Privacy Policy

Petpair (“Petpair”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is a pet-social app that helps humans find playdates and pedigree matches for their pets. Petpair is operated by R3LAB Inc., based in Ontario, Canada.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through the Petpair app and website (the “Service”), how we use and share it, and the choices and rights you have. For the purposes of applicable data-protection laws, R3LAB Inc. is the data controller of your personal information.

If you have any questions, contact us at hello@petpair.app.

We collect the information you give us to build your pet’s profile and connect it with nearby pets, plus a small amount of technical data to keep the Service running and safe. We use an approximate location — never your exact address. We don’t sell your personal information. You can edit, export or delete your data at any time, and deleting your account permanently erases your pet, matches, chats and records. The full detail is below.

Information you provide directly:

• Account & identity — your email address, and (if you choose those sign-in methods) the basic account identifier Apple or Google shares when you use Sign in with Apple or Continue with Google. You can also add your name and an owner photo.
• Pet profile — your pet’s name, species, breed, date of birth, sex, size, energy, bio, personality traits, matching intent (playdate / pedigree), and the photos you upload.
• Location — the neighbourhood, city and country you set as your home turf. We convert these into an approximate set of coordinates so we can show pets near you; we do not collect or store your precise street address.
• Documents — vaccination or pedigree papers, only if you choose to upload them for verification. Uploading documents is always optional.
• Messages & activity — the messages you send in chats, the pets you woof or pass on, your matches, playdate arrangements, and any treats you send or receive.
• Communications — anything you send us when you contact support, report a member, or give feedback.

Information we collect automatically:

• Technical & device data — basic information needed to operate the app, such as your IP address, device and app version, and session identifiers, used for sign-in, security and abuse prevention (for example, rate-limiting).
• Push notification tokens — if you enable notifications, a device token so we can deliver alerts about pairs, messages and reminders. You can turn notifications off at any time in your device or app settings.
• Cookies & similar technologies — a small number of cookies and local storage entries that keep you signed in and remember preferences such as your language. Analytics cookies are only ever set with your consent (see “Cookies” below).

We use your information to:

• Create and maintain your account and your pet’s profile;
• Show your pet to nearby members and power playdate and pedigree suggestions;
• Enable matches, chats, playdate planning and treats between members;
• Verify vaccination and pedigree records and award the corresponding badges;
• Send you service messages, sign-in links and (if enabled) push notifications;
• Keep the Service safe — detecting, preventing and responding to fraud, abuse, safety issues and violations of our Terms of Use;
• Understand and improve how the Service is used, and develop new features;
• Comply with our legal obligations and enforce our terms.

Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, we rely on: performance of our contract with you (to provide the Service you sign up for); our legitimate interests (to keep the Service secure, functional and improving), balanced against your rights; your consent (for example, for optional analytics cookies, which you can withdraw at any time); and compliance with legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only in these ways:

• With other members — your pet’s profile (photos, name, breed, traits, bio, verification badges and approximate distance) is visible to other members in Discover and, once you match, in chat. Your exact location, email and account details are never shown to other members.
• With service providers who process data on our behalf, under contract and only as needed to run the Service: Neon (database hosting, United States), Cloudflare R2 (photo and document storage), Google (Places API for geocoding and venue lookup, and Sign-in / OAuth), Apple (Sign in with Apple), Firebase Cloud Messaging (push notification delivery), and our email delivery provider (sign-in links and service email). If we enable analytics in the future, Google Analytics would act as a provider, subject to your consent.
• For safety and legal reasons — to comply with law, respond to lawful requests, enforce our Terms, or protect the rights, property or safety of Petpair, our members or the public.
• In a business transfer — if Petpair is involved in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction; we will notify you of any change in control.

Petpair is operated from Canada and some of our service providers store or process data in the United States and other countries. This means your information may be transferred to, and processed in, countries whose data-protection laws differ from those in your own country. Where required, we put appropriate safeguards in place (such as contractual protections) for these transfers.

We keep your information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Service. When you delete your account, we permanently erase your pet profile, photos, matches, chats and verification records, except where we must retain limited information to meet legal, security or fraud-prevention obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements — in which case we keep only what is necessary and for no longer than required.

We use technical and organisational measures designed to protect your information, including encryption in transit, access controls, and signed, time-limited links for private files. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security — but we work to protect your data and to respond promptly if something goes wrong.

You can access and update most of your information directly in the app, and you can delete your account at any time from Settings. Depending on where you live, you may also have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you and receive a copy of it;
• Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete;
• Delete your personal information;
• Object to or restrict certain processing, and withdraw consent where we rely on it;
• Data portability — receive your information in a portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@petpair.app and we’ll respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. You will not be discriminated against for exercising your rights.

Region-specific notes: If you are in Canada, we handle your information in accordance with PIPEDA and applicable provincial privacy laws. If you are in the EEA or UK, you have the rights above under the GDPR / UK GDPR and may lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority. If you are a California resident, we do not sell or “share” your personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising, and you may exercise your rights under the CCPA/CPRA.

Petpair is intended for adults. The Service is not directed to children, and you must be at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, if higher) to use it. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us at hello@petpair.app and we will delete it.

We use a small number of strictly necessary cookies and local storage entries to keep you signed in and to remember preferences such as your chosen language. These are required for the Service to work.

Analytics cookies are optional and off by default. If we enable analytics, they will only load after you accept them in our cookie notice, and analytics is configured to anonymise IP addresses. You can change your choice at any time. Declining analytics does not affect your ability to use the Service.

The Service may link to third-party sites or services (for example, a venue map). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties; we encourage you to read their privacy policies.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the “Effective date” below and, where appropriate, notify you in the app. Your continued use of the Service after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Questions, requests or concerns about your privacy — including any safety concern — email hello@petpair.app and we’ll help. We aim to respond within 24 hours.