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Privacy Policy
Pawmates Inc. Privacy Policy
At Pawmates, your privacy and your pet’s privacy is a top priority. You and your pet’s privacy is at the core of the way we design and build our service, so that you can fully trust us, and focus on building meaningful connections for your pets. We appreciate that you put your trust in us when you provide us with your information and we do not take this lightly.
We design our services with your privacy in mind. We involve multiple experts from various fields, including legal, security, engineering and many others to make sure that no decision is taken without respect for your privacy.
We understand that privacy is extremely important, especially in the modern internet age. As such, we know that overly complex and jargon heavy privacy policies are difficult to understand, but unfortunately for legal purposes, we have to be sure to include contingencies for every possible scenario. We have done the best we can to write our Privacy Policy and any other related documents in plain language to make it easier to understand. Your mobile opt-in data will not be shared with third parties.
We dedicate time and care to keep your data safe and secure. We constantly update our security practices and invest in our security efforts to enhance the safety of your information.
Welcome to Pawmates’s Privacy Policy. Thank you for taking the time to read it.
We appreciate that you trust us with you and your pet’s information and we intend to keep that trust. This starts with making sure you understand the information we collect, why we collect it, and how it is used. This Policy describes our privacy practices in as easy to understand language as we possibly can, while still keeping our policy legally sound.
This Privacy Policy applies beginning July 20, 2019.
The company responsible for your information is: Pawmates Inc. located in Toronto, Ontario, in Canada.
This Privacy Policy applies to our website, apps, and any other services operated by Pawmates Inc. For simplicity, we refer to all of these as our “services” in this Privacy Policy. Some services may require their own unique privacy policy. If a particular service has its own privacy policy, then that policy — not this Privacy Policy — applies.
In order to get proper use from our services, we need some basic information about your pet and yourself, such as basic profile details and the types of people and pets you’d like to meet.
We also collect some information generated as you use our services, for example access logs, as well as information from third parties, like when you access our services through a social media account. If you want additional info, we go into more detail below.
Information you give us
You choose to give us certain information when using our services. This includes:
When you create an account, you provide us with at least your login credentials, as well as some basic details necessary for the service to work, such as your pet’s gender and age, as well as your own.
When you complete your profile, you can share with us additional information, such as details about your pet or yourself that would help us match you more precisely with better selections. These may include details about your pet’s and details about you, as well as content such as photos and videos. To add certain content, like pictures or videos, you may allow us to access your camera or photo album. Some of the information you choose to provide us may be considered “special” or “sensitive” in certain jurisdictions, for example your racial or ethnic origins, sexual orientation, etc. By choosing to provide this information, you consent to our processing of that information.
When you subscribe to a paid service or make a purchase directly from us (rather than through a platform such as iOS or Android), you provide us or our payment service provider with information, such as your debit or credit card number or other financial information.
When you participate in surveys or focus groups, you give us your insights into our products and services, responses to our questions and testimonials.
When you choose to participate in our promotions, events or contests, we collect the information that you use to register or enter.
If you contact our customer care team, we collect the information you give us during the interaction. Sometimes, we monitor or record these interactions for training purposes and to ensure a high quality of service.
If you ask us to communicate with or otherwise process information of other people (for example, if you ask us to send an email on your behalf to one of your friends), we collect the information about others that you give us in order to complete your request.
Of course, we also process your chats with other users as well as the content you publish, as part of the operation of the services, and to ensure all of our users remain safe on our platforms
Information we receive from others
In addition to the information you provide us directly, we receive information about you from others, including:
Other Users and Their Pets Other users may provide information about you or your pets as they use our services. For instance, we may collect information about you from other users if they contact us about you or your pet(s).
Social Media You may be able to use your social media login to create and log into your Pawmates account. This saves you from having to remember your user name and password and allows you to share some information from your social media account with us.
Other Partners We may receive info about you from our partners, for instance where Pawmates ads are published on a partner’s websites and platforms.
Information collected when you use our services
When you use our services, we collect information about which features you’ve used, how you’ve used them and the devices you use to access our services. See below for more details:
Usage Information We collect information about your activity on our services, for example how you use them (such as the date and time you logged in, features you’ve been using, clicks and pages which have been shown to you, referring webpage address, advertising that you click on) and how you interact with other users (e.g., users you connect and interact with, time and date of your exchanges, number of messages you send and receive, etc).
