Privacy Policy
Overview
ImpactPaws ("we," "us," "our," or "the Platform") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency about how we collect, use, and manage your information. This Privacy Policy explains our data practices for the ImpactPaws service dog impact tracking and community platform.
Information We Collect
Account Information
When you create an account, we collect your full name and email address. These are used to authenticate your identity and manage your account.
Dog Profile Information
Handlers and trainers may create service dog profiles that include: dog name, breed, training status, service dog type, biography, and photos. Organizations may also link dogs to their program profiles.
Community Feedback and Stories
When community members submit feedback about encounters with service dogs, we collect: impact sentiment (quick feedback), encounter type, selected impact tags, optional visitor name, short comment or story, location (city/state/country only—we do not collect precise addresses), and consent preferences for public display.
Location Data
We collect general geographic information: city, state/region, and country where interactions or feedback occurred. We do not collect or store precise addresses, GPS coordinates, or detailed location data. Location data is used to track geographic impact reach and generate aggregated impact maps.
QR Code Interactions
When service dog business card QR codes are scanned, we log the scan event including: timestamp, general location (if provided), device type, and a salted hash of the IP address (not the IP itself). This data helps track QR code performance and reach without identifying individuals.
Platform Usage Information
We collect general usage analytics: pages visited, features used, and interactions with the platform. This helps us improve the service and understand how users engage with ImpactPaws.
How We Use Information
Aggregated Impact Data
ImpactPaws may use aggregated, anonymized data to create public impact reports, maps, and statistics. This includes:
- •Geographic reach (cities and states where impact was recorded)
- •Impact sentiment trends (how many encounters had big impact, some impact, etc.)
- •Encounter type frequency
- •Program-level statistics and metrics
This data cannot be traced back to individual users and is used to demonstrate the value and reach of service dog programs.
Sharing of Information
Public Information
Dog profiles, feedback with consent, and community stories may be displayed publicly on the Platform. Your feedback may be seen by other platform visitors unless you opt out.
Organization Admins
If you link a dog profile to an organization, the organization admin may view your profile information and the dog's feedback to support program management.
Service Providers
We do not sell personal information. We may share information with service providers (e.g., hosting, email services) who help operate the Platform under strict confidentiality agreements.
Legal Compliance
We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, and security of ImpactPaws, our users, and the public.
Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, and destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Data Retention
We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. Feedback and community contributions are retained to preserve the impact history and community records of service dog programs. If you request deletion of your account, we will remove your personal data within a reasonable timeframe while maintaining aggregated records where applicable. You can contact us to request data deletion or account closure.
User Rights
You have the right to:
- •Access your personal data
- •Correct inaccurate information
- •Request deletion of your data
- •Opt out of public display of feedback and profiles
- •Request an export of your data in a portable format
Contact us through the Platform to exercise these rights.
Children's Privacy
ImpactPaws is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided information to ImpactPaws should contact us immediately.
Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of material changes by updating the "Last Updated" date and requiring you to accept the updated policy before continuing to use the Platform for sensitive actions. Your continued use of ImpactPaws following changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
Contact Us
For privacy-related questions, concerns, or to exercise your rights, please contact us through the Platform's contact form or email support@impactpaws.app.