Privacy Policy

At PawPals, your privacy and safety are our top priorities. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our platform to connect pet parents with pet care professionals.

We use GPS location data solely for the following purposes: • Safety of pets: When a pet care professional is actively providing services, GPS verifies they are at the agreed-upon location to ensure your pet's safety. • Non-Compete Agreement compliance: Per our Terms of Service, pet care professionals agree that their location may be monitored for 12 months after their last service with a specific client. This is ONLY to verify compliance with the non-solicitation clause — specifically, to detect if a professional visits a former client's location outside of the app. • We do NOT track your movements for advertising, marketing, or any other commercial purpose. • We do NOT sell, share, or distribute your location data to any third parties. • Location data is encrypted and stored securely with access restricted to authorized compliance personnel only.

• Your home address is NEVER shared with a pet care professional until BOTH parties have agreed on a price and the client has explicitly authorized the address release. • All personal data including names, emails, phone numbers, and addresses are encrypted at rest and in transit. • Payment information is processed through secure, PCI-compliant payment processors. We never store your full credit card information. • Profile photos and portfolio images are only visible to registered users of the platform.

• Account Information: Name, email, phone number, and location for matching you with nearby services. • Pet Information: Pet details you provide to help care professionals prepare for their visit. • Business Documents: For pet care professionals, we collect DBA/business license documents and W-9 forms for tax compliance and verification purposes only. • Service History: Records of bookings, payments, and reviews to maintain platform integrity. • Communications: In-app messages between users to resolve disputes and ensure safety.

All pet care professionals agree to the following upon registration: • For 12 months after their last service with any client through PawPals, they agree not to solicit or provide services to that client outside of the PawPals platform. • GPS monitoring is used SOLELY to enforce this agreement. If a professional is detected at a former client's location outside of an active PawPals booking, their account will be flagged for review. • First violation: Account suspension pending investigation. • Confirmed violation: Possible permanent termination from the platform. This policy exists to protect the integrity of our marketplace and ensure fair compensation for all parties involved.

• 90% of every service fee goes directly to the pet care professional. • 10% is retained by PawPals as a platform service fee. • All payments are processed securely through the platform. • Pet care professionals receive detailed earnings reports for tax purposes. • Mileage and receipt tracking tools are provided for tax deduction documentation.