.
7.4 The reporter is informed of the outcome category: no violation, quality improvement required, or violation with enforcement: and is not given the confidential details of the investigation.
Article 8: Reports Outside the Platform
8.1 An event that suggests conduct reportable to a licensing board is reported by the Company to the relevant state board, with the incident record and the investigation findings. Conduct within this Article includes unlicensed practice, prescribing violations, falsified records, and animal harm from negligence. The report to the board is a Company duty under this Policy where the law requires it, and a Company right in every other case in which the findings establish the conduct.
8.2 An event involving a pharmacy partner: a dispensing error, or a fulfillment failure with clinical consequences: is reported to the partner under the Pharmacy Services Agreement and the Pharmacy Partner Standards, and is tracked to resolution.
8.3 De-identified, aggregate incident data informs the quality review of triage under the Teletriage Standards Policy, the review of reference content under the Clinical Reference Content Policy, and Veterinarian performance review. Identified incident data is used for no purpose outside the investigation, enforcement, and the reports this Article states.
Article 9: Liability
9.1 Incident risk. A good-faith report under this Policy is not an admission of fault by the reporter, and the making of a report does not by itself establish liability in any person. Nothing in this Article limits liability for personal injury or injury to an animal caused by negligence, where applicable law does not permit the limitation.
9.2 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 Policy, even if the party has been advised of the possibility of those damages.
9.3 Cap. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company's total liability arising out of or relating to this Policy shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amounts the Veterinarian paid to the Company under this Policy in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred dollars ($100).
9.4 Carve-outs. This Article does not limit (a) a party's indemnification obligations under this Policy; (b) liability for fraud or willful misconduct; (c) amounts owed for Orders, fees, chargebacks, or refunds under the Company's documents; or (d) liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
9.5 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 10: Indemnification
10.1 Duty. The Veterinarian 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 Veterinarian's breach of this Policy; (b) the Veterinarian's services or content; (c) the Veterinarian's violation of any law or of the rights of any person; and (d) taxes for which the Veterinarian is responsible under the Company's documents. A good-faith report is not a breach of this Policy and gives rise to no indemnity duty.
10.2 Procedure. The Company shall give prompt written notice of a claim under this Article. The Veterinarian shall control the defense with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company. The Company may participate in the defense at its own expense. The Veterinarian 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.
10.3 Survival. This Article survives the termination of this Policy.
Article 11: Enforcement and Appeals
11.1 Investigation. The Company may investigate any suspected violation of this Policy. The Veterinarian shall cooperate with an investigation and shall produce the records this Policy requires the Veterinarian to keep.
11.2 Notice. If the Company determines that the Veterinarian has violated this Policy, 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.
11.3 Opportunity to cure. Where a violation is capable of cure, the Veterinarian has ten (10) business days from notice to cure it and to confirm the cure in writing. No cure period applies to fraud, a risk to the safety of a person or an animal, unlawful conduct, failure to report a known Incident, or a violation that by its nature cannot be cured.
11.4 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 content; (c) suspend the Account or program participation, in whole or in part; (d) terminate this Policy and the Account; and (e) exercise any other right or remedy available under the Company's documents or at law. The Company may suspend a Veterinarian's participation immediately where a license has lapsed or a safety risk arises.
11.5 Appeal. The Veterinarian 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.
11.6 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 12: Term and Termination
12.1 Term. This Policy takes effect when the Veterinarian is accepted into the veterinary program and continues until terminated under this Article.
12.2 Termination by the Company. The Company may terminate this Policy and the Account on thirty (30) days' written notice for any reason, and immediately on written notice if the Veterinarian materially breaches this Policy, engages in fraud, or becomes ineligible to participate.
12.3 Termination by the Veterinarian. The Veterinarian may terminate this Policy on thirty (30) days' written notice to support@aapawz.com, provided the Veterinarian has no consultation, Incident report, or investigation outstanding.
12.4 Effect of termination. On termination: (a) the rights granted under this Policy end; (b) obligations that arose before termination: including reporting, record-preservation, payment, and indemnification obligations: survive until satisfied; and (c) the Company shall disburse amounts owed, less amounts the Company may set off under the Company's documents, within thirty (30) days, except amounts held in connection with an open investigation or dispute.
12.5 Survival. The Definitions, Liability, Indemnification, Enforcement and Appeals (for measures taken before termination), Dispute Resolution, and General Provisions Articles survive termination. The record-preservation duty in Article 6.4 survives termination without limit of time while a hold is in effect.
Article 13: Dispute Resolution
13.1 Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Policy, or to the relationship it governs, is governed by the Dispute Resolution Policy, which is incorporated into this Policy by reference.
Article 14: General Provisions
14.1 Amendments. The Company may amend this Policy by posting the amended Policy in the Document Center and giving notice to the Veterinarian at the email address in the Account. An amendment that materially increases the Veterinarian's 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. A Veterinarian who does not accept an amendment may terminate under Article 12 before the amendment takes effect.
14.2 Notices. Legal notices under this Policy 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. Notices to the Veterinarian 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 Veterinarian shall keep the email address in the Account current.
14.3 Governing law. This Policy 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 Policy shall be brought in the state or federal courts located in Shelby County, Tennessee, and the parties consent to personal jurisdiction there. The practice of veterinary medicine under this Policy is governed by the law of the state in which the patient is located.
14.4 Severability. If any provision of this Policy is held unenforceable, the provision shall be enforced to the fullest extent permitted, and the remaining provisions continue in full effect.
14.5 Entire agreement. This Policy, together with the documents it incorporates by reference, is the entire agreement between the Company and the Veterinarian for the subject it governs and supersedes every prior or contemporaneous statement, communication, or agreement on that subject, whether written or oral.
14.6 Assignment. The Veterinarian shall not assign this Policy 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 Policy to an affiliate or in connection with a sale of all or part of its business, on notice to the Veterinarian.
14.7 Waiver. A waiver of any provision of this Policy is effective only in writing and only for the instance stated. No waiver is a waiver of any other provision or instance.
14.8 Interpretation. Headings are for convenience only. "Including" means "including without limitation." This Policy shall not be construed against a party as its drafter. The English-language text controls over any translation.
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