Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Pawcial ("we", "our", or "us") operates the Pawcial mobile application and website at pawcial.com (collectively, the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using the Service you agree to the practices described here.

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

• Account information: name, email address, and password when you register.
• Profile information: display name, profile photo, and optional Instagram handle.
• Dog profiles: name, breed, age, weight, energy level, play style, personality traits, and photos.
• Walker profiles: professional bio, service neighborhood, and reviews you submit or receive.
• Messages sent within the app between dog parents.

Location information

When you perform a check-in ("ready to play"), we record a single point-in-time location to show your dog on the map for other users. We do not track your location continuously in the background. You may also save a home area (neighbourhood name only) to your profile for display purposes.

Automatically collected information

• Device type, operating system version, and app version.
• Crash reports and performance diagnostics.
• Standard server logs (IP address, timestamps, pages visited) on our website.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To provide and improve the Service — matching dogs for playdates, showing the live map, and connecting dog parents with walkers.
• To display your dog's profile and check-in status to other users, subject to your privacy settings.
• To calculate dog compatibility scores and BFF relationships.
• To facilitate walker–client relationships and walker-managed check-ins.
• To send important service notices (account, security, changes to these policies).
• To diagnose bugs and improve app performance.
• To comply with legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not serve third-party advertising within the app.

4. Information Shared With Other Users

Pawcial is a social app — some information is shared with other users by design:

• Public profiles:Your display name, profile photo, home area name, and your dogs' public profiles are visible to other Pawcial users.
• Check-ins:When you check in, your dog's name, photo, and approximate location are shown on the map to users within your visibility radius. Check-ins expire automatically.
• Private profiles: If you mark your profile or a dog profile as private, it will not appear in search or on the map for users you have not connected with.
• Walker relationships:When you connect with a professional walker, they can see your approved dog profiles and check in on your dog's behalf.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate Pawcial:

• Supabase — cloud database, authentication, and file storage. Your account data, dog profiles, and uploaded photos are stored on Supabase infrastructure. See supabase.com/privacy.
• Google Maps Platform — map display, place search, and distance calculations within the app. See policies.google.com/privacy.
• Vercel — hosting for our website (pawcial.com). See vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy.
• Expo / React Native — mobile app runtime and over-the-air updates. See expo.dev/privacy.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Check-in records expire automatically (typically within a few hours). If you delete your account, we delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it by law (e.g. certain transaction records).

7. Your Rights and Choices

• Access and correction: You can view and update your profile information at any time within the app.
• Delete your account: You can delete your account and all associated data from the app settings.
• Privacy controls: You can set your profile and individual dog profiles to private at any time.
• Visibility radius: You can adjust how far your check-in is visible to other users.
• Data portability: You can request a copy of your data by contacting us at the address below.

If you are in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or California, you may have additional rights under GDPR, UK GDPR, or CCPA. Please contact us to exercise these rights.

8. Children's Privacy

Pawcial is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

9. Security

We use industry-standard measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (TLS), row-level security on our database, and access controls. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting a notice in the app or by email. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: