This is a plain-language summary of how PetWalk handles personal information, written to align with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). It is a template and not legal advice - consult the full policy and your legal counsel before launch.
1. Who we are
PetWalk Inc. (“PetWalk”, “we”, “us”) is a Canadian company operating petwalk.ca in the Greater Toronto Area. We are responsible for the personal information in our custody and control and are committed to protecting your privacy.
2. Information we collect
- Account information - name, email, phone number, address, and profile details you provide.
- Pet information - your pet's name, breed, age, care needs, vet details and notes you share with Sitters.
- Location / GPS data - collected only during an active walk to power live tracking and the route map. We do not track your location in the background between bookings.
- Payment information - handled by our payment processor, Stripe. We do not store full card numbers on our servers.
- Background-check results - for Sitters, identity and criminal-record check results obtained through a third-party screening vendor.
- Usage & device data - app activity, photos and notes attached to bookings, and basic technical information used to run and secure the Platform.
3. Why we use it
- To create accounts, match Owners with Sitters, and operate bookings.
- To process payments, payouts and refunds.
- To verify Sitters and keep the community safe.
- To power live GPS tracking and Pawport report cards during active walks.
- To provide support, prevent fraud, and meet legal obligations.
4. Consent
We collect, use and disclose personal information with your consent, which may be express or implied depending on the sensitivity of the information. You can withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal and contractual limits; doing so may affect your ability to use parts of the Platform.
5. How we share information
We share only what's needed to deliver the service - for example, sharing relevant booking and pet details between an Owner and the assigned Sitter. We also use trusted service providers (such as Stripe for payments and our background-check vendor) who are bound to protect your information. We do not sell your personal information.
6. Cross-border hosting
Some of our service providers may store or process data outside Canada, including in the United States. Where this happens, your information may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions, and we take reasonable steps to ensure comparable protection through our agreements with those providers.
7. Retention
We keep personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described above or as required by law (for example, transaction and tax records). When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.
8. Your rights: access & deletion
You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, and request deletion, subject to legal retention requirements. To make a request, contact our Privacy Officer (below). We'll respond within the timeframes required by applicable law.
9. Cookies & similar technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember preferences, and measure and improve performance. You can manage cookies through your browser settings; disabling some cookies may affect how the site works.
10. Safeguards
We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards - including encryption in transit and access controls - designed to protect personal information against loss, theft and unauthorized access.
11. Contact our Privacy Officer
For privacy questions, requests, or complaints, contact our designated Privacy Officer at privacy@petwalk.ca. If you're not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. For other questions, see our Terms of Service.
This is a plain-language summary; consult the full policy and your legal counsel before launch.