California · Version CA-2026-10-07-v1 · October 7, 2026
Draft for California attorney review. This agreement describes the intended relationship; it does not establish lawful independent-contractor status. Nuzzle’s legal entity, existing Terms, pricing controls, insurance and actual operating practices must be reviewed before relying on this draft.
This supplement is presented with the Terms of Service, Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy. It adds no new arbitration or waiver of mandatory California rights.
1. Parties, scope and when this agreement applies
In plain language
This is about your use of Nuzzle, not your job at a professional facility. You and the pet parent agree on the pet care.
Legal terms
This California agreement supplements the Nuzzle Terms of Service between the Nuzzle platform operator identified in those Terms (Nuzzle) and the individual or business accepting it (Pro). It applies to the Pro’s California marketplace activity. Nuzzle supplies marketplace, booking, communication and payment tools; the Pro undertakes the pet-care engagement with the pet parent. Nuzzle is not a party performing that care. Application acceptance does not promise approval, bookings, earnings or a minimum amount of work. Mandatory law controls over any inconsistent provision. The legal identity and notice address of the platform operator must be confirmed before this draft is finalized.
2. California classification and protected rights
In plain language
Calling someone independent does not make it legally true. California looks at how the relationship actually works, and you keep your legal rights.
Legal terms
The parties intend an independent marketplace relationship, only to the extent supported by applicable law and actual practices. California Labor Code section 2775 generally presumes employee status unless the applicable requirements are established. Sections 2776 and 2777 may change the applicable test only when every required condition is met; no exemption or classification is represented as established by this agreement. Federal tax classification is a separate inquiry. Nothing waives nonwaivable wages, reimbursement, benefits, workers’ compensation, unemployment, retaliation protections, agency access or other statutory rights if applicable. The Pro may question classification or contact an agency without retaliation. No statement here requires a false certification of business independence.
3. Choice, scheduling, pricing and care methods
In plain language
You choose your availability, service area and services, and use your professional judgment. Review the actual pricing rules before you agree to a booking.
Legal terms
The Pro chooses offered services, availability, service area and which requests to accept, subject to previously accepted commitments. The Pro determines care methods consistent with the pet parent’s agreed instructions, animal welfare and applicable law. Nuzzle’s current tools may impose published service-price minimums and booking/payment rules; this agreement does not misrepresent those controls as unrestricted rate negotiation. The Pro reviews and selects available pricing before a booking and is not assigned shifts or guaranteed work by Nuzzle. Platform qualification and conduct requirements do not confer authority to direct day-to-day care. Any actual controls remain relevant to legal classification and require review independently of this wording.
4. Independent business and facility employment
In plain language
You may keep your facility job and work with other clients or platforms. A facility connection does not make Nuzzle your employer or the facility responsible for your bookings.
Legal terms
No exclusivity is created. The Pro may maintain other lawful employment, serve other clients and use other marketplaces. Facility employment, wages, supervision and work schedules remain governed by the separate facility relationship. Nuzzle, the Pro and each professional facility are independent parties; none may bind another without express authority. Experience verification is not endorsement, supervision or a guarantee. The Pro must respect lawful obligations to an employer and must not misuse facility client lists, confidential information, premises, equipment, logos or paid working time. Necessary permissions must be obtained independently. Nothing imposes a noncompete or restricts protected conduct under California law.
5. Pet-parent engagements and professional responsibilities
In plain language
Confirm the care details before accepting. Only take care you are qualified and legally permitted to provide.
Legal terms
The Pro and pet parent agree on dates, pets, scope, price and instructions through the booking process. The Pro must communicate material limitations, obtain required permissions, protect pets and premises, follow lawful emergency instructions and promptly report incidents. Veterinary treatment, prescription decisions and other licensed activity may be performed only when legally authorized. Platform participation requires qualifying paid professional experience of at least 1,000 hours, verification, background screening and applicable insurance requirements; no single requirement or badge guarantees competence or an outcome. The Pro remains accountable for the services they agree to deliver. Any delegation requires applicable-law compliance, pet-parent authorization and compliance with disclosed platform identity, screening and insurance requirements; this agreement does not promise a right of unrestricted substitution.
6. Fees, payments, refunds and payouts
In plain language
Nuzzle handles booking payments and deducts the disclosed fee. A scheduled balance is not money already deposited in your bank.
Legal terms
The Pro authorizes Nuzzle and its payment processor to collect booking payments and distribute the Pro’s share under disclosed booking and payment terms. The standard platform fee is currently 30% of the applicable service amount, leaving 70% for the Pro before any other disclosed adjustments; eligible reduced-fee arrangements must be shown separately. A facility revenue share, if applicable, is paid from Nuzzle’s share rather than an additional deduction from the Pro’s standard share. Booking confirmation may accrue a scheduled payout balance; release remains subject to completion, the applicable post-completion hold (currently 48 hours), the payout sweep, payment settlement, identity and bank verification, lawful holds and processor timing. Cancellations, refunds, disputes and chargebacks are handled under disclosed terms and applicable law, with access to support for disputed adjustments. Fees or payment rules may not be changed retroactively for an already accepted booking without lawful consent.
7. Taxes and business expenses
In plain language
When legally self-employed, you track your income and expenses and pay your taxes. A tax form does not decide your employment status.
Legal terms
To the extent the Pro is lawfully self-employed, the Pro is responsible for applicable federal, California and local income, self-employment and business taxes, estimated payments and accurate records. Nuzzle does not ordinarily make employee payroll withholding for a lawfully independent Pro, but legally required withholding, including backup withholding, may apply. The Pro supplies accurate W-9 and payment-account information through secure processes. Nuzzle or its processor issues information returns when required by then-current law; no fixed reporting threshold or specific form is promised here. A 1099 does not determine classification. Business expenses, equipment, transportation, permits and registrations are the Pro’s responsibility only to the extent permitted by law; nonwaivable employee reimbursement obligations are preserved.
8. Licenses, insurance and screening
In plain language
Check what your services and location require. Do not assume every booking or incident is insured.
Legal terms
The Pro maintains licenses, registrations, permits and insurance required by applicable law and disclosed platform eligibility rules, and supplies accurate evidence when requested. Nuzzle must identify any offered platform policy, insured parties, covered services, dates, exclusions, limits, deductibles and claims procedure separately. This agreement does not itself provide insurance, promise coverage, replace the Pro’s own policy or waive an insurer’s terms. Screening and experience verification do not guarantee conduct or results. No assumption is made that marketplace participation satisfies local boarding, transport, zoning or professional-licensing requirements.
9. Privacy, communications and incident records
In plain language
Use pet-parent information for the agreed care, keep it private and report concerns through Nuzzle.
Legal terms
Personal, home-access, pet-health and booking information may be used only for authorized care, lawful records and necessary platform communications, consistent with the Privacy Policy and applicable law. The Pro must not sell, improperly disclose or misuse such information. Facility partners receive only authorized aggregate benefit and revenue metrics, not private client or Pro records merely because of a facility connection. Lawful disclosures to regulators, emergency services, advisers or insurers are not prohibited. Required service records or location-sharing features must be disclosed and used lawfully; their existence does not negate the factual classification analysis.
10. Ending participation and resolving concerns
In plain language
You can stop using Nuzzle. Arrange a responsible transition for bookings you already accepted, and you can still raise legal concerns.
Legal terms
The Pro may stop offering new services or close their account under the Terms, subject to responsible handling of accepted bookings and obligations that lawfully survive closure. Nuzzle may restrict marketplace access for documented eligibility, conduct, payment or legal reasons under its published policies, with notice and review where required by law. Earned amounts may not be forfeited unlawfully. Parties may seek informal resolution through Nuzzle support, but no new mandatory arbitration, class-action waiver, indemnity, liability cap or out-of-state forum is added by this draft. Existing Terms require separate review for consistency. Nothing blocks lawful court, small-claims or government-agency remedies or protected reports.
11. California law, changes and electronic acceptance
In plain language
You accept a specific version, not every future change. You can keep a copy. Moving or working in another state needs another review.
Legal terms
California law and applicable federal law govern this California supplement, without displacing mandatory protections of another jurisdiction. A residence-state selection does not resolve every place-of-work rule; the Pro must report changes in residence or service jurisdiction and obtain applicable terms before relying on this supplement outside California. Material changes require notice and prospective acceptance where required; previous versions and acceptance records remain retained. By entering their legal name, checking the agreement box and submitting or saving, the Pro intends an electronic signature, consents to this transaction electronically and affirms they had access to this version and an opportunity to retain it. California Civil Code section 1633.7 recognizes electronic records and signatures, subject to applicable requirements. If the Pro cannot access or retain electronic documents or wants a nonelectronic process, they should contact Nuzzle through its published support channel before submitting. Plain-language explanations aid understanding; operative legal paragraphs control only to the extent lawful. An unenforceable provision does not eliminate other lawful provisions or mandatory rights.
Legal references
References inform this draft; they are not incorporated as a promise that an exemption applies.