Privacy Policy

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide safe, fair, and ethical pet adoption services.

Information collected from all users:

• Name
• Email address
• Phone number (optional)
• City and province
• Account credentials (passwords hashed securely)
• Forum posts and comments
• Contact form submissions

Information collected from pet owners (rehoming):

• Pet information (name, breed, age, gender, description)
• Pet health and vaccination status (as supplied by owner)
• Uploaded pet photos
• Adoption fee (if applicable)
• User ID associated with pet listing

Information collected from adopters:

• Adoption application details
• Messages sent to pet owners
• Interest history (pets viewed, applied for)

Automatically collected data:

• IP address
• Browser type and device information
• Standard cookies for login sessions

We do NOT collect government ID, credit card information, date of birth, or sensitive medical data.

3. How We Use This Information

• To list pets for adoption and match adopters with owners
• To verify accounts and maintain platform safety
• To process adoption applications
• To allow communication between owners and adopters
• To operate community forums
• To respond to user inquiries
• To prevent fraud, spam, and misuse of the platform

We do not sell, rent, or trade user information, including pet information, under any circumstances.

4. When Information May Be Shared

Information is only shared when necessary to operate the service:

• Pet owners see adopter application details
• Adopters see pet listing details (not owner's full profile)
• Shelters can view and moderate all data for safety
• Law enforcement—only when legally required

We do not share data with advertisers, data brokers, or external marketing systems.

5. Data Storage and Security

We take reasonable technical, shelter, and physical measures to protect personal information:

• Passwords hashed with bcrypt
• Prepared statements to prevent SQL injection
• CSRF protection on all forms
• Session security and secure cookies
• File upload validation and size limits

Data is stored on secure servers located in Canada or the United States (depending on hosting selection).

6. Data Retention

We retain information only as long as necessary for its intended purpose:

• User accounts: retained until user requests deletion
• Pet listings: retained for audit and safety purposes
• Adoption applications: stored for safety and accountability
• Forum posts: retained unless removed by user or moderator
• Contact form messages: 12–24 months

7. Your Privacy Rights Under Canadian Law

Under PIPEDA and applicable provincial privacy legislation (such as BC PIPA), you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information
• Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your account and associated personal data
• Withdraw consent (may affect your ability to use the platform)
• File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or with your provincial privacy commissioner

To submit a privacy request, contact our Privacy Officer at support@pawsitiveplacements.ca.

8. Protection of Minors

We do not knowingly allow users under the age of 16 to create accounts or participate on the platform. Parents or guardians may request removal of a minor's personal information at any time.

9. Use of Automated Tools

We may use automated tools (e.g., spam detection systems) to protect user safety. We do not use AI to make decisions affecting a user's rights, adoption eligibility, or account status.

10. Limitation of Liability

While we take reasonable security measures, no system is completely secure. Pawsitive Placements is not liable for:

• Actions of pet owners or adopters
• Accuracy of pet information provided by users
• Third-party breaches beyond our control

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The "Last Updated" date reflects the most recent revision.

12. Contact Information

For questions, privacy requests, or concerns, contact our Privacy Officer at: support@pawsitiveplacements.ca