Our Methodology

Every listing on our platform requires sellers to provide a minimum set of disclosure fields. This ensures buyers always have the basic information needed to make informed decisions.

• Breed, dam name, and sire name must be declared for every listing
• Microchip numbers are required — buyers can cross-reference these with national databases
• Litter count in the last 24 months and years active as a breeder must be stated
• Postcode district is required so buyers know the general area
• Council licence number is mandatory for breeders with 3 or more litters per year, as required by UK law
• All information is self-declared by the seller — we display it as provided

When a listing is created, we automatically run a series of background checks using publicly available data and third-party services. These checks are passive — they happen without requiring any action from the seller.

• Phone number lookup: We check whether the seller's phone number is a UK mobile, landline, or VoIP number using Twilio Lookup
• Image search: Listing photos are checked against reverse image search databases to identify if they appear elsewhere online
• Companies House matching: For sellers claiming to be businesses, we check the public Companies House register for matching records
• Postcode validation: We confirm the listed postcode district is a valid, active UK postcode

Signal check results are displayed as neutral indicators — not as trust badges or ratings. We present facts, not judgements.

• Results use neutral colours (grey for pending, blue for informational) — never green or red
• A VoIP phone number is flagged as information, not as a warning — some legitimate sellers use VoIP
• Images found elsewhere are noted for the buyer's awareness, not automatically treated as fraud
• Business matches show whether a Companies House record was found, without implying endorsement
• Every listing carries an honesty label explaining that information is self-declared

Transparency means being honest about our limitations. In our current phase, the following are not independently checked:

• Seller identity is not independently confirmed — we rely on self-declaration
• Council licensing registers are not yet automatically cross-referenced (coming in Phase 2)
• Kennel Club registration claims are not validated against KC databases
• Breed accuracy is based on seller declaration — no DNA or pedigree confirmation
• Health testing claims (hip scores, eye tests) are not independently checked
• We do not conduct in-person premises inspections