Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 1, 2025

Welcome to Pawchi. Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your personal data.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Dog Profile Information

When you create a dog profile, we collect the name, breed, weight, date of birth, and optional profile photo of your dog. This information is used to provide personalized happiness tracking and health insights.

1.2 GPS Location Data

During walks, Pawchi collects GPS location data to track your walking route, distance, and duration. Location data is only collected while the walk tracking feature is actively in use and with your explicit permission.

1.3 Account Information

If you register an account, we collect your email address and authentication credentials through Firebase Authentication. This allows you to sync data across devices.

1.4 Device Information

We may collect basic device information including device type, operating system version, and app version for the purpose of providing technical support and improving app performance.

1.5 Usage Data

We collect information about how you use the app, including walk history, happiness scores, activity logs, and checklist completions, to provide the core features of Pawchi.

2. How We Use Your Data

• Happiness Tracking: Calculate and display your dog's happiness score based on activities, walks, and care routines.
• Walk Tracking: Record walking routes, distances, and durations to help you monitor your dog's exercise.
• Leaderboards: Display anonymized or username-based rankings among friends and the community.
• Health Insights: Provide breed-specific tips and activity recommendations tailored to your dog.
• Notifications: Send reminders for walks, activities, and care routines (with your permission).
• Service Improvement: Analyze usage patterns to improve app features and performance.

3. Data Storage

Your data is stored in two ways:

• Local Storage: Core app data is stored locally on your device using AsyncStorage for fast access and offline functionality.
• Server Storage: Account-linked data is stored on our PostgreSQL database servers to enable syncing, leaderboards, and social features.

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data in transit and at rest.

4. Third-Party Services

Pawchi uses the following third-party services:

• Firebase Authentication (Google): For secure user authentication and account management.
• Advertising Networks: We may integrate ad networks in the future to support the free tier of the app. If ads are introduced, this policy will be updated accordingly.
• RevenueCat: For subscription management and in-app purchase processing.

Each third-party service has its own privacy policy governing how they handle your data.

5. Your Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right of Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure: You may request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten").
• Right to Data Portability: You may request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your personal data for certain purposes.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You may request that we limit how we use your data.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the address below. We will respond within 30 days.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or regulatory purposes.

Walk history and activity data stored locally on your device will remain until you uninstall the app or clear app data.

7. Children's Privacy

Pawchi is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 16, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us.

8. Cookies and Tracking

The Pawchi mobile app does not use cookies. Our web pages may use standard cookies for functionality purposes only (session management, preferences). We do not use tracking cookies or third-party analytics cookies on our website.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy within the app and updating the "Effective Date" above. Your continued use of Pawchi after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or wish to exercise your GDPR rights, please contact us:

• Email: privacy@pawchi.app
• App: Use the feedback option in your profile settings

Back to Home