Legal, operating status & site agreements

Clear, honest, and here for the animals.

This page explains exactly what Sakura Hollow is, what it is not, how it operates, and the agreements that apply to visits, rehoming conversations, donations, local-pickup orders, personal information, and use of this website.

Effective August 18, 2026 · Last reviewed October 3, 2026

01 · Full transparency

Who we are and our current legal status

Sakura Hollow Sanctuary is the name Brendan Martin uses for a small, privately operated, home-based animal-care and rehoming project in the St. Joseph, Missouri area. It began as Brendan’s personal good deed from the heart: helping animals in bad situations by giving them safer housing, consistent care, and a stable home when space and resources allow.

Plain-language disclosure

Sakura Hollow is not a government agency, public shelter, veterinary clinic, licensed wildlife rehabilitation center, or tax-exempt nonprofit organization. It is not sponsored, operated, inspected, approved, certified, or funded by the State of Missouri, the federal government, Buchanan County, or the City of St. Joseph.

Sakura Hollow does not currently hold or represent itself as holding a government-issued sanctuary, rescue, exhibitor, dealer, breeder, wildlife-rehabilitation, or similar operating permit or license. The words “sanctuary,” “rescue,” and “rehoming” describe the project’s purpose; they are not claims of governmental designation, accreditation, or professional licensure.

This disclosure does not claim that private goodwill automatically creates an exemption from any law. If a particular species, sale, public exhibition, transport, breeding activity, business activity, or future expansion requires a permit, license, registration, tax account, inspection, or professional service, Sakura Hollow must comply before conducting that regulated activity. No website statement overrides applicable federal, Missouri, county, or city law.

Sakura Hollow does not diagnose, prescribe, perform veterinary procedures, or present Brendan as a veterinarian, attorney, wildlife rehabilitator, or other licensed professional. Emergencies and medical concerns should be directed to an appropriately qualified veterinarian or public authority.

02 · Purpose and principles

What Sakura Hollow stands for

Animals come first. Sakura Hollow exists to offer a safer next chapter to unwanted, neglected, disabled, or difficult-to-place animals when Brendan can responsibly meet their needs. It is not a promise to accept every animal, an emergency-response service, or an open-intake shelter.

Care decisions are based on welfare, secure space, species needs, available resources, and honest limits.
Animals are treated as individuals, not props, inventory, or proof of status.
Rehoming conversations are handled without judgment and as discreetly as reasonably possible.
Education is offered in good faith, with corrections welcomed when better evidence becomes available.
Sakura Hollow will not knowingly accept stolen animals, illegally possessed wildlife, or an animal whose transfer would violate law.
Public safety, household safety, and secure containment remain part of responsible animal care.

03 · Independent support

Contributions, funding, and tax status

Sakura Hollow is independently operated and is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Contributions are not tax-deductible charitable donations. A Square payment receipt confirms a payment; it is not a charitable tax receipt.

Sakura Hollow receives no government program funding. Support is voluntary and never required for a visit or rehoming inquiry. Online monetary contributions will remain unavailable until payment setup and applicable fundraising registration or an exemption have been confirmed. Please do not mail checks while monetary contributions are paused.

Purpose and use of support

When available, monetary contributions support general animal care and sanctuary expenses, including feeders, substrate, enrichment, equipment, and payment processing fees. The $5, $10, $20, and $35 examples illustrate possible uses; they are not restricted accounts, promises of a specific purchase, or a guarantee of a particular result. No goods, services, ownership, visitation rights, or adoption priority are provided in exchange. Any specially restricted contribution requires a separate written agreement before payment.

Square checkout and recurring support

Available contribution buttons lead to Square’s hosted checkout. Review the recipient, amount, and frequency there before authorizing payment. One-time contributions are charged once. If monthly support is offered and selected, Square will charge the amount and schedule you authorize until canceled. Do not select recurring support unless you intend to authorize future payments.

Cancellation and payment problems

Use the subscription-management option in your Square confirmation email, when provided, to cancel recurring support. You may also contact btrixx.ent@gmail.com or 816-558-2583 for help canceling future charges. Cancellation does not automatically refund earlier payments. Contact us promptly about duplicate, mistaken, or unauthorized payments with the date, amount, and receipt reference. Do not send full card numbers, security codes, bank credentials, or passwords. Refund requests are reviewed individually and any approved refund is processed through Square to the original payment method where supported. Nothing in these terms limits your legal rights or your ability to contact your card issuer.

