Policies & Governance

HomeWagger CIC is a community-interest, welfare-first organisation dedicated to safe, responsible and transparent dog rehoming across the UK. This page outlines our policies, governance framework, welfare standards, and how we keep our community safe.

1. Our Mission & Public Benefit

HomeWagger CIC exists to support responsible rehoming, protect dog welfare, reduce pressure on overstretched shelters, and provide a safe, ethical alternative to unregulated online pet adverts. As a Community Interest Company (CIC), all surplus is reinvested into improving welfare tools, safety systems and public-benefit services.

2. Our Ethical Rehoming Principles

  • No selling: Dogs cannot be sold, traded or advertised for profit.
  • No breeding: Breeding, stud services and litters are strictly prohibited.
  • Transparency: Users must provide honest behavioural and medical details.
  • Welfare first: Every decision prioritises dog welfare.
  • Safety & suitability: Adopters must commit to responsible ownership.
  • Honesty: Misrepresentation of any kind is not permitted.

3. PAAG Alignment & Advertising Standards

HomeWagger CIC voluntarily aligns with the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) standards to ensure safe, responsible online dog rehoming. This includes:

  • No illegal imports or puppy farming.
  • No misleading or deceptive advertising.
  • Clear source labelling (“Listed by: Shelter / Rescue / Rehomer”).
  • Accurate age, breed and medical details.
  • Strong reporting and moderation pathways.
  • Filtering and removing harmful or unsafe content.

4. Trading Standards & Animal Welfare Compliance

HomeWagger CIC is a rehoming-only platform and does not engage in the sale of animals. We therefore operate outside the “selling animals as pets” licensing regime, and enforce:

  • Zero-selling and zero-profit policy.
  • Immediate moderation of any content suggesting commercial activity.
  • Bans on breeding, litters, imports and profit-motivated rehoming.
  • Full cooperation with local authority Trading Standards when concerns arise.
  • Clear reporting pathways for suspicious or unsafe activity.

5. Moderation & Safeguarding Framework

We operate a multilayered safety system to protect both dogs and users:

  • Pre-publication review of all listings.
  • Content filters detecting high-risk terms and patterns.
  • Safety escalation to authorities when required.
  • Behaviour transparency and mandatory disclosure.
  • User reporting tools for immediate concern escalation.
  • Account actions including suspension or permanent bans.

6. User Codes of Conduct

All users must agree to:

  • Adopter Code of Ethics – honesty, suitability, responsible ownership.
  • Rehomer Code of Ethics – full transparency, no financial gain.
  • Shelter/Rescue Code – clear welfare and behavioural information.

7. Governance: CIC Structure & Accountability

HomeWagger operates a hybrid governance model consisting of:

  • HomeWagger CIC – welfare, safety, moderation, ethics, public benefit.
  • HomeWagger Tech Ltd – technical platform and data controller (no welfare influence).
  • Annual CIC Reporting – public-benefit report, financial transparency.
  • Asset Lock – protection from private gain.

8. Data Protection & Privacy

HomeWagger Tech Ltd is the primary data controller for the HomeWagger platform, working in partnership with HomeWagger CIC. We comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Data is protected, handled with care, and never sold or shared for commercial gain.

Full details are set out in our Privacy Notice, Cookie Policy and GDPR Consent Notice.

9. Partnerships & Affiliations

HomeWagger CIC collaborates with welfare organisations, rescues, behavioural professionals, and regulatory bodies. We follow PAAG standards and are preparing our ADCH Affiliate Membership application.

10. Complaints, Escalations & Appeals

  • Submit a complaint – response within 14 days.
  • Request moderation review.
  • Appeal decisions to the welfare oversight team.
  • Report urgent welfare concerns.
  • Escalate to the CIC Regulator where appropriate.

11. Transparency & Continuous Improvement

We commit to regular updates, clear communication, annual reporting, and continuous improvement of welfare and safety features.

12. Contact & Governance

HomeWagger CIC
Email: hello@homewagger.org.uk
Company Number: 16875189
CIC Regulator: www.gov.uk/cic-regulator

13. Acceptable Use Policy

All users must follow our Acceptable Use Policy, which sets out detailed behaviour standards, prohibited content, and how we enforce safety rules across the platform.

14. Safeguarding & Welfare Policy

Our Safeguarding & Welfare Policy explains our welfare-first approach, how we respond to concerns, and how we work with welfare organisations and authorities where appropriate.

15. GDPR Consent & Your Data Rights

We only rely on consent where it is the most appropriate lawful basis (for example, for optional waitlist updates or marketing). You can withdraw consent at any time. More information is available in our GDPR Consent Notice and Privacy Notice.

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