1. Introduction
Welcome to PawStay. This Privacy Policy describes how PawStay ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares information about you when you visit our website, use our mobile-web platform, or interact with our services (collectively, the "Services").
PawStay is operated by PawStay Inc., with offices in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. By using the Services, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services.
2. Information we collect
We collect information you provide directly, information collected automatically when you use the Services, and information from third parties.
2.1 Information you provide
- Account information: Name, email address, phone number, password, city, and profile photo.
- Sitter profile information: Bio, years of experience, certifications, services offered, pricing, availability, and profile photos.
- Pet profile information: Pet name, breed, age, medical notes, feeding and care instructions, vet contact.
- Booking information: Booking dates, service type, communications between owner and sitter, and reviews.
- Payment information: Payment details are processed by our payment provider. We store limited transaction records but do not store full card numbers.
- Communications: Messages you send us or exchange with other users through in-app chat.
2.2 Information collected automatically
- Device & usage data: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, pages visited, and referring URLs.
- Cookies and similar technologies: See Section 5.
- Approximate location: We may infer your approximate city from your IP address to show relevant sitters. We do not collect precise GPS location.
2.3 Information from third parties
- Social sign-in providers (if you use them), which may share your name, email, and profile photo.
- Payment processors, which share transaction confirmations and status.
3. How we use your information
We use the information we collect to:
- Create and manage your account and profile.
- Facilitate bookings, communications, and reviews between owners and sitters.
- Process payments and payouts.
- Send you transactional messages (booking confirmations, receipts, password resets).
- Send you occasional service updates or promotional emails — you can unsubscribe any time.
- Respond to your questions and support requests.
- Investigate reports of suspicious activity, policy violations, or fraud.
- Improve the Services, fix bugs, and understand how features are used.
- Comply with legal obligations.
4. How we share your information
We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following limited ways:
4.1 With other users
When you book a sitter or offer a service, we share the information needed to complete the booking — for example, sharing your first name, pet details, and booking dates with your sitter. Your public sitter profile is visible to prospective pet owners.
4.2 With service providers
We share information with trusted vendors who help us operate the Services (for example, hosting providers, email delivery services, payment processors, and analytics providers). These vendors are contractually required to safeguard your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.
4.3 For legal reasons
We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or valid government request, or when necessary to protect our rights, users' safety, or investigate fraud or violations of our Terms of Service.
4.4 Business transfers
If PawStay is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
5. Cookies & tracking technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how the Services are used. The categories we use are:
- Essential cookies: Required for the Services to function (for example, keeping you logged in).
- Preference cookies: Remember your settings and choices.
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand which features are used, so we can improve the Services.
You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may cause parts of the Services to stop working.
6. Data security
We use industry-standard measures to protect your information, including encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), encrypted storage of passwords, and access controls for our staff. No system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security — but we work continuously to protect your data.
If we ever become aware of a security incident that affects your information, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law.
7. Your rights and choices
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you.
- Correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Delete your account and personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
- Object to certain uses, such as marketing communications.
- Restrict or limit how we process your information.
- Portability — request a copy of your information in a standard format.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
8. Data retention
We keep your information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy or to comply with legal obligations. When you delete your account, we remove your profile from public view immediately and delete or anonymize personal information within a reasonable timeframe — subject to any legal or fraud-prevention obligations that require us to retain certain records.
9. Children's privacy
PawStay is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
10. International users
PawStay is operated from Canada. If you access the Services from outside Canada, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in Canada and other countries where our service providers operate. By using the Services, you consent to this transfer.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through a notice on the Services before the changes take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when this policy was last revised.
12. Contact us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please contact us:
- Email: [email protected]
- General support: [email protected]
- Mail: PawStay Inc., 140 Columbia Street West, Suite 250, Waterloo, ON N2L 3K8, Canada