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TERMS OF SERVICE

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Pawmates Terms and Services

Your Privacy
Is Important To Us

Please read the terms and policies of Pawmates, as well as the privacy policy carefully. All data is handled under the terms and policies of Pawmates Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Safety Tips, and FAQs. Thank you 

Pawmates Terms Of Use

TERMS OF USE
Last revised on July 28, 2019
Welcome to Pawmates, operated by Slopestyle Studios (“us,” “we,” the “Company” or “Pawmates”).

By creating a Pawmates account or by using any Pawmates service, whether through a mobile device, mobile application or computer (collectively, the “Service”) you agree to be bound by (i) these Terms of Use, (ii) our privacy policy and safety tips, each of which is incorporated by reference into this Agreement, and (iii) any terms disclosed to you if you purchase or have purchased additional features, products or services we offer on the Service (collectively, this “Agreement”). If you do not accept and agree to be bound by all of the terms of this Agreement (other than the limited one-time opt out right for certain users provided for in Section 15), you should not use the Service.

We may make changes to this Agreement and to the Service from time to time. We may do this for a variety of reasons including to reflect changes in or requirements of the law, new features, or changes in business practices. The most recent version of this Agreement will be posted on the Service under Settings and also on Slopestylestudios.ca, and you should regularly check for the most recent version. The most recent version is the version that applies. If the changes include material changes that affect your rights or obligations, we will notify you in advance of the changes by reasonable means, which could include notification through the Service or via email. If you continue to use the Service after the changes become effective, then you agree to the revised Agreement. You agree that this Agreement shall supersede any prior agreements (except as specifically stated herein), and shall govern your entire relationship with Pawmates, including but not limited to events, agreements, and conduct preceding your acceptance of this Agreement.

You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account on Pawmates and use the Service. By creating an account and using the Service, you represent and warrant that:

  • you can form a binding contract with Pawmates,
  • you are not a person who is barred from using the Service under the laws of Canada or any other applicable jurisdiction,
  • you will comply with this Agreement and all applicable local, state, national and international laws, rules and regulations, and
  • you have never been convicted of or pled no contest to a felony, a sex crime, or any crime involving violence, and that you are not required to register as a sex offender with any state, federal or local sex offender registry.

In order to use Pawmates, you may sign in using your Facebook login.  If you do so, you authorize us to access and use certain Facebook account information, including but not limited to your public Facebook profile and information about Facebook friends you share in common with other Pawmates users. For more information regarding the information we collect from you and how we use it, please consult our privacy policy.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials you use to sign up for Pawmates, and you are solely responsible for all activities that occur under those credentials. If you think someone has gained access to your account, please immediately contact us.

Pawmates is always striving to improve the Service and bring you additional functionality that you will find engaging and useful. This means we may add new product features or enhancements from time to time as well as remove some features, and if these actions do not materially affect your rights or obligations, we may not provide you with notice before taking them. We may even suspend the Service entirely, in which event we will notify you in advance unless extenuating circumstances, such as safety or security concerns, prevent us from doing so. You may terminate your account at any time, for any reason, by tapping on the “Delete Account” button located in user settings. Deleting your individual account will delete all user associated data and information related to the individual’s profile permanently. Once deleted, it cannot be recovered by the user or by Pawmates. Users also may email support directly at [email protected] to request data deletion, to which all of their data will be manually deleted from all Pawmates files and databases. It should be noted however if you use a third party payment account, you will need to manage in app purchases through such account (e.g., iTunes, Google Play) to avoid additional billing. Pawmates may terminate your account at any time without notice if it believes that you have violated this Agreement. Upon such termination, you will not be entitled to any refund for purchases. After your account is terminated, this Agreement will terminate, except that the following provisions will still apply to you and Pawmates: Section 4, Section 5, and Sections 12 through 19.

Though Pawmates strives to encourage a respectful user experience through features like the double opt-in that only allows users to communicate if they have both indicated interest in one another, it is not responsible for the conduct of any user or their pets on or off of the Service. You agree to use caution in all interactions with other users and their pets, and understand that some animals may be volatile. No animal should be approached without the owner’s permission. You agree to use the UTMOST care when interacting with animals you do not know, and to watch out for your own pet to the best of your ability. We are not responsible for the well being, safety, or care of your pet in any circumstances. All of the above are also especially applicable if you decide to communicate off the Service or meet in person. Use good judgement at all times and always be safe when meeting people and animals. In addition, you agree to review and follow Pawmates’s Safety Tips prior to using the Service, and to stay up to date on the newest Safety Tips at all times. You agree that you will not provide your financial information (for example, your credit card or bank account information), or wire or otherwise send money, to other users. By agreeing to out terms of use, you agree that we are not held responsible in the event of any incident, regardless of any circumstances.
YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER USERS AND THEIR PETS. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT PAWMATES DOES NOT CONDUCT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS ON ITS USERS, BEHAVIOUR CHECKS FOR THEIR PETS, OR OTHERWISE INQUIRE INTO THE BACKGROUND OF ITS USERS. PAWMATES MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES AS TO THE CONDUCT OF USERS. PAWMATES RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CONDUCT – AND YOU AGREE THAT PAWMATES MAY CONDUCT – ANY CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK OR OTHER SCREENINGS (SUCH AS SEX OFFENDER REGISTER SEARCHES) AT ANY TIME USING AVAILABLE PUBLIC RECORDS.

Pawmates grants you a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable, nonexclusive, revocable, and non-sublicensable license to access and use the Service. This license is for the sole purpose of letting you use and enjoy the Service’s benefits as intended by Pawmates and permitted by this Agreement. Therefore, you agree not to:

  • use the Service or any content contained in the Service for any commercial purposes without our written consent.
  • copy, modify, transmit, create any derivative works from, make use of, or reproduce in any way any copyrighted material, images, trademarks, trade names, service marks, or other intellectual property, content or proprietary information accessible through the Service without Pawmates’s prior written consent.
  • express or imply that any statements you make are endorsed by Pawmates.
  • use any robot, bot, spider, crawler, scraper, site search/retrieval application, proxy or other manual or automatic device, method or process to access, retrieve, index, “data mine,” or in any way reproduce or circumvent the navigational structure or presentation of the Service or its contents.
  • use the Service in any way that could interfere with, disrupt or negatively affect the Service or the servers or networks connected to the Service.
  • upload viruses or other malicious code or otherwise compromise the security of the Service.
  • forge headers or otherwise manipulate identifiers in order to disguise the origin of any information transmitted to or through the Service.
  • “frame” or “mirror” any part of the Service without Pawmates’s prior written authorization.
  • use meta tags or code or other devices containing any reference to Pawmates or the Service (or any trademark, trade name, service mark, logo or slogan of Pawmates) to direct any person to any other website for any purpose.
  • modify, adapt, sublicense, translate, sell, reverse engineer, decipher, decompile or otherwise disassemble any portion of the Service, or cause others to do so.
  • use or develop any third-party applications that interact with the Service or other users’ Content or information without our written consent.
  • use, access, or publish the Pawmates application programming interface without our written consent.
  • probe, scan or test the vulnerability of our Service or any system or network.
  • encourage or promote any activity that violates this Agreement.

The Company may investigate and take any available legal action in response to illegal and/ or unauthorized uses of the Service, including termination of your account. Any software that we provide you may automatically download and install upgrades, updates, or other new features. You may be able to adjust these automatic downloads through your device’s settings.

By creating an account, you grant to Pawmates a worldwide, sub-licensable, royalty-free, right and license to host, store, use, copy, display, reproduce, adapt, edit, publish, modify and distribute information you authorize us to access from your Pawmates account as well as any information you post, upload, display or otherwise make available (collectively, “post”) on the Service or transmit to other users (collectively, “Content”). Pawmates’s license to your Content shall be non-exclusive, except that Pawmates’s license shall be exclusive with respect to derivative works created through use of the Service. For example, Pawmates would have an exclusive license to screenshots of the Service that include your Content. In addition, so that Pawmates can prevent the use of your Content outside of the Service, you authorize Pawmates to act on your behalf with respect to infringing uses of your Content taken from the Service by other users or third parties. This expressly includes the authority, but not the obligation, to send notices pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) (i.e., DMCA Takedown Notices) on your behalf if your Content is taken and used by third parties outside of the Service. Our license to your Content is subject to your rights under applicable law (for example laws regarding personal data protection to the extent any Content contains personal information as defined by those laws) and is for the limited purpose of operating, developing, providing, and improving the Service and researching and developing new ones. You agree that any Content you place or that you authorize us to place on the Service may be viewed by other users and may be viewed by any person visiting or participating in the Service (such as individuals who may receive shared Content from other Pawmates users). You agree that all information that you submit upon creation of your account, including information submitted from your Facebook account, is accurate and truthful and you have the right to post the Content on the Service and grant the license to Pawmates above. You understand and agree that we may monitor or review any Content you post as part of a Service. We may delete any Content, in whole or in part, that in our sole judgment violates this Agreement or may harm the reputation of the Service. When communicating with our customer care representatives, you agree to be respectful and kind. If we feel that your behavior towards any of our customer care representatives or other employees is at any time threatening or offensive, we reserve the right to immediately terminate your account. In consideration for Pawmates allowing you to use the Service, you agree that we, our affiliates, and our third-party partners may place advertising on the Service. By submitting suggestions or feedback to Pawmates regarding our Service, you agree that Pawmates may use and share such feedback for any purpose without compensating you. You agree that Pawmates may access, preserve and disclose your account information and Content if required to do so by law or in a good faith belief that such access, preservation or disclosure is reasonably necessary, such as to: (i) comply with legal process; (ii) enforce this Agreement; (iii) respond to claims that any Content violates the rights of third parties; (iv) respond to your requests for customer service; or (v) protect the rights, property or personal safety of the Company or any other person.

By using the Service, you agree that you will not:

  • use the Service for any purpose that is illegal or prohibited by this Agreement.
  • use the Service for any harmful or nefarious purpose.
  • use the Service in order to damage Pawmates.
  • violate our community guidelines, as updated from time to time.
  • spam, solicit money from or defraud any users or their pets.
  • impersonate any person or entity or post any images of another person or their pets without his or her permission.
  • bully, “stalk,” intimidate, assault, harass, mistreat or defame any person or pet.
  • post any Content that violates or infringes anyone’s rights, including rights of publicity, privacy, copyright, trademark or other intellectual property or contract right.
  • post any Content that is hate speech, threatening, sexually explicit or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.
  • post any Content that promotes racism, bigotry, hatred or physical harm of any kind against any group, individual or animal.
  • solicit passwords for any purpose, or personal identifying information for commercial or unlawful purposes from other users or disseminate another person’s personal information without his or her permission.
  • use another user’s account, share an account with another user, or maintain more than one account.
  • create another account if we have already terminated your account, unless you have our permission.

