Badges appear on your public profile as quick trust signals for owners browsing search results.
ID Verified
Your identity has been verified by Government ID through Stripe.
WinniePaws Verified
Your profile has been personally reviewed and approved by our team.
Star Sitter
Earned automatically once you reach a 4.0+ average rating with at least 10 reviews.
Vetted
Awarded after a clear background-check result, checked against relevant public safety databases:
NSOPW — National Sex Offender Registry
OFAC — Sanctions & Terrorism List
Animal Abuse Registry
Founding Sitter
A permanent badge recognizing WinniePaws' first 20 providers.
Not an earned badge
You may also see a Habla Español tag or a sitter tier label like Bronze Sitter next to your badges — neither is something you earn or that WinniePaws grants. Habla Español shows automatically when Spanish is listed among your spoken languages, and your tier reflects your account level, not a review of your work.
How badges are granted
Every badge change is logged for accountability, and most (aside from Star Sitter, which is automatic) are granted by the WinniePaws team after review — badges aren't something you can toggle on yourself.
About the Vetted badge and background checks
The Vetted badge reflects a name-based screening against selected public safety databases — including sex offender registries, government sanctions lists, and animal abuse registries — at a single point in time. It is not a guarantee of a provider's future conduct, and it does not replace your own judgment as an owner. Public records vary by jurisdiction and may be incomplete, delayed, or inaccurate, and no background check can identify every possible risk.
We encourage every owner to use a Meet & Greet, read reviews, and communicate directly with a sitter before booking, regardless of which badges appear on their profile.