Legal Policies

1. Information We Collect.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide our service: Enable connections between dog owners
• Safety & security: Verify identities and prevent fraud
• Communication: Send important notifications about your account
• Improve our platform: Analyse usage patterns to enhance user experience
• Legal compliance: Meet legal obligations and protect our rights

3. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information:

• With other users: Your profile is visible to other users
• With service providers: Third parties who help us operate our platform
• For legal reasons: When required by law or to protect our rights
• In business transfers: If our company is sold or merged

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security audits
• Strict access controls
• Secure password hashing

5. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, we must have a “lawful basis” for collecting and using your personal information. There is a list of possible lawful bases in the UK GDPR. You can find out more about lawful bases on the ICO’s website. Which lawful basis we rely on may affect your data protection rights which are set out in brief below. You can find out more about your data protection rights and the exemptions which may apply on the ICO’s website:

Protection Rights

• Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. You can request other information such as details about where we get personal information from and who we share personal information with. There are some exemptions which means you may not receive all the information you ask for.
• Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to correct or delete personal information you think is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information.
• Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to limit how we can use your personal information.
• Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you.
• Your right to withdraw consent – When we use consent as our lawful basis you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

If you make a request, we must respond to you without undue delay and in any event within one month. To make a data protection rights request, please contact us using the contact details provided below.

Lawful Bases

Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to provide our services are:

• Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
• Legitimate interests – we’re collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interests are: to improve services, prevent misuse, and ensure safety.

For more information on our use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact us using the contact details set out below.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we must retain it for legal purposes.

7. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience. See our Cookie Policy for more details.

8. Children Privacy

Our platform is only intended for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 18.

9. Identity Verification

If you choose to verify your identity, we ask you to photograph a government-issued document (passport, driving licence or national ID card) and to take a selfie. These images are sent directly to our verification provider, Stripe, who check that the document is genuine, that your face matches it, and that you are physically present. This involves processing biometric data.

We rely on your explicit consent for this, under Article 9(2)(a) of the UK GDPR. Verification is optional, and you can use HAPO fully without it. You can withdraw your consent at any time by emailing hello@helpapetout.com, and we will remove your verified status.

Your images and document details are never sent to us and are never stored on our systems. Stripe holds them under their own retention policy and deletes them accordingly. We record only three things: whether you passed, the date, and a reference number issued by Stripe. We keep these for as long as you have a HAPO account.

Stripe acts as our data processor for this. Their privacy policy is available at stripe.com/privacy.

A verified badge confirms that a member's identity has been checked. It is not a character reference, a background check, or a recommendation from HAPO. Please still meet before arranging anything.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or through our platform.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at hello@helpapetout.com

12. How to Complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal data, you can make a complaint to us using the contact details above.

If you remain unhappy with how we’ve used your data after raising a complaint with us, you can also complain to the ICO.

The ICO’s address: Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk

1. Acceptance of Terms.

These Terms of Service state the basis on which HAPO service is provided to you. Please read them to ensure you agree with these terms before using HAPO service.

These terms of service will apply to the use of HAPO service by you (the Service User or you). We are Help A Pet Out (HAPO) whose trading name is HAPO, a company registered in England and Wales with registration number 16850959 and registered office address at Auckland house, New Zealand avenue, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1PL (the Service Supplier or us or we).

In this HAPO Terms of Service:

• HAPO website means www.helpapetpout.com
• Privacy Policy means terms in a separate published document setting out how we will treat the confidential and personal information obtained from you through HAPO website
• Service means the website platform provided by HAPO to enable you find, connect and interact with other service users in relation to dog care and minding
• Service supplier means HAPO
• Service user means you who is 18 years or over and using the service provided by HAPO through its website

2. Age Requirement

You must be at least 18 years old to use HAPO. These are the terms on which HAPO service is provided to you. You can only use HAPO service if you are at least 18 years old. By using HAPO service, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement.