Pawmates reserves the right to investigate and/ or terminate your account without a refund of any purchases if you have violated this Agreement, misused the Service or behaved in a way that Pawmates regards as inappropriate or unlawful, including actions or communications that occur on or off the Service.

Although Pawmates reserves the right to review and remove Content that violates this Agreement, such Content is the sole responsibility of the user who posts it, and Pawmates cannot guarantee that all Content will comply with this Agreement. If you see Content on the Service that violates this Agreement, please report it within the Service or via our contact form.

Generally. From time to time in the future, Pawmates may offer products and services for purchase (“in app purchases”) through iTunes, Google Play, carrier billing, Pawmates direct billing or other payment platforms authorized by Pawmates. If you choose to make an in app purchase, you will be prompted to confirm your purchase with the applicable payment provider, and your method of payment (be it your card or a third party account such as Google Play or iTunes) (your “Payment Method”) will be charged at the prices displayed to you for the service(s) you’ve selected as well as any sales or similar taxes that may be imposed on your payments, and you authorize Pawmates or the third party account, as applicable, to charge you.

Auto-Renewal. If you purchase an auto-recurring periodic subscription, your Payment Method will continue to be billed for the subscription until you cancel. After your initial subscription commitment period, and again after any subsequent subscription period, your subscription will automatically continue for an additional equivalent period, at the price you agreed to when subscribing. If you do not wish your subscription to renew automatically, or if you want to change or terminate your subscription, you will need to log in to your third party account (or Account Settings on Pawmates) and follow instructions to cancel your subscription, even if you have otherwise deleted your account with us or if you have deleted the Pawmates application from your device. Deleting your account on Pawmates or deleting the Pawmates application from your device does not cancel your subscription; Pawmates will retain all funds charged to your Payment Method until you cancel your subscription on Pawmates or the third party account, as applicable. If you cancel your subscription, you may use your subscription until the end of your then-current subscription term, and your subscription will not be renewed after your then-current term expires.

Additional Terms that apply if you pay Pawmates directly with your Payment Method. If you pay Pawmates directly, Pawmates may correct any billing errors or mistakes that it makes even if it has already requested or received payment. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, Pawmates may terminate your account immediately in its sole discretion.

You may edit your Payment Method information by visiting Pawmates and going to “My Profile.” If a payment is not successfully settled, due to expiration, insufficient funds, or otherwise, and you do not edit your Payment Method information or cancel your subscription, you remain responsible for any uncollected amounts and authorize us to continue billing the Payment Method, as it may be updated. This may result in a change to your payment billing dates. In addition, you authorize us to obtain updated or replacement expiration dates and card numbers for your credit or debit card as provided by your credit or debit card issuer. The terms of your payment will be based on your Payment Method and may be determined by agreements between you and the financial institution, credit card issuer or other provider of your chosen Payment Method. If you reside outside of the Americas, you agree that your payment to Pawmates will be through MTCH Technology Services Limited.

Virtual Items. From time to time, you may be able to purchase, a limited, personal, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable license to use “virtual items.” Any Virtual Item balance shown in your account does not constitute a real-world balance or reflect any stored value, but instead constitutes a measurement of the extent of your license. Virtual Items do not incur fees for non-use, however, the license granted to you in Virtual Items will terminate in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, when Pawmates ceases providing the Service or your account is otherwise closed or terminated. Pawmates, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to charge fees for the right to access or use Virtual Items and/ or may distribute Virtual Items with or without charge. Pawmates may manage, regulate, control, modify or eliminate Virtual Items at any time. Pawmates shall have no liability to you or any third party in the event that Pawmates exercises any such rights. Virtual Items may only be redeemed through the Service. ALL PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF VIRTUAL ITEMS MADE THROUGH THE SERVICE ARE FINAL AND NON-REFUNDABLE. The provision of Virtual Items for use in the Service is a service that commences immediately upon the acceptance of your purchase of such Virtual Items. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PAWMATES IS NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A REFUND FOR ANY REASON, AND THAT YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE MONEY OR OTHER COMPENSATION FOR UNUSED VIRTUAL ITEMS WHEN AN ACCOUNT IS CLOSED, WHETHER SUCH CLOSURE WAS VOLUNTARY OR INVOLUNTARY.

Refunds. Generally, all charges for purchases are nonrefundable, and there are no refunds or credits for partially used periods. We may make an exception if a refund for a subscription offering is requested within fourteen days of the transaction date, or if the laws applicable in your jurisdiction provide for refunds.

To request a refund:
If you subscribed using your Apple ID, refunds are handled by Apple, not Pawmates. To request a refund, go to iTunes, click on your Apple ID, select “Purchase history,” find the transaction and hit “Report Problem”. You can also submit a request at https://getsupport.apple.com.

If you subscribed using your Google Play Store account or through Pawmates directly: please contact customer support with your order number for the Google Play Store (you can find the order number in the order confirmation email or by logging in to Google Wallet) or Pawmates (you can find this on your confirmation email). You may also mail or deliver a signed and dated notice which states that you, the buyer, are canceling this agreement, or words of similar effect. Please also include the email address or telephone number associated with your account along with your order number. This notice shall be sent to: [email protected]

If you believe that your work has been copied and posted on the Service in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide our Copyright Agent with the following information:

  • an electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;
  • a description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed;
  • a description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the Service (and such description must be reasonably sufficient to enable us to find the alleged infringing material);
  • your contact information, including address, telephone number and email address;
  • a written statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
  • a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.

