Privacy Policy

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1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you create an account, submit an application, make a purchase, or contact our team. This includes your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and payment information. For partners (breeders, rescues, shelters, fosters), we also collect organization details, facility descriptions, veterinarian references, and identity verification documents. We may also collect information automatically through cookies, analytics tools, and server logs, including your IP address, browser type, device information, and pages visited on our site.

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2. How We Use Your Information

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3. Information Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Payment Processing: Stripe processes all payment transactions. Your payment information is handled directly by Stripe and never stored on our servers.
• Delivery Partners: When you choose ground or air delivery, we share your name, address, and phone number with our certified pet transport partners solely for the purpose of completing your delivery.
• ESA Registration: If you apply for ESA registration, your application information is shared with the licensed mental health professional conducting your evaluation.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Pups of Hope, our users, or the public.

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4. Partner Privacy Protection

Partner identity information (government IDs, facility photos, veterinarian references, personal contact details) is kept strictly confidential and is never displayed publicly on the site. Families browsing puppy listings see anonymous identifiers (e.g., “Verified Breeder #2041”) and interact exclusively with the Pups of Hope concierge team. Partner real names, phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses are never shared with buyers. All communication between buyers and partners is routed through our concierge team.

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5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers, PCI-compliant payment processing through Stripe, secure password hashing, and access controls that limit internal access to sensitive data. We regularly review and update our security practices. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

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6. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to maintain your login session, remember your preferences, and analyze site usage. These include essential cookies required for site functionality and analytics cookies that help us understand how visitors use our site. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Disabling cookies may affect certain features of the site, such as staying logged in to your dashboard.

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7. Your Rights

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information at any time. You can update your account details through your Buyer Dashboard or Partner Dashboard, or contact our team to request changes. If you wish to delete your account entirely, email us at pupsofhope@gmail.com and we will process your request within 30 days. Please note that certain information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (such as transaction records for tax compliance). California residents have additional rights under the CCPA, including the right to know what personal information we collect and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information).

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8. Children’s Privacy

Our platform is not intended for use by children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will delete the information.

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9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. Transaction records are retained for a minimum of 7 years for tax and legal compliance. Partner verification documents are retained for the duration of the partnership plus 3 years after account closure. Contact form submissions are retained for 2 years. You may request deletion of your data at any time, subject to our legal retention requirements.

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10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page and may notify registered users via email. Your continued use of the platform after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

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11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us: