Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Pet Panic Button ("we," "our," or "us"), developed in partnership with Bayvets Runaway Bay, is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and website (collectively, the "Service").

We comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and applicable data protection laws. Professional indemnity insurance coverage for this Service is provided through Bayvets Runaway Bay Pty Ltd.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Email address, name (optional), and password when you create an account
• Pet Profiles: Your pet's name, species (dog/cat), breed, date of birth or age, sex, and weight, plus any microchip number, medical history, current medications, and insurance provider and policy number you choose to share. If you are signed in, we keep a copy of these on our servers, so your pets are still there if you lose or replace your phone. If you are not signed in, we do not save your pet's profile. Your pet's name, species, breed and age are still sent to us each time you save a profile, so we can monitor that the app is working. We show these on an internal screen as they arrive and do not keep them. Profile photos stay on your device either way. Deleting your account deletes these profiles from our servers and from your phone.
• Triage Assessments: Symptoms, observations, photos, and videos you submit during assessments
• Phone Number: Only if you ask a clinic to call you when you send them your case. We save it to your account and share it with that clinic so they can call you. Deleting your account deletes it, or email us to remove it.
• Pet Insurance: Whether your pet is insured, if you answer that question when you send a case. We save your answer to your account and share it with the clinic, which uses it to judge what treatment options to offer.
• Communication: Messages you send to our support team
• Payment Information: Purchases in the app go through Apple's App Store, and credit packs bought on our website go through Stripe. We never see or store your card details.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Location: With your permission, your phone's location when you run a triage or search for vets, or a place you type in instead. We use it to find clinics near you. A clinic you send a case to sees only how far away you are.
• Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers
• Usage Data: How you interact with the Service, features used, time spent on screens
• Crash Reports: Technical information if the app crashes, used solely for improving stability

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and maintain the triage assessment Service
• Generate personalised health recommendations for your pet
• Find veterinary clinics near you and send your case to the clinic you choose
• Store your pet's triage history for your reference
• Process subscriptions and payments
• Send important updates about the Service
• Improve and optimise our algorithms and user experience
• Respond to your support requests
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Data Storage and Security

We take the security of your data seriously:

• Where Your Data Is Kept: Your triage assessments, and the photos and videos you add to them, are stored on our servers. If you sign in, your pet profiles and phone number are stored there too. Pet profile photos stay on your phone.
• Encryption: All data transmitted to our servers uses TLS 1.3 encryption
• Server Security: When data is synced, it is stored on secure servers with industry-standard protections
• Access Controls: Only authorised personnel have access to user data, on a need-to-know basis

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

• With Your Consent: When you send your case to a clinic. The clinic sees your pet's name, species and breed, your name, whether your pet is insured, the main finding, and how far away you are. If they open your full case, they also see your answers, photos and videos, and your phone number if you asked them to call you.
• Service Providers: Trusted third parties who help us operate the Service (e.g., hosting, analytics), bound by confidentiality
• Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order, or to protect our rights or safety
• Aggregated Data: De-identified, aggregated data may be used for research to improve veterinary care (no individual identification)

6. Your Rights and Choices

Under Australian Privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Export: Export your pet profiles and assessment history
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time

To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected]privacy[at]thepetpanicbutton[dot]com or use the in-app settings.

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not directed to children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 16, please contact us immediately.

8. Third-Party Services

Our Service may use the following third-party services:

• Apple App Store: For app distribution and payment processing
• Analytics: Anonymous usage analytics to improve the Service (with data minimisation)
• Crash Reporting: To identify and fix technical issues

These services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review them.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. Upon account deletion request, we will delete or anonymise your data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., preventing fraud).

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than Australia. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy in the app and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

13. Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you may lodge a complaint with us. We will investigate and respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.