Effective Date: October 15, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applies to: All Veterinarians who conduct consultations through the Platform, and all Company personnel who prepare booking, marketing, or other Client-facing content for veterinary services.
Article 1: Introduction and Scope
1.1 This Policy governs follow-up consultations with existing patients through the Platform. In a state where a VCPR cannot be established by electronic means, a consultation through the Platform is a follow-up: a recheck, a treatment adjustment, or an ongoing-care encounter that builds on an in-person examination by a licensed veterinarian: and not a first encounter. This Policy states the framing, attestation, scheduling, and documentation duties that keep the follow-up service within that line.
1.2 State law controls the line between a follow-up within an existing VCPR and an encounter that requires a new VCPR. The law of the state in which the Patient is located governs licensure, the VCPR, and prescribing. This Policy does not authorize any practice that the law of that state forbids, and where this Policy and that law differ on a clinical matter, the stricter rule prevails.
1.3 No provision of this Policy promises a clinical outcome. 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 the Veterinarian participates, the program terms control for that program.
Article 2: Definitions
2.1 Account: the account a person or business establishes with the Company to use the Platform.
2.2 Attestation: the Client's statement, recorded at booking, that the Patient has received a qualifying in-person examination, as provided in the VCPR Establishment Rules.
2.3 Client: the person who holds authority over the Patient and who books a Consultation through the Platform.
2.4 Company: All About Pawz, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company.
2.5 Consultation: a veterinary telemedicine encounter between a Veterinarian and a Client conducted through the Platform.
2.6 Follow-Up Consultation: a Consultation conducted within an existing VCPR founded on a prior in-person examination of the Patient.
2.7 Patient: the animal that is the subject of a Consultation.
2.8 Platform: the websites, applications, and services the Company operates under the name All About Pawz, including aapawz.com.
2.9 VCPR: a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, as defined by the law of the state in which the Patient is located.
2.10 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: The Follow-Up Rule
3.1 In Tennessee, and in every state where a VCPR cannot be established by electronic means, a Consultation through the Platform shall be offered and delivered only as a Follow-Up Consultation: a recheck, a treatment adjustment, or an ongoing-care encounter building on an in-person examination of the Patient by a licensed veterinarian within the last 12 months.
3.2 A first encounter: the initial diagnosis of a new Patient by remote means: shall not be offered or delivered through the Platform in a state described in Article 3.1. Follow-Up Consultations address a genuine clinical need: the post-operative recheck that does not require transport, the medication adjustment after a treatment period, and the assessment of whether a condition is healing as expected. The prohibition in this Article is limited to the first encounter that state law reserves to in-person care.
3.3 Whether a particular encounter falls within an existing VCPR or requires a new VCPR is determined by the law of the state in which the Patient is located, applied through the State Telemedicine Matrix. Where that law is uncertain, the stricter reading controls: the encounter is treated as requiring a new VCPR.
Article 4: Framing of the Service
4.1 For Patients in a state described in Article 3.1, every Client-facing surface: the booking process, the veterinary services pages, advertising, email, and triage escalation content: shall describe consultations through the Platform as existing-patient follow-ups, in concrete terms such as video follow-ups with licensed veterinarians, rechecks from home, and ongoing care between visits.
4.2 In a state described in Article 3.1, Client-facing content shall not (a) promise new-patient diagnosis by remote means;
(b) promise a first-time prescription from a remote visit;
(c) state or imply that a Consultation through the Platform creates the primary veterinary relationship; or
(d) present testimonial or before-and-after content that implies a diagnosis was made on a first remote visit.
4.3 The rule in this Article binds marketing and booking content with the same force as the booking gate in Article 5. A compliant booking process presented through non-compliant advertising is a violation of this Policy, because the advertising is what the Client relied on. The Company shall not present for sale a service that the law does not permit the Veterinarian to deliver.
4.4 Booking content for a Client in a state described in Article 3.1 shall state the basis of the service plainly: that the Consultation is a video follow-up with a licensed veterinarian of that state, for a Patient examined in person within the last 12 months: and shall state that a Patient without that examination requires an in-person examination first, with direction to in-person practices and to emergency care where the matter is urgent.
Article 5: Attestation, Scheduling, and In-Session Duties
5.1 The Attestation is the point of enforcement. No Attestation of a qualifying in-person examination, no telemedicine booking in a state described in Article 3.1, as provided in the VCPR Establishment Rules. A Client who cannot give the Attestation is not refused service outright: the Company shall offer teletriage under the Teletriage Standards (Teletriage Standards Policy) or booking for in-person care. The gate routes; it does not punish.
5.2 Scheduling shall record, for each Consultation, the state posture under which the Consultation proceeds: the Patient's state, the basis of the VCPR relied on, and the version of the State Telemedicine Matrix applied at booking. The record shall show whether the Consultation proceeded as a Follow-Up Consultation or as a first encounter in a state that permits a VCPR to be established by telemedicine.
5.3 If, during a Consultation, the Attestation proves false: the Client states that no prior examination occurred, or the account given does not support the Attestation: the Veterinarian shall convert the Consultation to teletriage scope at once: general information only, no diagnosis, and no prescription. The Veterinarian shall document the conversion and the reason for it in the clinical note under the Clinical Documentation Policy.
Article 6: First Encounters Where State Law Permits
6.1 In a state whose law, as recorded in the State Telemedicine Matrix, permits a VCPR to be established by telemedicine, a first-encounter Consultation is permitted within the limits of that law and that matrix entry: by synchronous video, with a Veterinarian licensed in the Patient's state, and subject to the prescription limits that apply to that state. The VCPR is established in the encounter as provided in the VCPR Establishment Rules, and the VCPR reference is recorded on the Consultation record.
6.2 Even in a state described in Article 6.1, Client-facing content shall not imply that every case is suitable for remote care. Content shall state that the Veterinarian determines at the encounter whether the Patient's condition can be assessed remotely, because the Consult Conduct Standards impose on the Veterinarian the duty to redirect a case that is unsuitable for telemedicine.
Article 7: Liability
7.1 Clinical responsibility. The Veterinarian bears responsibility for the clinical decisions made in a Consultation, including the decision to convert a Consultation to teletriage scope under Article 5.3. The Company does not practice veterinary medicine and does not direct the Veterinarian's clinical judgment. 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. No provision of this Policy is a promise of a clinical outcome.
7.2 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.
7.3 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).
7.4 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 the Veterinarian owes for fees, refunds, or other amounts under the Company's documents; or (d) liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
7.5 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 8: Indemnification
8.1 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, consultations, 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.
8.2 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.
8.3 Survival. This Article survives the termination of this Policy.
Article 9: Enforcement and Appeals
9.1 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.
9.2 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. The Company may suspend the Veterinarian's participation immediately where a license has lapsed or a safety risk arises.
9.3 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, or a violation that by its nature cannot be cured.
9.4 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, including non-compliant booking or marketing content; (c) cancel a booking; (d) suspend the Account or program participation, in whole or in part; (e) terminate this Policy and the Account; and (f) exercise any other right or remedy available under the Company's documents or at law.
9.5 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.
9.6 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 10: Term and Termination
10.1 Term. This Policy takes effect when the Veterinarian is accepted to provide veterinary services through the Platform and continues until terminated under this Article.
10.2 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.
10.3 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 booking or investigation outstanding.
10.4 Effect of termination. On termination: (a) the rights granted under this Policy end; (b) obligations that arose before termination: including payment, refund, record-keeping, 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.
10.5 Survival. The Definitions, Liability, Indemnification, Enforcement and Appeals (for measures taken before termination), Dispute Resolution, and General Provisions Articles survive termination.
Article 11: Dispute Resolution
11.1 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 12: General Provisions
12.1 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 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 Veterinarian does not accept an amendment, the Veterinarian's remedy is to terminate under Article 10 before the amendment takes effect.
12.2 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.
12.3 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.
12.4 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.
12.5 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.
12.6 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.
12.7 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.
12.8 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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