Contributor FAQ 📖

The Contributor Portal is where community members help keep LottaPaws data accurate and complete. You can submit new critters, variants, and sets, or correct existing data that needs updating. Every submission goes through a review process before being added to the app.

• New Critters: Characters not yet in the database
• New Variants: Product versions of existing critters
• New Sets: Product sets and playsets, including their first regional release
• Regional Releases: Add missing regions to existing sets
• Corrections: Fix names, member types, birthdays, barcodes, and more

Sign in to access the Dashboard, then click one of the Quick Actions like "Variant Correction" or "Critter Correction." Search for the item, make your changes, and explain what you fixed in the notes field. Including a source URL (like the Sylvanian Families wiki) helps us review faster!

We try to review submissions within a few days. Simple corrections (name fixes, barcode updates) are usually fastest. More complex submissions like new critters may take a bit longer as we verify the data.

Use New Variant. A variant is a critter-in-a-set pairing. So if a set exists but one of the critters it contains isn't showing up, that's a missing variant. You'll pick the critter and then search for the set it belongs to.

Use New Critter. This is for characters that are completely absent from the database, not just missing from a set. If the critter exists but is missing from a particular set, use New Variant instead.

Use New Set. You'll add the set details along with the first regional release you know about (name, product code, barcode, region). Additional regions can be added later via a Set Correction.

Use Fix Critter. Search for the critter, update the fields that are wrong, and include a source URL so we can verify quickly.

Use Fix Variant. Search for the variant (by critter name or set), correct what's wrong, and add a note explaining the change.

Use Fix Set. This also covers adding a missing regional release. For example if you know the UK barcode for a set that only has a Japanese release on record.

Use Fix Set and add the new region in the Regional Releases section. Each region can have its own name, product code, barcode, and release year.

The same set is often sold in different regions (Japan, US, UK, EU, Australia) with different names, product codes, and barcodes. When submitting a new set, you'll add the first region you know about. You can always suggest additional regions later through the Set Correction form.

• Clear, specific notes explaining what changed and why
• A source URL backing up your correction (wiki, official site, product listing)
• Only change what actually needs fixing. Don't modify fields unnecessarily
• Use official names when possible (check the Sylvanian Families wiki)

Common reasons include missing source information, changes that don't match official data, duplicate submissions, or notes that don't explain the change clearly. The rejection reason will be shown on your submission detail page. Use it to improve future submissions!

Absolutely! Read the rejection reason, address the feedback, and submit a new correction. Quality matters more than quantity here.

Every contributor starts as New and can earn Trusted status through consistent, quality contributions.

There's no magic number. We look at the quality and consistency of your submissions. Sign in to start contributing and work your way up.

LottaPaws is built by a small team (hi! 👋) who are passionate about Calico Critters and Sylvanian Families. The app exists because we needed a better way to track our own collections and figured other collectors did too.

We take privacy seriously. The contributor portal uses passwordless magic links. No passwords stored. Your submissions are only visible to you and the admin team. We don't sell data, run ads, or do any tracking.

The best way to reach us is through the app's feedback feature or by email. We read everything and appreciate every correction, suggestion, and kind word.

Yes! Calico Critters and Sylvanian Families are the same toy line under different regional branding. Our database covers both. Whether you call them Chocolate Rabbits or Hopscotch Rabbits, we want the data right. 🐰