Privacy policy

Privacy Policy

Effective date: 27.10.2025

BackHomePets at flealess.org is a practical, empathy-driven resource that helps people bring missing animals home. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we process, why we process it, how long we keep it, and the rights you can exercise. If anything here is unclear, please write to [email protected].

Who we are and scope

This Privacy Policy applies to the website available at flealess.org and any content, tools, or forms we publish under the BackHomePets name (collectively, the “Services”). When this policy says “we,” “us,” or “our,” it refers to BackHomePets operating at flealess.org.

This policy covers:

  • visiting our website and reading articles in the sections Emotional Support, Lost, Safety, Shelters, and Technology;
  • contacting us by email;
  • sending voluntary content to be published (e.g., reunion stories, lost/found reports, or corrections).

This policy does not cover third-party platforms we link to (shelters, social networks, lost-pet databases, map or alert services). Their privacy practices are their own; please review their policies before using them.

Summary—at a glance

  • We collect the minimum personal data needed to provide our Services, respond to you, and keep the site secure.
  • We do not sell your personal data.
  • We avoid invasive tracking and advertising technologies.
  • Any public post you ask us to publish (e.g., a lost/found report or a reunion story) may be visible to anyone who opens the page.
  • You can contact us to access, correct, or delete your data: [email protected].

What data we collect

1) Data you provide directly

  • Emails to us. When you write to [email protected], we process your email address, the content of your message, headers/metadata, and any attachments.
  • Submission content. If you ask us to publish or assist with a lost/found notice or a reunion story, we may process:
    • pet details (species, breed, name, markings),
    • photos or short videos,
    • approximate location and time of loss/sighting,
    • your contact for callbacks (usually a phone number or email),
    • other facts you include voluntarily.
      Important safety note: please avoid posting full street addresses, precise map pins to a private home, microchip numbers, or other sensitive identifiers publicly. Share sensitive proofs privately and only when needed (for example, to a shelter).
  • Corrections and feedback. If you send corrections, we process the text you provide and any references you include.

2) Data collected automatically

  • Server and security logs. Our servers may log IP addresses, user-agent strings, and timestamps for security and reliability (e.g., to detect abuse, errors, or unusual traffic).
  • Cookies and local storage. We strive to be cookie-light. If used, cookies/local storage typically remember non-identifying preferences (e.g., your consent choice or a UI setting). Details live in our separate Cookie Policy.
  • Privacy-respecting analytics (if enabled). We may use aggregated, non-identifying metrics (page counts, referrers at a general level, device categories) to understand what’s helpful and improve content. We do not use third-party ad trackers or cross-site profiling.

3) Data we may receive from others

  • Community tips. A neighbor or volunteer may email us tips about a sighting. We treat such messages as correspondence and use them only to facilitate the search you asked us to help with.
  • Public sources. If you ask us to help verify or update a public post, we may reference the public information you already shared elsewhere (e.g., a shelter intake page).

We do not intentionally collect special categories of personal data. Please avoid sending medical or highly sensitive information unless strictly necessary.

Why we process your data (legal bases)

If you reside in the EEA/UK, we rely on these legal bases under GDPR/UK GDPR:

  • Legitimate interests: to keep our website secure, prevent misuse, perform basic analytics, and respond to voluntary messages. We balance these interests against your rights and expectations.
  • Consent: where we store or read non-essential cookies, publish your story or photos, or send optional updates you explicitly request. You can withdraw consent at any time.
  • Contract/steps at your request: when you ask us to help publish or edit a lost/found notice, or to respond to your inquiries.

If you are outside the EEA/UK, we process data on similar principles—only what’s necessary, for clear purposes, and with appropriate safeguards.

