Pre-Authorization Hold

A pre-authorization hold (also called a pre-authorization charge) is your bank temporarily holding some of your bank account’s available funds. In the case of booking pet care, this confirms your payment method is valid and has enough money for an upcoming service.

• If you have enough Wag! Credits in your account, you might not be subject to a pre-authorization hold.
• Adding a new payment method will likely result in a brief pre-authorization hold on your bank account. This verifies the new method is valid.
• Tips might not be included in service charge pre-authorization holds. It may show up as a separate pre-authorization hold or not at all.

Why do I see identical pending charges?

Don't worry if you see duplicate pending charges! One of these “charges” is a pre-authorization hold and will fall off of your statement. 

When will the pre-authorization hold disappear?

There are a few factors that affect when a pre-authorization hold is released.

For pending or upcoming services, the release is usually within 7 business days but may take longer depending on your banking institution.

Once a service is completed, the service pre-authorization hold will be released within 24 hours, if it hasn't been released already.

Transactions are subject to banking hours and holidays. They also depend on your financial institution's processing times.

If the pending charge persists beyond these timeframes, contact your banking institution for clarification on the release timeframe.

When can I expect a hold?

You might see an initial pending charge on your bank account as soon as a few minutes after requesting a service. It can take up to 24 business days. The timing depends on several factors, including:

• When you book
• What you book
• Pet Parent Match services
• Your banking institution
• Banking holidays
• Weekends

Full payment is due upon completion of most services.

However, Sitting and Boarding services require full payment upon booking.

What happens when the service is canceled?

If a service is canceled, the pre-authorization hold will be released within 24 business hours. It may take longer for the cancellation to reflect on your bank statement, depending on your bank's protocols. Be aware that canceled services may incur a cancellation fee.