Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Contact Information: Name and email when you contact us or submit parks
• Park Submissions: Details about dog parks you submit to our directory
• Reviews: Content you post in reviews and ratings (if implemented)
• Communications: Messages you send through our contact forms

Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent, and interaction patterns
• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, and screen resolution
• Location Data: Approximate location for nearby park suggestions (with your permission)
• Analytics: Aggregated usage statistics to improve our service

How We Use Your Information

• Provide and maintain our dog park directory service
• Process park submissions and updates
• Respond to your questions and support requests
• Send important service updates and notifications
• Improve our website functionality and user experience
• Analyze usage patterns to enhance our services
• Prevent fraud and ensure service security

Information Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information only in these limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: Trusted partners who help operate our website (hosting, analytics)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our legal rights
• Public Information: Park details and reviews you choose to make public
• Aggregated Data: Non-personal usage statistics and trends

Third-Party Services

Our website uses the following third-party services:

• Google Maps: For displaying maps and park locations
• Google Analytics: For understanding website usage (anonymized)
• Hosting Services: For website infrastructure and performance

These services may collect information as described in their own privacy policies.

Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information:

• Secure data transmission using encryption (HTTPS)
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• Limited access to personal information by authorized personnel only
• Secure hosting infrastructure with backup systems

Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we have about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications
• Location: Control location sharing through your browser settings

To exercise these rights, please contact us.

Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Contact information: Until you request deletion
• Park submissions: Indefinitely as part of our public directory
• Usage analytics: Aggregated data retained for service improvement
• Support communications: 2 years for service quality purposes

Children's Privacy

OnlyBarks.org is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy periodically. We will notify users of significant changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last updated" date. Continued use of our service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.