Need Help? Email: hello@petguru.co.za | Support Chat: Open Chat

Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

Last updated: July 2026

Please read these Terms & Conditions ("Terms") carefully before using the PetGuru website and platform located at petguru.co.za (the "Platform"), operated by RealTeasy (Pty) Ltd ("PetGuru", "we", "us", or "our"), a company registered in South Africa. Our full company and contact details appear in Section 20 below.

Important — please read these clauses carefully. Certain clauses in these Terms limit our liability to you, require you to accept risk, or require you to indemnify us. In particular, please read Section 2 (Our Role), Section 7.4 (Off-Platform Transactions), Section 7.5 (Live Animals), Section 11 (Disclaimer of Warranties), Section 12 (Limitation of Liability) and Section 13 (Indemnity). We draw these specifically to your attention as required by Section 49 of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008. Nothing in these Terms limits any right you have that cannot lawfully be excluded under South African law.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Platform in any manner, including browsing, creating an account, posting a listing, or contacting another user, you agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, our POPIA Notice, our Community Guidelines, our AI Disclaimer, our Refund & Returns Policy, our Notice & Take-Down Procedure, our Complaints & Dispute Resolution Procedure, and our Merchant Terms (where applicable), all of which are incorporated into these Terms by reference.

If you are accessing the Platform on behalf of a business or organisation, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms, and "you" refers to that entity.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately cease using the Platform.

2. Our Role: What PetGuru Is (and Is Not)

PetGuru is an online classifieds, listing and directory platform. We provide the technology that allows pet owners, breeders, shelters, adopters, buyers, sellers and pet-care professionals to publish listings, discover one another, and make contact. We are an intermediary only.

PetGuru does not currently process payments, receive, hold or handle any money on behalf of buyers or sellers, and is not a party or agent to any transaction between users. When you find a pet, product, service or professional through the Platform, any resulting agreement is concluded directly between you and the other user. Price, payment, delivery, handover and every other term are agreed and carried out between you and the other party, at your own risk and responsibility. We do not conclude sales, hold deposits, escrow funds, guarantee performance, or take title to any goods or animals.

Future integrated Store. PetGuru may in future introduce an integrated Store and checkout facility through which certain purchases can be completed on the Platform. If and when we do, that facility will be governed by additional terms (our Merchant Terms and store-specific terms), those terms will describe how payment is handled at that time, and PetGuru will act as a payment-facilitation intermediary and never as the seller of a third-party seller's goods. Until that facility is live and expressly offered to you, treat every transaction as an off-platform, direct transaction between you and the other user (see Section 7.4).

3. Our Status as an Intermediary and Content Host

Listings, profiles, reviews, messages and other content on the Platform are created by users, not by PetGuru. We act as a "service provider" hosting and transmitting third-party content within the meaning of Chapter XI of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 ("ECTA"). We do not select, author or endorse user content, and, in line with Section 78 of ECTA, we are under no general obligation to monitor the content users transmit or store.

We operate our content and take-down practices in line with the standards of the Internet Service Providers' Association ("ISPA"), the industry representative body recognised under Section 71 of ECTA, and we are pursuing formal membership. We operate a notice-and-take-down procedure (Section 8) and remove or disable access to unlawful content of which we are made properly aware.

Because content is user-generated, PetGuru makes no representation or warranty that any listing, profile, review or message is accurate, lawful, genuine, or free of error, and we are not responsible for it. Your dealings with any user are solely between you and that user.

4. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account or use any transactional or contact features of the Platform. By using PetGuru, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement and that all registration information you submit is truthful, accurate, and complete.

5. User Accounts

5.1 Account Creation

To access certain features of the Platform you must register for an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information and to keep your account details up to date. You may register using an email address and password, or via a supported social login provider.

5.2 Account Security

You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify us immediately at support@petguru.co.za if you suspect any unauthorised use of your account.

5.3 Account Suspension and Termination

PetGuru reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or terminate your account at any time, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms, engaged in fraudulent activity, or acted in a manner that is harmful to other users or to PetGuru. You may close your account at any time using the account settings on the Platform or by contacting us.

6. User Conduct

You agree that you will not use the Platform to:

  • Post false, misleading, or fraudulent listings, including misrepresenting the health, breed, age, lineage, or registration status of any animal.
  • Sell, offer, or facilitate the sale of animals that have been illegally obtained, smuggled, or obtained through animal cruelty.
  • List, sell, or facilitate the trade of wildlife, protected or endangered species, or any animal or animal part whose trade requires a permit under South African law (including the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004 and its TOPS regulations, and CITES) without holding and disclosing the requisite permits.
  • List or sell any dog with a docked tail or cropped ears, or promote, facilitate, or reference animal fighting, in contravention of South African animal-welfare law.
  • List a restricted or controlled-breed animal without complying with the registration, control, and public-safety obligations imposed by applicable municipal by-laws; you remain solely responsible for that compliance.
  • Engage in any activity that violates the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962, the Performing Animals Protection Act 24 of 1935, the Animal Improvement Act 62 of 1998, or any other applicable South African legislation relating to animal welfare or breeding.
  • Harass, threaten, defame, or abuse other users.
  • Upload or distribute malware, viruses, or any other harmful code.
  • Scrape, crawl, or systematically extract data from the Platform without our prior written consent.
  • Circumvent, disable, or interfere with any security features of the Platform.
  • Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable South African or international law.
  • Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely claim any affiliation with a person or entity.
  • Post spam, unsolicited commercial messages, or chain letters.

7. Listings and Marketplace

7.1 Accuracy of Listings

Users who post listings are solely responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and legality of the content they submit. PetGuru does not independently verify all listing information and makes no warranties regarding the accuracy of any listing.

7.2 Prohibited and Restricted Items

The following may not be listed, sold, or facilitated on the Platform: animals obtained illegally or unethically; wildlife, protected, endangered, or CITES-listed species (or any part of them) without the requisite permits; dogs with docked tails or cropped ears; any animal, product, or service intended for or connected to animal fighting; stud, mating, or breeding services; stolen or counterfeit goods; and any product or service that contravenes South African law. See our Community Guidelines for the full list and the animal-welfare listing rules.

7.3 Transactions Are Between Users

PetGuru introduces buyers and sellers but, as set out in Section 2, is not a party to any transaction unless and until we expressly offer an integrated Store facility and you use it. PetGuru does not guarantee that any transaction will be completed and is not responsible for the acts or omissions of buyers, sellers, or professionals.

7.4 Off-Platform Communications and Direct Transactions

Once you initiate contact through the Platform, you and the other party may choose to communicate, exchange contact details, transact, deliver, or arrange handover outside the Platform: by phone, WhatsApp, email, EFT, cash, in person, or any other channel. You acknowledge that any such communication or transaction is at your sole risk. PetGuru does not monitor, supervise, mediate, escrow funds for, hold records of, or assume any liability for these interactions. Disputes arising from them must be resolved between the parties directly. Any refund or dispute-resolution assistance we may offer applies only to transactions completed on the Platform through an integrated payment facility, if and when one is offered. We strongly recommend you follow our Safety & Anti-Scam Guide before paying anyone.

7.5 Live Animal Listings

Listings of live animals are between the seller (breeder, shelter, or private owner) and the buyer. The seller is solely responsible for: the animal's health, vaccination status, microchip registration, breed accuracy, age, lineage, temperament, and fitness for the buyer's intended purpose at the point of handover. PetGuru does not inspect animals, attend transactions, hold animals in trust, or warrant that any animal is healthy, registered, or as described in the listing.

Buyers are strongly advised to: inspect the animal in person before payment, request and verify veterinary records, confirm microchip registration with the relevant SA chip registry (e.g. Identipet, BackHomeID, Virbac), obtain a written sale agreement from the seller with photos and identifying details, and refuse payment until they are satisfied with the animal's condition.