3. Service

HAPO provides a website service which facilitates introduction and connection between dog owners. HAPO service does not include (and HAPO is not responsible for) the following:

• Employing or endorsing any service user
• Arranging, scheduling, or managing dog minding, care or walking arrangements
• Processing payments between service users
• Guaranteeing the quality or safety of service users’ interactions
• Acting as agent or representative of service users
• Verifying the validity or authenticity of service users reviews

4. Service User Responsibility

As HAPO service user, you are solely responsible for:

• Verifying the identity and suitability of other service users you connect with
• Your arrangements, agreements, and interactions with other service users
• Your own safety and the safety of your dog
• Obtaining appropriate insurance coverage for your dog caring arrangements and agreements with other service users
• Complying with all applicable national and local laws and regulations
• Resolving any disputes that arise from your interactions with other service users

5. Liability Disclaimer

You agree that HAPO website service is provided to you on an “as is” and “as available” basis. Therefore, HAPO will not be liable for any loss or damage you may incur as a result of its website downtime or technical non-availability of HAPO website service.

IMPORTANT: Further, you agree that HAPO will not be responsible or liable for any of the following:

• Any loss or damages arising from accessing links to external websites hosted on HAPO website. Such links and websites are accessed entirely at your discretion
• Any injuries, damages, or losses occurring during or related to the connections you make through HAPO website
• The conduct, actions, or omissions of other service users
• Any arrangements or agreements you make with other service users
• Loss or damage to property arising from your interaction with other service users
• Veterinary expenses or medical costs
• Any disputes between you and other service users

6. Insurance

HAPO service users are strongly advised to arrange their own insurance coverage. HAPO does not provide insurance and is not responsible or liable for any incidents, accidents, or claims arising from your use of its website service. HAPO does not check or verify members’ insurance coverage. It is your responsibility as a HAPO service user to ensure you have appropriate third-party liability insurance and to confirm that any other service user you make arrangements with also has suitable cover.

7. Account Registration

You agree to do the following when registering for a HAPO service user account:

• Provide accurate and complete information
• Maintain the security of your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorised access
• Not share your account details with one else

8. Prohibited Conduct

In relation to the operation and conduct of your HAPO service user account, you may not:

• Provide false or misleading information to any one
• Harass, abuse, or harm HAPO staff, agent, or other service users
• Use your HAPO service user account for illegal purposes
• Attempt to circumvent HAPO security measures
• Scrape or copy content on HAPO website without permission
• Create multiple HAPO service user accounts to evade a ban
• Post comments or reviews that contain obscene language or any material that could be regarded as harmful or violent or infringes on someone else’s copyright

9. Content and Reviews

HAPO asserts ownership and copyright over its website contents, branding and products. You agree not to reuse or copy HAPO website contents, branding and products without our express written permission. By posting content or reviews on HAPO website, you:

• Grant us a license to use, display, and distribute your content
• Represent that your content is truthful and does not violate any copyrights
• Understand that we reserve the right to remove any content that violates HAPO policies or values

10. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account without further notice for:

• Violation of these terms of service
• Any fraudulent or illegal activity associated with your HAPO service user account
• Abusive behaviour by you towards HAPO staff, agents or other service users
• Any other reason at our reasonable discretion

You may close your HAPO service user account at any time.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold HAPO harmless from any claims, damages, or expenses whether arising from your use of HAPO website service or violation of these terms of service.

12. Applicable Law & Jurisdiction

12.1 The validity, construction and performance of this Terms of Service, and any claim, dispute or matter arising under or in connection with it or its enforceability, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.

12.2. Further, any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Terms of Service shall be finally settled under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce by one or more arbitrators appointed in accordance with the said Rules, with the arbitration to be conducted in the English language in the United Kingdom.

13. Changes to Terms

This Terms of Service is subject to review. Any revision or modification following a review will be notified to you via an update alert to your HAPO service user account. Your continued use of HAPO website service following such notification constitutes acceptance of the new Terms of Service.

14. Contact

If you have any questions about this Terms of Service, please contact us at hello@helpapetout.com