Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how PetsMatchy (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, shares, stores, and deletes personal information when you use the PetsMatchy mobile app, related websites at petsmatchy.com, and our support channels. It is written for Apple App Store and Google Play requirements and for users worldwide, including Qatar, Tunisia, the European Economic Area, and the United Kingdom.

Who we are

In this policy, “PetsMatchy” means the app, the website, and the operators described above. If you have questions about this policy, email [email protected].

Scope

This policy covers personal information processed in connection with:

• creating and using a pet-owner or veterinarian account;
• profiles, pets, posts, comments, likes, follows, matches, and chat;
• lost-and-found and adoption posts;
• vet clinic listings, appointments, and reviews;
• reports, blocks, and safety enforcement;
• this public website (privacy, terms, support, and related pages).

It does not cover websites, clinics, or services that we do not control, even if they are linked from the app.

This website

The public pages at petsmatchy.com are hosted on Cloudflare Pages. They do not use advertising pixels, social-media trackers, or analytics cookies. The brand logo may load from Cloudflare R2. Cloudflare may process technical data such as IP address and browser type to deliver and secure the site. We do not set marketing cookies on this site.

Information we collect

We collect information you provide, information generated by your use of the app, and limited information from service providers who help us operate the service.

Account

Email address, password (stored and processed by our authentication provider, not in readable form by our staff), display name, avatar, bio, city, country, language and theme preferences, and optional phone number (especially for veterinarian accounts). If you sign in with Google, Google shares the account identifiers and profile information you approve.

Pets

Pet name, type, breed, age, gender, description, photos, and optional address or map location associated with a pet profile.

Posts and community

Feed posts (including adoption and lost-and-found), captions, photos, comments, likes, in-app shares, follows, swipes, matches, and blocked-user lists.

Chat

Direct messages, optional image attachments, and read-state used to show unread counts. Messages are stored so you and the other participant can read the conversation in the app.

Veterinarians and clinics

Clinic name, license or registration number, experience, fees, services, working hours, address, phone, website, clinic photos, appointments (including date, status, and related pet/owner information needed to book), and reviews.

Reports and safety

If you report a post, comment, or user, we store the reporter, the reported account or content, the reason, an optional description, and the status of the report so we can review abuse and enforce our Terms and Community Standards.

Settings

Notification preferences, profile and search visibility, location-visibility choices, and similar app settings.

Device and diagnostics

If the app crashes or errors, we receive diagnostic information through Sentry (for example device type, operating system version, app version, and stack traces). This helps us fix bugs. We do not use crash reports to show ads. Biometric templates are not included.

Location

Location is optional. If you grant permission, the app may read your device location and reverse-geocode an address so you can show nearby veterinarians, drop a map pin, or attach a place to a pet or post. Approximate coordinates in the picker may be rounded on the order of about 100 metres to reduce precision. Map tiles are loaded from Esri, CARTO, and OpenStreetMap-related CDNs; those providers may receive your IP address and tile-request data. You can refuse location permission. Some map features will then be unavailable, but you can still create an account.

Photos and on-device checks

You may pick photos from the camera or library (with permission). Images are compressed on the device and uploaded to object storage. On Android and iOS, the app may run on-device image labelling (Google ML Kit) to check that a photo appears to show a pet. That labelling runs on the device; we do not send those photos to Google for that check. On web, that check is skipped.

Push notifications

If you allow notifications, we use OneSignal to deliver them (for example matches, messages, likes, comments, follows, and appointment events). That involves a push subscription or device token and your notification preferences. You can change preferences in the app or disable notifications in system settings.

Device lock (biometrics)

Optional Face ID, fingerprint, or similar device lock is stored on your device using the operating system’s local authentication. We do not upload biometric templates to PetsMatchy servers.

How we use information

• Create, authenticate, and secure your account (including email one-time codes, magic links, password reset, and email change).
• Provide profiles, pets, posts, matching, chat, maps, and vet appointments.
• Send transactional email via our email provider (signup confirmation, security notices, account-deletion notices). We do not send marketing email unless we introduce it later, update this policy, and obtain any consent the law requires.
• Send the push notifications you enabled.
• Review reports, enforce our Terms and Community Standards, prevent fraud and scams, and protect users, animals, and the service. This includes removing content, restricting features, suspending or deleting accounts, and emailing you about those actions.
• Diagnose crashes, keep the service running, store backups, and improve reliability and security.
• Comply with law and respond to valid legal requests.