Tax status and fundraising authorization are separate matters. This disclosure does not create an exemption from Missouri charitable-solicitation registration or other applicable requirements. Sakura Hollow must confirm and satisfy requirements before enabling monetary fundraising.

01 · Customer agreement

Ordering agreement

Contacting Sakura Hollow about an item is an inquiry only. No order is accepted, reserved, or binding until Brendan confirms the exact item, quantity, total price, applicable tax, pickup arrangements, and payment method.

Before payment or pickup, each customer must confirm: “I have read and agree to the Sakura Hollow Shop and Live-Goods Policy, and I confirm that the product is appropriate and lawful for my intended use.”

You are at least 18 years old or are acting with a parent or legal guardian.
You provided accurate contact and order information.
You understand availability, live counts, sizes, and pickup times must be confirmed.
You are responsible for checking that the product is appropriate for your animal and enclosure.
You will not release feeder insects, isopods, springtails, substrate organisms, or other live goods outdoors.

02 · Products and pickup

Shop and live-goods policy

Local pickup only

All shop products are local pickup only. Sakura Hollow does not ship soil, isopods, springtails, feeder insects, or other products. The private pickup address is supplied only after an order and time are confirmed. Missed pickups may be canceled and the item returned to availability.

Prices, taxes, and payment

Displayed prices may change before confirmation. Applicable sales tax will be added or included as required and identified before payment. Sakura Hollow does not process payment through this website. Never send card numbers, bank details, passwords, or identification documents by email or text.

Live feeder crickets

Crickets are animal feed only, not for human consumption. Size and count are approximate within reasonable counting variation. Some normal loss can occur after pickup. Customers must provide secure ventilation, suitable temperature, food and safe hydration, and must choose a feeder size appropriate for their animal.

Living bioactive soil

Bioactive soil is a living, non-sterile, inoculated substrate containing organic matter and variable populations of tropical springtails and isopods. It is not a separately counted culture, veterinary product, pesticide, sterile planting medium, or guarantee of enclosure performance. Results vary with moisture, temperature, ventilation, animal load, and care. It is not intended for arid setups unless expressly stated.

Inspection, refunds, and replacements

Inspect live goods at pickup. Because live goods and living substrate cannot reliably be returned or resold, sales are final after acceptance except when Sakura Hollow supplied the wrong item or a material problem existed at pickup. Report such a problem within two hours, with a clear photograph when possible. After review, Sakura Hollow may offer a reasonable replacement, store credit, or refund. Ordinary post-pickup loss, improper care, escape, misuse, or incompatibility is not covered.

No shipping or unauthorized movement

Sakura Hollow does not currently ship products or arrange interstate movement of living or regulated material. Customers may not ask Sakura Hollow to mislabel or conceal contents and remain responsible for lawful transport after pickup.

03 · Responsible rehoming

Adoption listings and inquiries

Animal profiles are published automatically when submitted through the Rehome an Animal form. Public profile details include the animal’s name, species, known age and sex, care notes, description, photographs, and any adoption fee entered. The person submitting the listing’s name, contact details, and location are private to Sakura Hollow and do not appear on the public profile.

Potential adopters use the Take Me Home form on an animal’s profile to send Sakura Hollow their name, email, phone, city and state, care experience, and message. These details are private in the owner dashboard and are used to discuss the match and coordinate with the current caregiver. An inquiry is not a promise or approval of adoption. If a placement moves forward, Brendan coordinates collecting the animal from the caregiver and arranging adopter pickup or delivery directly with both sides. Timing and logistics are confirmed before the transfer.

The current caregiver remains responsible for the animal unless and until they agree to a transfer. By submitting a profile, the submitter confirms they have authority to seek a new home for the animal and permission to share its photos. After submission, the caregiver receives a private management link they can use to edit public details and photos or mark the listing placed; anyone with the complete link can use it, so keep it private. Sakura Hollow may hide a listing when the animal is placed, no longer available, unlawful to transfer, or when removal is requested.

Any fee shown is supplied by the current caregiver and is displayed as part of the listing. Sakura Hollow does not accept or process adoption payments through this website. Fee arrangements and the transfer are coordinated privately before an adoption is completed.

