1. Scope and Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected by Pawatics, Inc. ("Pawatics," "we," "us," or "our") through our website at pawatics.com, our mobile application, Pawlee AI, and all related services (collectively, the "Services"). This policy applies to all users including pet owners, animal shelter staff, and pet business owners and operators.

By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. Your use of the Services is also governed by our Terms of Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Identity information including first name, last name, and date of birth
• Contact information including email address, phone number, and mailing address
• Account credentials including username and encrypted password
• Pet information including pet name, species, breed, age, weight, medical history, vaccination records, medications, allergies, and behavioral notes
• Shelter information including organization name, address, staff contacts, intake policies, and adoption criteria
• Business information including business name, address, services offered, hours of operation, pricing, staff details, and customer records
• Payment information processed securely through our third-party payment processors. We do not store full payment card numbers
• Communications you send to us including support requests, feedback, and survey responses

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device information including device type, operating system, browser type, and unique device identifiers
• Usage data including pages visited, features used, time spent, and actions taken within the Services
• Log data including IP address, access times, and referring URLs
• Location information at the city or region level based on IP address, or precise location if you grant permission
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies as described in Section 9 below

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Integration data from third-party platforms you connect to Pawatics, including shelter management systems such as Shelterluv
• Verification data from landlords, veterinarians, and other references contacted during adoption pre-screening workflows
• Public information from social media platforms if you choose to connect your account

2.4 Pawlee AI Interaction Data

When you interact with Pawlee AI, we collect and store the content of those interactions including your questions, inputs, and the AI responses generated. This data is used to provide the service, improve AI performance, ensure safety, and personalize your experience. AI conversation data is linked to your account and pet profiles where applicable.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Delivery

• Creating and managing your account
• Providing, operating, and maintaining the Services
• Processing adoption pre-screening workflows on behalf of shelters
• Powering Pawlee AI responses using your pet's profile and interaction history
• Facilitating bookings, appointments, and communications between pet owners and businesses
• Sending transactional notifications related to your account activity

3.2 Communications

• Sending marketing SMS messages and emails to which you have consented
• Sending service updates, security alerts, and account notifications
• Responding to your support requests and inquiries

3.3 Safety, Security, and Compliance

• Detecting, preventing, and investigating fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Enforcing our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy
• Complying with applicable legal obligations, court orders, and regulatory requirements

3.4 Improvement and Analytics

• Analyzing usage patterns to improve platform performance and features
• Training and improving Pawlee AI models using anonymized or aggregated interaction data
• Conducting internal research and product development

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Where applicable under laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process your personal information on the following legal bases:

• Contract performance: Processing necessary to provide the Services you have requested
• Consent: Processing based on your explicit consent, including for marketing communications and AI data use
• Legitimate interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate business interests where those interests are not overridden by your rights
• Legal obligation: Processing required to comply with applicable law

5. How We Share Your Information

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

5.1 With Your Consent

We share information with your explicit consent, such as when you connect your account to a third-party service or authorize us to share your information with a shelter or pet business.

5.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party vendors and service providers who assist us in operating the Services, including cloud hosting providers, payment processors, SMS and email delivery services, analytics providers, and AI infrastructure providers. These parties are contractually obligated to process your information only as directed by us and to maintain appropriate security measures.

5.3 Shelters and Pet Businesses

When you submit an adoption application through a shelter using Pawatics, we share relevant application information with that shelter as part of the pre-screening workflow. When you book or inquire with a pet business through Pawatics, we share relevant contact and pet information necessary to fulfill the service.

5.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if we believe disclosure is required by law, regulation, or legal process, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Pawatics, our users, or the public.

5.5 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, your information may be transferred to the successor entity. We will provide notice of any such transfer and any choices you may have regarding your information.

6. Pawlee AI and Data Use

Your interactions with Pawlee AI, including questions, inputs, and pet profile data, are used to generate responses and to improve the AI system. We take the following measures to protect your AI interaction data:

• AI interaction data is stored securely and associated with your account
• Data used for AI model improvement is anonymized or aggregated where possible
• We do not share identifiable AI interaction data with third parties for their commercial purposes
• You may request deletion of your AI interaction history subject to legal retention requirements

7. SMS Communications and TCPA Compliance

Pawatics complies with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and all applicable federal and state regulations governing electronic communications. By providing consent on our form, you authorize Pawatics to send recurring automated marketing and transactional text messages to the number provided.

• You may opt out at any time by replying Stop to any SMS message
• Standard message and data rates may apply
• Message frequency varies
• Reply Help for assistance or contact us at [email protected]
• Consent is not a condition of any purchase

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as necessary to provide the Services. We also retain information as required by law, to resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and maintain security and fraud prevention records.

When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within a commercially reasonable period, except where we are required to retain it by law or for legitimate business purposes such as fraud prevention or legal compliance.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to operate and improve the Services. These technologies help us authenticate users, remember preferences, analyze usage, and deliver relevant content.

You may control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Services. We do not currently respond to Do Not Track signals, though we support your right to control your personal data through the mechanisms described in this policy.

10. Data Security

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption of data in transit and at rest, access controls, regular security assessments, and employee training.

Despite these measures, no security system is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights or freedoms, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

11. Children's Privacy

The Services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at [email protected]. We will take prompt steps to delete such information from our systems.

12. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

• Right to access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
• Right to restriction: Request that we limit how we use your information in certain circumstances
• Right to data portability: Request a machine-readable copy of the information you have provided to us
• Right to object: Object to our processing of your information for direct marketing or other legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw any consent you have given at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

13. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete your personal information, the right to opt out of the sale of your personal information (we do not sell personal information), and the right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights.

To submit a CCPA request, contact us at [email protected] with the subject line "CCPA Request."

14. International Data Transfers

Pawatics is headquartered in the United States. If you access our Services from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using the Services, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

15. Third-Party Links and Services

The Services may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through our platform. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of material changes by updating the effective date at the top of this page and, where required by law, by sending a notification to your registered email address. Your continued use of the Services after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

17. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Pawatics, Inc.
Privacy and Data Team
251 Little Falls Drive
Wilmington, DE 19808
[email protected]