How Verification Works
South Africa has a serious pet-scam problem — the overwhelming majority of online pet sellers are unverified, and millions of rands are lost to fake breeders and stolen-photo listings every year. PetGuru's Trust Engine exists to change that. Before a breeder, shelter, vet, or other professional can earn a Verified badge or list pets, they pass through a multi-layer identity and credential check that combines automated analysis with human review.
This page explains exactly what we check, what the badge means, and how your information is protected.
1. What we check
1.1 South African ID validation
When a professional supplies their SA ID number, we validate it mathematically (the 13-digit checksum, date of birth, and citizenship digit) to confirm it is a real, well-formed ID. We never store the ID number in plain text — it is kept only as an irreversible cryptographic hash, which also lets us detect the same ID being used to open multiple accounts.
1.2 Document analysis & cross-checking
Uploaded documents — the SA ID, and registration or accreditation certificates (KUSA, SABBS, SAVC, CIPC, NPO and similar) — are read by AI vision technology to confirm they look genuine and are the expected document type. The details extracted from the documents are then cross-checked against what the applicant typed: if the ID number, date of birth, name, or registration number on the document does not match, it is flagged.
1.3 Selfie-to-ID face match
Applicants may submit a selfie, which is compared one-to-one against the photograph on their ID document using facial-recognition technology. This confirms that the person applying is the genuine holder of the ID — one of the strongest defences against impersonation. The comparison is done once; we do not build a facial database and the comparison provider does not retain your face.
1.4 Registration & register checks
Where a public register exists, we check the supplied registration number against it — the South African Veterinary Council register for vets, the Department of Social Development NPO directory for shelters, and CIPC company registrations for businesses. Business (CIPC) numbers are also automatically format-validated. KUSA and SABBS breeder numbers, which have no public lookup, are verified by matching the number on the uploaded certificate and by manual review.
1.5 Business-address validation
Business addresses are validated against mapping data to confirm they correspond to a real, physical premises rather than a PO box, a vacant lot, or an address that cannot be located.
1.6 Image moderation & behaviour signals
Every uploaded image is screened for inappropriate content, and the application is checked for behavioural red flags such as duplicate accounts, reused registration numbers, and suspicious timing.
1.7 Breeders who aren't KUSA / SABBS registered
Many genuine, responsible breeders aren't registered with a kennel body, and we don't want to shut them out. Instead of a registration certificate, they can take our Identity-Verified Breeder path, which verifies the breeder and their animals directly. On top of the SA ID and selfie checks above, they provide Live Litter Proof: we issue a unique code, and the breeder photographs their parent dog(s) and current litter with that code and the date handwritten on paper, plus a short kennel walkthrough video and proof of address. Because the code is unique to their account and freshly issued, stolen or stock photos can't be used, the photos must show the breeder's own animals. This path is always reviewed by a person and is more thorough, so it takes a little longer. Breeders may also nominate their vet's SAVC number, which we cross-check against the SAVC register.
2. AI plus human review
The results of every check feed a risk assessment that produces an overall score and recommendation. Low-risk applications can be approved automatically and clearly fraudulent ones declined, while anything in between is referred to a member of our team for a human decision. A hard failure — such as a selfie that doesn't match the ID, or an ID number that doesn't match the document — is never auto-approved and always goes to a person.
If an application is declined, the applicant can correct their information and resubmit, and the checks run again on the new documents. AI assists our decision; it is never the final authority. You can read more in our AI Disclaimer.
3. What the Verified badge means (and doesn't)
A Verified badge means the professional passed our identity and credential checks at the point of verification. It is a strong signal of legitimacy, but it is not a guarantee of the quality of an individual animal, a clinical or service outcome, or a professional's ongoing conduct or registration status. We always encourage buyers to ask questions, view animals and premises in person where possible, and confirm a professional's current registration with the relevant regulatory body.
Breeders verify in one of two ways. A breeder who confirmed their KUSA, SABBS, or provincial registration shows the standard Verified badge. A breeder who isn't registered with a kennel body but passed our identity and Live Litter Proof checks (their own ID, selfie, animals, and premises) shows a distinct Identity-Verified badge, so you can always tell the two apart. Both are real, checked breeders; the badge simply tells you which kind of proof we hold.
4. Your privacy & consent
Your SA ID number and facial image are "special personal information" under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). We only process them with your explicit consent, which we ask for at the point of submission, and solely to verify your identity and protect our community. Documents and selfies are stored on access-controlled private storage, visible only to authorised reviewers, and are never shown on your public profile or to other users.
For full detail on what we collect, how it is processed (including by our third-party providers), how long we keep it, and how to withdraw consent or request deletion, see our Privacy Policy and POPIA Notice.
5. Ready to get verified?
If you're a breeder, shelter, or pet professional, you can start the process from your dashboard, or learn more about becoming a verified breeder. Buyers can always look for the Verified badge on profiles and listings when choosing who to deal with.