Device information We collect information from and about the device(s) you use to access our services, including:
hardware and software information such as type of device, device-specific and apps settings and characteristics, app crashes, browser type, version and language, operating system, time zones,
information on your wireless and mobile network connection, like your service provider and signal strength;
information on device sensors such as compasses for your location.
Other information with your consent If you give us permission, we can collect your precise geolocation (latitude and longitude) through various means, depending on the service and device you’re using, including GPS, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections. The collection of your geolocation may occur in the background even when you aren’t using the services if the permission you gave us expressly permits such collection. If you decline permission for us to collect your geolocation, we will not collect it. Similarly, if you consent, we may collect your photos and videos (for instance, if you want to publish a photo or video on the service(s)).
SMS Messaging and Phone Number Sign-In Privacy Policy
When you choose to sign in or create an account with Pawmates using your mobile phone number, you agree to receive one-time SMS messages used solely for account verification and authentication purposes.
We are committed to protecting your personal information, including your phone number, and ensuring that any communication is respectful, transparent, and in line with applicable privacy laws such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in Canada where we are located, and other global standards where applicable
What Information We Collect
When you sign in via phone number, we collect:
Your phone number (for verification)
Device ID and IP address (for security and fraud prevention)
One-time SMS verification code (to authenticate you)
How We Use Your Phone Number
Your phone number is used to:
Verify your identity when signing in
Prevent fraud and ensure account security
Communicate essential updates related to your account if required (rarely)
SMS Consent and Message Frequency
By entering your phone number and submitting the verification form:
You consent to receive a one-time SMS containing your login code.
Message frequency is one per login attempt.
Standard message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier.
How To Withdraw Consent
If you no longer wish to use SMS verification:
You can delete your account or switch to an alternate sign-in method (ex. email) if available.
Text STOP to the number you receive messages from.
Contact us at info@pawmatesapp.com for assistance.
Third-Party Services
We may use trusted third-party services (ex. Firebase Authentication, Amazon Web Services, etc) to send the SMS message. These services are GDPR and PIPEDA-compliant and may store your phone number for verification purposes only.
We use and may allow others to use cookies and similar technologies to recognize you and/or your device(s). You may read our cookie policy for more information on why we use them (such as authenticating you, remembering your preferences and settings, analyzing site traffic and trends, delivering advertising campaigns, etc) and how you can better control their use, through your browser settings and other tools.
Since our goal is to help you make meaningful connections with your pet or pets, the main sharing of users’ information is, of course, with other users. We also share some users’ information with service providers and partners who assist us in operating the services, and in some cases, legal authorities. Read on for more details about how your information is shared with others.
With other users
You share information with other users when you voluntarily disclose information on the service (including your public profile, and what you choose to post). Please be careful with your information and make sure that the content you share is what you’re comfortable being publicly viewable. This is because it is virtually impossible to control what others do with your information once you share it.
With our service providers and partners
We use third parties to help us operate and improve our services. These third parties assist us with various tasks, including data hosting, analytics, marketing, advertising, payment processing and security. We may also share information with partners who distribute and assist us in advertising our services. We follow a strict vetting process prior to engaging any service provider or working with any partner. All of our service providers and partners must agree to strict confidentiality obligations.
For corporate transactions
We may transfer your information if we are involved, whether in whole or in part, in a merger, sale, acquisition, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, bankruptcy or other change of ownership or control.
When required by law
We may disclose your information if reasonably necessary: to comply with a legal process, such as a court order, subpoena or search warrant, government / law enforcement investigation or other legal requirements; to assist in the prevention or detection of crime (subject in each case to applicable law); or to protect the safety of any person.
To enforce legal rights
We may also share information: if disclosure would mitigate our liability in an actual or threatened lawsuit; as necessary to protect our legal rights and legal rights of our users, business partners or other interested parties; to enforce our agreements with you; and to investigate, prevent, or take other action regarding illegal activity, suspected fraud or other wrongdoing.
With your consent or at your request
We may ask for your consent to share your information with third parties. In any such case, we will make it clear why we want to share the information.