Notice of claims of copyright infringement should be provided to the Company’s Copyright Agent via email to [email protected] or by phone to 1-647-504-5720

Pawmates will terminate the accounts of repeat infringers.

PAWMATES PROVIDES THE SERVICE ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS AND TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, GRANTS NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE (INCLUDING ALL CONTENT CONTAINED THEREIN), INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. PAWMATES DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT (A) THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE OR ERROR FREE, (B) ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS IN THE SERVICE WILL BE CORRECTED, OR (C) THAT ANY CONTENT OR INFORMATION YOU OBTAIN ON OR THROUGH THE SERVICE WILL BE ACCURATE. PAWMATES TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY CONTENT THAT YOU OR ANOTHER USER OR THIRD PARTY POSTS, SENDS OR RECEIVES THROUGH THE SERVICE. ANY MATERIAL DOWNLOADED OR OTHERWISE OBTAINED THROUGH THE USE OF THE SERVICE IS ACCESSED AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK. PAWMATES DISCLAIMS AND TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY CONDUCT OF YOU, YOUR PET OR ANY OTHER USER, OR THEIR PET, ON OR OFF THE SERVICE.

The Service may contain advertisements and promotions offered by third parties and links to other web sites or resources. Pawmates is not responsible for the availability (or lack of availability) of such external websites or resources. If you choose to interact with the third parties made available through our Service, such party’s terms will govern their relationship with you. Pawmates is not responsible or liable for such third parties’ terms or actions.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL PAWMATES, ITS AFFILIATES, EMPLOYEES, LICENSORS OR SERVICE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR ENHANCED DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF PROFITS, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM: (I) YOUR ACCESS TO OR USE OF OR INABILITY TO ACCESS OR USE THE SERVICE; (II) THE CONDUCT OR CONTENT OF OTHER USERS OR THIRD PARTIES ON, THROUGH OR FOLLOWING USE OF THE SERVICE; OR (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS, USE OR ALTERATION OF YOUR CONTENT, EVEN IF PAWMATES HAS BEEN ADVISED AT ANY TIME OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL PAWMATES’S AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THIS AGREEMENT EXCEED THE AMOUNT PAID, IF ANY, BY YOU TO PAWMATES DURING THE TWENTY-FOUR (24) MONTH PERIOD IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE THAT YOU FIRST FILE A LAWSUIT, ARBITRATION OR ANY OTHER LEGAL PROCEEDING AGAINST PAWMATES, WHETHER IN LAW OR IN EQUITY, IN ANY TRIBUNAL. THE DAMAGES LIMITATION SET FORTH IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SENTENCE APPLIES (i) REGARDLESS OF THE GROUND UPON WHICH LIABILITY IS BASED (WHETHER DEFAULT, CONTRACT, TORT, STATUTE, OR OTHERWISE), (ii) IRRESPECTIVE OF THE TYPE OF BREACH OF OBLIGATIONS, AND (iii) WITH RESPECT TO ALL EVENTS, THE SERVICE, AND THIS AGREEMENT.

THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY PROVISIONS SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION 14 SHALL APPLY EVEN IF YOUR REMEDIES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT FAIL WITH RESPECT TO THEIR ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES, SO SOME OR ALL OF THE EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS IN THIS SECTION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Except where prohibited by applicable law:

  1. The exclusive means of resolving any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement (including any alleged breach thereof), or the Service, shall be BINDING ARBITRATION administered by the Arbitration Act of Ontario, or through the Small Claims court governed by the Small Claims Court of Ontario. But whether you choose arbitration or small claims court, you agree that you will not under any circumstances commence, maintain, or participate in any class action, class arbitration, or other representative action or proceeding against Pawmates.
  2. By accepting this Agreement, you agree to the Arbitration Agreement in this Section 15. In doing so, BOTH YOU AND PAWMATES GIVE UP THE RIGHT TO GO TO COURT to assert or defend any claims between you and Pawmates (except for matters that may be properly taken to a small claims court and are within such court’s jurisdiction). YOU ALSO GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION OR OTHER CLASS PROCEEDING, including, without limitation, any past, pending or future class actions.

Except where our arbitration agreement is prohibited by law, the laws of Ontario, Canada, without regard to its conflict of laws rules, shall apply to any disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Service, or your relationship with Pawmates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Arbitration Act of Ontario in Section 15 above shall be governed by the Arbitration Act of Ontario

Except where our arbitration agreement is prohibited by law, the laws of Ontario, Canada, without regard to its conflict of laws rules, shall apply to any disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Service, or your relationship with Pawmates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Arbitration Act of Ontario in Section 15 above shall be governed by the Arbitration Act of Ontario

You agree, to the extent permitted under applicable law, to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Pawmates, our affiliates, and their and our respective officers, directors, agents, and employees from and against any and all complaints, demands, claims, damages, losses, costs, liabilities and expenses, including attorney’s fees, due to, arising out of, or relating in any way to your access to or use of the Service, your Content, or your breach of this Agreement.

This Agreement, along with the Privacy Policy, the Safety Tips, and any terms disclosed to you if you purchase or have purchased additional features, products or services we offer on the Service, contains the entire agreement between you and Pawmates regarding your relationship with Pawmates and the use of the Service. If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid, the remainder of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect. The failure of Pawmates to exercise or enforce any right or provision of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. You agree that your Pawmates account is non-transferable and all of your rights to your account and its Content terminate upon your death. No agency, partnership, joint venture, fiduciary or other special relationship or employment is created as a result of this Agreement and you may not make any representations on behalf of or bind Pawmates in any manner.

