Question 1

What is Petside?

Accepted Answer

Petside is the community for pet owners — a place for memories, milestones, playdates, and the people who get it. We also help connect adopters with pets looking for a home, but most of what happens here is everything after.

Question 2

How do I create an account?

Accepted Answer

Click the "Sign Up" button on the homepage. You can register with your email address, or continue with Facebook. You'll need to verify your email and complete your profile to start using all features. (Instagram, TikTok and Threads can be linked later from Settings, but they aren't sign-in methods.)

Question 3

Is Petside free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The heart of Petside is free for good: the community — posts, groups, events and messages — your pet's profile and memory book, lost & found alerts, our lost-pet guides, and a basic listing in the professional directory for groomers, trainers, vets and other pet pros. Premium (matching and verification) is on for everyone at no cost during early access, and no card is needed. When Premium becomes a paid plan, we'll email you at least 30 days before, and you'll never be charged unless you choose a plan.

Question 4

What types of users can join Petside?

Accepted Answer

Petside welcomes individual pet owners, people looking to adopt, professional breeders, and animal shelters/rescue organizations. Each user type has tailored features to meet their specific needs.

Question 5

How does the adoption matching work?

Accepted Answer

Our swipe-based interface lets you browse available pets. Swipe right to show interest, left to pass. When a pet owner accepts your interest, you'll be matched and can start chatting to discuss adoption details.

Question 6

Does Petside handle the actual adoption process?

Accepted Answer

No, Petside facilitates connections between pet seekers and owners/shelters. The actual adoption process, including paperwork, fees, and transfer of ownership, is handled directly between parties. We recommend following our Safety Guidelines.

Question 7

How do I list my pet for adoption?

Accepted Answer

Go to your Profile, click "Add Pet", and fill out the pet profile including photos, species, breed, age, health information, and adoption preferences. Once published, your pet will appear in search results for potential adopters.

Question 8

Can I adopt a pet from another city or state?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can adjust your search radius or browse pets nationwide. However, you'll need to coordinate transportation and any applicable interstate adoption requirements with the pet owner/shelter.

Question 9

What are Pet Playdates?

Accepted Answer

Pet Playdates helps connect pets with potential playmates in your area. It's perfect for socialization, finding breeding partners (for professional breeders), or simply letting your pet make new friends.

Question 10

How do I set up a Playdates profile?

Accepted Answer

Navigate to the "Pet Friends" section and create a profile for your pet. Include clear photos, personality traits, and what you're looking for (playdates, breeding, etc.). You can create profiles for multiple pets.

Question 11

How do I ensure my pet is safe during playdates?

Accepted Answer

We recommend: meeting in public dog-friendly spaces first, ensuring all pets are vaccinated, starting with short supervised meetings, and following our Safety Guidelines. Trust your instincts—if something feels off, don't proceed.

Question 12

How does Petside verify users?

Accepted Answer

We offer optional photo verification where users submit a selfie that's matched against their profile. Verified users get a badge on their profile. We also monitor for suspicious behavior and encourage community reporting.

Question 13

How do I report suspicious activity?

Accepted Answer

Click the "Report" button on any profile, message, or content. Select the type of concern (scam, harassment, fake profile, animal welfare, etc.) and provide details. We review reports as quickly as we can — usually within 24-48 hours — and anything involving animal welfare or someone's safety goes to the front of the queue.

Question 14

What should I watch out for when adopting?

Accepted Answer

Red flags include: requests for payment via wire transfer or gift cards, unwillingness to meet in person or video call, prices that seem too good to be true, pressure to act quickly, and lack of veterinary records. See our Safety Guidelines for more.

Question 15

Can I block another user?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Click the three-dot menu on any profile or conversation and select "Block User". They won't be able to see your profile, message you, or interact with you. You can manage blocked users in Settings.

Question 16

How do I message another user?

Accepted Answer

Conversations with your matches appear in the Messages section — click one to open the chat. You can also send someone a message request from their profile; it stays a request until they accept, so nobody can start a conversation with you without your say-so.

Question 17

Are my messages private?

Accepted Answer

Yes, messages are encrypted in transit and only visible to conversation participants. We do scan messages for prohibited content (scams, abuse) to maintain platform safety, but human staff only review flagged content.

Question 18

Can I share photos in messages?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can share photos directly in conversations. This is great for sharing additional pet photos or discussing specific details about a pet.

Question 19

What does a premium subscription include?

Accepted Answer

Premium is matching and verification: the swipe deck for playdates and pet dating, unlimited super likes and rewinds, seeing who liked your pets, and a verified profile badge. During early access, everyone has all of it at no cost. When Premium becomes a paid plan, we'll email you at least 30 days before, and you'll only pay if you choose it. Pricing varies by account type and billing period.

Question 20

How do I cancel my subscription?

Accepted Answer

If you chose a paid plan, go to Settings > Account and click "Manage Billing" under Subscription & Billing to open the billing portal. You can cancel anytime — you'll keep access until the end of your billing period. During early access there's nothing to cancel unless you chose a plan.

Question 21

What payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

During early access we don't collect payment details at all. When paid plans begin, payments will be processed securely by our payment provider, and we never store your card details.

Question 22

Can I get a refund?

Accepted Answer

Refunds are handled on a case-by-case basis. Contact support@pet-side.com with your request. Refunds are generally available within 14 days of purchase for unused subscription periods.

Question 23

What data does Petside collect?

Accepted Answer

We collect: account info (email, password hash), profile data, pet profiles, messages, approximate location, and usage data. We don't sell your data. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Question 24

How can I download my data?

Accepted Answer

Go to Settings > Account > Your Data Rights and click "Export". Your data is gathered there and then and downloads as a JSON file — there is no waiting period.

Question 25

How do I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

Go to Settings > Account > Your Data Rights and click "Delete". You'll see exactly what will be removed, can export your data first, and have to confirm in writing. Deletion then happens immediately and cannot be undone — there is no grace period to change your mind in.

Question 26

Does Petside sell my personal information?

Accepted Answer

No, we do not sell your personal information to third parties. You can also enable "Do Not Sell My Information" in Settings > Privacy for additional CCPA compliance.

Question 27

Why isn't the app loading properly?

Accepted Answer

Try: refreshing the page, clearing your browser cache, disabling browser extensions, or trying a different browser. If issues persist, contact support@pet-side.com with details about your browser and the error.

Question 28

How do I enable push notifications?

Accepted Answer

When prompted, click "Allow" for notifications. You can also enable them in Settings > Notifications. Make sure your browser/device allows notifications from our domain.

Question 29

Is there a mobile app?

Accepted Answer

Petside is a progressive web app (PWA) that works great on mobile browsers. You can add it to your home screen for an app-like experience. Native iOS/Android apps are on our roadmap.

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