How Happy Pet List verification works
Happy Pet List is a directory and a community built to support the health and well-being of pets. We help pet parents find providers and decide for themselves. Verification is one signal to weigh alongside your own questions, references, and judgment.
Here is what each badge means.
Unclaimed
The listing is in our directory, but the business owner has not claimed it yet. The information comes from public sources and has not been confirmed by the owner.
Claimed
The owner has claimed the listing and manages it directly. To become eligible for verification, they'd need to upgrade to Silver or Gold.
Silver and Gold
These are paid membership levels. They unlock a richer profile and more visibility, and they make a provider eligible for verification. Silver and Gold say nothing about verification on their own — a Silver or Gold provider may or may not be verified. Membership and verification are two separate things: membership is the gate, verification is a separate step a provider chooses to complete.
Verified
A verified provider has voluntarily completed our verification process and earned a badge:
Background Checked — for solo pros, through Checkr, an accredited background-check company.
Organization Verified — for businesses (through their EIN) and nonprofits (through their 501(c)(3) status).
Public Resource — government-run entities (city shelters, county animal services, and other public resources) are verified by our team through their official .gov domain. No action is required from the agency.
A provider without a verification badge either has not started, postponed, or did not complete verification. We do not distinguish between these. When a badge is absent, treat it as "not verified" and keep that in mind alongside your own research.
Verification is always optional and always additive. A provider without a badge is still a real listing you can contact. The badge just tells you they took an extra step.