Pawmates Privacy Policy

At Pawmates, your privacy and your pet’s privacy is a top priority. You and your pet’s privacy is at the core of the way we design and build the services and products you know and love, so that you can fully trust them and focus on building meaningful connections. We appreciate that you put your trust in us when you provide us with your information and we do not take this lightly. 

We design all of our products and services with your privacy in mind. We involve experts from various fields, including legal, security, engineering, product design and others to make sure that no decision is taken without respect for your privacy. 

Because we use many of the same online services you do, we know that insufficient information and overly complicated language are common issues in privacy policies. We take the exact opposite approach: we have written our Privacy Policy and related documents in plain language. We actually want you to read our policies and understand our privacy practices!

We have teams dedicated to keeping your data safe and secure. We constantly update our security practices and invest in our security efforts to enhance the safety of your information.

Welcome to Pawmates’s Privacy Policy. Thank you for taking the time to read it.

We appreciate that you trust us with you and your pet’s information and we intend to always keep that trust. This starts with making sure you understand the information we collect, why we collect it, how it is used and your choices regarding your information. This Policy describes our privacy practices in plain language, keeping legal and technical jargon to a minimum.

This Privacy Policy applies beginning July 20, 2019.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 20, 2019

  1. WHO WE ARE
  2. WHERE THIS PRIVACY POLICY APPLIES
  3. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
  4. COOKIES AND OTHER SIMILAR DATA COLLECTION TECHNOLOGIES
  5. HOW WE USE INFORMATION
  6. HOW WE SHARE INFORMATION
  7. CROSS-BORDER DATA TRANSFERS
  8. YOUR RIGHTS
  9. HOW WE PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION
  10. HOW LONG WE RETAIN YOUR INFORMATION
  11. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
  12. PRIVACY POLICY CHANGES
  13. HOW TO CONTACT US

The company responsible for your information is: Slopestyle Studios
Toronto, Ontario  [email protected]

This Privacy Policy applies to websites, apps, events and other services operated by Pawmates. For simplicity, we refer to all of these as our “services” in this Privacy Policy. To make it extra clear, we’ve added links to this Privacy Policy on all applicable services. Some services may require their own unique privacy policy. If a particular service has its own privacy policy, then that policy — not this Privacy Policy — applies.

It goes without saying, we can’t help you develop meaningful connections without some information about you, such as basic profile details and the types of people and pets you’d like to meet. We also collect information generated as you use our services, for example access logs, as well as information from third parties, like when you access our services through a social media account. If you want additional info, we go into more detail below.

Information you give us

You choose to give us certain information when using our services. This includes:

  • When you create an account, you provide us with at least your login credentials, as well as some basic details necessary for the service to work, such as your gender and date of birth.
  • When you complete your profile, you can share with us additional information, such as details on your personality, lifestyle, interests and other details about you, and your pet, as well as content such as photos and videos. To add certain content, like pictures or videos, you may allow us to access your camera or photo album. Some of the information you choose to provide us may be considered “special” or “sensitive” in certain jurisdictions, for example your racial or ethnic origins, sexual orientation and religious beliefs. By choosing to provide this information, you consent to our processing of that information.
  • When you subscribe to a paid service or make a purchase directly from us (rather than through a platform such as iOS or Android), you provide us or our payment service provider with information, such as your debit or credit card number or other financial information.
  • When you participate in surveys or focus groups, you give us your insights into our products and services, responses to our questions and testimonials.
  • When you choose to participate in our promotions, events or contests, we collect the information that you use to register or enter.
  • If you contact our customer care team, we collect the information you give us during the interaction. Sometimes, we monitor or record these interactions for training purposes and to ensure a high quality of service.
  • If you ask us to communicate with or otherwise process information of other people (for example, if you ask us to send an email on your behalf to one of your friends), we collect the information about others that you give us in order to complete your request.
  • Of course, we also process your chats with other users as well as the content you publish, as part of the operation of the services.

Information we receive from others

In addition to the information you provide us directly, we receive information about you from others, including:

  • Other Users and Their Pets
    Other users may provide information about you or your pets as they use our services. For instance, we may collect information about you from other users if they contact us about you or your pet(s).
  • Social Media
    You may be able to use your social media login to create and log into your Pawmates account. This saves you from having to remember yet another user name and password and allows you to share some information from your social media account with us.
  • Other Partners
    We may receive info about you from our partners, for instance where Pawmates ads are published on a partner’s websites and platforms (in which case they may pass along details on a campaign’s success).

Information collected when you use our services

When you use our services, we collect information about which features you’ve used, how you’ve used them and the devices you use to access our services. See below for more details:

  • Usage Information
    We collect information about your activity on our services, for instance how you use them (e.g., date and time you logged in, features you’ve been using, clicks and pages which have been shown to you, referring webpage address, advertising that you click on) and how you interact with other users (e.g., users you connect and interact with, time and date of your exchanges, number of messages you send and receive).
  • Device information
    We collect information from and about the device(s) you use to access our services, including:
    • hardware and software information such as IP address, device ID and type, device-specific and apps settings and characteristics, app crashes, advertising IDs (such as Google’s AAID and Apple’s IDFA, both of which are randomly generated numbers that you can reset by going into your device’ settings), browser type, version and language, operating system, time zones, identifiers associated with cookies or other technologies that may uniquely identify your device or browser (e.g., IMEI/UDID and MAC address);
    • information on your wireless and mobile network connection, like your service provider and signal strength;
    • information on device sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and compasses.
  • Other information with your consent
    If you give us permission, we can collect your precise geolocation (latitude and longitude) through various means, depending on the service and device you’re using, including GPS, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections. The collection of your geolocation may occur in the background even when you aren’t using the services if the permission you gave us expressly permits such collection. If you decline permission for us to collect your geolocation, we will not collect it.
    Similarly, if you consent, we may collect your photos and videos (for instance, if you want to publish a photo, video or streaming on the services).

We use and may allow others to use cookies and similar technologies (e.g., web beacons, pixels) to recognize you and/or your device(s). You may read our cookie policy for more information on why we use them (such as authenticating you, remembering your preferences and settings, analyzing site traffic and trends, delivering and measuring the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, allowing you to use social features) and how you can better control their use, through your browser settings and other tools.

Some web browsers (including Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome) have a “Do Not Track” (“DNT”) feature that tells a website that a user does not want to have his or her online activity tracked. If a website that responds to a DNT signal receives a DNT signal, the browser can block that website from collecting certain information about the browser’s user. Not all browsers offer a DNT option and DNT signals are not yet uniform. For this reason, many businesses, including Pawmates, do not currently respond to DNT signals

Since our goal is to help you make meaningful connections, the main sharing of users’ information is, of course, with other users. We also share some users’ information with service providers and partners who assist us in operating the services, with other Match Group companies and, in some cases, legal authorities. Read on for more details about how your information is shared with others.

  • With other users

You share information with other users when you voluntarily disclose information on the service (including your public profile). Please be careful with your information and make sure that the content you share is stuff that you’re comfortable being publically viewable since neither you nor we can control what others do with your information once you share it.

If you choose to limit the audience for all or part of your profile or for certain content or information about you, then it will be visible according to your settings.

  • With our service providers and partners

We use third parties to help us operate and improve our services. These third parties assist us with various tasks, including data hosting and maintenance, analytics, customer care, marketing, advertising, payment processing and security operations.

We may also share information with partners who distribute and assist us in advertising our services. For instance, we may share limited information on you in hashed, non-human readable form to advertising partners.

We follow a strict vetting process prior to engaging any service provider or working with any partner. All of our service providers and partners must agree to strict confidentiality obligations.

  • For corporate transactions

We may transfer your information if we are involved, whether in whole or in part, in a merger, sale, acquisition, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, bankruptcy or other change of ownership or control.

  • When required by law

We may disclose your information if reasonably necessary: (i) to comply with a legal process, such as a court order, subpoena or search warrant, government / law enforcement investigation or other legal requirements; (ii) to assist in the prevention or detection of crime (subject in each case to applicable law); or (iii) to protect the safety of any person.

  • To enforce legal rights

We may also share information: (i) if disclosure would mitigate our liability in an actual or threatened lawsuit; (ii) as necessary to protect our legal rights and legal rights of our users, business partners or other interested parties; (iii) to enforce our agreements with you; and (iv) to investigate, prevent, or take other action regarding illegal activity, suspected fraud or other wrongdoing.

  • With your consent or at your request

We may ask for your consent to share your information with third parties. In any such case, we will make it clear why we want to share the information.

We may use and share non-personal information (meaning information that, by itself, does not identify who you are such as device information, general demographics, general behavioral data, geolocation in de-identified form), as well as personal information in hashed, non-human readable form, under any of the above circumstances. We may also share this information with other Match Group companies and third parties (notably advertisers) to develop and deliver targeted advertising on our services and on websites or applications of third parties, and to analyze and report on advertising you see. We may combine this information with additional non-personal information or personal information in hashed, non-human readable form collected from other sources. More information on our use of cookies and similar technologies can be found in our cookie policy

Sharing of information laid out in Section 6 sometimes involves cross-border data transfers, for instance to the United States of America and other jurisdictions. As an example, where the service allows for users to be located in the European Economic Area (“EEA”), their personal information is transferred to countries outside of the EEA. We use standard contract clauses approved by the European Commission or other suitable safeguard to permit data transfers from the EEA to other countries. Standard contractual clauses are commitments between companies transferring personal data, binding them to protect the privacy and security of your data

We want you to be in control of your information, so we have provided you with the following tools:

  • Access / Update tools in the service. Tools and account settings that help you to access, rectify or delete information that you provided to us and that’s associated with your account directly within the service. If you have any question on those tools and settings, please contact our customer care team for help at [email protected]
  • Device permissions. Mobile platforms have permission systems for specific types of device data and notifications, such as phone book and location services as well as push notifications. You can change your settings on your device to either consent or oppose the collection of the corresponding information or the display of the corresponding notifications. Of course, if you do that, certain services may lose full functionality.
  • Deletion. You can delete your account by using the corresponding functionality directly on the service.

We want you to be aware of your privacy rights. Here are a few key points to remember:

  • Reviewing your information. Applicable privacy laws may give you the right to review the personal information we keep about you (depending on the jurisdiction, this may be called right of access, right of portability or variations of those terms). You can request a copy of your personal information by putting in such a request at [email protected]
  • Updating your information. If you believe that the information we hold about you is inaccurate or that we are no longer entitled to use it and want to request its rectification, deletion or object to its processing, please contact us at [email protected]

For your protection and the protection of all of our users, we may ask you to provide proof of identity before we can answer the above requests.

Keep in mind, we may reject requests for certain reasons, including if the request is unlawful or if it may infringe on trade secrets or intellectual property or the privacy of another user. If you wish to receive information relating to another user, such as a copy of any messages you received from him or her through our service, the other user will have to contact our Privacy Officer to provide their written consent before the information is released.

