The TruePath Walker Verification Process — Step by Step

Every TruePath walker has passed a structured 6-step verification process before they appear in owner search results. This page explains each step in detail — whether you're an owner trying to understand what the verified badge means, or a prospective walker preparing your application.

Why Verification Matters

TruePath's 35% rejection rate is the clearest expression of what the verification process is designed to do. Roughly 1 in 3 applicants don't make it through. That number isn't about bureaucratic exclusivity — it reflects that caring for someone's dog requires a genuine baseline of reliability, animal handling knowledge, and trustworthiness that not everyone who applies can demonstrate at the time they apply.

For owners, the verification process is the mechanism behind "we check our walkers." For walkers, it's the thing that distinguishes your profile from an unverified marketplace listing.

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Step 1 — Application Form

The application form is the first filter in the process. It covers:

• Experience history: years working with dogs, specific contexts (grooming, training, boarding, casual sitting, professional walking), and number of dogs typically handled
• Suburbs served: the postcode(s) and regions you're available to work in
• Service types: which services you're applying to offer — solo walks, group walks (maximum 3 dogs), drop-in visits, overnight boarding, day sitting, puppy visits
• Dog size and breed preferences: walkers specify which sizes and breeds they're comfortable with; this is used for matching, not elimination
• Breed experience: experience with specific breeds or groups (working dogs, brachycephalic breeds, reactive dogs) is noted and displayed to owners
• Motivation statement: a short written response explaining why you want to walk dogs on TruePath — assessed for genuine engagement with animal welfare, not just income motivation

The application form data becomes the foundation of your public walker profile. Answers should be accurate — the reference check and meet-and-greet assess claims made here.

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Step 2 — Identity Verification

TruePath requires a government-issued photo ID before proceeding to the criminal history check. Accepted documents include:

• Australian driver's licence (front and back)
• Australian passport (photo page)
• Medicare card combined with a second photo ID

ID is uploaded through the secure section of the app and processed by TruePath's identity verification partner. The document is checked for validity and matched to the name and date of birth provided in the application form.

TruePath does not store your ID document beyond the verification process. Once identity is confirmed, the record is flagged as verified and the source document is not retained in your active account.

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Step 3 — ACIC National Criminal History Check

This is the step that most meaningfully differentiates TruePath's verification from most competitor platforms.

TruePath initiates a national criminal history check through the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) framework, via an authorised ACIC-accredited agency. This check searches records across all Australian states and territories — it is not a state-by-state check.

Key points:

• TruePath pays for the check — there is no application fee or cost to the walker
• The check typically takes 1–5 business days to return a result
• Results are assessed against TruePath's suitability criteria, which include convictions relating to violence, dishonesty, animal cruelty, and offences against children
• Spent convictions under relevant state legislation are handled in accordance with applicable law (e.g., the Spent Convictions Act 2000 (NSW) and equivalent state laws)

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Step 4 — Reference Checks

Two references are required. TruePath's team contacts them directly — references are not simply email links for a form to self-complete.

What TruePath asks references:

• Their relationship to the applicant and how long they've known them
• Whether they have observed the applicant working with or caring for animals
• Their assessment of the applicant's reliability, punctuality, and communication
• Whether they have any concerns about the applicant working independently with dogs

References can be professional (a previous employer, a vet clinic, a dog daycare) or personal (a friend or neighbour who has observed you with animals), but cannot be immediate family members. At least one reference with direct knowledge of your animal handling is strongly preferred.

The reference check is where exaggerated claims in the application form are most often exposed. If your application says you have 5 years of professional dog walking experience and neither reference can speak to that, the discrepancy is noted.

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Step 5 — In-App Knowledge Assessment

After the criminal history check and references clear, walkers complete a 30-question multiple-choice assessment inside the TruePath app. The assessment covers:

• Dog handling: leash techniques, managing reactive dogs, body language reading, safe interaction between unfamiliar dogs
• Emergency response: recognising heat stroke, what to do if a dog ingests something, how to respond to a dog fight, when to call an emergency vet
• Equipment: appropriate equipment for different dog sizes and temperaments (harnesses vs collars, retractable leads in group contexts, muzzle use)
• Heat and weather safety: walk timing in summer, surface temperature testing, recognising overheating early
• Park etiquette: off-leash area rules, understanding park signage, managing interactions with other owners

A passing score is required to proceed. Walkers who don't pass on the first attempt receive feedback on areas to review and can retake after a waiting period. The assessment is not designed to catch people out — it's designed to ensure walkers have thought about scenarios they'll encounter in the field.

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Step 6 — Supervised Meet-and-Greet

The final step takes place in the real world, not in an app.

Before a new walker's first solo booking, TruePath pairs them with an initial client for a supervised meet-and-greet. The purpose is:

1. For the owner to meet the walker in person before the walk
2. For the walker to meet the dog, understand any specific instructions, and walk the route once with the owner present or nearby
3. For TruePath's quality team to review the outcome — owners are asked to provide a brief rating of the meet-and-greet experience

The meet-and-greet is not just a formality. TruePath's quality team reviews a sample of meet-and-greet outcomes and flags any concerns raised by owners before the walker's first solo booking proceeds.

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Typical Timeline

Walkers who have references who respond quickly and who have no delays in the criminal history check typically land at the shorter end. The most common delay is slow reference responses.

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How TruePath Compares to Competitors

Feature	Verification step	TruePath	Mad Paws	Pawshake
Identity verification	Required	Required	Required
National criminal history check	Required (ACIC, platform pays)	Not published as mandatory	Not published as mandatory
Reference checks	2 references, contacted directly	Not published	Not published
Knowledge assessment	30-question in-app test	Not published	Not published
Supervised meet-and-greet	Required before first solo booking	Not published	Not published
Application fee for walkers	Free	Free	Free
Rejection rate published	Yes — 35%	Not published	Not published

The key distinction is the mandatory ACIC national criminal history check and the knowledge assessment. Mad Paws and Pawshake do not publish these as requirements in their walker sign-up processes. This does not mean their walkers haven't been checked, but there's no published mandatory standard equivalent to TruePath's process.

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Application Fees

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If Your Application Is Not Approved

Applicants who are not approved receive a notification explaining the reason at the category level (e.g., criminal history check, knowledge assessment, reference check) without disclosing third-party reference content.

Walkers can appeal a rejected application by:

1. Contacting TruePath's walker support team within 30 days of the decision
2. Providing additional context or evidence relevant to the stated reason for rejection
3. Requesting a review by a senior member of the quality team

Common successful appeals involve applicants who failed the knowledge assessment and requested a review after completing additional training, or who had a reference issue that was later clarified.

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Frequently asked questions

How long does TruePath verification take?

Can I appeal a rejected TruePath application?

Does my existing police check count for TruePath verification?

Do I need prior professional experience to apply as a TruePath walker?

Is my criminal history result shared with owners?

Want to earn this walking dogs?

TruePath walkers set their own hours and rates. Apply once, pass our verification, and start booking walks in your suburb.

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