This Privacy Policy outlines the privacy practices of Barkbus LLC (“Barkbus,” “we,” or “us”) in connection with the users of Barkbus’s websites and related applications involving data collection through the websites, mobile apps, and text messaging (collectively, the “Site” or “Website”).
We, Barkbus LLC, control the data collected and used through this Website. This Privacy Policy, which only applies to this particular Website, explains how we collect, use, and disclose information. We do not control any third-party actions, websites, content, or conduct (collectively, “Third-Party Websites”), regardless of whether those Third-Party Websites are linked to, redirected from, or accessible from the Website. Third-Party Platforms have separate privacy practices and policies, which may include separate third-party Cookies or similar technologies. If you choose to visit or use Third-Party Websites, including by clicking on links and getting redirected to Third-Party Websites, you assume all risk of doing so
This section describes when information is collected about you and other users of the Website.
Generally speaking, Barkbus collects personal information when users provide that information to us or the public, such as when a user searches on the Site or when you request an appointment and voluntarily provide information about yourself and your pet, such as your name and email address and/or your pet’s name. If you create and use an account, such as through your email, we may collect related information made available by third parties, as described below; and if you request an appointment, we collect information related to your activity. Barkbus collects other types of information, such as device, internet, and geolocation information from technical processes, such as when you access the Site and your browser sends device and/or internet information. Barkbus may also collect information you provide to us and content you make public outside of the Website, such as when you contact us through customer service or social media, for example by posting a review about Barkbus or tagging Barkbus in your own post. The information collected off the Website may be combined with that collected through the Website.
Barkbus, like many websites, uses "Cookies" (files that are placed on your computer or electronic device when you visit a website), web beacons, and similar technologies. These allow us to gather technical device, internet connection, internet activity, and geolocation information. Barkbus may use the following types of Cookies, which may include Cookies that we or third parties place, to customize and streamline your experience, for example to remember your search terms and advertise relevant content to you. When you use a website, certain technical information can be automatically collected. Here are different types of Cookies used: (1) Necessary Cookies are essential in order for the Website to display and perform properly. Necessary Cookies are used, for example, to identify you or prevent security risks. (2) Preferences Cookies are used to store preferences set by you, such as your language preferences. Preferences Cookies improve your experience using the Website. (3) Analytics and Performance Cookies collect information on how you and other users interact with the Website. Often, this information is aggregated and is used to improve the Website. (4) Advertising Cookies allow us and others to deliver, for example, ads that may be of interest to you; and we use Cookies to provide account features and to assist with tracking your pet information. We may also use Cookies and web beacons, including those placed by third parties, to deliver Personalized Ads that may be of interest to you. We may also use a web beacon in email messages sent to track your response. Cookies and web beacons also help us and our third-party advertising partners ensure you do not see the same advertisements over and over and to identify and block unwanted ads. We also use these tracking tools to better understand your behaviors and browsing activities and to generate inference information.
Barkbus may also use third-party Cookies to improve the Site and your user experience and advertise offers of interest to you. In other words, your information may be shared with these third parties and vice versa. For example, the Site contains third-party Cookies to collect information, analyze aggregate activity, and show personalized ads.
You can change your Cookie settings in your internet browser (e.g., Chrome, Edge, Firefox), but you risk that some of the features of the Website may not function correctly. For more information, see https://www.allaboutcookies.org/
You can also obtain information at these websites:
This section describes the categories of information that we collect through the Website.
As an initial matter, we collect information when you provide it to us over the Website, including when you request an appointment and provide your name and email address. If you create or use an account, such as through your email, we may collect information relating to your sign-in/up (such as your first and last name, email address(es), your pet’s name and social/vaccination history, etc.) and we collect information related to your activity.
Barkbus may also collect information from you that you voluntarily upload for public display, such as when you post a review or comment. Once you submit information publicly, neither you nor Barkbus is able to control how it may be copied, shared, or used by other parties, even if you later want to try to delete it. In other words, you should carefully consider what to make public in the first place.
When you use the Website, we automatically gather information made available by your web browser (such as Google Chrome), internet service provider (such as Comcast), and device (such as your computer or phone), depending on your settings for each. For example, we may collect your IP address, navigation and click-stream data, browser type, browser version, information about the operating system or type of device you use, the device ID associated with your device, the date and time you access the Website, and your login attempts, the pages of our Website that you visit, the time spent on those pages, your mobile operating system, and unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data. We may also gather certain information automatically and store it in log files, including IP addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and clickstream data. Likewise, we may also collect information about your browsing history, search history, and information regarding your interaction with a particular website, application, or advertisement, including the Website. We may collect information regarding the website, application, or advertisement you visited immediately before and after your use of the Website. Further, we may collect information about where you are located. For example, we may collect your approximate location from your IP address.
Before, during, and immediately after your pet’s appointment with us if you book grooming services, we may photograph your pet (unless you opted out ahead of time by emailing legal@barkbus.com to request that we not photograph your pet).
From time to time, we may collect other information from you, such as when you request assistance through our customer service department. Barkbus may also create new information about you by drawing inferences from the information identified in the categories listed above.
This section describes how your personal information may be used.
When Barkbus uses your information for a “Business Purpose,” it means such use is reasonably necessary and proportionate to achieve an operational purpose of Barkbus. When Barkbus uses your information for a “Commercial Purpose,” it means such use is intended to advance Barkbus’s business interests, such as by showing Website offers. Barkbus only processes your information to the extent that is necessary to accomplish the below-referenced Business and Commercial Purposes, which serves as our legitimate interest.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; information about your device/internet or geolocation.
To Operate Our Website. Barkbus uses the information that you provide to us or the public to maintain our Website and services, including to process your requests and to provide the features of the Site.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; information about your device/internet or geolocation; inference or other information.
To Improve Our Services. Barkbus uses information that you provide to us or the public to improve our offerings and services. For example, if consumers repeatedly make the same recommendation, or if we collect aggregate information through the use of Cookies, we may use that in adding new services or features through the Site.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; information about your device/internet or geolocation; inference or other information.
To Personalize Your User Experience and Communicate with You. We use information gathered from Cookies to make it so you don’t have to reenter the same information when you visit the Website several times within a short timeframe. We use information about your account and pet information to allow you to request online bookings more easily. We also use information that you provide to us in communicating with you and, if applicable, we may use your information to notify you of legal requirements or updates to the Terms or this Privacy Policy.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; information about your device/internet or geolocation; inference or other information.
For Aggregate Data. Barkbus may combine your information with that of other users to create “Aggregate Data”—namely, statistical information about all users or a subset thereof. Aggregate Data is pseudonymized and deidentified, i.e., it cannot be used to identify, relate to, describe, be capable of being associated with, or be linked, directly or indirectly, to a particular consumer, including you. Aggregate Data may be used by Barkbus for the Business and Commercial Purposes listed in this Privacy Policy.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; information about your device/internet or geolocation; inference or other information.
For Security. Barkbus uses the information we collect from you and other users to detect security incidents, protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity, and to identify and prosecute those responsible for that activity.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; information about your device/internet or geolocation; inference or other information.
To Advertise to You. We may use information about your account and pet information to email you relevant content. We may also use information gathered through Cookies and web beacons, including those placed by third parties, to deliver ads to you via the Website, and after you’ve left the Website, including advertising specific to your personal interests. Similarly, we may use this information to draw inferences or create a profile about you. The purpose of “Personalized Ads,” “retargeting,” or “remarketing” is to deliver content and advertising that is of interest to you, and to avoid displaying irrelevant advertising to you. For more information, please see:
www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/your-ad-choices
www.networkadvertising.org/choices
www.aboutads.info/choices
Information you make public (which is not “personal information”); photographs taken of your pet; information about your pet.
To Advertise. We may share your publicly available information, such as a public review or comment, to advertise, such as on the Site or social media.
This section describes how your information may be disclosed or shared with third parties. When Barkbus shares your information for a “Business Purpose,” it means such use is reasonably necessary and proportionate to achieve an operational purpose of Barkbus. When Barkbus shares your information for a “Commercial Purpose,” it means such disclosure is intended to advance Barkbus’s business interests, such as by advertising to you. Please note that we do not “sell” your personal information to third parties.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; information about your device/internet or geolocation.
Legal Obligations. We may disclose information to comply with Barkbus’s legal obligations and to prevent illegal or harmful misconduct.
Public Entities or Private Parties in Connection with Legal Obligations. Barkbus may share information in response to subpoenas, court orders, and other valid legal processes. We may also share information, where required, to local authorities, such as reporting to animal control services if your pet causes a bite that breaks the skin. Further, if we believe it is necessary to prevent illegal or harmful misconduct, we may share information as needed.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; information about your device/internet or geolocation; inference or other information.
To Protect Your Pet and Others. We may disclose information about you and/or your pet if we are required to obtain veterinary care for your pet, if your pet escapes while in our care, if your pet is involved with an incident causing injury or damage to property, and/or if we are forced to relinquish your pet to another party’s care (such as if you fail to retrieve your pet after a grooming appointment).
Public Entities or Private Parties in Connection with Incidents. Barkbus may share information with third parties in making and/or responding to incident reports, such as police officers and veterinarians. In rare cases, we may share information with third parties who have suffered an injury (to themselves or their pets) or property damage as a result of your pet’s actions. Further, if we believe it is necessary to prevent illegal or harmful misconduct, we may share information as needed.
Information you provide or make public; information about your account and pet information; photographs of your pet; information about your device/internet or geolocation; inference or other information.
To Operate and Improve Our Website and Services. We may disclose information for purposes related to our Site, such as to provide information to service providers, for security purposes, to personalize user experience, and to analyze aggregate data.
Affiliated Entities, Providers, Service Providers, Affiliated Entities, Successor Entities. We disclose information to service providers as applicable to the services on the Site. We will also share your pet information with our employees/agents who will be providing you with pet grooming services. Further, for example, if we are subject to an acquisition, merger, sale, or other change of control or business entity status, we reserve the right to transfer or assign your information as part of that acquisition, merger, or sale.
Information you make public (which is not “personal information”); information about your pet; photographs of your pet.
Ads to Others. We may disclose public information in marketing or advertising efforts to others.
The Public. We may share content you make public and/or photographs and information about your pet to advertise and market our Website and the Services. For example, if you post a review, we may use that on our Site or in our social media pages.
Information you provide or make public; information about your device/internet or geolocation; inference or other information.
Ads to You. We may disclose information to advertise to you, such as through personalized advertisements.
Advertisers. We may share information as necessary to advertising partners. For example, we may share information gathered through Cookies and tracking technology to allow an advertising partner to advertise offers that may be of interest to you.
We process and transfer data to the United States. Barkbus uses reasonable security measures and tools (such as SSL encryption and HTTPS protocol) that are designed to be a security safeguard. While we review our security procedures and take data security seriously, no system or website can be 100% secure. In other words, you should not expect that information communicated over our Site or the internet generally will be secure. You are responsible for maintaining the security and confidentiality of your account credentials and should notify us as soon as possible if you believe there has been a security breach.
Barkbus will retain your information for the length of time necessary to fulfill the Business Purposes and Commercial Purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy.
Certain users have rights to access and/or delete information that we have collected, used, or disclosed. If you have a specific request to access, correct, or delete your information, including a request to delete your account or pet information, please contact us by filling out a Contact Form or contacting us at legal@barkbus.com. To protect user privacy and security, we will verify your identity before substantively responding to a request about personal user information.
California law provides the right to request the following:
California law also provides the right to request that Barkbus delete any personal information that we have collected from you.
Further, under California’s “Shine the Light” law, California residents who provide personal information may request information regarding disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.
If you reside in a location governed by the GDPR, then the following are Barkbus’s legal bases for the processing of your information: Art. 6(1) lit. a GDPR, Art. 6(1) lit. b GDPR, Art. 6(1) lit. c GDPR, Art. 6(1) lit. d GDPR, and Art 6(1) lit. f GDPR.
Please note that Barkbus does not currently respond to DNT requests (DNT is a feature offered by some browsers which, when enabled, sends a signal to websites to request that your browsing is not tracked).
Barkbus will never knowingly collect personal information about children under the age of 13. Because we do not collect such information about children, we have no such information to use or to disclose to third parties. If we obtain actual knowledge that we have collected personal information about children under the age of 13, we will immediately delete that information from our database.
When you give us your email address or email us, or if you create and use an account on the Site, you consent to receive emails from us, including advertising messages and offers that may be of interest to you. Providing consent to promotional emails is not a condition of purchasing anything from Barkbus. You can always opt-out of receiving advertising emails by following the instructions in each email or by contacting us at legal@barkbus.com. Please note that, even if you unsubscribe from advertising emails, we may still send you any necessary, non-promotional emails, such as updates to our Privacy Policy and Terms.
The Website contains a Contact Form. You can also contact us at legal@barkbus.com. We may store information gathered relating to your requests or communications or disclose it if needed to process your request.
The posted version of this Privacy Policy on the Website is the current version, and if any modifications are made, we will post the then-current version on the Website. Any modified Privacy Policy will only apply as of the effective date of the Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy was last updated on January 5th, 2021.
