1. Purchases: There is no purchase required to enter.
2. How to enter/valid entries: In order to enter a giveaway, you must leave a comment on the post featuring the product to be given away. Comments on Facebook posts or replies to Twitter posts about the giveaway or contest do not count as valid entries.
3. Valid contact information: The comment form contains a space for your name (you may use a pseudonym if you choose) and your e-mail address. You must leave an e-mail address that you check regularly, so that if you do win the giveaway we can contact you. The general public will not see your e-mail address, but it will be visible to the administrators of the Paws and Effect website.
4. Chances of winning: The chances of winning are dependent entirely on the number of entries. The winning entry will be picked randomly by using the WordPress plugin Pick Giveaway Winner.
5. Number of entries allowed: Only one entry per person will be allowed.
6. Entry eligibility by location of entrant: Paws and Effect giveaways are almost always open to the entire contiguous United States. If not, this will be clearly stated in the post. Many are also available to Canadian entries, with the exception of Quebec. Unfortunately, Quebec’s laws make it impossible for us to meet their legal requirements for giveaways and contests.
7. Giveaway dates and times: All giveaways have a specific beginning and ending date and time. In fairness to all entrants, entries posted after the deadline will be considered void even if they appear in the comments section of the post. Date and time stamps will be the gauge for this rule. The validity of all times and dates will be judged based on Pacific Daylight Time or Pacific Standard Time, depending on the time of year.
8. Notification of the winner: After the giveaway closes, the winner will be notified via e-mail. The winner has 24 hours from the date and time the notification e-mail was sent to respond. If the winner does not respond in that time frame, another winner will be chosen.
9. Sponsor contact information: The contact information for the sponsor of each giveaway will be available through links to their respective websites on the blog posts referencing these promotional events. This may come in the form of a website URL, a contact form, a Facebook page or a Twitter handle. You will not receive phone calls as a result of participation. One exception to this is in the event of a shipping carrier’s need to contact you about delivery.
10. Privacy: Your privacy is important to us. We will not disclose your address or phone number, when required from our shipper, to anyone except those involved in shipping your prize. Your e-mail address will also not be shared or sold.
11. Winners’ name announcements: By entering a contest or giveaway on Paws and Effect, your name or alias represents your explicit permission to use the provided name or alias in announcing winners.
12. Minimum age for entry: You must be 18 years of age or older to enter a Paws and Effect giveaway. No employees /website administrators of the giveaway sponsor or of Paws and Effect are eligible for the giveaway.
13. Shipping oversight: Shipping varies depending on where the prize is coming from and who ships it. Paws and Effect coordinates getting your address to the appropriate shipper (vendor, pet product maker) and cannot take responsibility for what happens beyond that point. However, if your prize does not arrive, please e-mail janea@paws-and-effect.com with the specifics so that we may follow up and seek to get your prize to you.
14. Lost prize shipments: Please note that when the prize is shipped by Paws and Effect, and is under a value of $100 US, we do not insure arrival and cannot replace the prize. In many of these cases, prizes were given to us at a product show or blogging conference, and replacement prizes are not available. Products valued $100 US or more will be insured and your recourse for reimbursement will be with the carrier. We cannot provide you with cost validation in the form of a receipt or invoice. Paws and Effect generally ships by US Postal Service, unless a parcel service such as UPS is called for.
15. Liability waiver: Products may be shipped from manufacturers, retailers or this blog’s owner. By sending your address to request shipment of your prize, you inherently agree to waive liability for any responsibility with regard to issues with the product. Paws and Effect does not make the products we give away and therefore we cannot be held responsible for the product’s safety or efficacy as used by the recipient. We urge you to read the full instructions both in packaging and online, and encourage you to direct questions to the maker before proceeding. Further, if concerns arise, please contact your veterinarian or trainer, as needed, for additional advice.
16. Void where prohibited by law: All giveaways, contests, sweepstakes and other events that involve free products are void where prohibited by law. No prizes of any kind can be shipped to Quebec.
17. Rules modification: Paws and Effect reserves the right to change these rules at any time without notice.
JaneA Kelley is a punk rock cat mom and award-winning blogger. She is a regular columnist for Catster Magazine, and she and the Paws and Effect Gang share a home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.