How we use your data

  • Provide and improve the Services. Deliver pages, correct errors, and understand what content helps people most.
  • Communicate with you. Answer questions, coordinate updates to a post, request clarifications, and confirm changes.
  • Publication at your request. Publish materials you asked us to share (e.g., a lost/found notice), including selected contact details if you explicitly request that they appear in the post.
  • Safety and moderation. Detect spam, abuse, or fraudulent claims that could harm owners, finders, or animals.
  • Legal compliance. Retain minimal records we’re legally required to keep, and respond to lawful requests when we are compelled to do so.

We do not use your data for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects, and we do not profile individuals.

When we share data

We do not sell personal data. We may share data only in these situations:

  • Service providers (processors): hosting, security, storage, email services, or privacy-friendly analytics. They process data under written agreements and only on our instructions.
  • Publication you requested: if you ask us to publish a post with your contact details, that information will be public. You can later request edits or removal.
  • Legal reasons: when required by law or to protect individuals’ vital interests (e.g., responding to a lawful request concerning safety).
  • With your explicit consent: for any other sharing not covered above.

Retention—how long we keep data

  • Emails and correspondence: typically up to 24 months from the last relevant interaction, unless you ask us to delete earlier or we need to keep them longer for a dispute or legal obligation.
  • Published posts and stories: kept until you ask us to update or remove them, or until they become clearly outdated for their purpose. We may keep minimal archival records (e.g., a timestamp and proof of consent) for compliance.
  • Server/security logs: typically 30–180 days, unless a specific incident requires longer retention.
  • Cookie preferences: for the duration stated in our Cookie Policy.

We aim for minimal retention. When data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it.

Your choices and rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you;
  • Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data;
  • Erase data (“right to be forgotten”) when no longer needed or if you withdraw consent;
  • Restrict or object to certain processing (e.g., analytics based on legitimate interests);
  • Portability of data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used format;
  • Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent.

To exercise these rights, email [email protected]. We may need to verify your identity and your control over the content in question (for example, ownership of a post).

EEA/UK users

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority (for example, the Data Protection Ombudsman/Authority in your country). We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue quickly.

California (CCPA/CPRA) notice

We are not a data broker and do not “sell” or “share” personal information as defined by the CCPA/CPRA. California residents can request access and deletion by writing to [email protected]. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.

Children’s privacy

Our content is intended for general audiences and is not directed to children under 13 (or a higher age where local law defines a child). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child provided personal data without appropriate consent, contact us so we can delete it.

International transfers

Our primary hosting and providers may be located in various countries. Where personal data moves outside your jurisdiction, we implement legally recognized safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent mechanisms, and we ensure providers maintain adequate security measures.

Security

We apply technical and organizational measures to protect personal data, including:

  • encryption in transit (HTTPS);
  • access controls with the principle of least privilege;
  • server hardening and timely patching;
  • minimal data collection and limited retention;
  • backups with restricted access.

No online system is perfectly secure. If you discover a vulnerability or suspect a data incident, please write to [email protected]. We take responsible disclosure seriously.

Public content and safety tips

If you ask us to publish a lost/found notice, remember that anything shown on a public page can be copied. For your safety:

  • prefer an email or dedicated phone number you can change later;
  • avoid precise home addresses;
  • remove GPS/EXIF geotags from photos before sending;
  • do not publish microchip numbers or full vet record IDs.

If you want a post removed or edited, email us and include the link and the exact change you need.

Cookies and similar technologies

We keep cookies to a minimum. If our site uses non-essential cookies (for example, to remember UI preferences), we ask for consent where required. For details on cookie names, purposes, and lifetimes, see our Cookie Policy.

Third-party links

Guides in Shelters and Technology often link to external sites (shelter portals, alert systems, GPS manufacturers, mapping tools). We are not responsible for their content or data practices. Check their policies before submitting any information.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in law or our practices. When we do, we will revise the “Effective date” at the top and, where appropriate, provide an in-page notice or a short changelog. Substantive changes that expand how we use your data will apply prospectively.

Contact us

For privacy questions, requests, or complaints, please email [email protected].
When contacting us, include enough detail to help us locate the relevant data (e.g., the page URL, your email address, and what you want us to do).