Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

We collect information to provide and improve our veterinary price comparison services:

• Account Information: Email address, name, and password when you create an account (optional for browsing)
• Clinic Search Data: Cities, clinic names, and procedures you search for to provide relevant results
• Bill Submissions: Anonymously submitted veterinary bills (images/PDFs) used to improve pricing data transparency
• Usage Data: The pages you visit, the website or ad campaign that brought you to Vetpras, whether you are on a phone-sized or larger screen, the searches you run (what you type, cities, services, price ranges, and other filters), and the clinics you view, click, compare, call, or visit from Vetpras. This is recorded with the anonymous identifiers described under Analytics Identifiers, or without any identifier if you decline.
• Device Information: Your browser type and IP address are used only while your request is being handled, for security, rate limiting, and to estimate your approximate city. We do not store your IP address or browser details with your usage data.

Anonymous Bill Submissions

Our bill submission feature is designed with privacy as the priority:

• No account or personal information required to submit bills
• We do not request or store your name, address, or contact information with submissions
• Submitted images are reviewed by our team and converted to pricing data only
• Personal information visible in bill images (if any) is never stored or shared

How We Use Usage Data

We use usage data for two purposes:

• To improve Vetpras: understanding which searches return no results, which filters people use, and where the site is confusing.
• To produce aggregated statistics for veterinary clinics: for example, how many people searched for a service in a city last month, the price ranges they searched for, and how often a clinic appeared in results or was clicked. These statistics are always aggregates. We never share an individual visitor's activity, and we do not publish figures that could relate to a small number of people.

We do not sell personal information. Aggregated statistics contain no identifiers and are not personal information.

Analytics Identifiers

To count people and sessions accurately we store two random identifiers in your browser. Neither is linked to your name, email address, IP address, or any account.

• Visitor identifier (vp_vid): a random code kept for up to one year so that a return visit is counted as the same person.
• Session identifier (vp_sid): a random code that expires after 30 minutes of inactivity so that a visit is counted as one session.

You can decline these identifiers using the cookie banner or the Cookie Settings page. Declining removes them immediately and no new ones are created. We still count searches and clicks anonymously, without any identifier, because those counts are not information about you. You can also reset your identifiers at any time on the Cookie Settings page.

Cookies and Analytics

We use two kinds of analytics:

• First-party analytics (run by Vetpras): anonymous counts of searches and clicks, always on, plus the optional identifiers described above.
• Third-party analytics (only with your consent): Google Analytics (page views and engagement, IP addresses anonymized, 26-month retention), Hotjar (session recordings and heatmaps, 365-day retention), and Meta Pixel (ad effectiveness).
• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and core functionality (if you have an account)

Third-party tools load only after you choose "Accept" on the cookie banner. You can decline them and still use all features of our platform, and you can change your preferences at any time by visiting our Cookie Settings page.

Location Services

To provide location-relevant search results, we automatically estimate your approximate location:

• How it works: Our hosting provider (Vercel) estimates your approximate city, region, and country from your IP address and passes that estimate to us with your request. We do not send your IP address to any geolocation service.
• Data used: City, region, and country. Approximate coordinates are used only in your browser to centre the map and are never saved by us.
• Purpose: To centre the map on clinics near you and to understand which regions use Vetpras.
• Analytics: Your approximate city, region, and country may be recorded with usage events. Coordinates are never recorded.
• Storage: The estimate is cached in your browser for 30 minutes. If it is unavailable, we default the map to Vancouver.

Data Sharing and Third Parties

We do not sell your personal information. We may share limited data with:

• Cloud Infrastructure Providers: Database and authentication services (data stored on secure, privacy-compliant servers)
• Web Hosting Services: Platform infrastructure and content delivery
• Google Analytics, Hotjar & Meta Pixel: Only with your explicit consent via cookie banner
• Veterinary clinics: Aggregated, anonymous usage statistics only, as described under How We Use Usage Data
• Legal Authorities: When required by Canadian law or court order

Where your data is processed: Our database is hosted by Supabase in Canada (Montréal region). Our application servers are hosted by Vercel in the United States. Personal information may therefore be processed outside Canada and be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction.

All third-party service providers are bound by contractual obligations to protect your data in compliance with Canadian privacy laws.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encrypted connections (HTTPS/SSL) for all data transmission
• Secure authentication with password hashing
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal data

Data Retention

We retain your data only as long as necessary:

• Account Data: Until you delete your account, plus 30 days for backup purposes
• Bill Submissions: Converted to aggregated pricing data; original images deleted after review
• Third-party analytics: 26 months (Google Analytics); session recordings 365 days (Hotjar)
• Searches and filter values: Up to 90 days with the anonymous identifier. Aggregated statistics are kept indefinitely and contain no identifiers.
• Clinic interactions (views, clicks, calls, website visits): Kept indefinitely for clinic statistics. The anonymous identifier is removed from these records after 13 months.
• Search impressions (which clinics appeared in your results): Up to 90 days
• Location estimate: 30 minutes in your browser; the approximate city, region, and country may be kept with the records above

Your Rights Under Canadian Law

Under PIPEDA and BC's PIPA, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data we hold
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Withdraw consent: Decline third-party analytics and first-party identifiers at any time on the Cookie Settings page. Anonymous counts without identifiers continue.
• Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Complaint: File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

To exercise these rights, contact us at info@pawcker.com. We will respond within 30 days as required by law.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at info@pawcker.com