Privacy Policy 🐾

1. Who We Are

This Privacy Policy applies to the website, mobile applications, software, products, services, features, and community experiences operated by Mentored by Mutts LLC ("Mentored by Mutts," "MbM," "we," "our," or "us").

By creating an account or using our Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this Privacy Policy. We may ask you to record that acknowledgment during registration or before continuing to use the Service. This Privacy Policy describes our practices; it is not a contract requiring your agreement unless applicable law provides otherwise.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways depending on how you interact with the Service.

Information You Provide

You may voluntarily provide information including:

• your name;
• email address;
• Team Name;
• profile photograph;
• biography;
• information about your mutt(s);
• stories;
• photographs;
• videos;
• comments;
• messages submitted through the Service;
• Love Language participation;
• Fetch It Forward League (FFL) participation;
• Fetch Around Me participation, including your personal My Fetch Around places and recommendations;
• In Remembrance of Me participation;
• purchases through The Mutt N Me Shop;
• customer support requests;
• and any other information you voluntarily choose to provide.

You should only submit information that you are comfortable sharing and that you have the legal right to provide.

When you register or are asked to complete an updated account-access process, we may record your account identifier, email address, date and time, the versions of the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy presented, your recorded acceptance or acknowledgment, your confirmation that you meet the minimum age requirement, the method used, and related technical information such as IP address and browser information. We use these records to administer accounts, document compliance, protect the Service, and resolve questions about account access.

Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Service, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:

• IP address;
• browser type;
• operating system;
• device type;
• pages visited;
• referring website;
• date and time of access;
• approximate geographic location derived from your IP address;
• cookies and similar technologies;
• device identifiers;
• diagnostic information;
• application performance information.

This information helps us improve security, reliability, usability, and performance.

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from trusted third-party providers, including:

• payment processors;
• authentication providers;
• analytics providers;
• advertising partners;
• social media integrations that you choose to connect;
• shipping and fulfillment partners;
• nonprofit partners;
• customer support platforms;
• and other service providers that assist us in operating the Service.

We collect only the information reasonably necessary to provide and improve our services.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• create and manage your account;
• personalize your experience;
• display your profile and content according to your privacy settings;
• operate the Fetch It Forward League;
• calculate Paw Print Points and related community activities;
• provide Fetch Around Me features;
• process purchases and transactions;
• communicate with you regarding your account;
• respond to customer support requests;
• improve the Service;
• analyze usage trends;
• maintain security;
• detect fraud and abuse;
• comply with legal obligations;
• enforce our Terms of Service;
• develop new features and services;
• and otherwise operate the Mentored by Mutts community.

We strive to use only the information reasonably necessary for these purposes.

4. Artificial Intelligence and Automated Technologies

Mentored by Mutts may use artificial intelligence ("AI"), machine learning, and other automated technologies to improve the Service.

Examples may include:

• improving search results;
• recommending stories or content;
• helping organize community information;
• assisting with moderation;
• identifying spam or fraudulent activity;
• improving accessibility;
• enhancing customer support;
• generating summaries or recommendations;
• and developing new community features.

These technologies are intended to assist the operation of the Service and are not intended to replace human judgment where meaningful review is appropriate.

We do not intentionally use AI to make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about you without appropriate human oversight where required by applicable law.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Mentored by Mutts uses cookies, pixels, local storage, and similar technologies to:

• remember your preferences;
• keep you signed in;
• understand how the Service is used;
• improve performance;
• measure the effectiveness of communications;
• personalize your experience;
• maintain security;
• and support advertising or analytics where applicable.

Most web browsers allow you to control or disable cookies. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of portions of the Service.

6. Your Stories and Public Content

Mentored by Mutts is a community built around sharing stories, celebrating our canine companions, and encouraging meaningful connections.

Many features of the Service allow you to voluntarily share stories, photographs, videos, comments, recommendations, and other content with other members or, depending on your privacy settings, with the public.

Before posting, please remember that information you choose to make public may be viewed, shared, copied, or discussed by others outside of Mentored by Mutts. While we strive to provide privacy controls and community safeguards, we cannot control how third parties use information that you voluntarily choose to make public.