03 · Your information

Privacy notice

Sakura Hollow may collect information you voluntarily provide, including your name, phone number, email, city and state, requested visit date and time, party size, notes, shop inquiry, testimonial, rehoming information, adoption-listing details, animal photos, adoption inquiries, and communications.

Information is used to respond, schedule visits, manage inquiries and local-pickup reservations, publish animal listings, coordinate adoptions with caregivers, protect household and animal safety, maintain reasonable records, prevent misuse, and comply with law. Sakura Hollow does not sell or rent personal information.

Animal names, descriptions, photos, care information, and any adoption fee entered are published as soon as a listing is submitted. Submitter names, contact details, and locations are kept in the private owner dashboard and are not displayed on public profiles. Adoption applicants’ names, email addresses, phone numbers, location, care experience, and messages are also private to Sakura Hollow. Do not include a street address, payment account information, or other sensitive details in public animal descriptions or photos.

Payment privacy and security

When contributions are enabled, Square collects and processes payment information on its hosted checkout under its Privacy Notice and applicable payment terms. Sakura Hollow does not collect or store full payment card numbers or card security codes on this website. Square may make transaction records, receipt details, and supporter contact information available to the account operator for receipts, bookkeeping, support, refunds, disputes, fraud prevention, and legal obligations. A contribution does not automatically subscribe you to marketing or authorize public recognition.

Financial records are retained as needed for accounting, dispute resolution, and legal obligations. Deletion requests may not remove records that must be retained, and Square manages its own records and retention. Contact Sakura Hollow for questions about records it controls. No payment system or website can guarantee freedom from fraud, account compromise, or interruption.

Information and uploaded photos may be processed or stored by services that host the website. Reasonable safeguards are used, but no system is completely secure. Information is retained only as reasonably needed for these purposes, disputes, safety, or legal obligations.

To request access, correction, removal of an animal listing, or deletion of information you submitted, email btrixx.ent@gmail.com. Some records may be retained for security, recordkeeping, or legal compliance. The website is not directed to children under 13; a parent or legal guardian must submit information for a child.

04 · Honest promotion

Advertising, testimonials, and disclosures

Descriptions, prices, availability, photographs, care statements, and comparisons are intended to be truthful and current when published. Actual living products naturally vary.

Visitor comments and rehoming experiences are published only with permission. They reflect the contributor’s individual experience and do not guarantee another person’s outcome. Sakura Hollow will not buy fake reviews, require a positive review for a benefit, or materially alter a contributor’s meaning.

If Sakura Hollow receives free products, payment, discounts, commissions, or another material benefit connected to an endorsement or advertisement, that relationship will be disclosed clearly near the recommendation.

05 · Appointments

Visitor and rehoming terms

A visit request is not a confirmed appointment. Visits are free, appointment-only, and subject to animal welfare, household safety, available time, and cancellation. The private address may not be posted, shared, or used for unannounced visits.

Visitors must follow instructions, supervise minors, avoid opening enclosures or touching animals without express permission, and disclose relevant accessibility or safety needs in advance. Sakura Hollow may end or refuse a visit when needed for safety.

Rehoming contact does not guarantee acceptance. The current owner remains responsible until Sakura Hollow expressly accepts custody. Health history, behavior, equipment, legal ownership, and known risks must be disclosed honestly.

06 · General terms

Website use and disclaimers

Website information is general education, not veterinary, medical, legal, tax, or professional advice for a specific animal. Consult a qualified veterinarian or other professional when needed.

To the extent permitted by law, the website is provided without warranties of uninterrupted availability, perfect accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose, or guaranteed outcomes. Sakura Hollow is not liable for indirect or consequential loss arising from website use, product misuse, ignored instructions, or conditions beyond reasonable control. Nothing limits rights that cannot lawfully be waived.

Original branding, text, photographs, video, and design may not be used commercially without permission. Approved submitted stories grant Sakura Hollow a nonexclusive right to display the approved version until permission is withdrawn, allowing reasonable time for removal.

Missouri law governs these terms. Policies may be updated as the shop, services, or legal requirements change; the posted date identifies the current version.

07 · Contact

Questions or concerns

Sakura Hollow Sanctuary is operated by Brendan Martin in the St. Joseph, Missouri area. Contact btrixx.ent@gmail.com or 816-558-2583. The exact sanctuary and pickup address remains private until an appointment is confirmed.