We may use and share non-personal information (meaning information that, by itself, does not identify who you are such as device information, general demographics, general behavioural data, geolocation), as well as personal information under any of the above circumstances. We may also share this information with other third parties (such as advertisers) to develop and deliver targeted advertising on our services and on websites or applications of third parties, and to analyze and report on advertising you see. We may combine this information with additional non-personal information or personal information collected from other sources. More information on our use of cookies and similar technologies can be found in our cookie policy.
Sharing of information laid out in Section 6 sometimes involves cross-border data transfers. We use standard contract clauses approved by the European Commission or other suitable safeguard to permit data transfers from the EEA to other countries. Standard contractual clauses are commitments between companies transferring personal data, binding them to protect the privacy and security of your data.
Control over your information is very important, so we have provided you with the following tools:
Account Settings. Account settings on Pawmates help you to access, rectify or delete information that you provided to us and that’s associated with your account directly within the service. If you have any question on those tools and settings, please contact our customer care team for help at info@pawmatesapp.com
Device permissions. Mobile platforms have permission systems for specific types of device data and notifications, such as location services or push notifications. You can change the settings on your device to either consent or oppose the collection of that information or being sent said notifications. It must be said that if certain permissions are denied, certain services on Pawmates may lose some or all of their functionality.
Deletion. You can delete your account at any time by tapping on the “Delete Account” button on Pawmates. This will delete all data you have on the platform including pictures, videos, and other information that you have provided.
In summary:
Reviewing your information. Applicable privacy laws may give you the right to review the personal information we keep about you (depending on the jurisdiction, this may be called right of access, right of portability or variations of those terms). You can request a copy of your personal information by putting in such a request at info@pawmatesapp.com
Updating your information. If you believe that the information we hold about you is inaccurate or that we are no longer entitled to use it and want to request it’s change, deletion or object to its processing, please contact us at info@pawmatesapp.com
For your protection and the protection of all of our users, we may ask you to provide proof of identity before we can answer the above requests.
We may reject requests for certain reasons, including if the request is unlawful or if it may infringe on trade secrets, intellectual property, or the privacy of another user. If you wish to receive information relating to another user, such as a copy of any messages you received from him or her through our service, the other user will have to contact us to provide their written consent before the information is released.
We may not be able to accommodate certain requests to object to the processing of personal information, notably where such requests would not allow us to provide our service to you anymore.
Uninstall. You can stop all information collection by our app by simply uninstalling it using the standard uninstall process for your device. If you uninstall the app from your mobile device, but have not deleted your account, then when you log back in, we will use the same unique identifiers to be sure you are logging in to the correct account again.
Accountability. In certain countries, you have a right to file a complaint with the appropriate data protection authority if you have concerns about how we process your personal information. The data protection authority you can file this complaint with may be that of your residence, where you work or where we are established.
We work incredibly hard to protect you from unauthorized access of your personal information. As with any technology company, we cannot be 100% sure that your personal information will always remain secure. We regularly monitor our systems for any possible vulnerabilities, and regularly review our information collection, storage and processing methodology to update our security measures to be as optimal as possible.
We may suspend your use of all or part of the services without notice if we suspect or detect any breach of security. If you believe that your account or information is no longer secure, please notify us immediately at info@pawmatesapp.com and we will do our best to fix the issue.
We keep your personal information for only as long as we need it for legitimate business purposes (as laid out in Section 5) and as permitted by applicable law.
We delete your information upon deletion of your account typically after two years of continuous inactivity, unless:
We must keep it to comply with applicable law
We must keep it to evidence our compliance with applicable law
There is an outstanding issue, claim or dispute requiring us to keep the relevant information until it is resolved; or
The information must be kept for our legitimate business interests, such as fraud prevention, or anything that is used for the purposes of enhancing users’ safety and security. For example, information may be kept to prevent a user who was banned for unsafe behaviour or security incidents from opening a new account.
Keep in mind that even though our systems are designed to carry out data deletion processes according to the above guidelines, we cannot promise that all data will be deleted within a specific timeframe due to technical constraints.
Our services are not necessarily restricted to users who are 18 years of age or older, and thus we cannot guarantee the safety of those who are under 18 on our platform. We do not permit users under the age of 18 to be active on our platform without being supervised by their parent or legal guardian. If you suspect that a user is under the age of 18, and not properly supervised, or is in any kind of danger on our platform, please use the reporting mechanism available through the service immediately.
Since we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to help you build meaningful connections, and foster an excellent pet community this policy may change over time.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, here’s how you can reach us: info@pawmatesapp.com
Meeting new people and pets is an exciting thing, but you should always be cautious when interacting with people or animals you don’t know. Use your best judgment and put your safety and your pet’s safety first, whether you are exchanging initial messages or meeting in person. While you can’t control the actions of others or their pets, there are things you can do to help you stay safe during your Pawmates experience.
Online Safety
Never send money, especially over wire transfer, even if the person claims to be in an emergency. Wiring money is like sending cash — it’s nearly impossible to reverse the transaction or trace where the money went. Never share information that could be used to access your financial accounts. If another user asks you for money, report it to us immediately.
Never share personal information, such as your social security number, home or work address, or details about your daily routine (e.g., that you go to a certain gym every Monday) with people you don’t know. If you are a parent, limit the information that you share about your children on your profile and in early communications. Avoid sharing details such as your children’s names, where they go to school, or their ages or genders.
Keep conversations on the Pawmates platform while you’re getting to know someone. Users with bad intentions often try to move the conversation to text, messaging apps, email, or phone right away.
Watch out for scammers who claim to be from your country but stuck somewhere else, especially if they ask for financial help to return home. Be wary of anyone who will not meet in person or talk on a phone/video call—they may not be who they say they are. If someone is avoiding your questions or pushing for a serious relationship without meeting or getting to know you first — that’s a red flag.
You know when someone’s crossed the line and when they do, we want to know about it. Block and report anyone that violates our terms. Here are some examples of violations:
You can report any concerns about suspicious behavior from any profile page or messaging window or email pawmatesapp@gmail.com.
Be sure to pick a strong password, and always be careful when logging into your account from a public or shared computer. Pawmates will never send you an email asking for your username and password information — if you receive an email asking for account information, report it immediately.
Meeting in Person
Take your time and get to know the other person before agreeing to meet or chat off Pawmates. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to screen for any red flags or personal dealbreakers. A phone or video call can be a useful screening tool before meeting.
Meet for the first few times in a populated, public place — never at your home, your date’s home, or any other private location. If your date pressures you to go to a private location, end the date.
Understand that some pets have more energy, play differently, or may be more dangerous than others. Some may not be friendly at all, especially to new people and animals. Be careful when meeting new animals, and make sure the owner says it’s okay before touching them or letting them interact with your pet. Keep a close watch over your pets at all times, especially when in a public place, or a place that could be dangerous to your pet (ie near traffic, near construction sites, etc). Never let any other person go somewhere with your pet without you present. Use your common sense and good judgement at all times.
We want you to be in control of how you get to and from your date so that you can leave whenever you want. If you’re driving yourself, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan such as a ride-share app or a friend to pick you up.
Be aware of the effects of drugs or alcohol on you specifically — they can impair your judgment and your alertness. If your date tries to pressure you to use drugs or drink more than you’re comfortable with, hold your ground and end the date.
Know where your drink comes from and know where it is at all times — only accept drinks poured or served directly from the bartender or server. Many substances that are slipped into drinks to facilitate sexual assault are odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Also, keep your phone, purse, wallet, and anything containing personal information on you at all times.
It’s okay to end the date early if you’re feeling uncomfortable. In fact, it’s encouraged. And if your instincts are telling you something is off or you feel unsafe, ask the bartender or server for help.
Be careful while traveling
We recognize and believe in the importance of being inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations, but the reality is this: nowhere in the world is without potential risk, and some countries have specific laws that target LGBTQ+ people.
Check out the laws around you when you travel to a new place and research what types of legal protection, if any, are available to you based on sexual orientation. In the event that you’re in unsafe territory, we suggest toggling off “Show me on Barkerchat” which you can find under the settings page.
If you have added a sexual orientation to your profile and choose to be shown on Pawmates, we will hide your sexual orientation from your profile until you leave that area.
