Platform Principles
Last Updated: 18/12/2025
PawTrack exists because pet care is not gig work, and animals are not interchangeable commodities.
Pet care requires trust, continuity, species-specific knowledge, and accountability. Most platforms optimise for speed, volume, and spend. PawTrack does not.
These principles guide how the platform is designed, how policies are written, and how decisions are made. They are intentional. They are not accidental. They are not negotiable.
Fairness Over Fees
PawTrack does not extract value from every interaction.
- We do not take commission on bookings.
- We do not sell visibility or priority placement.
- We do not reward professionals for paying more rather than behaving reliably.
Professionals keep what they earn. Parents see pricing that reflects care, not platform tax.
If a feature increases platform revenue while reducing fairness, it is rejected.
Transparency Over Manipulation
Users should never have to guess how the platform works.
Visibility, availability, reliability signals, review rules, cancellation windows, and enforcement actions are documented and explainable. There are no hidden rankings, shadow penalties, or unexplained outcomes.
If a user cannot understand why something happened, the system has failed, not the user.
Trust Is Earned, Not Bought
Trust on PawTrack is built through behaviour over time.
- Verified identity and documentation.
- Consistency and follow-through.
- Appropriate species experience.
- Transparent booking history.
Trust cannot be purchased, boosted, or gamed through spend.
Automation exists to support trust, not replace it. Any system that can be exploited faster than it can be earned is not acceptable.
Respect for All Species
Pet care is not dog-only.
Cats, birds, reptiles, fish, small mammals, exotics, and large animals all have different needs, risks, and handling requirements. PawTrack models species explicitly and expects professionals to do the same.
Generalists are not presented as specialists. Specialists are not buried for being niche.
If a feature collapses species differences for convenience, it is wrong by design.
Accountability Creates Safety
Reliability is not about punishment. It is about predictability.
Cancellations, no-shows, and repeated disruption harm animals, parents, and professionals alike. PawTrack records patterns, not isolated mistakes.
- Reducing uncertainty for parents.
- Protecting professionals from unsuitable bookings.
- Preventing avoidable stress and risk to animals.
Safety is not assumed. It is designed for and enforced deliberately.
Community Over Competition
PawTrack is not a race to the bottom.
We are building a professional ecosystem, not a bidding war. Growth should raise standards, not dilute them.
Professionals are peers, not replaceable listings. Parents are participants, not traffic.
- Long-term relationships.
- Continuity of care.
- Shared history and context.
- Professionalism over volume.
If a feature encourages churn, disposability, or exploitation, it conflicts with this principle.
Built Deliberately, Not Hastily
PawTrack is intentionally slower, stricter, and more deliberate than typical marketplaces.
- Verification takes effort.
- Rules are enforced.
- Shortcuts are avoided.
This is not a flaw. It is the cost of building something worth trusting.
Living Principles
These principles are reflected through product design decisions, onboarding and verification requirements, pricing structure, platform policies, moderation, and technical constraints.
When a decision conflicts with these principles, the principles win. Always.
These Platform Principles describe how PawTrack is designed and governed. They do not replace or override the Terms & Conditions, Policies, or Agreements, which define enforceable rights and obligations.