How we moderate listings

Last updated: November 1, 2026

Our community boards help lost and found pets get home, find good breeding partners and find new families. To keep them safe and honest, every listing is checked before it goes live. Here's how that works.

1. Which boards this covers

• The lost and found board, for lost pets and found pets. It's free for everyone.
• The breeding partners board, for members.
• The pets for sale board, for members.

2. Every listing gets a scam check

When you submit a listing, the MapX Pet directory bot runs an automatic scam check. It looks at signals we can verify:

• how long the account has existed
• whether the pet matches the breed and age you describe
• whether the price is far from typical prices for that pet
• whether the same photos appear elsewhere online

The check takes a moment. Then you get an instant decision: approved, and your listing goes live, or not approved, with the general reason. For everyone's safety, we don't share the details of how we detect scams.

Lost and found posts get the same checks. Both need a photo of the pet, the city, and the nearest intersection or landmark. When all three are there and the photo passes the automatic check, the post goes live right away. If something is missing or the photo is flagged, we still receive the post and a person reviews it shortly before it goes live.

3. Photo checks

Before any post goes live on any board, the directory bot checks every photo. It flags:

• nudity or sexual content
• photos that don't match the pet described, such as a person or an object instead of an animal, or a different species

If a photo is flagged, the post is held and doesn't go live. Our team is alerted right away, then approves the post or removes it. This applies to everyone, including members: a flagged photo is always reviewed by a person.

4. Member listings

Members have a payment method on file, so they get the benefit of the doubt. The scam check still runs on every member listing, and the bot's scam decision stands, with no extra waiting for a person to review it. If your listing isn't approved, you can ask for a second look (see section 7).

5. Listings from non-members

Non-member listings, such as free lost and found posts, get the same scam check and photo checks as member listings, and the same right to ask for a second look (see section 7).

Reported listings are hidden on every board

On every board (lost and found, breeding and pets for sale), if 3 different members report a listing, it's hidden automatically until our team restores or removes it. This applies to member and non-member listings alike.

Anyone can still report any listing, and our team reviews reports.

6. Reporting a scam

Reporting a scam alerts our team right away. We don't wait for more reports before we look.

7. Asking for a second look

• Anyone whose listing isn't approved can ask for a second look, members and non-members alike, including free lost and found posts.
• Members: tap Ask for a second look on the decision screen or in the decision email. Non-members: use the Ask for a second look link in your decision email. You can add a short note.
• A person on the MapX Pet team reviews the check results and your listing, then makes the final call.
• You can ask once per listing, and the team's decision is final.

8. “I’m interested” pings

• Every listing has an I’m interested button. It sends the owner an anonymous ping: they see only your city, when you tapped it and any short note you add.
• Lost and found: anyone can send a ping, free. Breeding and pets for sale: members only.
• The owner decides. They can share their contact details with you privately, decline, or ignore the ping. Your identity stays hidden unless the owner shares with you, and the owner’s details never appear on the listing through this feature.
• Limits: up to 10 pings a day per person, and one ping per listing. Pings with no reply expire after 30 days.
• Owners can block a pinger or report a ping as spam. Spam pings count toward our moderation checks, the same as listing reports.
• AI assistants: an AI assistant can send an “I’m interested” ping on someone’s behalf. The same rules and limits apply, and the owner still decides. On lost and found, we email the person to confirm before the owner is pinged. The owner may see a small “via AI assistant” tag, which doesn’t reveal who sent it.
• Listings drafted by an AI assistant need the person’s approval before any checks run. We email them the draft to approve, edit or discard, and only they can choose to show their contact details. Developers: see For AI agents.

9. What happens when rules are broken

• We may remove listings or suspend access to a board.
• Repeated or serious problems can affect your membership, as set out in our Membership terms.
• Lost and found posters: be careful with anyone who asks for money to return a pet. Meet in a public place, and never pay a "finder's fee" up front.
• Our checks reduce risk but can't catch everything. MapX Pet doesn't verify or guarantee any animal, owner or outcome. Breeders should also read our responsible breeding rules.

10. How to report a listing

Every listing has a Report button. Tap it, choose a reason and add any details. Thank you for helping keep the boards safe.