Who signs the adoption contract on Mizuu?

It is signed by the shelter handing over the animal and the person adopting it. Mizuu is not a party to the contract and does not charge for the adoption: it provides the tool to draft and sign it from your phone, stores a copy with the signature evidence (date and time, document fingerprint) and safeguards the animal's digital passport.

Does adoption have a price? What is the donation?

No, adoption is free. The adoption donation is a voluntary contribution from the adopter to the shelter intended to cover veterinary costs, upkeep, transport and care of the animal before it leaves. It is NOT a purchase price for the animal — applicable animal welfare law prohibits the sale of companion animals outside authorised channels. The amount is set by the shelter, justifying the expense in specific clauses of the contract.

What is the preferential right of return?

It is the transferring shelter's right to recover the animal if the adopter decides to give it up at any time (whether due to breach or a change of circumstances). The adopter undertakes NOT to hand the animal over to a third party, NOT to abandon it and NOT to sell it. If they want to end the adoption, they must first contact the original shelter so that it can exercise this right.

Can I cancel the adoption during the trial period?

Yes. Some shelters offer a pre-signing trial period (typically 1-7 days) in which the animal lives with the family before the contract is signed. Both the adopter and the shelter may cancel the adoption during this period without contractual consequences. After signing, cancellations are governed by the preferential right of return and the breach described in these terms.

Can a minor adopt a pet?

Not directly. A minor cannot be the holder of the adoption contract. Ownership always lies with an adult of full legal capacity (typically a parent or guardian) who assumes the adopter's obligations, even though living with the animal is shared with the minor in the family.

Adoption terms · Mizuu

1. Nature of adoption

Adoption through Mizuu is a voluntary act, free in essence (there is no sale price) and linked to applicable animal welfare legislation. Mizuu does not sell animals; it acts as a technology platform connecting people interested in adopting with verified shelters.

The transfer of the animal is made between the shelter and the adopter. Mizuu is the technology platform that makes it easier: it verifies identities, safeguards the signed contract and the digital passport, and allows later follow-up.

2. Parties and Mizuu's role

The adoption contract is signed between two parties, and Mizuu acts as platform and custodian:

Transferor: the verified shelter handing over the animal.
Adopter: the adult who takes on responsibility for the animal.
Mizuu (not a party): facilitates verification, manages the digital passport, safeguards the signed document and its evidence and keeps the clinical history. Mizuu does not invoice the adoption or charge the adopter for adopting.

3. Application and process

The interested user completes their adoption template (360° Profile) — housing, routine, family, previous experience, motivation.
They voluntarily upload photos of both sides of their ID document, which are kept encrypted. The shelter sees only an "ID verified" check and the last four digits.
They apply for the animal they are interested in. Mizuu calculates an indicative fit score from their form and what the animal needs.
The shelter assesses the applicants and can chat with each one before deciding. The score is only a guide: the decision is always made by a person at the shelter, and the applicant can ask for it to be reviewed (see the privacy policy, §3 bis).
When it chooses an applicant, it sends them the contract. The applicant signs from their phone, the shelter signs and Mizuu stores the document with the signature evidence.
The shelter confirms the physical handover of the animal. At that moment the animal moves to the adopter's account on Mizuu and the shelter of origin is recorded forever.

There is a limit of up to five simultaneous active applications and five new ones within 24 hours per user to avoid overwhelming shelters (this limit may be adjusted pre-launch).

4. Digital contract

The contract has this structure: parties, purpose, clauses and signatures. The shelter chooses the specific clauses when drafting it, and includes at least:

Identification of the animal (name, passport, species, breed, microchip).
Identification of adopter and transferor (name, ID number, address, shelter registration).
Health clauses: the animal is handed over identified with a microchip (Law 7/2023 and regional regulations), with the vaccines that apply, neutered when the rules require it, and with its check-up schedule.
Welfare clauses (no abandonment, no abuse, no resale).
Change of ownership in the regional animal identification registry.
Legal obligations of the adopter depending on the species (for example, the liability insurance for dogs under art. 30.3 of Law 7/2023 and the ownership course once it is developed by regulation).
Shelter's preferential right of return.

The signature is an electronic signature with evidence: the date and time, the signer's session and a fingerprint of the document that allows any later change to be detected are recorded. The Mizuu seal goes from “Safeguarded” to “Validated” when both parties have signed.

