PetsCareWiki ("we", "our", "us") operates petscarewiki.com (the "Site"). This policy explains what information we collect from visitors and how we use it.
1. Information We Collect
Automatically collected: IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, time spent on pages, and approximate geographic location (country/region level).
Cookies and local storage: Essential cookies for site functionality and, where applicable, analytics cookies to understand how visitors use the Site.
Chat interactions: If you engage the virtual assistant widget, your messages and session ID are processed by our technology partner (Fersify) to provide real-time responses. No email or phone is required to use the chat.
Contact submissions: If you email us, we retain your message and email address only to respond.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (see Section 8).
2. How We Use Information
To operate and improve the Site (content relevance, navigation, page speed).
To measure traffic patterns and popular topics (aggregate, not individual tracking).
To prevent abuse, fraud, and security incidents.
To respond to inquiries you send us.
To comply with applicable laws.
We do not sell personal information to third parties.
3. Cookies and Tracking
We use a minimal set of cookies:
Strictly necessary: session identifiers, security tokens, and preferences (language, theme).
Analytics (if enabled): aggregate metrics such as page views and bounce rates. These identifiers are anonymized where possible.
Advertising (if enabled): If we display third-party ads (e.g., Google AdSense) in the future, those providers may use cookies to show relevant ads. You can opt out via aboutads.info/choices or youronlinechoices.eu.
You can disable cookies in your browser settings; some Site features may not work as intended.
4. Third-Party Services
The Site may use these third parties. Each operates under its own privacy policy.
Cloudflare — content delivery and DDoS protection. Policy.
Google AdSense (if enabled) — contextual ads. Ad policy.
Google Analytics (if enabled) — aggregated traffic metrics with IP anonymization.
5. Your Rights (GDPR / CCPA)
Depending on your location, you may have the right to:
Access the data we hold about you.
Request correction or deletion of that data.
Object to or restrict processing.
Request data portability.
Opt out of the "sale" of personal information (we do not sell).
Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (EU residents).
To exercise these rights, email privacy@petscarewiki.com.
6. Data Retention
Analytics data is retained up to 26 months. Contact-form data is retained only as long as needed to respond and then deleted. Chat messages are retained up to 90 days for quality and abuse prevention.
7. Security
We use HTTPS, secure servers, and encrypted backups. No system is 100% secure; if we ever detect a breach that affects your data, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law.
8. Children's Privacy (COPPA)
The Site is intended for audiences 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
9. International Users
The Site is hosted in the United States. If you access from outside the US, you understand your information may be transferred to and processed in the US, which may have different data protection laws than your country.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top. Material changes will be announced prominently on the Site for 30 days.
11. Contact
Privacy questions: privacy@petscarewiki.com General contact: hello@petscarewiki.com