Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Pawhood ("we", "us", "our") is a South African digital platform that helps dog owners discover dog-friendly restaurants, parks, markets, events, vets and accommodation. Pawhood is operated by an individual based in Johannesburg, South Africa. You can contact us at hello@pawhood.co.za.

2. Information we collect

We collect the following information when you use Pawhood:

• Account information: your name, email address and mobile number when you register
• Dog profile: your dog's name, breed, size and birthday (optional)
• Location data: your approximate location to show nearby listings — only when you grant permission
• Usage data: pages visited, listings viewed and searches performed
• Payment information: processed securely by PayFast — we do not store card details
• Communications: any messages you send to us via email

3. How we use your information

• To provide and improve the Pawhood service
• To personalise your experience based on your city and preferences
• To send you newsletters, offers and updates — only if you have opted in
• To process membership payments via PayFast
• To send birthday surprises for your dog (if birthday provided)
• To comply with our legal obligations under POPIA

4. POPIA compliance

We comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). You have the right to access, correct or delete your personal information at any time. To exercise these rights, contact us at hello@pawhood.co.za. We will respond within 30 days.

5. Sharing your information

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only with:

• Supabase: our database and authentication provider
• PayFast: our payment processor
• Mapbox: for map and location services
• Resend: for transactional emails

All third-party providers are contractually required to protect your data.

6. Data retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

7. Cookies

We use essential cookies to keep you logged in and remember your preferences. We do not use advertising cookies or sell your browsing data.

8. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure authentication, and access controls. However, no system is completely secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children

Pawhood is not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify registered users of significant changes by email. Continued use of Pawhood after changes constitutes acceptance.

11. Contact us

For any privacy-related queries, please contact us at hello@pawhood.co.za.