1. The agreement
These terms govern your use of paws.chommie.site (the "Platform"), operated by Chommie.site ("Paws Chommie", "we", "us"). By registering a center, donating, applying to adopt, or reporting a stray through the Platform, you agree to these terms. If you're registering on behalf of an organisation, you confirm you have the authority to do so.
2. What Paws Chommie is
Paws Chommie is a software platform that lets animal welfare centers manage animal records, accept donations, run a public adoption listing, and receive stray reports. We provide the tools; each center is responsible for the information it publishes and the decisions it makes using them.
3. Center accounts & responsibilities
- You're responsible for keeping your login credentials secure and for all activity under your account.
- You agree to provide accurate information about your organisation, including your NPO number, PBO number, and contact details.
- You're responsible for the accuracy of your own animal listings, and for responding to adoption applications and stray reports in good faith.
4. Accuracy of NPO/PBO status & Section 18A
By marking your center as "Section 18A registered," you confirm that your organisation is genuinely approved by SARS to issue Section 18A certificates, and you take full responsibility for the accuracy of every certificate the Platform generates on your behalf. Paws Chommie is not liable for certificates issued based on inaccurate information a center has provided.
5. Donations
Donations made through the Platform are processed directly between the donor and the receiving center via the center's own PayFast merchant account. Paws Chommie is not a party to that transaction, does not hold or route donor funds, and is not responsible for refunds, chargebacks, or payment disputes — these are governed by PayFast's own terms and are between the donor and the center.
6. Acceptable use
You agree not to:
- Submit false animal listings, donation requests, or stray reports
- Use the Platform's public forms to send spam, abuse, or unlawful content
- Attempt to access another center's data or account
- Use the Platform in a way that violates South African law
7. Content & ownership
You retain ownership of the photos, descriptions, and other content you upload. By publishing content on the Platform, you grant us a licence to display it as part of operating the service (for example, on your public profile and the shared directory). Paws Chommie owns the Platform itself, including its design, code, and branding.
8. Suspension & termination
You may stop using the Platform and deactivate your account at any time. We may suspend or terminate an account that violates these terms, provides fraudulent information, or misuses the Platform's donation or certificate features. Your animal, donation, and application records are preserved unless you specifically request deletion.
9. Disclaimers
The Platform is provided "as is," without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We don't guarantee the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or fit for a particular purpose, and we don't vouch for the legitimacy of any individual center, donor, or animal listing beyond what that center has told us.
10. Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Paws Chommie is not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of the Platform, including donation disputes, incorrect tax certificates issued based on information a center provided, or loss of data. [Consider a specific liability cap here with your attorney.]
11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify Paws Chommie against claims, losses, or damages arising from your use of the Platform, your content, or your breach of these terms — including claims related to inaccurate NPO/PBO/Section 18A information you provided.
12. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, and any disputes fall under the jurisdiction of the South African courts.
13. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms from time to time. We'll update the "Last updated" date above when we do, and material changes will be communicated to registered centers.
14. Contact us
Questions about these terms can be sent to hello@paws.chommie.site or +27 84 878 5842.
Registered address: 3 Camelot Close, George South, George, Western Cape, 6529.