You are responsible for deciding what information you choose to share through the Service. Uploading or changing a profile photograph or other profile information does not, by itself, mean that you have chosen to publish a separate activity story. If the Service offers the ability to share a profile update publicly, the interface will disclose that result and provide any choice required by applicable law or our published settings.

7. How We Share Information

Mentored by Mutts does not sell your personal information to third parties.

We may share information when reasonably necessary to operate the Service, including with:

• payment processors;
• cloud hosting providers;
• customer support providers;
• analytics providers;
• email delivery services;
• shipping and fulfillment providers;
• nonprofit partners participating in Mentored by Mutts programs;
• professional advisors, including attorneys and accountants;
• law enforcement or government authorities when required by law;
• successor organizations involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets;
• and other trusted service providers acting on our behalf.

These providers are permitted to use your information only as reasonably necessary to perform services for Mentored by Mutts or as otherwise permitted by law.

8. Your Privacy Choices

Depending upon your location and applicable law, you may have the ability to:

• access certain personal information we maintain about you;
• update or correct your account information;
• change your profile or privacy settings;
• request deletion of your account;
• request deletion of certain personal information, subject to legal obligations and legitimate business needs;
• opt out of certain marketing communications;
• manage cookie preferences where available; and
• exercise other privacy rights provided under applicable law.

Some information may be retained as required by law, for security purposes, to resolve disputes, or to enforce our agreements.

9. Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your Mentored by Mutts account at any time through available account settings or by contacting us.

Deleting your account generally removes your profile from public view. However, certain information may remain for a reasonable period where necessary to:

• comply with legal obligations;
• protect the security and integrity of the Service;
• complete financial transactions;
• maintain backup systems;
• resolve disputes;
• enforce our agreements; or
• preserve content that has already been shared, quoted, or reposted by other users where appropriate.

Deleted content may also remain in routine backup systems for a limited period before being permanently removed.

10. Children's Privacy

Mentored by Mutts is not intended for children under thirteen (13), and children under thirteen may not create an account or use the Service. A higher minimum age may apply where required by the laws of the user’s jurisdiction.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under thirteen. If we learn that a child under thirteen created an account or provided personal information without any authorization required by applicable law, we will take reasonable steps to investigate, close the account where appropriate, and delete the information, subject to legal, security, and record-retention requirements.

Parents or legal guardians who believe that a child under thirteen has provided personal information to Mentored by Mutts should contact us at pawscratch@mentoredbymutts.com so that we may investigate and respond appropriately.

11. Data Security

Mentored by Mutts uses commercially reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

No method of transmitting information over the Internet or storing electronic information is completely secure. While we work diligently to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account credentials and should promptly notify us of any suspected unauthorized access.

12. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• provide the Service;
• maintain your account;
• comply with legal obligations;
• resolve disputes;
• enforce our agreements;
• improve the Service;
• protect the security and integrity of the community; and
• fulfill other legitimate business purposes.

When personal information is no longer reasonably necessary, we will delete, anonymize, or securely dispose of it in accordance with our data retention practices and applicable law.

13. International Users

Mentored by Mutts welcomes members from around the world.

If you access the Service from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. By using the Service, you consent to such transfers where permitted by applicable law.

We will make reasonable efforts to protect your personal information regardless of where it is processed.

14. State and Regional Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have additional privacy rights under applicable laws.

Where required by law, Mentored by Mutts will honor requests to access, correct, delete, or obtain information regarding your personal information, subject to applicable legal exceptions.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to limit any rights you may have under applicable privacy laws.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

As Mentored by Mutts continues to grow, we may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our services, technology, legal requirements, or community practices.

When material changes are made, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the beginning of this Privacy Policy and may provide additional notice where appropriate.

The updated Privacy Policy will apply to personal information handled on or after its effective date, as permitted by applicable law. When required, we will provide additional notice or request a new acknowledgment or consent before applying a material change.

16. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy?

Give us a Paw Scratch.

Mentored by Mutts LLC 600 Cleveland Street, Suite 377, Clearwater, Florida 33755

Phone: (813) 834-2210

Email: pawscratch@mentoredbymutts.com

Website: www.mentoredbymutts.com