Also, we may not be able to accommodate certain requests to object to the processing of personal information, notably where such requests would not allow us to provide our service to you anymore. For instance, we cannot provide our service if we do not have your date of birth.

  • Uninstall. You can stop all information collection by an app by uninstalling it using the standard uninstall process for your device. If you uninstall the app from your mobile device, the unique identifier associated with your device will continue to be stored. If you re-install the application on the same mobile device, we will be able to re-associate this identifier to your previous transactions and activities.
  • Accountability. In certain countries, including in the European Union, you have a right to lodge a complaint with the appropriate data protection authority if you have concerns about how we process your personal information. The data protection authority you can lodge a complaint with notably may be that of your habitual residence, where you work or where we are established.

We work hard to protect you from unauthorized access to or alteration, disclosure or destruction of your personal information. As with all technology companies, although we take steps to secure your information, we do not promise, and you should not expect, that your personal information will always remain secure.

We regularly monitor our systems for possible vulnerabilities and attacks and regularly review our information collection, storage and processing practices to update our physical, technical and organizational security measures.

We may suspend your use of all or part of the services without notice if we suspect or detect any breach of security. If you believe that your account or information is no longer secure, please notify us immediately at [email protected]

We keep your personal information only as long as we need it for legitimate business purposes (as laid out in Section 5) and as permitted by applicable law. To protect the safety and security of our users on and off our services, we implement a safety retention window of three months following account deletion. During this period, account information will be retained although the account will of course not be visible on the services anymore.

In practice, we delete or anonymize your information upon deletion of your account (following the safety retention window) or after two years of continuous inactivity, unless:

  1. we must keep it to comply with applicable law (for instance, some “traffic data” is kept for one year to comply with statutory data retention obligations);
  2. we must keep it to evidence our compliance with applicable law (for instance, records of consents to our Terms, Privacy Policy and other similar consents are kept for five years);
  3. there is an outstanding issue, claim or dispute requiring us to keep the relevant information until it is resolved; or
  4. the information must be kept for our legitimate business interests, such as fraud prevention and enhancing users’ safety and security. For example, information may need to be kept to prevent a user who was banned for unsafe behavior or security incidents from opening a new account.

Keep in mind that even though our systems are designed to carry out data deletion processes according to the above guidelines, we cannot promise that all data will be deleted within a specific timeframe due to technical constraints.

Our services are restricted to users who are 18 years of age or older. We do not permit users under the age of 18 on our platform and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If you suspect that a user is under the age of 18, please use the reporting mechanism available through the service.

Because we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to help you build meaningful connections, this policy may change over time. We will notify you before any material changes take effect so that you have time to review the changes.

 

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, here’s how you can reach us: [email protected]

Safety Tips

Meeting new people and pets is an exciting thing, but you should always be cautious when interacting with people or animals you don’t know. Use your best judgment and put your safety and your pet’s safety first, whether you are exchanging initial messages or meeting in person. While you can’t control the actions of others or their pets, there are things you can do to help you stay safe during your Pawmates experience.

Online Safety

Never send money, especially over wire transfer, even if the person claims to be in an emergency. Wiring money is like sending cash — it’s nearly impossible to reverse the transaction or trace where the money went. Never share information that could be used to access your financial accounts. If another user asks you for money, report it to us immediately.

Never share personal information, such as your social security number, home or work address, or details about your daily routine (e.g., that you go to a certain gym every Monday) with people you don’t know. If you are a parent, limit the information that you share about your children on your profile and in early communications. Avoid sharing details such as your children’s names, where they go to school, or their ages or genders.

Keep conversations on the Pawmates platform while you’re getting to know someone. Users with bad intentions often try to move the conversation to text, messaging apps, email, or phone right away.

Watch out for scammers who claim to be from your country but stuck somewhere else, especially if they ask for financial help to return home. Be wary of anyone who will not meet in person or talk on a phone/video call—they may not be who they say they are. If someone is avoiding your questions or pushing for a serious relationship without meeting or getting to know you first — that’s a red flag.

You know when someone’s crossed the line and when they do, we want to know about it. Block and report anyone that violates our terms. Here are some examples of violations:

    • Requests for money or donations
    • Underage users
    • Harassment, threats, and offensive messages
    • Inappropriate or harmful behavior during or after meeting in person
    • Fraudulent profiles
    • Spam or solicitation including links to commercial websites or attempts to sell products or services

You can report any concerns about suspicious behavior from any profile page or messaging window or email [email protected].

Be sure to pick a strong password, and always be careful when logging into your account from a public or shared computer. Pawmates will never send you an email asking for your username and password information — if you receive an email asking for account information, report it immediately.

Meeting in Person

Take your time and get to know the other person before agreeing to meet or chat off Pawmates. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to screen for any red flags or personal dealbreakers. A phone or video call can be a useful screening tool before meeting.

Meet for the first few times in a populated, public place — never at your home, your date’s home, or any other private location. If your date pressures you to go to a private location, end the date.

  • Tell Friends and Family About Your Plans

Understand that some pets have more energy, play differently, or may be more dangerous than others. Some may not be friendly at all, especially to new people and animals. Be careful when meeting new animals, and make sure the owner says it’s okay before touching them or letting them interact with your pet. Keep a close watch over your pets at all times, especially when in a public place, or a place that could be dangerous to your pet (ie near traffic, near construction sites, etc). Never let any other person go somewhere with your pet without you present. Use your common sense and good judgement at all times.

