Datum des Inkrafttretens: 22 August 2026
1.1 Wow Pets Palace connects people around animals. That means real animals in real homes, money changing hands, and strangers meeting in person. The stakes are higher than on most platforms.
1.2 These Guidelines set out what is and is not acceptable here. They apply to everything you do on the Platform - listings, profiles, photos, videos, reviews, comments, messages, and how you behave towards other people and their animals.
1.3 They form part of the Terms and Conditions and sit alongside the Pet Marketplace Rules, which contain the detailed rules for listings.
1.4 Two principles run through everything below: animals are not products to be treated carelessly, and the people you deal with here are entitled to honesty and basic decency.
Do: be honest. Describe animals and items accurately. Disclose problems. Treat animals humanely. Treat people with respect. Follow the law where you are. Report things that look wrong.
Don't: harm animals or help anyone else to. Lie about what you're offering. Scam people. Harass, threaten or abuse anyone. Pretend to be someone you're not. Post other people's content or private information. Break the law.
This is the section we enforce most strictly.
You must not use the Platform in connection with:
3.2.1 Do not post content showing animals injured, distressed, dying or dead, except where you are reporting suspected cruelty to us or to an authority.
3.2.2 If you need to send evidence of cruelty, use the reporting tools (§19) rather than posting publicly.
3.2.3 Do not post content presenting animal distress as entertainment, including "prank" content, content where an animal is frightened for reaction, and content showing animals in dangerous situations staged for views.
3.3.1 If you see cruelty, report it to us - and report it to your local animal welfare authority or the police.
3.3.2 We are not an animal welfare authority. We cannot seize animals, enter premises, prosecute anyone, or intervene physically. Reporting to us alone will not get an animal out of danger.
3.3.3 We treat cruelty reports as urgent, act on accounts and content, and refer matters to authorities where appropriate.
4.1 Do not use the Platform for anything unlawful where you are, where the other party is, or where any animal or item is.
4.2 This includes: trade in prohibited, protected or endangered species; illegal wildlife trade; unlicensed breeding or selling; trade in stolen animals or goods; drugs, weapons or controlled substances; unlicensed supply of veterinary medicines; counterfeit goods; money laundering, fraud or sanctions evasion; and any transaction prohibited by applicable law.
4.3 The detailed listing rules are in the Pet Marketplace Rules, §7.
4.4 We report suspected serious criminal offences to the authorities, including where we have information giving rise to a suspicion that an offence involving a threat to the life or safety of a person has taken place, is taking place, or is likely to.
5.1 Do not: list animals or items you do not have; take payment and not deliver; run advance-fee scams, including fabricated transport, insurance, crate, vaccination or customs charges; use stolen photographs; impersonate a breeder, shelter or veterinarian; ask for payment by untraceable methods in order to avoid recourse; or pressure anyone into paying before they have seen an animal.
5.2 Pet sale fraud is common and causes real harm - financial loss, and sometimes an animal that does not exist or arrives sick. We treat it as one of the most serious breaches and act permanently on first instance.
5.3 Buyers: read Pet Marketplace Rules §8.2 for the warning signs. Never send money for an animal you have not seen in person.
6.1 Everything you publish must be accurate and not misleading.
6.2 Do not: misdescribe an animal's species, breed, age, health, temperament, vaccination status, pedigree or origin; conceal a known illness, injury, disability or history of aggression; use photographs that are not of the actual animal or item; make claims you cannot substantiate; or use misleading titles or keywords to attract traffic.
6.3 Concealing a known health or behavioural problem is treated with the same seriousness as fraud. It causes suffering to animals and to the people who take them on.
7.1 Do not: harass, bully or intimidate anyone; threaten violence against a person or an animal; use slurs or abusive language; engage in coordinated pile-ons; contact someone who has asked you to stop; or create accounts to evade a block.
7.2 Disagreements happen - a transaction goes wrong, a review is unwelcome. Disagreeing is fine. Abuse is not.
7.3 Do not publish anyone's private information without consent, including home address, phone number, workplace, financial details or identity documents. This applies even where you believe the person has behaved badly.
7.4 Do not encourage or organise harassment of anyone, on or off the Platform.
8.1 Do not attack, demean, dehumanise or promote hatred against people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.
8.2 Do not use the Platform to promote or organise for hateful ideologies or organisations.
8.3 Do not refuse to deal with someone on a discriminatory basis where this is unlawful.
9.1 Do not: pretend to be another person or organisation; use someone else's name, photo or identity; claim professional qualifications, licences or registrations you do not hold; falsely present yourself as a veterinarian, breeder, shelter or rescue; or claim endorsement, affiliation, verification or accreditation you do not have.
9.2 Do not claim any affiliation with Wow Pets Palace that you do not have, or represent yourself as verified, approved or endorsed by us beyond what our verification actually means (Pet Marketplace Rules §3.4).
9.3 Do not claim affiliation with a shelter or rescue you are not part of, or imply that an organisation endorses you when it does not.
9.4 Parody and commentary accounts must be clearly labelled and must not deceive.
10.1 Do not: post repetitive or duplicate content; use messaging for unsolicited marketing; post irrelevant listings or keywords to game search; use bots or automation without our permission; scrape data from the Platform; create multiple accounts to evade limits or enforcement; artificially inflate engagement; or manipulate rankings or promotional features.
10.2 Do not use the Platform primarily to drive traffic elsewhere.
11.1 Review only what you have genuine experience of.
11.2 Do not: write fake reviews; write or commission reviews in exchange for payment, discounts or benefits; review your own listings or account; use multiple accounts to review; coordinate reviews to inflate or damage a rating; or pressure, incentivise or threaten anyone to change or remove a review.
11.3 We do not remove genuine negative reviews because they are negative. If you receive one you think is unfair, respond publicly and factually. Do not contact the reviewer to pressure them.
11.4 Reviews must not contain personal data about other people, abuse, or material unrelated to the transaction.
12.1 Do not post photographs or videos of identifiable people without their consent.
12.2 Do not post images or videos of children. This includes your own children - a listing or pet profile is not the place, and images posted publicly cannot be retrieved once shared.
12.3 Do not post recordings of private conversations without the consent of everyone involved.
12.4 Do not post anyone's personal information without consent (§7.3).
12.5 Do not use information obtained through the Platform for any purpose other than the transaction it relates to. A buyer's address is for sending their order, not for adding them to a mailing list.
13.1 Post only content you own or have permission to use.
13.2 Do not post: other people's photographs, video, text or artwork without permission; copyrighted music in videos without a licence; another seller's listing content; or content bearing another party's trade marks in a way that implies affiliation.
13.3 Using an image found through a search engine is not permission. Most images online are copyrighted.
13.4 Copyright complaints are handled under Terms and Conditions §14.2, and for US users under Annex C.
13.5 We may terminate the accounts of repeat infringers.
14.1 Content must be appropriate for a general audience.
14.2 Do not post: sexual or sexually suggestive content; nudity; graphic violence or gore; content showing animal injury, death or distress except when reporting cruelty (§3.2); shocking or disturbing content; or content showing dangerous acts likely to be imitated.
14.3 Do not post content involving animals and sexual activity in any form. This results in immediate permanent termination and referral to the authorities.
14.4 Listing photographs must be of the actual animal or item, recent, and not edited to conceal anything (Pet Marketplace Rules §4.2).
15.1 Messaging is for communicating about listings, transactions and services here.
15.2 Do not use it to: harass, threaten or abuse; send unsolicited marketing or spam; run scams; send unlawful or inappropriate content; solicit personal information you do not need; contact someone who has asked you to stop; or attempt to move a transaction off-Platform to avoid our rules.
