Legal
Privacy Policy
Effective date: June 16, 2026
At Tailmate, we take privacy seriously. We only collect what we need, we tell you what we're doing with it, and you can always ask us to change or delete it. This policy covers everything we collect through tailmate.org and all Tailmate services.
1. Who we are
Tailmate Inc.is the data controller for all personal information collected through tailmate.org. We're based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Our Privacy Policy Officer can be reached at hello@tailmate.org.
2. Information we collect
Information you give us directly
- Name and email address
- Mailing address (optional)
- Phone number (optional)
- Pet profile information (species, breed, temperament, availability)
- Vaccination records and pet health information
- Payment information (processed by Stripe — see Section 7)
- Messages sent through the platform
Information we collect automatically
- IP address and device type
- Pages you visit and time spent on them
- Browser type and operating system
- General location (city or region — not precise GPS unless you enable it)
Location information
If you enable location sharing on your device, we use your precise location to show nearby members. You can turn this off at any time in your device settings. We stop collecting location data as soon as you disable it.
3. Why we collect it — and the legal basis
We collect your information for the following purposes:
- Create and manage your account — based on your consent at sign-up.
- Match you with nearby members — consent and performance of contract.
- Process subscription payments — performance of contract.
- Send transactional emails (receipts, booking confirmations, security alerts) — performance of contract.
- Send marketing emails (newsletters, new features, offers) — express consent under CASL only.
- Improve the platform and fix bugs — legitimate interest (using anonymised data).
- Comply with Canadian law — legal requirement.
4. Pet and animal health information
When you create a pet profile, you may upload vaccination records, veterinary contact information, medical conditions, dietary needs, medications, and behavioural notes. This information is sensitive. We treat it with the same care as personal health information under PIPEDA:
- We only share it with the member hosting your pet, and only after a booking is confirmed.
- We never use it for advertising or marketing.
- We delete it promptly when you delete your pet's profile.
5. How we use your information
We use your information to:
- Run the Tailmate platform and your account.
- Process Tail Credits and exchanges.
- Send you booking confirmations, credit updates, and billing receipts.
- Connect you with nearby members for exchanges.
- Respond to your messages and support requests.
- Improve the platform (using anonymised usage data).
- Comply with Canadian law.
We do not:
- Sell your personal information to any third party.
- Use your data to train AI models without your explicit consent.
- Share your payment details with other members.
6. Marketing emails — CASL consent
Tailmate sends two types of email:
Transactional emails (always sent)
Account confirmations, Tail Credit updates, booking confirmations, billing receipts, and security alerts. These are necessary to deliver the Service.
Marketing emails (only with your consent)
Newsletters, new features, community stories, and special offers. Under Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), we will only send you marketing emails if you gave us express consent (by checking a box at sign-up), or if you have an existing active membership relationship with us (implied consent under CASL).
Unsubscribing:Every marketing email includes an “Unsubscribe” link. We process all unsubscribe requests within 10 business days, as required by CASL. Unsubscribing from marketing emails does not affect transactional emails.
7. Who we share your information with
We share your information only where necessary to run the Service:
| Who | What they receive | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Account data, profile, pet profiles, messages | Hosts and secures our database and authentication |
| Stripe | Billing email, subscription tier | Processes subscription payments securely |
| Other members | First name, pet profile, availability, neighbourhood | To facilitate exchanges |
| Legal authorities | As required by court order or law | Legal compliance; we'll notify you when permitted |
Supabase maintains security standards equivalent to PIPEDA requirements. Data is stored on servers in Canada where available. See supabase.com/privacy.
Stripe is PCI-DSS compliant. Tailmate never stores your full card number. See stripe.com/privacy.
We do not sell your data. We do not share it with advertisers.
8. Cookies
We use cookies to keep you logged in, remember your preferences, and analyse how the platform is used (using anonymised data). We do notuse advertising cookies or sell your browsing data to marketers. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some features (like staying logged in) won't work without them.
9. How we protect your information
We use industry-standard security practices including encrypted data storage and transmission (TLS/HTTPS) and row-level database security so your data is only accessible by your account. No system is 100% secure.
If a security breach occurs that creates a real risk of significant harm to you, we will:
- Notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) as required under PIPEDA, and
- Notify you directly as soon as reasonably possible.
10. How long we keep your information
- Account data: until you delete your account, then 30 days.
- Pet profiles: until you delete the profile.
- Billing records: 7 years (required by Canadian tax law).
- Messages: 12 months after last activity.
- Anonymised usage logs: 24 months.
When the retention period ends, we delete or anonymise your data securely.
11. Your rights under PIPEDA
As a Canadian resident, you have the right to:
- Access — request a copy of all personal information we hold about you.
- Correction — ask us to correct inaccurate information.
- Withdraw consent — withdraw consent to certain uses (this may affect your ability to use some features).
- Deletion — ask us to delete your account and personal information.
- Complain — file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca or 1-800-282-1376.
To exercise any of these rights, email hello@tailmate.org with the subject line “Privacy Request.” We'll respond within 30 days.
12. Rights for EU residents (GDPR)
If you're located in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
- Right to portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format.
- Right to erasure — request deletion of all your personal data.
- Right to restrict processing — ask us to limit how we use your data.
- Right to object — object to processing based on legitimate interests.
- Right to complain — lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority.
We process EU users' data on the basis of: consent (marketing), performance of contract (account and booking functions), and legitimate interests (security and platform improvement). To exercise these rights, contact hello@tailmate.org.
13. Children's privacy
Tailmate is intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us at hello@tailmate.org and we will remove the account promptly.
14. Changes to this policy
If we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we'll notify you by email at least 30 days before the changes take effect. The current version is always at tailmate.org/privacy.
Questions about privacy?
Email our Privacy Policy Officer at hello@tailmate.org — Tailmate Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada.
Or file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada: priv.gc.ca | 1-800-282-1376.