Gifting & In-Kind Donations Policy

About this program

HeartDogs Enablement Foundation (HeartDogs) welcomes in-kind donations through third-party marketplaces such as Amazon or any other marketplaces additionally available to us, via a public wishlist of items our dogs and Heroes need with happy hearts and wagging tails. This explains how that channel works and what donors should know before purchasing.

What HeartDogs does and does not control

HeartDogs curates the wishlist to reflect genuine, current needs. Beyond that, HeartDogs has no role in and no control over:

• which seller a donor chooses to purchase from, even where that seller is a registered marketplace seller
• how an item is packaged, fulfilled, or shipped
• any intermediary logistics or delivery partner involved in getting the item to us

No verification of items received

HeartDogs does not operate a formal verification process to authenticate, test or certify any item received through this channel. Items are accepted in good faith, on the understanding that they were purchased through a legitimate marketplace and from a seller in good standing on that marketplace.

Right to refuse or discard

That said, HeartDogs staff may, at their discretion, decline to use or may discard any item that appears on ordinary inspection to be unsafe, counterfeit, expired, damaged, or otherwise non-compliant with applicable law. This is a discretionary check, not a guarantee of screening, and HeartDogs is under no obligation to notify the donor, seller, or marketplace of the reason for declining an item.

If you suspect a problem

If you believe an item received through this program may be counterfeit, expired, mislabeled, or otherwise unsafe whether you're the donor, a volunteer, or a member of the public please contact us via the options available at https://heartdogs.org/connect/. We look into all such reports and remove flagged items from use pending that review. Responsibility for the item itself, including any defect, contamination, illegality, or misrepresentation, rests with the seller, the marketplace, and any intermediary involved in its sale and fulfillment, not with HeartDogs.

If an issue is discovered after use

Where an item has already been used, consumed, or given to a dog or Hero before any issue with its authenticity, safety, or legality becomes apparent, HeartDogs's acceptance and use of that item was in good faith, based on the reasonable assumption that a purchase made through an established marketplace met applicable legal and safety standards.

Responsibility for a defective, counterfeit, contaminated, or misrepresented item rests with the seller, the marketplace, and any intermediary involved in its sale and fulfilment not with HeartDogs, except to the extent HeartDogs's own handling of the item after receipt was negligent.

Limitation on HeartDogs's responsibility

HeartDogs, its trustees, staff, and volunteers rely reasonably and in good faith on marketplace purchases meeting applicable legal and safety standards, and do not independently verify each item received through this channel. Accordingly, HeartDogs does not accept responsibility for harm, loss, or legal consequences arising from a defect, misrepresentation, or illegality in a donated item that originates with the seller, marketplace, or fulfillment chain, rather than with HeartDogs's own conduct.

Nothing in this policy limits HeartDogs's responsibility for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct, or any liability that cannot be limited or excluded under applicable law.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, HeartDogs, its trustees, staff, and volunteers shall not be held liable for any harm, loss, or legal consequence arising from an item donated through this channel, whether the issue is identified before or after the item's use.