Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

HelPets (“we”, “our”, or “the App”) is a mobile community platform for pet rescue, lost-and-found, and adoption based in Morocco. This privacy policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the rights you have over your data when using the HelPets mobile application and visiting helpets.ma.

By using HelPets, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the app.

1. Data Controller

HelPets
Developer: Oussama El Azzouzi
Email: helpets20@gmail.com
Website: helpets.ma
Country: Morocco

2. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Full name — to display your profile to other users
• Email address — for login and account recovery
• Password — stored as a bcrypt hash (never in plain text)
• Phone number (optional) — for contact purposes
• Age (optional) — for profile personalization
• City and country — to show relevant posts near you
• Profile picture (optional) — stored via Cloudinary

Content You Create

• Posts (SOS alerts, lost pet reports, adoption listings) including text, photos, and location data
• Community posts and comments
• Chat messages exchanged with other users
• Reports you submit about other users or content

Location Data

• Approximate location — the city you select during registration
• Precise location (GPS) — only collected when you explicitly create an SOS post and grant location permission. We do not track your location in the background.

Location permission is requested at runtime, and you can revoke it at any time in your device settings.

Device & Technical Data

• Push notification token — issued by Expo Push Service so we can send you notifications. Not visible to other users.
• Device type and operating system version — derived from user agent for debugging and to send compatible push notification formats. Not used for advertising or behavioral tracking.
• Online status and last-seen time — recorded so we can deliver chat notifications efficiently and show your chat partners whether you are currently reachable.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and maintain the HelPets service
• Display posts relevant to your location
• Enable real-time chat between users
• Send push notifications about nearby SOS alerts, messages, and other activity you’ve opted into
• Send transactional emails (account verification, password reset) via Brevo
• Improve app performance, fix bugs, and enhance features
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Comply with legal obligations

4. How We Store and Protect Your Data

We take data security seriously and implement the following measures:

• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt with a unique salt. We never store or transmit passwords in plain text.
• Authentication uses JWT (JSON Web Tokens) with automatic expiration. Tokens are stored securely on your device via Expo SecureStore.
• All communication between the app and our servers happens over HTTPS/TLS.
• Standard HTTP security headers are enforced on our web infrastructure.
• Images are stored on Cloudinary, a secure third-party provider.

While we use industry-standard practices to protect your data, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Third-Party Services

We share data with the following trusted third-party providers only to the extent necessary to operate the app. Each service has its own privacy policy governing how they handle your data.

• Cloudinary — image storage and optimization for profile pictures and post photos. cloudinary.com/privacy
• Brevo (ex-Sendinblue) — transactional email delivery (account verification, password reset). brevo.com/legal/privacypolicy
• Expo — push notification delivery and over-the-air app updates. expo.dev/privacy
• OpenStreetMap — map tiles for displaying SOS post locations. We do not send any personal data to OpenStreetMap; only the latitude/longitude of the post is used to render the map view. openstreetmap.org/copyright

We do not sell your personal data to anyone. We do not currently use third-party analytics services that track your behavior.

6. Data Sharing with Other Users

By nature of the service, certain data you create is visible to other HelPets users:

• Your public profile (name, profile picture, city, country) is visible to other users
• Your phone number and age are visible only to you on your own profile; they are not shown to other users
• Posts you create (including photos and any location data you choose to attach) are public within the app
• Chat messages are visible only to you and the other conversation participant
• Your online status and last-seen time may be visible to users you have an active chat with

7. Your Rights

Under Moroccan Law 09-08 on personal data protection and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the following rights:

• Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Rectification — correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion — request deletion of your account and associated data (“right to be forgotten”)
• Opposition — object to the processing of your data
• Data portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Withdraw consent — at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing

How to Exercise Your Rights

The fastest way to delete your account and your data is directly in the app: Settings > Delete Account > confirm. Your identifying information is removed immediately, and your account record is permanently erased after 30 days.

For other requests (data access, rectification, portability, withdrawal of consent), email us at helpets20@gmail.comwith the subject “Data Request”. We will respond within 30 days.

CNDP Complaint

If you believe your rights have not been respected, you may file a complaint with the Moroccan data protection authority (CNDP):

• Website: www.cndp.ma
• Phone: 3020 (from Morocco)

8. Cookie Policy

The HelPets mobile application does not use cookies. Our website (helpets.ma) is a static marketing page that does not set any cookies or use tracking technologies.

9. Children's Privacy

HelPets is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us at helpets20@gmail.com and we will delete the information promptly.

10. Data Retention

We retain different types of data for different periods, based on what each is used for. When you delete your account, your identifying information (name, email, profile picture, phone) is removed immediately. The rest is handled as follows:

• Account record — fully erased 30 days after deletion request
• Chat messages — 12 months after the last activity in the conversation, then deleted
• Community posts and adoption/SOS/lost listings — kept until you delete them
• Notifications — 30 days, then deleted
• Archived posts (resolved or expired) — 90 days, then deleted
• Abuse reports — 2 years, then the reporter’s identity is removed (report content kept for safety pattern analysis)
• Authentication tokens — until they expire, then deleted within 24 hours
• Server logs — 14 days, then deleted (these do not contain your email or IP address)

These retention windows are enforced by an automated job that runs daily. Some data may be retained longer if required by law (e.g., for fraud prevention or legal obligations).

11. International Users

HelPets is based in Morocco but available worldwide. By using the app, you understand that your data may be processed in Morocco and in countries where our third-party providers operate (primarily the European Union and the United States), which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or in-app notification. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Your continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us:

HelPets
Email: helpets20@gmail.com
Website: helpets.ma
Morocco