Legal bases

Where a law such as the EU/UK GDPR requires a legal basis, we rely on:

• Contract — to provide the account and features you request.
• Consent — for optional location, push notifications, Google Sign-In, optional phone number, and similar optional permissions. You may withdraw consent in device or app settings; that does not affect processing already carried out.
• Legitimate interests — security, abuse prevention, crash diagnostics, and operating a safe community, balanced against your rights.
• Legal obligation — when we must retain or disclose information to comply with law.

Under Qatar Law No. 13 of 2016 (Personal Data Privacy Protection), we process personal data for the lawful purposes described in this policy. Under Tunisian Organic Law n° 2004-63, processing must be fair, transparent, and limited to those purposes.

Who we share information with

We do not sell your personal information. We share information with service providers who process it on our instructions, with other users according to your visibility settings, and when the law requires it.

• Supabase — authentication, database, realtime, and some file storage.
• Cloudflare (including R2 and Pages) — website hosting, image and object storage, content delivery, and security.
• OneSignal — push notifications.
• Brevo — transactional email.
• Sentry — crash and error diagnostics.
• Google — Google Sign-In if you choose it; on-device ML Kit on mobile as described above.
• Map tile providers — Esri, CARTO, and OpenStreetMap-related infrastructure when you use maps.

Other users see what your settings allow (for example a public profile, posts, and pet photos). Blocked users are restricted according to the app’s block rules. We may share information with professional advisers, or with authorities if we believe in good faith that disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect someone’s safety.

Advertising

PetsMatchy does not currently show third-party advertising in the app and does not sell personal information for advertising. If we introduce ads or change this practice, we will update this policy first and, where required, ask for consent.

How long we keep information

We keep account and content data while your account is open. If you request deletion in the app, we schedule deletion for 30 days. Signing in during that period cancels the request. After the period ends, we delete the account and associated live data, subject to the limited exceptions below.

We may retain, for a limited time, records needed for security, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, or legal compliance — for example report records, ban records, and backup copies. We aim to keep such records no longer than 12 months unless a longer legal hold applies. Backup systems rotate. Content that other people copied outside the app (screenshots, forwards) is outside our control.

You can also delete individual posts you created and replace photos by editing your profile.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• access a copy of personal information we hold about you;
• correct inaccurate information;
• delete your account and related information (see Delete account);
• object to or restrict certain processing;
• withdraw consent;
• data portability, where applicable;
• lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

You can exercise many of these rights in the app (edit profile, visibility, notifications, block users, delete posts, delete account). For other requests, email [email protected] from the address on your account. We may need to verify that it is you.

European Economic Area and United Kingdom. You may complain to your local data protection authority. If we appoint an EU or UK representative, we will publish those details here.

Qatar. You may contact us and, where applicable, the competent authority responsible for personal data protection in Qatar.

Tunisia. You may contact us and the Instance nationale de protection des données personnelles (INPDP).

International transfers

Our providers may process information in the United States, the European Union, the Middle East, or other regions where they operate. If you use PetsMatchy from Qatar, Tunisia, or elsewhere, your information may be transferred to those regions. We use reputable providers and contractual and technical safeguards appropriate to the service. Where Tunisian law requires prior formalities for transfers abroad, the operator is responsible for completing them. This policy describes the transfers; it is not a certificate that every filing is already complete.

Children

PetsMatchy is not directed at children. You must be at least 13 years old, and you must also meet the minimum digital age in your country (for example 16 in some EU states). Veterinarian and clinic accounts must be created by adults (18+). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below these ages. If you believe we have, email [email protected] and we will delete it.

Security

We use access controls, encryption in transit (HTTPS), authentication, and provider security features. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. Please choose a strong password and do not share it. We will never ask you to send your password by email.

Cookies and similar technologies

The mobile app stores settings on your device (for example theme, language, and a scheduled-deletion reminder). This website does not use marketing cookies. Essential hosting and security logs may be created by Cloudflare. If we later add optional analytics, we will update this section and, where required, request consent.

Regulatory notes

Operating a consumer app that processes personal data in Tunisia generally requires INPDP formalities (declaration and, for some transfers or sensitive data, authorisation). Qatar’s PDPPL requires a clear privacy notice and lawful processing. This page is that notice. Completing government filings is the operator’s legal obligation and is separate from publishing this policy. We do not claim “GDPR certified” or “INPDP approved” status on this site.

Changes

We will update this page when our practices change and revise the “Last updated” date. Material changes will also be reflected in App Store and Google Play privacy listings where required. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised policy, except where local law requires a different process.

Contact

Privacy and data requests: [email protected]

Related documents: Terms of Service, Community Standards, Safety, Delete account, Support.