BarkMatch Terms of Service -- Adopters

Effective date: July 23, 2026

Last updated: July 23, 2026

Please read these Terms of Service ("Terms") carefully before using BarkMatch (the "Service"). By creating an account or otherwise using the Service, you agree to these Terms.

1. What BarkMatch is

BarkMatch is a matching platform that connects prospective dog adopters ("Adopters") with independent third-party animal rescue organizations ("Rescues"). BarkMatch is not an animal rescue, shelter, breeder, or adoption agency. We do not own, house, evaluate, or place any animals, and we are not a party to any adoption transaction or agreement between an Adopter and a Rescue.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account. At signup, you will be asked to confirm that you meet this requirement.

3. Accounts

You may create an account using a password or by continuing with Google. You must confirm your email address via a link we send before you can log in. Information you submit must be truthful and accurate to your knowledge -- providing false information undermines the purpose of the Service and may result in your profile being removed.

4. How matching works

• Completing your profile does not guarantee that any Rescue will reach out to you, or that any adoption will occur.
• Rescues cannot see your email or phone number. When a Rescue wants to reach out about a specific dog, we send you an email on their behalf containing information about the dog and the Rescue's own contact information. Whether to respond or pursue that further is entirely your decision, and any resulting communication happens directly between you and the Rescue, outside the Service.
• You may optionally let us know whether you're interested in a suggestion; this is for match-quality purposes and is never required.
• You can pause your profile at any time (temporarily hiding it from Rescues) or permanently edit or delete it, from your own account.
• You may report a concern about any Rescue using the reporting link available on the site.
• You are solely responsible for your own decisions about whether to proceed with any Rescue that reaches out to you, including decisions about home visits, adoption fees, contracts, and animal pickup or transport.

5. Marketplace disclaimer and limitation of liability

BarkMatch facilitates introductions between Adopters and independent Rescues. To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• Each Rescue that uses BarkMatch to reach out to you operates independently and is solely responsible for its own conduct, communications, adoption decisions, adoption agreements, animal care practices, and compliance with applicable laws.
• We disclaim liability for the conduct, representations, or actions of any Rescue, including but not limited to misrepresentation of an animal's condition or history, or disputes arising from an adoption.
• We make no guarantee regarding the outcome of any match, the accuracy of information provided by a Rescue, or the completeness of our Rescue approval process. BarkMatch requires every Rescue to be approved before their account is activated, including independent confirmation from a licensed veterinarian associated with the Rescue, but this process is not a guarantee of any Rescue's legitimacy, conduct, or trustworthiness.
• The Service is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied.
• To the maximum extent permitted by law, BarkMatch's total liability for any claim arising from use of the Service shall not exceed $500.

6. Prohibited conduct

You may not:

• Submit false or fraudulent information
• Use the Service to harass, discriminate against, or harm another user
• Attempt to circumvent any access controls or security features of the Service

7. Termination

We may suspend, pause, or delete any account, at our discretion, for violation of these Terms or conduct we determine is harmful to other users or the integrity of the Service.

8. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Oklahoma, without regard to conflict of law principles.

9. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

10. Contact us

Questions about these Terms can be sent to barkmatch@outlook.com.