Privacy Policy

We collect information you provide directly to us, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, password, and optional profile photo when you create an account.
• Pet Information: Pet names, breeds, ages, and health notes you add to your pet profiles.
• Business Information: Business name, address, service descriptions, operating hours, and photos if you register as a business.
• Booking Information: Appointment details, service preferences, and communication between you and service providers.
• Community Content: Posts, reports, event listings, and other content you contribute to PawsHub.
• Payment Information: We use third-party payment processors and do not store complete card information on our servers.
• Location Data: With your permission, we use your location to show nearby businesses and community content.
• Device Information: Device type, operating system, app version, and crash reports to improve performance.

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve PawsConnect services
• Process bookings and facilitate communication between pet owners and businesses
• Send booking confirmations, reminders, and service updates
• Display nearby businesses and community content relevant to your location
• Verify business listings and maintain platform integrity
• Respond to your questions, comments, and support requests
• Send you product updates, news, and promotional communications (you can opt out at any time)
• Monitor and analyze usage patterns to improve user experience
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information. We share your information only in the following circumstances:

• With Service Providers: When you book a service, the relevant business receives your name, contact information, pet details, and booking information necessary to fulfill the appointment.
• With Community Members: Content you post in PawsHub (lost pet reports, events, etc.) is visible to other users in your area.
• With Service Partners: We work with third-party services for hosting (Firebase/Google Cloud), analytics, and payment processing. These providers are contractually bound to protect your data.
• For Legal Reasons: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our users.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger or acquisition, user information may be transferred as a business asset, with prior notice to users.

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS/SSL
• Secure authentication via Firebase Auth with encrypted password storage
• Regular security reviews and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal data
• Automatic session expiration and secure token management

While we take significant steps to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password for your account.

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information in your account settings or by contacting us.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated personal data. Note that some information may be retained for legal compliance or to prevent fraud.
• Portability: Request an export of your data in a machine-readable format.
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time using the link in each email or by contacting us.
• Location: Disable location permissions at any time through your device settings.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@pawsconnectapp.com.

PawsConnect is not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will promptly delete that information. If you believe we may have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal, accounting, or safety purposes.

PawsConnect may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through our app.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by sending an email to your registered address or through an in-app notification. Your continued use of PawsConnect after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

• Email: privacy@pawsconnectapp.com
• Company: IAMTalent Co.
• Address: Houston, Texas, USA
• Contact Form: pawsconnectapp.com/contact