Independent Contractor Agreement

1. Independent Contractor Status

As a caregiver on Howl, you are an independent contractor, not an employee, partner, or agent of Howl. This means:

• You control how, when, and where you provide your services
• You may accept or decline any care request at your discretion
• You set your own rates within the platform
• Howl does not provide training, tools, or equipment
• You are free to use other platforms or provide services independently

2. Tax Responsibilities

As an independent contractor, you are responsible for:

• Reporting all income earned through Howl to the appropriate tax authorities
• Paying all applicable federal, state, and local taxes, including self-employment tax
• Maintaining your own records of income and expenses
• Filing quarterly estimated tax payments if required

If you earn $600 or more in a calendar year through Howl, you will receive a 1099-NEC form. We recommend consulting a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

3. Subscription & Fee Structure

Howl operates on a flat monthly subscription model — not a per-booking commission. As a caregiver on Howl:

• You pay a flat fee of $50 per month for access to the Howl platform
• Your first month is free — no charges until your second month
• You keep 100% of every booking. Howl never takes a percentage of your earnings
• There are no signup fees, profile review fees, or hidden charges
• You may cancel your subscription at any time. Your profile, reviews, and booking history are preserved permanently — if you resubscribe later, everything picks up where you left off

Your subscription covers platform access, profile hosting, owner matching, messaging tools, and ongoing platform development.

4. Payments & Direct Client Relationships

Howl facilitates introductions between caregivers and pet owners. After a booking is confirmed:

• Howl shares contact information (including phone numbers) between you and the pet owner
• You and the pet owner coordinate care details directly
• Payment for care services is arranged directly between you and the pet owner — Howl does not process, hold, or take a cut of booking payments
• Your monthly subscription fee of $50 is billed automatically through Stripe
• You must maintain an active payment method on file for your subscription

Because Howl does not process care payments, you are fully responsible for collecting payment from your clients and maintaining your own payment records for tax purposes.

5. Code of Conduct

As a Howl caregiver, you agree to:

• Treat all dogs in your care with kindness, patience, and respect
• Follow any care instructions provided by the dog owner
• Communicate promptly and professionally with owners
• Report any incidents, injuries, or concerns immediately
• Never leave a dog unattended in an unsafe situation
• Maintain a clean, safe environment for dogs in your care
• Respect the confidentiality of owner and pet information
• Not use or be under the influence of substances while providing care

6. Insurance and Liability

Howl recommends that all caregivers obtain appropriate business liability insurance. You are solely responsible for any damage, injury, or loss that occurs while dogs are in your care. Howl does not provide insurance coverage for care sessions and is not liable for incidents that occur during care. Howl is a platform that connects caregivers with pet owners — it is not a party to the care arrangement between you and the client.

7. Profile and Vetting

All caregiver profiles are manually reviewed and approved by the Howl team before being published. Howl reserves the right to approve, reject, or remove profiles at its discretion. You agree to:

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date profile information
• Respond to booking requests in a timely manner
• Uphold the professional standards expected of Howl caregivers

Your profile, reviews, and booking history are permanently saved on Howl. If you cancel your subscription and later resubscribe, your full history is restored.

8. Termination

Either party may terminate this agreement at any time.

• You may cancel your subscription at any time through your dashboard or by contacting hello@usehowl.com. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period. No refunds are issued for partial months.
• Howl may suspend or remove your profile for violations of this agreement, the Terms of Service, or conduct that Howl determines is harmful to the platform or its users.
• Upon termination, your profile will no longer be visible to pet owners, but your data (reviews, booking history) is preserved in case you return.

9. Services Offered

Through Howl, you may offer one or more of the following care services:

• Boarding — the dog stays overnight in your home
• House Sitting — you stay overnight in the owner's home
• Dog Walking — scheduled walks in the owner's neighborhood
• Drop-in Visits — short visits to the owner's home for feeding, potty breaks, and companionship

You set your own pricing for each service. You choose which services to offer and may update your offerings at any time through your profile.

10. Reviews & Ratings

Howl operates a mutual review system. After each completed booking:

• Pet owners may leave a public review and rating on your profile
• You may leave a review and rating for the pet owner, visible to other caregivers considering their booking requests

Reviews are permanently attached to your profile and cannot be removed except by Howl in cases of abuse or violation of review guidelines. You agree not to solicit, manipulate, or falsify reviews.

11. Contact

For questions about this agreement, contact us at hello@usehowl.com.