Breeder Practices & Community Standards

This content is now incorporated into the PawPair Breeder Agreement & Standards, which is the current agreement of record for breeders. This page remains available for reference.

PawPair HQ™ exists to help breeders and pet families connect in a transparent, respectful environment that supports safer connections.

These Breeder Practices & Community Standards describe the practices expected of breeders using the PawPair HQ Platform. They supplement the PawPair HQ Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Breeder User Agreement, and Community Standards & Prohibited Conduct. PawPair HQ is not a veterinarian, licensing authority, breed registry, animal-control agency, legal or regulatory compliance service, or professional advisor, and does not certify, approve, or guarantee any breeder, animal, or outcome. Routine Program Health reminders and recommendations are informational and never restrict an account. Serious concerns — such as fraud, falsified information, illegal conduct, animal welfare concerns, harassment, abuse, or significant safety risks — are handled through a separate Trust & Safety review, and any restriction, suspension, or removal requires a decision by authorized PawPair HQ staff.

1. Guiding Principles

Breeders using PawPair HQ agree to:

• Prioritize the health and welfare of every animal.
• Treat animals humanely throughout their lives.
• Act honestly and transparently.
• Breed responsibly and thoughtfully.
• Comply with applicable animal welfare laws.
• Support lifelong responsible pet ownership.
• Respect buyers, adopters, and fellow breeders.

2. Animal Welfare

Breeders shall provide animals with:

• Safe housing
• Clean living conditions
• Fresh water
• Appropriate nutrition
• Shelter from weather
• Adequate exercise
• Mental stimulation
• Socialization appropriate for the species
• Veterinary care when needed

Animals must never be subjected to neglect, abuse, cruelty, or unnecessary suffering.

3. Veterinary Care

Breeders are expected to maintain appropriate veterinary relationships. Breeders should provide appropriate veterinary attention for illness, injury, emergencies, vaccinations, preventive care, parasite control, and health evaluations. Breeders should seek professional veterinary advice whenever an animal's health warrants medical attention.

4. Responsible Breeding

Breeders agree to make breeding decisions that prioritize:

• Animal health
• Temperament
• Structural soundness
• Genetic diversity where appropriate
• Long-term welfare

Breeders should avoid breeding animals known to have serious inherited conditions when doing so would knowingly increase the likelihood of passing preventable health problems to offspring. Nothing in these Standards should be interpreted as veterinary, genetic, or breeding advice.

5. Health Testing

Where health screening is commonly recognized for a breed or species, breeders are encouraged to complete appropriate health testing before breeding. If health or genetic testing information is advertised on PawPair HQ, it must be accurate and not misleading. Breeders must not falsify or alter testing results.

6. Honest Representation

Breeders must accurately represent:

• Breed
• Species
• Age
• Sex
• Registration status
• Health history
• Vaccination status
• Genetic testing
• Pedigree information
• Temperament
• Breeding history
• Availability
• Pricing

Known material health conditions must be disclosed before a transaction is completed.

7. Animal Housing

Animals should be maintained in environments that are clean, safe, well ventilated, protected from extreme weather, and appropriate for the species, age, and condition of the animal. Breeders should make reasonable efforts to provide opportunities for exercise, enrichment, and social interaction.

8. Puppies, Kittens, and Young Animals

Breeders should ensure young animals receive age-appropriate care, including nutrition, socialization, and veterinary attention. Animals should not be represented as ready for placement until they meet applicable legal requirements and are developmentally appropriate for transition to a new home. Breeders remain responsible for complying with all applicable laws governing placement age.

9. Buyer Education

Breeders are encouraged to provide prospective owners with information regarding:

• Breed characteristics
• Exercise requirements
• Grooming needs
• Nutrition
• Training
• Veterinary care
• Expected adult size
• Common health considerations
• Lifespan
• Responsible ownership

10. Responsible Placement

Breeders are encouraged to make reasonable efforts to place animals in homes that are appropriate for the individual animal. Breeders should clearly communicate purchase or adoption terms, health guarantees (if any), return policies, spay or neuter requirements (if applicable), and registration limitations (if applicable).

