Frequently asked questions

Tail Credits are the in-platform exchange unit that powers Tailmate. Instead of paying each other, members swap care using credits: hosting earns credits, and spending them books care for your own pet. Every 24 hours of hosting earns 120 Tail Credits.

When you add available hosting dates to your calendar, you accumulate Potential Tail Credits — these are credits you've committed to earning. They convert to Earned Tail Credits once you complete the hosting.

Earned Tail Credits are confirmed, spendable credits you've earned by completing a hosting. These are what you use to book care for your own pet.

Credits are based on the number of pets and duration of the stay — hosting more pets earns more credits. The exact amount is calculated automatically in the calendar when you select your dates and number of pets.

You can use up to 240 Potential Tail Credits (equivalent to 2 days of care) before earning them. If those credits are not earned back within 2 months, your payment method will be charged at $85 per 24-hour period of care used.

All unused Tail Credits — both Potential and Earned — are permanently forfeited when your account is closed. Credits have no cash value and cannot be transferred to another account. We recommend using your credits before cancelling.

Tailmate offers two tiers: Member ($10/month or $80/year) — full access to bookings, messaging, and the Tail Credits exchange system. Pet Lover (free, forever) — walk, sit, and host pets; earn Impact Credits donated to Toronto-area shelters quarterly.

You can cancel at any time from your Membership page → Manage billing, which opens your billing portal. When you cancel, your access continues until the end of your current billing period and no further charges are applied. Your Tail Credits will be forfeited at account closure. You can also cancel by emailing hello@tailmate.org. We will never make cancellation unreasonably difficult — cancelling is as easy as signing up.

Tailmate gives you a 10-day cooling-off periodfrom the date your subscription starts — on top of whatever your consumer protection law already gives you. Cancel within those 10 days and you'll receive a full refund — no questions asked. Contact us at hello@tailmate.org to request it. After 10 days, subscriptions are generally non-refundable for the current billing period. We consider requests on a case-by-case basis where there has been a billing error or a documented technical failure on our part.

Yes — we'll send you a billing reminder before every renewal charge, with a clear breakdown of what you're being charged and why.

Yes. You can rejoin at any time. Any previous outstanding charges from your prior membership period still apply. You'll start earning Tail Credits again immediately upon rejoining.

Under Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), you have the right to request a copy of all personal information Tailmate holds about you. Email hello@tailmate.org with the subject line “Data Access Request.”We'll respond within 30 days.

Email hello@tailmate.org with “Delete My Account” in the subject line — self-serve deletion from your settings is on the way. We'll delete your personal information within 30 days, except for records we're legally required to keep — such as billing records, which we retain for 7 years under Canadian tax law.

Tailmate sends two kinds of email. Transactional emails (booking confirmations, Tail Credit updates, billing receipts, security alerts) are essential to your account and cannot be opted out of while your account is active. Marketing emails(newsletters, new features, community stories, offers) are sent only with your consent. To opt out, click “Unsubscribe” in any marketing email. Under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), we process all unsubscribe requests within 10 business days. Opting out does not affect transactional messages.

We share your data only where necessary: Supabase securely hosts our database (your account and profile information), and Stripe processes subscription payments (your billing email and subscription tier). We never sell your personal information. See our full Privacy Policy for details.

Tailmate provides a review system, Community Guidelines, and a code of conduct — but we want to be honest: we can't monitor every exchange in person. The tools we give you — detailed pet profiles, member reviews, and the Meet & Greet system — are your best protection. Use them.

Include everything a new host would need to care for your pet safely: temperament (friendly, shy, nervous), behaviour (likes, dislikes, quirks), training (commands known, potty trained), special needs (medication, diet, routines), social preferences (good with other animals, children), your vet's name and contact number, and an emergency contact.

Use Tailmate's messaging system to contact a potential host and suggest meeting at a local park or public space before confirming an exchange. There's no formal booking needed — it's an informal, no-pressure introduction.

The host should contact you immediately. If your pet needs urgent veterinary care, the host should use the vet details you provided when setting up the booking. Contact us at hello@tailmate.org and we'll help however we can.

Update your calendar at any time in your account. Keep it current to avoid scheduling conflicts — other members rely on it when planning their travel.

Yes — the Pet Lover path is open to anyone who loves animals. You walk, sit, and host other members' pets for free. Every hour you give earns an Impact Credit, which Tailmate donates as real cash to Toronto-area shelters quarterly.

Read their reviews before committing. Arrange a Meet & Greet. And trust your own instincts — if something feels off, it's okay to decline. Your pet's safety comes first.

If a confirmed host cancels, Tailmate will help you find an alternative. You won't lose any Tail Credits for a host-initiated cancellation.

Yes — but please give as much notice as possible. Frequent short-notice cancellations may affect your Trust Score and your ability to book future exchanges.

Members are responsible for damage caused by their pets. We encourage open, direct communication to resolve these situations. We recommend pet liability coverage through your home or renters insurance policy, as Tailmate does not provide insurance coverage.