Who we are
4PAWFRIEND LTD ("4 Paw Friend", "we"), Company No. 16217519, registered in England & Wales. We provide dog walking, daycare, overnight care and related pet care services in South London, including through our website and the 4 Paw Friend mobile app (book.4pawfriend.co.uk). We are the data controller for the personal data described below. Contact: bookings@4pawfriend.co.uk.
What we collect
- Account & contact details — your name, email address, phone number, address and postcode.
- Dog details — your dog's name, breed, photo and any behavioural or medical information you share so we can care for them safely.
- Bookings & billing — your booking history, invoices and payment status. We never see or store your card or bank credentials: payments are processed by GoCardless Ltd, an FCA-authorised payment institution, inside your own banking app.
- Walk photos — photos our team takes of your dog during services, shared with you in the app and automatically deleted 14 days after the walk.
- Messages — communications you send us by email or WhatsApp.
The app does not access your device's camera, photo library, contacts or precise location.
Why we use it (legal bases)
- To provide our services (performance of contract) — managing bookings, run scheduling, invoicing and payment collection.
- To communicate with you (performance of contract / legitimate interests) — booking confirmations, payment links and reminders, service updates.
- To meet legal obligations — accounting and tax records.
- Marketing of our own services (consent / legitimate interests) — only where permitted; your dog will never be featured publicly if you ask us not to.
Who we share it with
We never sell your data. We share it only with service providers who help us operate, under their own data protection obligations: Supabase (secure database hosting), Netlify (website hosting), GoCardless (payments), Resend (email delivery), Twilio (WhatsApp messages), and Google/Expo (app distribution and infrastructure). Some providers process data outside the UK under appropriate safeguards (UK GDPR-compliant transfer mechanisms).
How long we keep it
- Walk photos — deleted automatically 14 days after the walk.
- Booking and invoice records — up to 6 years (HMRC requirement).
- Account details — for as long as you hold an account, then deleted on request.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR you can request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data; object to or restrict processing; and request portability. Email bookings@4pawfriend.co.uk and we'll respond within one month. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk).
Security & children
All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS) and stored with access controls; payment credentials never touch our systems. Our services and app are intended for adults aged 18 and over; we do not knowingly collect data from children.
Changes
We may update this policy from time to time; the current version always lives at this address. Material changes will be flagged in the app.