AI & Veterinary Disclaimer

Effective Date: 30 June 2026

Last Updated: 30 June 2026

This AI & Veterinary Disclaimer applies to your use of Pet Health Map ("PHM", "the Platform"), including AI Care Navigator, Single-Use AI Reports, Vet Review, Online Veterinary Information Consultation, clinic directory pages, pet health content, review summaries, FAQs, and any AI-assisted features provided by PHM. PHM is operated by The Cat's Whiskers Co., Ltd. ("we", "us" or "our"). Nothing in this Disclaimer excludes, restricts or modifies any rights or remedies you may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Fair Trading Act 1986 or other mandatory law.

1. Informational Support Only

PHM provides general informational support to help pet owners in New Zealand better understand pet health topics, organise concerns and discover veterinary clinics. PHM does not provide veterinary diagnosis, treatment, prescriptions, emergency assessment or professional clinical veterinary services. Any information provided through PHM is intended to support your understanding and preparation before seeking veterinary care. It should not be treated as a substitute for consultation with a registered veterinarian.

2. AI Care Navigator Limitations

AI Care Navigator and other AI-assisted tools may process information you provide about your pet and generate general guidance, possible next steps or clinic-related suggestions. AI-generated outputs may be incomplete, inaccurate, outdated or unsuitable for your pet's specific condition. AI outputs may also fail to identify urgent symptoms, unusual conditions or important medical context. You should not rely on AI Care Navigator to:

diagnose any disease or medical condition;
determine whether your pet needs treatment;
decide whether your pet needs urgent or emergency care;
prescribe or adjust medication;
replace examination by a registered veterinarian;
make final decisions about surgery, treatment, testing, hospitalisation or euthanasia.

3. Vet Review and Online Veterinary Information Consultation

Vet Review and Online Veterinary Information Consultation may involve human professional information support from partner veterinarians or qualified professionals. These services are limited-scope information and care-direction services. They are not in-person veterinary consultations, clinical diagnosis, prescribing services, treatment services or emergency services. They do not replace a physical examination, diagnostic testing, imaging, treatment planning, medication, surgery, hospitalisation or ongoing clinical care by a registered veterinarian.

4. Consult a Registered Veterinarian

If your pet is unwell, injured, showing abnormal behaviour, or if you are unsure about your pet's condition, you should consult a registered veterinarian directly. A veterinarian can perform physical examination, diagnostic testing, clinical assessment, treatment planning and follow-up care. PHM cannot perform these functions. You should not delay, disregard or avoid professional veterinary care because of information you read, receive or generate through PHM.

5. Emergency Notice

PHM is not an emergency service. If your pet may be experiencing an emergency, contact a 24-hour veterinary clinic immediately. Potential emergency signs may include, without limitation:

difficulty breathing;
collapse, unconsciousness or extreme weakness;
seizures;
severe bleeding or major trauma;
suspected poisoning or toxin exposure;
inability to urinate;
repeated vomiting or diarrhoea with weakness;
severe pain;
bloated abdomen or repeated unproductive retching;
pale, blue or very dark gums;
sudden paralysis or inability to walk;
any condition that appears rapidly worsening or life-threatening. Do not rely on PHM, AI Care Navigator or any online information in an emergency.

6. Clinic and Referral Information

PHM may suggest or display veterinary clinics based on location, clinic information, public data, user activity, review summaries or information you provide. Clinic suggestions are not medical referrals, endorsements, guarantees or rankings of clinical quality. Clinic information, including opening hours, services, prices, appointment availability, equipment, veterinarian availability and emergency capability, may change without notice. You should confirm critical details directly with the clinic before visiting or making decisions.

7. User Responsibility

You are responsible for the information you choose to provide to PHM and for any decisions you make based on information available through the Platform. When using AI Care Navigator or similar tools, you should provide accurate and relevant information where possible. Incomplete, inaccurate or misleading information may affect the usefulness of any AI-assisted output. You should not submit unnecessary personal information, government identification numbers, payment card details, passwords, confidential third-party information, or information about other individuals unless you have the right to do so.

8. No Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship With PHM

Your use of PHM, AI Care Navigator, Single-Use AI Reports, clinic directory pages, review summaries or pet health content does not create a veterinarian-client-patient relationship between you and PHM. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship, where applicable, is formed only between you and the relevant veterinarian or veterinary clinic according to their own professional rules, policies and applicable law.

9. No Guarantee of Outcome

PHM does not guarantee that any information, AI-assisted output, clinic suggestion, Vet Review comment, Online Veterinary Information Consultation comment or general guidance will be accurate, complete, suitable or successful for your pet's condition. PHM does not guarantee any clinical outcome, treatment result, appointment availability, service quality, price, refund or response from any veterinary clinic.

10. Relationship With Other Terms

This Disclaimer forms part of and should be read together with our:

Terms of Use (/en-NZ/terms);
Privacy Policy (/en-NZ/privacy);
Payment, Subscription, Cancellation and Refund Terms (/en-NZ/payment-terms), where applicable. If there is any inconsistency between this Disclaimer and other PHM terms regarding veterinary, emergency or AI-related limitations, the more specific limitation or disclaimer shall apply, subject to any non-excludable rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Fair Trading Act 1986 or other mandatory law.