It’s important to exercise extra caution if you choose to connect with new people in these countries – as some law enforcement have been known to use dating apps as tools for potential entrapment. Some countries have also recently introduced laws that criminalize communications between individuals on same-sex dating applications or websites and even aggravate penalties if that communication leads to sexual encounters.
Visit ILGA World to see the latest sexual orientation laws by country.
Source: ILGA World, Updated March 2019
When used correctly and consistently, condoms can significantly reduce the risk of contracting and passing on STI’s like HIV. But, be aware of STIs like herpes or HPV that can be passed on through skin-to-skin contact. The risk of contracting some STIs can be reduced through vaccination.
Not all STIs show symptoms, and you don’t want to be in the dark about your status. Stay on top of your health and prevent the spread of STIs by getting tested regularly. Here’s where you can find a clinic near you (US only).
Communication is everything: Before you get physically intimate with a partner, talk about sexual health and STI testing. And be aware — in some places, it’s actually a crime to knowingly pass on an STI. Need help starting the conversation? Here are some tips.
All sexual activity must start with consent and should include ongoing check-ins with your partner. Verbal communication can help you and your partner ensure that you respect each other’s boundaries. Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and sex is never owed to anyone. Do not proceed if your partner seems uncomfortable or unsure, or if your partner is unable to consent due to the effects of drugs or alcohol. Read more about it here.
Help, Support, and Advice
Remember — even if you follow these tips, no method of risk reduction is perfect. If you have a negative experience, please know that it is not your fault and help is available. Report any incidents to Pawmates. If you feel you are in immediate danger or need emergency assistance, call 911 (U.S. or Canada) or your local law enforcement agency.
Pawmates is a social networking site that specially made for Dog and Dog owners. With the help of this app dogs and dog owners can meet new friends in their neighborhoods. Dog Owners can schedule play dates or find matches for a quick stroll in the park. Try it out and start meeting dog owners in your area today!
After signing up, start a search and see other dog owners in your area pop up. Swipe right if you’d like to connect or left if you dont.
It is totally free! No hidden fees, subscriptions or any payments or credit cards required
You can easily change the gender in your profile by going to the “Edit Profile” option in the user dropdown menu. Click on the “My Profile Description” link and select the right option from the drop-down menu. Remember to press “Update” after you make the change.
Yes, all users are verified by their phone numbers and must upload real photos of themselves. Just like many other social network sites, we work with you to identify fake, fraudulent or mischievous users so we recommend that you immediately report any user that suspect may be violating any of our terms and conditions. This is how we maintain the safety and security of the Pawmates community.
You can change the city listed in your profile by going to the “Edit Profile” option in the user extended toolbar on the mobile located on the right side of your screen when you’re logged in. From there, click on the “My Profile Description” link and select the correct option from the drop-down menu, or enter your zip code manually. Remember to push “Update” after you make the change.
In order to use Pawmates properly and find best match for your dog, as well as let your match find you, we ask that you complete a full profile about you and your dog.
You can change your contact preferences by going to the “My Account” option in the user dropdown menu located on the upper side of your screen when you’re logged in. Remember to press “Update” after you make changes.
Yes, you can choose whatever age group you like.
Yes you sure can, you can manually specify the location radius and it will automatically match you up with other users within the selected proximity.
Please inform us immediately by reporting the user and we will investigate the matter. We take such issues very serious in order to maintain the integrity of our product.
Just send us an email at Pawmatesapp@gmail.com and we’ll take note of it. We take time to review all suggestions by users and whenever there’s a compelling demand for a feature we fast track it’s inclusion – so we encourage you to please please send as many suggestions as you like; it’s our job to listen.
Please send an email to Pawmatesapp@gmail.com and we’ll respond within 24 hours and hopefully resolve your matter as well.
Yes you would, however all your history of chats and profile will be lost and you’d need to start new searches and barks from scratch. There’s no harm to keeping your account – Pawmates is completely free.
While we try to cover all known domestic breeds, we may not always have every single breed listed. You can send us an email if your breed isn’t listed and we’ll see what we can do to getting it included after some verification. In the mean time you can select “Other” option.
Messages with users who are online will have a ring around the users profile image. If the user is offline, there is no ring
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