11. Lifetime Responsibility

PawPair HQ encourages breeders to support responsible lifelong placement practices. Whenever practical, breeders are encouraged to assist owners who can no longer keep an animal by providing guidance, accepting returns when feasible, assisting with responsible rehoming, or referring owners to appropriate rescue organizations.

12. Humane Treatment

Breeders must not intentionally participate in:

• Animal abuse
• Animal neglect
• Cruelty
• Organized animal fighting
• Abandonment
• Illegal trafficking
• Illegal sales
• Illegal importation or exportation of animals

Any verified reports of illegal activity may result in immediate account suspension pending investigation.

13. Compliance with Laws

Breeders are solely responsible for complying with all applicable animal welfare laws, licensing requirements, consumer protection laws, breeding regulations, veterinary regulations, import and export laws, and local ordinances. PawPair HQ does not provide legal advice and does not determine whether a breeder complies with applicable law.

14. Verification

PawPair HQ verification is limited to reviewing certain submitted information or documentation. Verification is not certification, accreditation, inspection, licensing, recommendation, endorsement, a guarantee of ethical breeding, a guarantee of animal welfare, or a guarantee of animal health. Users should conduct their own independent research before entering into any transaction.

15. Fraud and Misrepresentation

Breeders must not:

• Submit forged documents
• Alter veterinary records
• Alter registration documents
• Misrepresent pedigrees
• Misrepresent breeding history
• Misrepresent health testing
• Misrepresent ownership
• Use another breeder's photographs or branding without permission
• Create deceptive listings

16. Community Conduct

Breeders are expected to interact respectfully with buyers, adopters, other breeders, veterinarians, and PawPair HQ staff. Harassment, threats, discrimination, intimidation, and abusive behavior are prohibited.

17. Reporting Concerns

Users are encouraged to report suspected violations involving animal welfare concerns, fraud, false documentation, misleading listings, unsafe conditions, harassment, duplicate accounts, or other violations of Platform policies. Reports will be reviewed by PawPair HQ. Submitting intentionally false reports may result in account action.

18. Investigations

PawPair HQ may investigate reports relating to violations of these Standards. Breeders agree to reasonably cooperate with requests for information regarding alleged violations. PawPair HQ reserves the right to temporarily restrict accounts or listings while investigations are pending.

19. Enforcement

Depending on the severity of a violation, PawPair HQ may:

• Issue a warning
• Request corrective action
• Remove listings
• Remove verification badges
• Suspend marketplace privileges
• Suspend breeder accounts
• Permanently remove breeders from the Platform
• Report suspected unlawful conduct to appropriate authorities when required or appropriate

Enforcement decisions are made at PawPair HQ's discretion.

20. Changes to These Standards

PawPair HQ may revise these Standards from time to time. The most current version will always be available on the Platform. Continued use of breeder services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Standards.

21. Contact Information

PawPair HQ
Email: legal@pawpairhq.com
Website: www.pawpairhq.com

Breeder Acknowledgment

By selecting "I Agree", creating or maintaining a breeder account, or continuing to use PawPair HQ as a breeder, you acknowledge that:

• You have read and understand these Ethical Breeding & Animal Welfare Standards.
• You agree to comply with these Standards and all applicable laws.
• You understand that PawPair HQ's review or verification of information does not constitute certification, endorsement, inspection, recommendation, or a guarantee of breeder quality, animal health, animal welfare, or transaction outcomes.
• You understand that you remain solely responsible for your animals, breeding decisions, business operations, and interactions with other users.

PawPair HQ is a technology and connection platform. PawPair HQ is not a breeder, seller, broker, veterinarian, transporter, trainer, genetic testing provider, or insurer. PawPair HQ does not guarantee breeders, users, animals, health, temperament, fertility, breeding outcomes, pregnancy, litter size, registration, pedigree, transactions, payments, or user behavior, and is not a party to any agreement or transaction between users. PawPair HQ does not provide veterinary, legal, genetic, financial, or professional advice.