Privacy Policy
GoodPaws India

1. Our Privacy Values

Privacy is not an afterthought at GoodPaws — it is foundational to how we operate. Before we describe what we collect and why, we want to share the principles that guide every decision we make about your data.

Transparency First

We believe you deserve to know exactly what information we collect, how it is used, and who can see it. We write this policy in plain language so that it is genuinely understandable — not buried in legal jargon designed to obscure rather than explain.

Data Minimisation

We only collect the information that is genuinely necessary to provide and improve our services. If we do not need a piece of data to serve you well, we do not collect it.

Your Data, Your Control

You retain control over your personal information at all times. You can access, correct, or request deletion of your data. You can opt out of marketing communications at any point. We will honour these requests promptly and without condition.

Security by Design

We invest in industry-standard security measures — including encryption, access controls, and regular audits — to protect the personal information you share with us. A breach of your trust would be a failure of our mission.

2. Your Privacy Rights as a GoodPaws User

To exercise any of the above rights, email us at privacy@goodpaws.in with the subject line "Privacy Rights Request." We will respond within 30 days as required under applicable Indian law.

3. Information We Collect

We collect information in three ways: information you give us directly, information collected automatically when you use our platform, and information received from third-party services.

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account registration: When you create an account, we collect your name, mobile number, email address, and city of residence.
• Pet inquiry details: When you enquire about a pet listing, we collect the breed, city, and any preferences you share with our Pet Advisor team via WhatsApp or our platform.
• Breeder and seller information: If you list pets on GoodPaws, we collect your business name, contact details, location, pet health documentation details, and listing photographs.
• Communications: Messages you send to our team via WhatsApp, email, or any contact form are stored and used to respond to your enquiry and improve our service quality.
• Feedback and reviews: If you submit a review or testimonial, this information may be displayed publicly on our platform.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device and browser data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, and screen resolution.
• Usage data: Pages visited, search queries on our platform, time spent on each page, listing views, and clicks.
• Location data: Approximate location inferred from your IP address, used to show relevant city-level listings. We do not collect precise GPS coordinates without your explicit permission.
• Cookies and similar technologies: See Section 6 for a full explanation of our cookie practices.

3.3 Information from Third-Party Services

• Google Sign-In: If you authenticate using Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture as permitted by your Google account settings.
• WhatsApp: Conversations you initiate via our WhatsApp Business number are subject to WhatsApp's own privacy policy. We use these conversations to respond to pet enquiries and improve our advisory service.
• Analytics providers: We use Google Analytics to understand aggregate traffic patterns. This data is anonymised and never tied to individual identities for advertising purposes.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your information only for the following purposes. We do not use your data for purposes beyond what is described here without first obtaining your explicit consent.

4.1 To Operate and Improve the GoodPaws Platform

• Connect you with verified pet listings relevant to your city and breed preferences.
• Enable communication between prospective buyers and our Pet Advisor team.
• Respond to enquiries, complaints, and support requests.
• Analyse usage patterns to improve listing quality, site performance, and user experience.
• Personalise your browsing experience, such as remembering your preferred city filter.

4.2 To Maintain Trust and Platform Safety

• Verify that pet listings meet our documentation and health-check standards before they appear on the platform.
• Detect and prevent fraudulent listings, impersonation, or abuse of our platform.
• Review reported listings and take action against sellers who violate our standards.
• Comply with applicable Indian laws and respond to lawful requests from government authorities.

4.3 To Communicate with You

• Send transactional notifications related to your enquiries or account activity.
• Share pet care tips, platform updates, or new listings — only if you have opted in to marketing communications.
• Notify you in the event of any security incident affecting your account data.

5. How We Share Your Information

GoodPaws does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

5.1 With Service Providers

We engage trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our platform — for example, cloud hosting providers (AWS), analytics tools (Google Analytics), and communication platforms (WhatsApp Business API). These providers are contractually bound to use your data only as directed by GoodPaws and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

5.2 With Pet Advisors and Verified Breeders

When you express interest in a specific listing, we may share your enquiry details — such as your name, city, and preferred breed — with the relevant verified seller to facilitate the connection. We will always inform you when this occurs. Your contact number is never shared without your explicit consent.

5.3 For Legal Compliance

We may disclose your information to government or regulatory authorities when required by law, including in response to court orders, legal proceedings, or lawful requests from Indian law enforcement agencies under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

5.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of GoodPaws or its parent company, your personal data may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you in advance of any such transfer and ensure that the acquiring entity is bound by privacy standards at least equivalent to those in this policy.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

GoodPaws uses cookies and similar technologies to make our website function correctly and to understand how it is used. Below is a plain explanation of what each category does.

6.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the website to function. They enable basic features such as page navigation, city filtering, and secure form submissions. You cannot opt out of these cookies, as the website cannot operate without them.

6.2 Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymised, aggregate data about how visitors use GoodPaws — for example, which breed pages are most popular and which cities see the most traffic. This data helps us improve the platform. Google Analytics cookies do not collect personally identifiable information. You can opt out using the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On.

6.3 Marketing and Retargeting Cookies

We may use cookies from platforms such as Google Ads to show GoodPaws advertisements to people who have previously visited our site. These cookies track whether you have visited a page, not who you are personally. You can manage these preferences through your browser settings or via tools like the Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out tool.

6.4 Managing Your Cookie Preferences

Most web browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of GoodPaws, such as your city or breed preferences not being remembered between sessions.

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers.
• Secure cloud infrastructure hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) with access controls and monitoring.
• Role-based access controls ensuring that only authorised GoodPaws personnel can access personal data, and only where necessary for their role.
• Regular internal audits of data handling practices.
• Prompt incident response procedures — in the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you within 72 hours as required under applicable law.

While we take every reasonable precaution, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We therefore encourage you to use strong passwords for your account and to contact us immediately if you suspect any unauthorised activity.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by Indian law. Our general retention principles are as follows:

• Account data: Retained for the duration of your account plus 2 years after account deletion, to resolve any disputes or comply with legal obligations.
• Enquiry and communication records: Retained for up to 3 years to maintain service quality standards and handle any follow-up queries.
• Analytics data: Retained in anonymised, aggregate form indefinitely for platform improvement purposes.
• Legal compliance records: Retained for the period mandated by applicable Indian law, typically 5–7 years.

When your data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it in accordance with our internal data destruction procedures.

9. Children's Privacy

GoodPaws is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided personal information on our platform, please contact us at privacy@goodpaws.in and we will promptly delete such information.

10. Grievance Officer

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, GoodPaws has designated a Grievance Officer to address privacy-related complaints from users.

If your grievance is not resolved to your satisfaction within 30 days, you may escalate your complaint to the relevant Indian regulatory authority or approach a court of competent jurisdiction in India.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where required or appropriate, notify registered users via email or a prominent notice on our website.

Your continued use of GoodPaws after any change becomes effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We therefore encourage you to review this page periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please reach out to us. We are committed to resolving privacy queries promptly and transparently.