Cookie Policy

Effective date: 27.10.2025

BackHomePets at flealess.org is a practical, empathy-driven resource that helps people bring missing animals home. This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and similar technologies are, which ones we use (if any), why we use them, and how you can control them.

If anything here is unclear, please write to [email protected].

Scope and relationship to other documents

This Cookie Policy applies to the website available at flealess.org and to any content we publish under the BackHomePets name (the “Services”). It should be read together with our Privacy Policy, which covers the broader context of personal data, your rights, security measures, and contact options.

Our approach in one look

We design for privacy by default:

• keep cookies to a minimum and avoid third-party tracking;
• set only strictly necessary cookies by default;
• ask for your consent before using any non-essential cookies;
• provide a clear, simple way to change your choice at any time.

What are cookies and similar technologies?

• Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your browser at a website’s request. They can remember settings (e.g., language), keep a session active, or help measure traffic.
• Local Storage / Session Storage are browser features that store small, site-specific values on your device. They are not sent automatically with every request (unlike cookies), but they can still hold identifiers or preferences.
• Pixel tags / beacons are tiny images or code snippets that allow activity measurement. We avoid third-party pixels for tracking or advertising.
• Software Development Kits (SDKs) are similar concepts used in apps; we do not operate native apps.

The categories we use (and avoid)

We categorize browser storage into four groups. Not all categories are active at all times; many features of BackHomePets do not need any cookies.

1. Strictly necessary — required for the site to function or for security (e.g., remembering your cookie choice or protecting forms). These do not require consent.
2. Preferences — optional settings like language or accessibility defaults. We only set these with your consent or when you explicitly choose the setting.
3. Analytics (privacy-respecting, first-party, aggregated) — optional metrics that help us understand which guides are useful. We do not use ad pixels or cross-site tracking. Analytics are off until you consent.
4. Advertising/Profiling — not used. We do not run ads or sell personal data.

What we set today

As of 27.10.2025, we aim to keep things light. Depending on the features you use, you may encounter the following first-party cookies or browser storage items. If a feature is not active on your visit, the related item will not be set.

Name (example)	Category	Purpose	Typical lifetime
bhp_cookie_consent	Strictly necessary	Remembers your cookie choices so we do not ask you repeatedly.	6–12 months
bhp_csrf	Strictly necessary	Protects forms (e.g., contact/submit) against cross-site request forgery.	Session or up to 1 day
bhp_session	Strictly necessary (if a login or submission wizard is used)	Keeps your session while you complete a multi-step action.	Session
bhp_pref_lang (Local Storage)	Preferences	Saves your language choice or reading preference.	Until you clear storage
bhp_analytics_*	Analytics (opt-in)	Aggregated page counts and general referrers; no cross-site ad tracking.	6–12 months

Third-party cookies: we do not intentionally embed third-party trackers. If we ever include an external widget (e.g., a map or video), we will either block it by default until you click “load,” or present a clear notice that the third party may set its own cookies. Where feasible, we will use privacy-enhanced modes.

Note: Names above are illustrative of the pattern we use (“bhp_…”, first-party only). If we add or remove items, we will update this table and the effective date.

Consent and how to change your choice

When you first visit, you may see a compact banner that lets you:

• Accept all optional cookies/storage;
• Reject all optional cookies/storage;
• Customize per category (e.g., turn on preferences but keep analytics off).

Your choice is remembered by the bhp_cookie_consent item. You can change it anytime:

• Use the “Cookie settings” link in our footer (available on all pages) to reopen the banner; or
• Clear cookies and site data in your browser, then revisit the site to set a new choice.

We will honor a “reject” choice by keeping all non-essential categories off.

How to control cookies in your browser

You can manage site data at the browser level. Exact steps differ by product and version, but the path typically looks like:

• Chrome/Chromium-based: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data → See all site data.
• Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Manage Data.
• Safari (macOS/iOS): Settings/Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data.
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data.

From there, you can delete cookies for flealess.org or configure more restrictive defaults. Please note that removing strictly necessary items may affect forms or your saved cookie choices (you might see the banner again).

Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

If your browser sends Do Not Track (DNT) or Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals, we treat them as an opt-out from any optional categories. Strictly necessary items may still be set to provide security and basic functionality.

Analytics, done carefully

If analytics are enabled with your consent, we follow these principles:

• count visits and page views in aggregate only;
• avoid cross-site tracking, ad personalization, or fingerprinting;
• store only coarse referrer information (e.g., “search engine,” “direct”);
• respect your opt-out at any time by turning analytics off for your browser.

We use analytics to improve guide clarity (e.g., whether the Lost checklists are frequently visited) and to understand device types for accessibility tuning—not to build profiles about individuals.

Cookies in emails

We do not send marketing emails. If you write to us at [email protected], our email provider may include standard, privacy-safe security features (such as spam detection) that do not rely on tracking pixels for advertising purposes. We avoid “open-tracking” pixels in any optional updates we may send at your explicit request.

Children and families

Our content is intended for general audiences. We do not knowingly place cookies to profile children. If you believe we have set non-essential cookies in a context involving a child, contact us so we can remove the data and prevent recurrence.

Data retention and security

• Retention: cookie lifetimes are shown in the table above. We aim for short lifetimes and minimal storage.
• Security: all traffic to flealess.org uses HTTPS. We apply the principle of least privilege to access server resources and keep software patched. Cookies that need protection are set with standard security attributes where applicable (e.g., Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite).

No online system is perfectly secure; if you suspect a data or security issue, please email [email protected].

Third-party links

Our guides (especially Shelters and Technology) sometimes link to external resources. Their cookie practices are their own; please review their notices before using their tools. We do not control third-party cookies once you navigate away.

Changes to this Cookie Policy

We may update this page to reflect changes in the law or our implementation (for example, if we add a new consent option). When we update it, we will revise the Effective date at the top. If changes are material, we will provide an in-page notice or banner.

Contact

Questions or requests about cookies? Write to [email protected].
Please include enough detail to help us respond (e.g., page URL, screenshot of the banner, your browser and version).