Rules

The boards

Pawdium has different boards showing pet rankings over different periods.

• All-time is the main leaderboard. Your highest active bid determines your position and stays on the board until another pet takes the spot or you raise your bid.
• Today shows the competition for the current 24-hour period. Pets compete for the top spots during the day.
• Daily is a calendar-day competition. Each day starts at midnight UTC and ends at midnight UTC. When the day ends, that day's results are frozen as an archive.
• Hall of Fame contains pets that have achieved notable milestones, such as winning a daily competition or reaching #1.

How ranking works

• A new pet can enter the leaderboard with a minimum bid of $1.
• Bids are made in whole US dollars.
• To take #1, your bid must be at least $1 higher than the current #1 bid.
• You do not have to challenge #1. A lower bid places your pet at the highest position that amount qualifies for.
• If two pets have the same bid, the pet that reached that amount first keeps the higher position.
• If your pet is already on the leaderboard, you can submit another bid to raise its position.
• Another pet cannot take your position simply by matching your bid. They must exceed it according to the current minimum increment.
• Your pet's rank can change whenever another pet places a qualifying higher bid.
• Daily competitions may use their own time periods and ranking rules.
• Bidding determines paid ranking. Community support does not change a pet's paid rank.

Your paid rank does not mean that your pet is objectively better, cuter, healthier, or more valuable than another pet. Pawdium is an entertainment and community leaderboard.

What you can add

You can submit a real pet that you own or have permission to represent.

• Pet photo
• Pet name
• Owner name
• Country
• City
• Pet type
• A short description about your pet

Available pet types may include:

• Dogs
• Cats
• Birds
• Rabbits
• Hamsters
• Guinea pigs
• Fish
• Turtles
• Other pets

One pet should have one primary leaderboard entry. Do not create multiple entries for the same pet simply to occupy several positions.

What you cannot add

• Someone else's pet without permission.
• Images that you do not have the right to use.
• Fake pets or deliberately misleading information.
• Content involving animal abuse, cruelty, or exploitation.
• Sexual, explicit, hateful, violent, or illegal content.
• Private or sensitive personal information about yourself or another person.
• Exact home addresses or other unnecessary location information.
• Content impersonating another person or organization.
• Duplicate pet entries created to manipulate rankings.

Pawdium may remove pet profiles or content that violate these rules.

Community support

Anyone can support a pet without creating an account. Support is a way to show that you like a pet and help it gain community popularity.

• Supporting a pet does not change its paid rank.
• Support counts may be displayed publicly.
• Suspicious or automated support may be removed.
• Duplicate or fraudulent interactions may be removed.
• Pawdium may limit or block activity that appears to manipulate support counts.

Pet information

Pet profiles are public. Information submitted to Pawdium may be displayed to visitors and may be indexed or shared by others.

• Pet name
• Pet photo
• Owner name
• City
• Country
• Pet type
• Pet description
• Bid amount
• Leaderboard position
• Support count
• Competition history

Only submit information that you are comfortable making public. Pawdium does not recommend including an exact home address, phone number, or other sensitive information.

Pet photos

By uploading a pet photo, you confirm that you have the right to use and display that image.

• Do not upload photographs you do not have permission to use.
• Do not upload private photographs belonging to someone else.
• Do not upload images containing sensitive personal information.
• Do not upload illegal or prohibited content.

Pawdium may remove images that violate these Rules or applicable law.

Bidding and payments

Paid bidding is processed through our third-party payment provider. The minimum bid, required increment, currency, and other applicable terms are shown before you complete a payment.

• A bid is confirmed only after successful payment confirmation.
• Your bid determines your paid leaderboard position according to the applicable ranking rules.
• Other users may place higher qualifying bids and move their pets above yours.
• Raising an existing bid charges only the difference where the applicable bidding rules allow it.
• Completed bids are non-refundable unless a refund is required by applicable law.

Fair play

Pawdium is meant to be fun. Do not use automated or deceptive methods to manipulate the leaderboard or support counts.

• Bots or automated bidding.
• Fake identities or impersonation.
• Stolen pet photos.
• Artificially generated support or engagement.
• Duplicate pet submissions.
• Attempts to bypass rate limits or security controls.
• Attempts to interfere with the Service.
• Fraudulent payments or payment manipulation.

Pawdium may remove fraudulent activity, freeze suspicious bids, remove duplicate or fake pets, restrict abusive users, or correct leaderboard errors.

Animal welfare

Pawdium exists to celebrate pets and responsible pet ownership.

• Animal abuse or cruelty.
• Animal fighting.
• Intentional injury or dangerous exploitation of animals.
• Illegal animal trafficking.
• Neglect or other serious harm to animals.

Content involving serious animal-welfare concerns may be removed and, where appropriate, reported to relevant authorities.

Our right to remove content

Pawdium may refuse, hide, edit, restrict, or remove a pet profile, bid, support activity, image, or other content when reasonably necessary.

• The content violates these Rules.
• The content violates the Terms of Service.
• The content violates applicable law.
• Fraud or manipulation is suspected.
• A legitimate rights violation is reported.
• The submission creates security, legal, or reputational risk.
• The information appears misleading or impersonating.
• The content threatens the integrity of the leaderboard.

We may take action with or without prior notice where reasonably necessary. Removal for violating these Rules does not automatically create a right to a refund.

The simple rule

Add your pet. Pick your spot. Make your bid. Then let the internet discover your pet. 🐾

The higher your qualifying bid, the higher your paid rank. Community support is separate — it shows who the internet is rooting for.