Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password, profile photo
• Profile Information: Location (city/neighborhood), bio, services offered (for providers), pet information (for pet owners)
• Verification Information (Optional): For Providers who choose to apply for directory listing, we collect: background check consent and results (via Checkr), and commercial liability insurance documents. This information is optional and only required for Providers who wish to be listed in HeyDog's public search directory.
• Communications: Messages between users, support inquiries, feedback
• Payment Information: If using paid features, billing address and payment method (processed by Stripe)

Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage Information: Pages visited, features used, search queries, time spent on platform
• Location Information: General location (city, state, country) derived from your IP address. We use IP-based geolocation to auto-fill location fields for your convenience. You may edit or clear any auto-filled location before submitting. If you grant permission, we may also access precise device location for provider search.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: Session cookies, analytics cookies, preference cookies

Information from Third Parties

• Background Check Services: FCRA-compliant criminal background check results through Checkr (with your consent)
• Authentication Providers: If you sign in via Google or other providers
• Analytics Partners: Aggregated usage data

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• Provide Services: Operate the platform, display provider listings, facilitate communication between users
• Directory Verification (Optional): For Providers who apply for directory listing, facilitate Checkr background check requests, review uploaded insurance documents, and display directory verification status
• Communication: Send service updates, respond to inquiries, deliver notifications
• Personalization: Customize search results based on location and preferences, and auto-fill form fields (such as city) using IP-derived location data
• Improvement: Analyze usage patterns to improve our platform and features
• Safety: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
• Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service

3. How We Share Your Information

With Other Users

Your public profile information (name, photo, bio, services, reviews) is visible to other users. Providers' general location (neighborhood/city) is displayed to help pet owners find local care.

With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating the platform:

• PlanetScale: Database hosting
• Custom JWT Auth: Authentication services
• Vercel Blob: File storage
• Stripe: Payment processing
• Vercel: Website hosting and analytics
• Background Check Provider (Checkr): FCRA-compliant criminal background checks

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

4. Your Privacy Rights

All Users Have the Right To:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal information
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
• Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications

California Privacy Rights (CCPA) & Do Not Sell My Personal Information

European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have additional rights under GDPR, including the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at heydog@hanlon.digital or use the privacy settings in your account. We will respond within 30 days.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience:

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services:

• Account data: Retained until account deletion + 30 days
• Messages: Retained for 2 years after last activity, then auto-deleted
• Reviews: Retained indefinitely unless account deleted
• Background check data: Retained for 7 years per legal requirements
• Payment data: Retained as required by financial regulations
• Analytics data: Anonymized after 26 months

7. Data Security

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

• Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest
• Secure authentication with encrypted tokens and bcrypt password hashing
• Regular security audits and monitoring
• Access controls and employee training
• PCI-compliant payment processing through Stripe

8. International Data Transfers

If you are located outside the United States, your data will be transferred to and processed in the United States. We use Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission for such transfers to ensure adequate protection of your data.

9. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you within 72 hours via email and/or platform notification, as required by applicable law.

10. Children's Privacy

HeyDog is not intended for users under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it immediately. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us at heydog@hanlon.digital.

11. Payment and Subscription Data

Subscription Data

If you subscribe to HeyDog Pro, payment processing is handled by Stripe, Inc. We do NOT store your credit card number, CVV, or full card details. We may store:

• Stripe customer and subscription identifiers
• Subscription plan, status, and billing cycle dates
• The email address associated with your payment

Online Booking Payments

If a provider enables online payments via Stripe Connect, booking payments are processed directly between the pet owner and the provider through Stripe. HeyDog does not hold, escrow, or control funds. We may store:

• Booking payment status (pending, paid, failed)
• Stripe session identifiers for payment reconciliation
• Provider Stripe Connect account identifiers and onboarding status

We do NOT store pet owner credit card details for booking payments. All payment data is processed and stored by Stripe.

For details on how Stripe handles your payment information, see Stripe's Privacy Policy.

12. Support Tickets

Support ticket content (subject, message, and any responses) is stored in our database and associated with your user account. Support data is used solely to resolve your inquiry and improve our services. It is not shared with third parties.

13. Communication Preferences

We store your email notification preferences (bookings, messages, reviews, marketing) so we can respect your communication choices. You may update these preferences at any time through Settings > Notification Preferences. Transactional emails required for account security cannot be opted out of.

14. Email Communications

We send transactional emails (booking confirmations, password resets, account alerts) and promotional emails (tips, product updates, re-engagement). You may opt out of promotional emails via Settings > Notifications or the unsubscribe link in any promotional email. We honor opt-out requests within 10 business days as required by law. Transactional emails required for account security and service operation cannot be opted out of while your account is active.