Where a seller sells an animal in the ordinary course of business (for example, a commercial breeder), that seller is a "supplier" under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 ("CPA") and owes the buyer the implied warranty of quality under Section 55, and the buyer may have remedies under Section 56. Where a sale is concluded as an electronic transaction, the buyer may also have cooling-off rights under Section 44 of ECTA. These consumer rights lie against the seller, not PetGuru. PetGuru is not the supplier of any animal, does not warrant any animal, and its role ends at the point at which contact between buyer and seller is established. Any complaint regarding an animal's condition, breed, lineage, or post-handover welfare is a matter between the buyer and the seller.

7.6 Verification Badge: Scope and Limits

The PetGuru "verified" badge confirms that, at the point of verification, the user submitted identity and (where applicable) business documents that passed our internal AI- and admin-led review process. The badge is a point-in-time identity check, not a warranty of ongoing conduct, transactional performance, animal welfare, service quality, registration status, or the outcome of any specific dealing between buyers and verified users. Having (or lacking) a badge does not guarantee that a user is who they claim to be, and does not replace your own due diligence as a buyer.

PetGuru reserves the right to suspend, revoke, or re-investigate verification at any time, but does not undertake to actively monitor a verified user's conduct beyond responding to user reports under our Community Guidelines.

8. Notice and Take-Down of Unlawful Content

If you believe that content on the Platform is unlawful, infringes your rights, or otherwise breaches these Terms, you may report it using the "Report" tools on the Platform or by lodging a take-down notification with our designated agent under Section 77 of ECTA:

The full requirements for a valid take-down notification, and the process we follow, are set out in our Notice & Take-Down Procedure. We act on properly-formed notifications expeditiously. Lodging a notification that materially misrepresents the facts may attract liability under Section 77(3) of ECTA.

9. Your Consumer Rights

Nothing in these Terms is intended to limit, and nothing shall be read as limiting, any right you have under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, or any other applicable South African law that cannot lawfully be excluded. Where PetGuru itself supplies goods or services to you (for example, through a future integrated Store), we accept the obligations of a supplier under the CPA and ECTA in respect of those supplies. Where the supplier is another user, those rights lie against that user. Our Refund & Returns Policy and Complaints Procedure explain how to raise an issue.

10. Intellectual Property

10.1 Our Content

All content on the Platform that is not submitted by users, including but not limited to the PetGuru name, logo, design, text, graphics, software, and the compilation of all content, is the exclusive property of RealTeasy (Pty) Ltd and is protected by South African and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from any such content without our prior written consent.

10.2 Your Content

You retain ownership of any content you submit to the Platform ("User Content"), including photos, listings, and profile information. By submitting User Content, you grant PetGuru a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, sublicensable licence to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, display, and distribute such content for the purposes of operating and promoting the Platform. You warrant that you have all necessary rights to grant this licence and that your User Content does not infringe any third-party rights.

11. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Platform itself (that is, the website, software, and related services) is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. PetGuru does not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components. To the fullest extent permitted by South African law, PetGuru disclaims all warranties relating to the Platform, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. This disclaimer applies to the Platform and not to any goods, animals, or services supplied by users, whose quality is the responsibility of the relevant supplier and which remain subject to the CPA as against that supplier.

12. Limitation of Liability

Subject to the paragraphs below, and to the maximum extent permitted by law, PetGuru shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential loss (including loss of profit, data, or opportunity) arising out of or in connection with your use of, or inability to use, the Platform, or arising out of any transaction, communication, or dealing with another user.

Where PetGuru is liable to you for direct loss caused by our ordinary negligence in providing the Platform, our total aggregate liability for all such claims in any 12-month period is limited to the greater of: (a) the total amount you paid to PetGuru in that period, or (b) R1,000. This cap applies only to direct economic loss caused by ordinary negligence.

This limitation does not apply to, and nothing in these Terms excludes or limits: our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence; liability for our gross negligence, fraud, or wilful misconduct; or any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 or other applicable South African law.

13. Indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify PetGuru against any third-party claim, loss, or reasonable cost (including reasonable legal fees) that arises directly from: (a) User Content you submit; (b) your infringement of another party's intellectual property or other rights; or (c) your breach of these Terms or of any applicable law. This indemnity does not extend to any loss caused by PetGuru's own gross negligence, fraud, or wilful misconduct. Business users (including merchants and sellers) accept a broader indemnity as set out in the Merchant Terms.

14. Third-Party Links and Services

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services. These links are provided for convenience only. PetGuru has no control over and assumes no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

15. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of South Africa. Nothing in this Section prevents you from exercising any right, or approaching any forum, available to you under the Consumer Protection Act (including the National Consumer Commission, a Consumer Court, or the National Consumer Tribunal), and we do not require you to submit any consumer dispute to compulsory arbitration.

Before initiating formal legal proceedings, you agree to attempt to resolve any dispute with us informally through our Complaints & Dispute Resolution Procedure, or by contacting us at legal@petguru.co.za. We will make reasonable efforts to resolve the dispute within 30 days.

16. Changes to These Terms

PetGuru may modify these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will provide at least 30 days' notice via email or a prominent notice on the Platform before the changes take effect, and you may choose to stop using the Platform if you do not accept the change. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of a change constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

17. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect, and the invalid or unenforceable provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

18. Professional Services and Directory Listings

The PetGuru Directory lists veterinarians, emergency clinics, groomers, trainers, pet sitters, dog walkers, pet stores, dog hotels, dog-friendly restaurants, breeders, and shelters who have completed our verification process. The Directory is a referral service. When you engage a professional listed in the Directory, the service contract is between you and that professional, not with PetGuru.

PetGuru does not:

  • Supervise the delivery of any professional service.
  • Accept liability for veterinary, surgical, training, grooming, sitting, walking, boarding, or other professional negligence, malpractice, or misconduct.
  • Guarantee any specific clinical, behavioural, or service outcome.
  • Hold professional indemnity cover on behalf of the professionals listed.
  • Mediate fee disputes that arise from services rendered off-platform.

Buyers are responsible for confirming a professional's current registration with the relevant regulatory body (e.g. SAVC for veterinarians, NSPCA for accredited shelters) and for negotiating their own terms of service. The verification badge confirms identity and documents at the point of verification only. See Section 7.6.

Professionals who apply for verification warrant that all information and documents they submit (including their ID, registration certificates, business address, and any selfie) are genuine, accurate, and their own, and they consent to PetGuru and its service providers processing that information — including automated document analysis (OCR) and one-to-one facial comparison — to verify their identity, as set out in our Privacy Policy, POPIA Notice, and AI Disclaimer. Submitting forged, altered, or another person's documents is grounds for immediate rejection and account termination and may be reported to the relevant authorities.

19. Buyer-Lead Board

When you post a buyer brief on the Buyer-Lead Board, your contact details remain masked until a verified breeder or shelter spends a credit to unlock them. Once unlocked, the unlocking party becomes a separate responsible party in respect of your personal information under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA"), with their own obligations regarding storage, use, and disposal of that information.

PetGuru's role in that exchange ends at the moment of unlock. We do not mediate, monitor, or accept liability for any subsequent communication, transaction, or arrangement between you and the unlocking party. You may report misuse of your contact information by an unlocking party to support@petguru.co.za and we may, at our discretion, suspend the offending account, but PetGuru does not undertake to recover unlock credits or compensate you for misuse, and any data-protection complaint regarding the unlocking party's handling of your information should be raised directly with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

20. Company and Legal Information

In accordance with Section 43 of ECTA, the following information is provided about the operator of the Platform:

  • Legal name: RealTeasy (Pty) Ltd
  • Trading as: PetGuru
  • Company registration number: 2025/873582/07
  • Physical address / address for service of legal documents: 3 Woodmere st. Cape Town, South Africa
  • Telephone: +27677752360
  • Email: legal@petguru.co.za
  • Website: petguru.co.za

A fuller set of the disclosures required for electronic transactions appears on our Legal & Company Information page.

21. Contact