We want you to be in control of how you get to and from your date so that you can leave whenever you want. If you’re driving yourself, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan such as a ride-share app or a friend to pick you up.

Be aware of the effects of drugs or alcohol on you specifically — they can impair your judgment and your alertness. If your date tries to pressure you to use drugs or drink more than you’re comfortable with, hold your ground and end the date.

Know where your drink comes from and know where it is at all times — only accept drinks poured or served directly from the bartender or server. Many substances that are slipped into drinks to facilitate sexual assault are odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Also, keep your phone, purse, wallet, and anything containing personal information on you at all times.

It’s okay to end the date early if you’re feeling uncomfortable. In fact, it’s encouraged. And if your instincts are telling you something is off or you feel unsafe, ask the bartender or server for help.

Be careful while traveling

We recognize and believe in the importance of being inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations, but the reality is this: nowhere in the world is without potential risk, and some countries have specific laws that target LGBTQ+ people.

Check out the laws around you when you travel to a new place and research what types of legal protection, if any, are available to you based on sexual orientation. In the event that you’re in unsafe territory, we suggest toggling off “Show me on Barkerchat” which you can find under the settings page.

If you have added a sexual orientation to your profile and choose to be shown on Pawmates, we will hide your sexual orientation from your profile until you leave that area.

It’s important to exercise extra caution if you choose to connect with new people in these countries – as some law enforcement have been known to use dating apps as tools for potential entrapment. Some countries have also recently introduced laws that criminalize communications between individuals on same-sex dating applications or websites and even aggravate penalties if that communication leads to sexual encounters.

Visit ILGA World to see the latest sexual orientation laws by country.

Source: ILGA World, Updated March 2019

When used correctly and consistently, condoms can significantly reduce the risk of contracting and passing on STI’s like HIV. But, be aware of STIs like herpes or HPV that can be passed on through skin-to-skin contact. The risk of contracting some STIs can be reduced through vaccination.

Not all STIs show symptoms, and you don’t want to be in the dark about your status. Stay on top of your health and prevent the spread of STIs by getting tested regularly. Here’s where you can find a clinic near you (US only).

Communication is everything: Before you get physically intimate with a partner, talk about sexual health and STI testing. And be aware — in some places, it’s actually a crime to knowingly pass on an STI. Need help starting the conversation? Here are some tips.

All sexual activity must start with consent and should include ongoing check-ins with your partner. Verbal communication can help you and your partner ensure that you respect each other’s boundaries. Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and sex is never owed to anyone. Do not proceed if your partner seems uncomfortable or unsure, or if your partner is unable to consent due to the effects of drugs or alcohol. Read more about it here.

Help, Support, and Advice

Remember — even if you follow these tips, no method of risk reduction is perfect. If you have a negative experience, please know that it is not your fault and help is available. Report any incidents to Pawmates. If you feel you are in immediate danger or need emergency assistance, call 911 (U.S. or Canada) or your local law enforcement agency.

  • Click here for information regarding international sexual orientation laws from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).

Pawmates FAQ

Pawmates is a social networking site that specially made for Dog and Dog owners. With the help of this app dogs and dog owners can meet new friends in their neighborhoods. Dog Owners can schedule play dates or find matches for a quick stroll in the park. Try it out and start meeting dog owners in your area today!

After signing up, start a search and see other dog owners in your area pop up. Swipe right if you’d like to connect or left if you dont.

It is totally free! No hidden fees, subscriptions or any payments or credit cards required

You can easily change the gender in your profile by going to the “Edit Profile” option in the user dropdown menu. Click on the “My Profile Description” link and select the right option from the drop-down menu. Remember to press “Update” after you make the change.

Yes, all users are verified by their phone numbers and must upload real photos of themselves. Just like many other social network sites, we work with you to identify fake, fraudulent or mischievous users so we recommend that you immediately report any user that suspect may be violating any of our terms and conditions. This is how we maintain the safety and security of the Pawmates community.

You can change the city listed in your profile by going to the “Edit Profile” option in the user extended toolbar on the mobile located on the right side of your screen when you’re logged in. From there, click on the “My Profile Description” link and select the correct option from the drop-down menu, or enter your zip code manually. Remember to push “Update” after you make the change.

In order to use Pawmates properly and find best match for your dog, as well as let your match find you, we ask that you complete a full profile about you and your dog.

You can change your contact preferences by going to the “My Account” option in the user dropdown menu located on the upper side of your screen when you’re logged in. Remember to press “Update” after you make changes.

Yes, you can choose whatever age group you like.

Yes you sure can, you can manually specify the location radius and it will automatically match you up with other users within the selected proximity.

Please inform us immediately by reporting the user and we will investigate the matter. We take such issues very serious in order to maintain the integrity of our product.

Just send us an email at [email protected] and we’ll take note of it. We take time to review all suggestions by users and whenever there’s a compelling demand for a feature we fast track it’s inclusion – so we encourage you to please please send as many suggestions as you like; it’s our job to listen.

Please send an email to [email protected] and we’ll respond within 24 hours and hopefully resolve your matter as well.

Yes you would, however all your history of chats and profile will be lost and you’d need to start new searches and barks from scratch. There’s no harm to keeping your account – Pawmates is completely free.

While we try to cover all known domestic breeds, we may not always have every single breed listed. You can send us an email if your breed isn’t listed and we’ll see what we can do to getting it included after some verification. In the mean time you can select “Other” option.

Messages with users who are online will have a ring around the users profile image. If the user is offline, there is no ring

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