5. Adoption donation

The shelter may request a donation to cover the veterinary and operational costs it has incurred in preparing the animal (vaccinations, neutering, microchip, identification, upkeep during the stay).

This donation:

Does not constitute a sale price for the animal — it is a voluntary contribution to the transferring shelter.
Is collected through one of two channels:
- Cash / direct transfer — the shelter receives it directly.
- Mizuu balance — a nominal balance, non-transferable and not redeemable for cash, usable on veterinary network invoices or on food from the catalogue.
Is subject to an indicative scale of visual alerts (green <€200 / amber €200-300 / pink >€300) that is information for the adopter; it is not a hard limit.
Is not refunded if the shelter exercises the preferential right of return due to breach by the adopter (exception: trial period or proven force majeure).
The Mizuu balance may be blocked or redistributed to the common Solidarity Fund contribution following an adversarial procedure if any of the circumstances described in the shelter terms apply (inactivity >24m, deregistration, well-founded evidence of disguised sale, etc.).

6. Optional offers (outside the contract)

After the adoption, Mizuu may offer you optional services. They are not part of the adoption contract: the shelter cannot require them in order to adopt, you can choose not to take them and, if you do, you can cancel them whenever you want.

6.1. Mizuu network clinics

You can choose any vet. If you choose a clinic in the Mizuu network, the history is unified in the digital passport and you get automatic reminders. 15% of Mizuu's net profit is shared among active verified shelters.

6.2. Pet food subscription

When it is available, you will be able to subscribe to a regular pet food delivery, with no minimum term and with the option to cancel whenever you want. Of the net profit of each payment, 15% goes to the shelter of origin and 20% to the Solidarity Fund. If a plan with a minimum term is ever offered, it will be in a separate contract, with the total price visible before signing up and 14 days to withdraw.

6.3. Smart NFC collar

Optional and at a fixed price (the shelter cannot change it). The collar complements the mandatory microchip; it does not replace it. Two cases:

Animal without a previous NFC collar — RRP €19.90. The shelter receives 15% of the collar's net profit (its price excluding VAT minus its cost). Mizuu sends a new collar.
Animal with an NFC collar already linked — the adopter pays nothing for the collar and Mizuu refunds the shelter €5 (what it paid when buying it from the wholesaler). No additional collar is sent.

7. Adopter's obligations

The adopter undertakes to:

Ensure the physical, psychological and social welfare of the animal — food, water, exercise, veterinary care.
Keep up the vaccination and deworming schedule indicated by their vet.
Comply with local and regional regulations on responsible ownership.
Not abandon, abuse, transfer to third parties without authorisation or resell the animal.
Process the change of ownership in the regional identification registry within the period set by the rules and, if it is a dog, take out the mandatory liability insurance (art. 30.3 of Law 7/2023).
If unable to keep it, contact the shelter first before taking any other action.
Allow follow-up by the transferring shelter (visibility of clinical record and, where applicable, agreed visits).
Comply with the welfare and follow-up clauses agreed with the shelter.

8. Shelter's preferential right of return

The transferring shelter retains a preferential right of return over the animal when any of the following circumstances apply:

The adopter states they can no longer care for it.
Poor welfare conditions are evidenced.
A contractual or legal obligation is seriously breached.
Failure to follow the health schedule continues without justification.

The right of return is exercised by reliable notification. The adopter will facilitate the handover of the animal within the reasonable period agreed. The donation is not refunded in these cases, except for an agreed trial period or proven force majeure.

9. Breach and termination

Mizuu may suspend the adopter's account for:

Documentary falsehood in the ID or in the adoption template.
Resale or attempted resale of the animal.
Consistent reports of abuse confirmed by the transferring shelter and/or the authorities.
Use the platform to transfer or advertise the animal to third parties, bypassing the shelter's right of return.

In any case of alleged crime (abuse, sale), Mizuu will report to the competent authorities (the police, the RSPCA and animal welfare authorities) and will cooperate with the investigation.

10. Adopter under legal age

The contract can only be signed by an adult over 18 years of age. If there are minors in the household, only the age ranges will be recorded and safe-cohabitation measures will be documented. See Minors policy.

Adoption terms