This Privacy Policy explains how Pawko (“Pawko”, “we”, “us”) handles information when you use the Pawko mobile app, our website at pawko.com, and related services (together, the “Services”).
1. The short version
- We collect what we need to run Pawko: your account details, your dog’s profile, photos you choose to scan, and how you use the app.
- We do not sell your personal information and we do not use it for third-party advertising.
- We do not track you across other companies’ apps or websites.
- You can ask us to access, correct or delete your data at any time by emailing support@pawko.com.
2. Information we collect
Information you give us
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Account information | Your email address, and a user identifier from Sign in with Apple or Google if you use them. If you use Sign in with Apple’s “Hide My Email”, we only receive a private relay address. |
| Your dog’s profile | Your dog’s name, breed, age, sex and weight, plus your answers to our onboarding questionnaire (for example, your experience with dogs and your training goals). |
| Photos | Photos of your dog for health checks and photos of dog food or treats for food scans. We only access your camera or photo library when you choose to take or pick a photo. |
| Trainer chat | Messages you send to Pawko’s AI trainer and the replies you receive. |
| Progress and tracking | Lessons and courses completed, skill levels, streaks, health scores, and care records you log. |
| Support messages | Anything you include when you email us. |
Information collected automatically
- Usage data: screens viewed, features used, buttons tapped, and when you use the app.
- Device and diagnostics: device model, operating system, app version, language, approximate region derived from IP address, and crash and error reports.
- Subscription status: whether you have an active subscription or trial. Payments are processed by Apple. We never receive your full payment card details.
Information stored only on your device
Some data, such as your weight log and reminder preferences, may be stored locally on your device. Reminders are scheduled as local notifications on your phone. You can turn them off at any time in the app or in iOS Settings.
3. How we use information
- To provide the Services: create your account, personalise courses, generate health and food reports, and power the trainer chat.
- To save your progress and sync it to your account.
- To send reminders and service messages you’ve asked for, such as trial reminders.
- To understand how Pawko is used, fix bugs, and improve features and the quality of our AI responses.
- To provide customer support.
- To keep the Services safe, prevent abuse, and comply with legal obligations.
If you are in the European Economic Area or the UK, we rely on these legal bases: performance of our contract with you (to provide the Services), our legitimate interests (to secure and improve Pawko), your consent (for example, camera and notification permissions, which you can withdraw at any time), and compliance with law.
4. AI features
Health checks, food scans and the trainer chat use artificial intelligence. When you use these features, the relevant photos, messages and dog profile details are sent securely to our AI provider, Anthropic, to generate a response. Under our agreement with Anthropic, this data is not used to train their models.
To check the quality and safety of AI responses and to fix problems, we may log AI requests and responses with our analytics provider. AI-generated content can be wrong. It is general information, not veterinary advice.
5. How we share information
We share information only with service providers that help us run Pawko, under contracts that limit their use of it to providing services to us:
| Provider | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Supabase | Account sign-in, database and secure photo storage |
| Anthropic | AI processing for health checks, food scans and trainer chat |
| PostHog | Product analytics, error tracking and AI quality monitoring |
| Apple | Sign in with Apple, App Store purchases and subscriptions |
| Sign in with Google (only if you choose it) | |
| Vercel | Hosting this website |
We may also disclose information:
- If required by law, or to protect the rights, safety or property of our users, Pawko, or others.
- As part of a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, in which case this policy will continue to apply to your information.
- With your permission.
We do not sell or “share” personal information as those terms are defined under California law, and we do not use it for targeted advertising.
6. How long we keep it
We keep your information while your account is active. When you delete your account, we delete your account, dog profile, photos, chat history and progress within 30 days. Residual copies in backups are removed on our providers’ normal backup cycles. We may keep limited records where the law requires it. Analytics and diagnostic data is linked to an internal account ID rather than your name or email, is kept for up to 24 months, and is deleted with your account on request.
7. Your choices and rights
- Access, correction and deletion: you can ask for a copy of your data, ask us to correct it, or delete your account. See how to delete your account.
- Permissions: you can change camera, photo and notification access at any time in iOS Settings.
- Objection and restriction: in some regions you can object to or limit certain processing, or ask to move your data to another service.
- Complaints: you can lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
To exercise any of these rights, email support@pawko.com from the address linked to your account. We’ll respond within 30 days and will never treat you differently for exercising your rights.
8. Security
We use industry-standard safeguards, including encryption in transit, access controls, and private storage for photos that only your account can access. No system is completely secure, so we can’t guarantee absolute security, but we work hard to protect your information.
9. International transfers
Our service providers may process information in the United States and other countries. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses to protect information transferred internationally.
10. Children
Pawko is not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA and UK), and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. We’ll post the new version here and update the date at the top. If changes are significant, we’ll let you know in the app or by email.
12. Contact us
Questions about privacy? We’re happy to help.