Effective Date: October 15, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applies to: All Veterinarians who apply to participate in, or who participate in, veterinary services through the Platform.
Article 1: Introduction and Scope
1.1 This document governs who may participate as a Veterinarian through the Platform and on what basis. It states the eligibility conditions for participation, the nature of the participation relationship, and the duties that continue for as long as participation continues.
1.2 The Company operates a marketplace that connects pet owners with licensed veterinarians. The Company is not a veterinary practice, does not employ Veterinarians to practice veterinary medicine, and does not make clinical decisions. Each consultation through the Platform is a professional encounter between a client and a Veterinarian practicing under the Veterinarian's own license and independent professional judgment, under the law of the state where the patient is located at the time of the encounter. No provision of this document, and no other Company document, authorizes the practice of veterinary medicine that the law of the patient's state forbids.
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 Veterinarian 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 The definitions in the Terms of Use are incorporated into this document by reference and apply to this document. This article defines only the additional terms used in this document, in alphabetical order.
2.2 Client: a pet owner or caretaker who books or receives a consultation through the Platform.
2.3 Consultation: a veterinary encounter between a Veterinarian and a Client concerning a Patient, conducted through the Platform.
2.4 Good Standing: the status of a license that the issuing state board treats as active and unrestricted, not expired, lapsed, suspended, revoked, surrendered, probationary with practice restrictions, or subject to interim restrictions.
2.5 License Record: the record the Company maintains for each state license held by a Veterinarian, stating the license number, the licensing state, the expiry date, and the verification status of that license.
2.6 Patient: the animal that is the subject of a Consultation.
2.7 Practitioner Record: the record the Company maintains for a Veterinarian, stating identity, specialties, participation status, credentialing status, insurance particulars, and payout particulars.
2.8 VCPR: a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, as defined and governed by the law of the state where the Patient is located.
2.9 Veterinarian: a licensed veterinarian the Company has accepted to participate in veterinary services through the Platform.
Article 3: Eligibility and Participation
3.1 To participate, and to remain eligible to participate, the Veterinarian shall at all times satisfy each of the following conditions (a) the Veterinarian holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris (VMD), or board-accepted equivalent degree from a program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association; a graduate of a foreign program shall hold ECFVG or PAVE certification;
(b) the Veterinarian holds an active, unrestricted veterinary license in Good Standing in each state in which the Veterinarian accepts Consultations;
(c) the Veterinarian is at least eighteen (18) years of age and is legally authorized to work as an independent contractor in the United States;
(d) the Veterinarian carries professional liability insurance meeting the minimums stated in the Credentialing and Background Standards, and the policy number and expiry date are recorded on the Practitioner Record; and
(e) the Veterinarian holds a current registration with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration where that registration is applicable to the services the Veterinarian offers through the Platform.
3.2 The Veterinarian shall have no license suspension, revocation, surrender in lieu of discipline, or unresolved board disciplinary action in any state. A resolved disciplinary action is assessed as a credentialing question under the Credentialing and Background Standards; an unresolved action bars participation until it is resolved.
3.3 Eligibility is a continuing condition, not a condition assessed only at acceptance. Loss of any condition in clause 3.1, including a license lapse, an insurance lapse, or a board investigation resulting in practice restrictions, results in immediate suspension under the Vet Suspension, Deactivation, and Reinstatement document. A Veterinarian shall not conduct a Consultation through the Platform while ineligible. Each Consultation conducted during a period of ineligibility is subject to review, the affected Client shall be notified, and the Consultation shall be recorded as having occurred outside program authorization.
3.4 The Veterinarian shall report a change to licensure, insurance, or disciplinary status, including a new license, a renewed license, an expired license, or a board action, within five (5) business days of the change. The Company's verification duties under the License Verification document do not relieve the Veterinarian of this reporting duty.
Article 4: One Veterinarian, One Record
4.1 The Company maintains one Practitioner Record for each individual Veterinarian. Duplicate records are prohibited.
4.2 A Veterinarian whose record is suspended or deactivated shall not apply again under a different identity, a different email address, or through a practice entity. Applications are matched by license number and name against the full participation history, including deactivated records. An attempt to circumvent a suspension or deactivation by a new application is a material breach of this document.
4.3 The Company credentials the individual who holds the license. A practice entity is not a practitioner; each veterinarian practicing through a practice holds a separate Practitioner Record and a separate License Record for each licensing state.
Article 5: Participation Paths
5.1 A Veterinarian participates on one or both of two paths (a) Referral participation. The Veterinarian receives referrals for the areas served stated in the application. A Veterinarian on this path only is a referral recipient, not a Platform practitioner, does not see a Platform Patient, and is not subject to Articles of this series that govern Consultations and prescribing. The compensation rules in the Vet Lead and Referral Compensation (Vet Lead Compensation Policy) document and the accuracy duties in the Vet Directory and Profile Standards document apply to this path.
(b) Telemedicine participation. The full set of veterinary documents in this series applies. The Veterinarian may hold scheduled availability, conduct Consultations, and create clinical records through the Platform.
5.2 A Veterinarian may hold both paths. A Veterinarian on the referral path only may move to telemedicine participation by completing the telemedicine credentialing and activation requirements in the Vet Onboarding and Activation document; referral history does not shorten those requirements.
Article 6: The Participation Relationship
6.1 The Veterinarian participates as an independent professional and independent contractor. Nothing in this document creates an employment, partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship between the Veterinarian and the Company. The sole exception is the limited payment-collection agency for consultation fees stated in the Vet Consult Fees and Payouts (Vet Fees and Payouts Policy) document, which exists only so that the Company may collect the Client's payment and remit the Veterinarian's share; it confers no authority to bind the Company and creates no employment status.
6.2 The Veterinarian bears the Veterinarian's own tax, benefits, insurance, and professional obligations. The Company does not withhold taxes for the Veterinarian, does not insure the Veterinarian's practice, and does not supervise the Veterinarian's clinical work.
6.3 The Company does not practice veterinary medicine. The Company shall not direct a Veterinarian's diagnosis, treatment, or prescribing decision, and no Company document, communication, or system shall be read to do so.
Article 7: Conditions of Active Participation
7.1 An active Veterinarian shall keep current each license on the License Record, professional liability insurance, credentialing status under the Credentialing and Background Standards, and payout onboarding. A Veterinarian with no posted availability is not suspended; the Veterinarian is not bookable, and directory display is governed by the Vet Directory and Profile Standards.
7.2 Licensure and the VCPR are governed by the law of the state where the Patient is located. Telemedicine is offered through the Platform only where that state's law permits the VCPR to be established by telemedicine. Where state law and this document differ on a clinical matter, the stricter rule prevails.
Article 8: Fees
8.1 Consultation fees, the division of a fee between the Veterinarian and the Company, and payout timing are governed by the Vet Consult Fees and Payouts (Vet Fees and Payouts Policy). A fee is payable under this document only if the fee is stated in that document. No other charge of any kind is payable, and the Company shall not impose a fee that that document does not state.
Article 9: Liability
9.1 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.
9.2 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 Veterinarian 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).
9.3 This article does not limit (a) a party's indemnification obligations under this document; (b) liability for fraud or willful misconduct; (c) amounts the Veterinarian owes for fees, chargebacks, or refunds under this document; or (d) liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
9.4 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.
9.5 The Company is not a veterinary practice and does not provide veterinary services. Clinical judgment, diagnosis, treatment, and prescribing are the sole responsibility of the Veterinarian. Nothing in this article transfers the Veterinarian's professional liability to the Company, and nothing in this document makes the Company responsible for a clinical outcome. No provision of this document promises a clinical outcome.
9.6 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 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 document; (b) the Veterinarian's services, consultations, listings, or User 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 this document.
10.2 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 This article survives the termination of this document.
Article 11: Enforcement and Appeals
11.1 The Company may investigate any suspected violation of this document. The Veterinarian shall cooperate with an investigation and shall produce the records this document requires the Veterinarian to keep.
11.2 If the Company determines that the Veterinarian 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.
11.3 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, counterfeiting, a risk to the safety of a person or an animal, unlawful conduct, or a violation that by its nature cannot be cured.
11.4 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.
11.5 The Company may suspend the Veterinarian immediately, without prior notice and without a cure period, where a license lapses, expires, is suspended, or is revoked, or where a risk to the safety of a person or an animal arises, as provided in the License Verification document and the Vet Suspension, Deactivation, and Reinstatement document. The Company may hold disbursements to the Veterinarian while an investigation under this article is pending, and shall release amounts not required to satisfy the Veterinarian's obligations when the investigation closes.
11.6 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.
11.7 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 This document takes effect when the Veterinarian is accepted into participation and continues until terminated under this article.
12.2 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 Veterinarian materially breaches this document, engages in fraud, or becomes ineligible to participate.
12.3 The Veterinarian may terminate this document on thirty (30) days' written notice to support@aapawz.com, provided the Veterinarian has no Order, booking, or investigation outstanding.
12.4 On termination: (a) the rights granted under this document end; (b) obligations that arose before termination: including payment, refund, chargeback, 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.
12.5 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 13: Dispute Resolution
13.1 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 14: General Provisions
14.1 The Company may amend this document by posting the amended document 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 the Term and Termination article before the amendment takes effect.
14.2 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. 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. Notices under the DMCA and Copyright Policy are given as provided in that policy, to the designated agent at legal@aapawz.com.
14.3 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. The practice of veterinary medicine under this document is governed by the law of the state in which the patient is located.
14.4 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.
14.5 This document, 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 The Veterinarian 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 Veterinarian.
14.7 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.
14.8 Headings are for convenience only. "Including" means "including without limitation." This document shall not be construed against a party on the ground that the party prepared this document. The English-language text controls over any translation.
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