Privacy Policy
Last updated: 15 May 2026
1. Who We Are
AnimalBond is a digital platform for animal adoption and care, accessible at animalbond.club and through the AnimalBond mobile app. The personal data controller is AnimalBond (contact: animalbond.club/contact).
This policy applies to all users of the AnimalBond platform (website and mobile app) and describes how we collect, use and protect your personal data, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).
2. What Data We Collect and Why
2.1 Account Data
At registration we collect: email address, name/username and password (stored exclusively in encrypted, irreversible form). Optionally, you may add a phone number. Legal basis: performance of contract (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR).
2.2 Profile Data
You may complete your profile with: country of residence, preferred language, profile photo and chosen role (adopter, giver, shelter, partner). This data is necessary for the matching service and listing filters. Legal basis: performance of contract.
2.3 Listings and Photos
When you post an adoption, sale or lost/found listing, we collect: animal photos, description, location (county/city) and approximate GPS coordinates. Exact coordinates are not displayed publicly — the platform uses an approximate location (~2 km radius) to protect your real address. Legal basis: performance of contract.
2.4 Messages and Communication
Messages sent between users through the platform's chat system are stored to allow conversation continuation and for user safety (abuse detection). Legal basis: performance of contract and legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
2.5 Usage Data
We collect information about your interactions with the platform: preferences (likes/dislikes), reports submitted, testimonials published. This data is used to improve the matching algorithm and service. Legal basis: legitimate interest.
2.6 Technical Data
By simply using the platform, our servers automatically process: IP address, device type, browser, date and time of access. This data is necessary for the security and technical operation of the service. Legal basis: legitimate interest.
2.7 Payment Data
If you make a donation through the platform, payment is processed exclusively by Stripe, Inc. AnimalBond never stores your bank card details. We only receive payment confirmation and amount. Legal basis: performance of contract.
3. How We Use Your Data
- Providing and improving AnimalBond platform services
- Authenticating and securing your account
- Displaying listings and calculating compatibility scores (matching)
- Sending relevant notifications about your activity (email)
- Preventing fraud, abuse and illegal activities
- Complying with applicable legal obligations
We do not use your data for behavioural advertising and never sell it to third parties.
4. Who We Share Data With
Your data is accessed only by the platform operator and the technical service providers necessary for AnimalBond to operate:
| Provider | Purpose | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase, Inc. | Database & authentication | USA / EU |
| Vercel, Inc. | Web hosting | USA / EU |
| Stripe, Inc. | Payment processing | USA |
| Resend, Inc. | Email sending | USA |
| Expo (Expo Go) | Mobile app distribution | USA |
All providers above are certified or compliant with GDPR requirements for data transfers outside the EU (Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent mechanisms).
Data may be disclosed to public authorities only when required by law.
5. How Long We Keep Data
- Account data: for the lifetime of the account + 30 days after deletion
- Listings: until expiry or deletion by the user
- Messages: 12 months from the date sent
- Technical data (logs): maximum 90 days
- Payment data: as required by tax law (5 years)
6. Your Rights (GDPR)
As a data subject, you have the following rights:
- Right of access — you may request a copy of your data
- Right to rectification — you may correct incorrect data directly from your profile
- Right to erasure — you may delete your account and associated data
- Right to data portability — you may request your data in a structured format
- Right to restriction of processing — in the cases provided by GDPR
- Right to object — to processing based on legitimate interest
- Right to withdraw consent — at any time, without negative consequences
To exercise any right, contact us via animalbond.club/contact. We respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority.
7. Cookies and Local Storage
The AnimalBond website uses a minimal number of strictly necessary cookies:
- preferred_country — stores the selected country (30 days, stored locally)
- ab_lang — stores the preferred language (local browser storage)
- Authentication session — necessary for maintaining login state
We do not use tracking, advertising or third-party analytics cookies.
8. Minors
The AnimalBond platform is intended for persons aged at least 16. We do not intentionally collect data from minors under this age. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a minor has created an account, please contact us via animalbond.club/contact and we will immediately delete the relevant data.
9. Data Security
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data: encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), passwords stored exclusively as hash (bcrypt), restricted database access, approximate GPS locations (not exact) for public listings, and rate limiting on messages to prevent abuse.
10. Policy Changes
We may update this policy periodically. Significant changes will be communicated by email or a visible notice in the app. The date of the last update is shown at the top of this page. Continued use of the platform after a change constitutes acceptance of the new policy.
11. Contact
For any questions about the processing of your personal data: