The fine print
Privacy policy
Plain-English draft | Last updated: May 2026 | Legal review required before going live with real user data
Who we are
Pawsitive Match is an Australian online platform that helps people find rescue dogs that match their lifestyle. It is operated by Luan Child (ABN pending), based in Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.
Contact: pawsitivematchgc@gmail.com
What data we collect and why
Adopters (people looking for a dog)
Quiz responses We collect the answers you give in our matching quiz — things like your living situation, activity level, experience with dogs, and household. This data is used solely to generate your match results. Your answers are kept in your own browser (and in the web address of your results page, so you can bookmark or share it). They are not sent to our servers unless you choose to attach them to an enquiry.
Enquiries When you enquire about a dog we collect your name, email, suburb, message and, optionally, your phone number, age group, household description and quiz answers. We store this so the rescue group caring for that dog can read it and reply. Only that rescue group and the Pawsitive Match team can see it.
Shortlist Dogs you "heart" are saved in your own browser only. We never see them.
Contact messages and rescue applications When you use the contact form or apply to list a rescue, we receive your name, email, message and (for rescues) organisation details so we can reply. These are stored with our form provider, Netlify, and are never shared or used for marketing.
Account data (if you create an account) If we introduce adopter accounts in the future, we'll collect your email address and a password hash. We'll update this policy when that feature launches.
Usage analytics We use privacy-friendly analytics (Plausible or Google Analytics 4) to understand how people use the site — page views, quiz completion rates, general location (country/state level only). We do not track individuals across the web.
Rescue organisations
Organisation profile Your rescue group's name, contact email, physical state/region, and a short description. This is publicly visible on your rescue profile.
Dog profiles Dog names, breeds, ages, temperament descriptions, and photos you upload. This is publicly visible to adopters.
Account credentials Your email address and a hashed password for portal login. Never stored in plain text.
Adoption enquiries When an adopter sends an enquiry about one of your dogs, we pass their message to you. We store these enquiries in your dashboard so you can manage them.
What we don't collect
- We do not collect adopters' names or contact details unless they voluntarily provide them in an enquiry message.
- We do not collect financial information. Payment processing (if you subscribe to a paid tier) is handled entirely by Stripe — we never see your card details.
- We do not collect government IDs, driver's licences, or any identity verification documents.
- We do not build advertising profiles. We run no ads, and we do not share data with ad networks.
How we use your data
| Purpose | Lawful basis (Australian Privacy Act) |
|---|---|
| Generating match results for adopters | Legitimate interest / provision of service |
| Displaying dog profiles to adopters | Legitimate interest / provision of service |
| Processing rescue portal logins | Contract performance |
| Processing subscription payments (via Stripe) | Contract performance |
| Sending transactional emails (enquiry notifications) | Contract performance |
| Improving the platform (aggregated analytics) | Legitimate interest |
| Applying for grants (aggregated, anonymised welfare statistics) | Legitimate interest |
We do not sell your data. Ever.
Who we share data with
Stripe — payment processing for rescue subscriptions. Stripe is PCI-DSS compliant. We pass only the minimum data required to process a payment.
Resend / email provider — transactional email delivery (enquiry notifications, account confirmation). Your email address is shared only to the extent required to deliver the email.
Hosting providers (Vercel or Netlify) — our website and any server-side functions run on these platforms. Your data may be stored on servers located in the United States or other countries. Both providers have GDPR/Australian Privacy Act-compatible data handling practices.
No one else. We do not share individual data with rescue groups other than the rescue group directly involved in an enquiry, and we do not share data with government agencies unless legally required.
Data aggregation and research
We may publish aggregated, fully anonymised statistics about platform use — for example: "86% of quiz-takers matched with a dog in their region" or "adoption return rates for Pawsitive Match placements vs the national average." No individual or organisation can be identified from these statistics.
If we publish such statistics in grant applications, academic papers, or media, individual rescue names and adopter data are never included.
Data retention
Quiz responses (no account): Not stored after the session ends.
Adopter accounts: Retained while your account is active. You can request deletion at any time by emailing pawsitivematchgc@gmail.com — we will remove your data within 30 days.
Rescue portal data: Retained while your account is active. On account closure, your rescue profile and dog listings are removed from public display within 7 days. Adoption enquiry history is retained for 90 days for handover purposes, then deleted.
Payment records: Retained for 7 years as required by Australian tax law.
Your rights
Under the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (and, where applicable, the GDPR), you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Correct any inaccurate data
- Delete your data (subject to legal retention obligations above)
- Complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if you believe we have handled your data unlawfully
To exercise any of these rights, email pawsitivematchgc@gmail.com with the subject line "Privacy request." We will respond within 30 days.
Cookies
We use only essential cookies (session management for the rescue portal login) and analytics cookies (if using Google Analytics — anonymised). We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.
Children
Pawsitive Match is not directed at people under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal data to us, contact pawsitivematchgc@gmail.com and we will delete it promptly.
Changes to this policy
We will notify registered rescue groups by email of any material changes to this policy at least 14 days before they take effect. Changes are also logged in the footer of the live site with a version date.
Contact
Luan Child — Pawsitive Match
pawsitivematchgc@gmail.com
Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
This is a plain-English draft. It is not legal advice. Have a qualified Australian privacy solicitor review this before you begin collecting real user data.