15.3 Be cautious about what you share. Do not send identity documents, financial details or passwords through messaging. We will never ask you for your password.
15.4 Messages are private between participants, but we may access them where necessary to investigate a report, comply with law, prevent harm or enforce these Guidelines. See the Privacy Policy.
16.1.1 Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. Take someone with you where you can. Meet in daylight. Trust your instincts and leave if something feels wrong.
16.1.2 For animal transactions, you will usually need to visit the seller's home to see the animal in its environment - this is the right thing to do, and it is why §16.1.1 matters.
16.2.1 Pet sitters must: provide care with reasonable skill and care; follow the owner's instructions on feeding, medication and exercise; never leave an animal in unsafe conditions, including in a vehicle in unsuitable temperatures; contact a veterinarian where an animal appears to need attention and inform the owner promptly; not transfer care to anyone else without the owner's agreement; and respect the owner's home and privacy.
16.2.2 Owners must: disclose any history of aggression or biting, and any medical condition or medication; provide accurate information, food, medication and equipment; give emergency contacts and veterinary details; and not misrepresent an animal in any way.
16.2.3 Failing to disclose a known history of aggression is a serious breach. It puts the sitter, other animals and members of the public at risk.
16.2.4 Do not enter a home for any purpose beyond the agreed care, take anything, or photograph the interior of someone's home without permission.
17.1 Supervised accounts for under-18s are restricted (Terms §4.2): no listing, no payments, no public location, no unrestricted messaging with adults, no arranging in-person meetings.
17.2 Adults must not: attempt to contact a minor privately outside the permitted channels; ask a minor for personal information, photographs or contact details; attempt to move a conversation with a minor to another platform; or arrange to meet a minor.
17.3 Any behaviour suggesting a sexual interest in a minor, or any attempt to groom, results in immediate permanent termination and referral to law enforcement. There is no warning and no appeal on the merits.
17.4 Report any concern about a young person's safety immediately using the reporting tools, and to your local police or child protection service.
18.1 Do not: attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Platform, accounts or systems; probe, scan or test for vulnerabilities without permission; introduce malware; circumvent security, rate limits or access controls; interfere with or overload the Platform; or use it in any way that harms its operation.
18.2 If you find a security vulnerability, report it to security@wowpetspalace.com rather than exploiting or publishing it.
19.1.1 Use the report tool on any listing, profile, review, message or piece of content. Or contact report@wowpetspalace.com.
19.1.2 Anyone can report content, whether or not they hold an account. Reports of illegal content can be submitted at https://wowpetspalace.com/report.
For us to act effectively, a report should include:
19.2.1 Reports without enough detail may take longer or may not be actionable. We will ask for more if we need it.
| Step | What we do | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acknowledge your report, where you gave contact details | Within 2 working days |
| 2 | Assess the report - automated triage, then human review where warranted | Priority-based (§19.4) |
| 3 | Decide and act | See §19.4 |
| 4 | Tell you the outcome and the reasons, where you gave contact details | Without undue delay |
| 5 | Tell the affected user, with reasons and how to appeal | At the time of action |
19.3.1 We process reports in a timely, diligent, non-arbitrary and objective manner.
19.3.2 Where a report gives us actual knowledge of illegal content, we act expeditiously.
| Priority | What | Target response |
|---|---|---|
| Urgent | Threat to a person's life or safety; child safety; animal in immediate danger; active cruelty | Immediately, and always within 24 hours |
| High | Suspected cruelty; stolen animal; prohibited species; fraud in progress; harassment or threats | Within 2 working days |
| Standard | Misleading listings; missing mandatory information; spam; review manipulation; IP complaints | Within 5 working days |
| Low | Category errors; minor quality issues | Within 10 working days |
Repeatedly submitting manifestly unfounded reports, or using reporting to harass a competitor or another user, is a breach of these Guidelines and may result in suspension of your ability to report, or of your account.
19.6.1 We act on orders from courts and competent authorities to remove illegal content or provide information, and will inform the issuing authority of the action taken.
19.6.2 We inform the user affected by such an order, unless the order or the law prevents us.
19.6.3 Trusted flaggers. We do not currently operate a separate priority channel for trusted flaggers. Reports from recognised animal welfare organisations and authorities are treated as high priority through the normal reporting route.
20.1 We use a combination of automated systems and human reviewers.
20.2 Automated systems help detect prohibited species, known scam patterns, duplicate listings, prohibited imagery and abusive language. They make mistakes, both by flagging legitimate content and by missing violations.
20.3 A person reviews before we take significant action - suspension, termination, or removal of a listing where the breach is not clear-cut.
20.4 Reviewers apply these Guidelines, the Terms and the Marketplace Rules, and consider context.
20.5 We do not generally monitor content, and we are not obliged to look proactively for unlawful activity. Removing some content does not mean we have reviewed all of it.
Depending on severity, intent, harm caused and history:
| Action | When |
|---|---|
| Warning | Minor or first-time breaches |
| Required edit | Listings that can be fixed |
| Content removal | Content that breaches these Guidelines |
| Reduced visibility | Borderline content |
| Feature restriction | Repeated breaches in one area |
| Listing limits | Suspected commercial activity in breach of the rules |
| Temporary suspension | Serious or repeated breaches |
| Permanent termination | Most serious breaches, or persistent breaching |
| Withholding funds | Pending fraud investigation, where funds are held |
| Referral to authorities | Suspected criminal offences, cruelty, child safety |
21.1 Immediate action without prior warning where there is a risk to a person's safety, a child safety concern, an animal in danger, suspected cruelty, suspected illegal wildlife trade, serious fraud, or a legal requirement.
22.1 Where we remove or restrict your content, or restrict your account, we will give you a clear and specific statement of reasons, unless we are prevented by law or where doing so would compromise the prevention, detection or investigation of crime.
22.2 The statement will set out:
22.3 Statements of reasons are specific. "Violation of our terms" on its own is not a statement of reasons and we will not use it.
23.1 You may challenge any moderation decision.
23.2 Contact appeals@wowpetspalace.com within 6 months of the decision, explaining why you think it was wrong. We aim to respond within 10 working days.
23.3 Appeals are reviewed by a person who was not involved in the original decision, where operationally possible.
23.4 We will tell you the outcome and the reasons. If we reverse the decision, we restore the content or the account.
23.5 Users in the EU have additional rights, including recourse to out-of-court dispute settlement bodies and to their national Digital Services Coordinator - see Terms and Conditions, Annex A §A.5.
23.6 Nothing here prevents you from going to court.
For the most serious matters - child safety (§17.3), animal sexual abuse content (§14.3), and credible threats of violence - we do not reopen the merits. You may appeal only on the basis of mistaken identity, for example that your account was compromised.
24.1 We take account of history. Repeated breaches escalate, even where each individually is minor.
24.2 We may suspend, for a reasonable period and after warning, users who frequently provide manifestly illegal content, and users who frequently submit manifestly unfounded reports or complaints.
24.3 Before suspending on that basis we consider the numbers involved, the seriousness, the proportion of total activity, and the intention where it can be discerned.
24.4 Attempting to evade a suspension or ban by creating a new account results in immediate permanent termination of all associated accounts.
25.1 We do not currently publish periodic transparency reports on moderation activity. We will review this as the Platform grows.
25.2 Under the DSA, transparency reporting obligations do not apply to providers qualifying as micro or small enterprises. Publishing voluntarily is recommended - it is cheap at low volume, it builds trust in a marketplace where trust is the product, and it avoids a scramble when the exemption is lost on growth.
26.1 We may update these Guidelines. Material changes take effect on 30 days' notice. Changes required by law may take effect sooner, and we will explain why.
26.2 Contact:
26.3 In an emergency, contact the police or your local emergency services. We are not an emergency service.