15. Platform Metrics and Activity Data

We automatically calculate and store metrics such as provider response times, ratings, review counts, and profile completion status. This data is derived from your usage of the platform and may be displayed publicly on your provider profile to help pet owners make informed decisions.

16. GPS Walk Tracking Data

If a provider uses the GPS Walk Tracking feature, we collect and store:

• Location data: GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude) recorded at regular intervals during a walk session
• Walk route: The path traveled, stored as an array of coordinates
• Walk events: User-logged events during a walk (e.g., water stops, rest breaks, bathroom events) with timestamps and optional GPS coordinates
• Walk metrics: Duration, distance, and pace calculated from GPS data
• Emergency alerts: If the SOS feature is activated, the GPS location at time of alert is recorded and shared with the pet owner

This data is shared with the pet owner associated with the booking. Walk tracking data is retained for 90 days after the walk session, then automatically deleted. Emergency alert data is retained for 1 year.

Location data is only collected during active walk sessions and only when the provider has explicitly started tracking. HeyDog does not track provider or owner locations outside of active walk sessions.

17. Pet Health Records

If you use the Pet Health Dashboard, we store the following user-entered data:

• Vaccination records: Vaccine names, dates administered, and next due dates
• Medication records: Medication names, dosages, and schedules
• Vet visit records: Visit dates, veterinarian names, and notes
• Weight records: Weight measurements and dates
• Allergy and condition records: Known allergies and medical conditions

Health records are visible to the pet owner and, where applicable, to providers with active bookings for that pet. Health data is deleted when the pet profile or user account is deleted. HeyDog does not share pet health data with veterinary providers, insurance companies, or any third party.

18. Community, Certification, and Subscription Data

Community, Certification, and Subscription Data

We also collect and store:

• Community posts: Text, photos, and location data you share in the Community Hub or Lost & Found. Community posts are public and visible to all users.
• Certification quiz data: Quiz answers, scores, and earned certification badges. Quiz results are stored to prevent retaking and to display earned badges on provider profiles.
• Owner subscription data: If you subscribe to HeyDog+ or HeyDog Family, we store your subscription plan, status, and Stripe identifiers (same as provider subscription data in Section 11).

19. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Do Not Track (DNT):Some browsers send a "Do Not Track" signal to websites. There is currently no industry standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. Our website does not currently respond to DNT browser signals. However, you can use browser settings, extensions, or ad blockers to limit tracking.

Global Privacy Control (GPC): We honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal as a valid opt-out request where required by applicable law, including the California Consumer Privacy Act. If your browser sends a GPC signal, we will treat it as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information associated with that browser.

20. Additional State Privacy Rights

In addition to California rights outlined in Section 4, residents of the following states have additional privacy rights under their respective state privacy laws:

• Virginia (VCDPA): Right to access, correct, delete, obtain a copy of, and opt out of targeted advertising and profiling.
• Colorado (CPA): Right to access, correct, delete, data portability, and opt out of targeted advertising, sale of personal data, and profiling.
• Connecticut (CTDPA): Right to access, correct, delete, data portability, and opt out of targeted advertising, sale of personal data, and profiling.
• Utah (UCPA): Right to access, delete, and opt out of sale of personal data and targeted advertising.
• Texas (TDPSA): Right to access, correct, delete, data portability, and opt out of sale and targeted advertising.
• Oregon (OCPA): Right to access, correct, delete, data portability, and opt out of targeted advertising, sale, and profiling.
• Montana (MCDPA): Right to access, correct, delete, data portability, and opt out of targeted advertising, sale, and profiling.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at heydog@hanlon.digital. We will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law (generally 45 days, with extensions where permitted).

21. Automated Decision-Making

HeyDog uses automated systems in the following ways:

• Search ranking: Provider search results are ordered using automated algorithms based on factors such as subscription tier (Pro providers receive featured placement as a paid feature), proximity to your location, response time metrics, ratings, and profile completeness. No human manually determines search result order.
• Content moderation: Automated filters scan user-submitted content for prohibited material (profanity, spam patterns, explicit content). Content flagged by automated filters may be blocked or queued for review.
• Response time metrics: Average response times and response rates are calculated automatically from messaging data and displayed on provider profiles.
• Badge assignment: Platform badges (Quick Responder, Complete Profile, etc.) are assigned automatically based on platform activity data.

We do not use automated decision-making that produces legal effects or similarly significant effects on users without human involvement. If you have questions about how automated systems affect your experience, contact us at heydog@hanlon.digital.

22. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. For material changes, we will notify you via email or platform notification at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of HeyDog after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

23. Contact Us

For questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your personal information: