Privacy Policy

Search Pets · searchpets.org · Effective June 16, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Search Pets ("Search Pets," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information when you visit searchpets.org (the "Website") or use our lost and found pet recovery services. Search Pets has operated since 2001 and serves pet owners across all 50 United States.

1. Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to information collected through:

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

  • Contact details: Name, email address, phone number, and preferred contact method
  • Pet information: Pet name, type, breed, color, gender, age/size, microchip ID, collar description, location, city, state, ZIP code, date lost or found, reward offered, and written description
  • Photos: Up to 5 images per report (JPG, PNG, GIF, or WebP)
  • Messages: Content submitted through our contact form or email correspondence
  • Plan selection: Whether you chose a Standard (free) or Premium ($179.99) alert

Payment Information

Premium Pet Alert payments are processed by PayPal. Search Pets does not collect or store your credit card number, debit card number, or full payment credentials on our servers. PayPal may provide us with a transaction ID, payment status, payer name, and payer email for order fulfillment. PayPal's handling of your payment data is governed by PayPal's Privacy Policy.

Automatically Collected Information

  • IP address, browser type, and device information
  • Pages visited, referring URL, and general usage data
  • Form submission timestamps (used for spam prevention)
  • Cookies and similar technologies (see Section 8)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

  • Receive, review, and process lost and found pet reports
  • Deliver Premium Pet Alert services after payment confirmation
  • Contact you about your submission, payment, or support request
  • Publish or distribute pet alert information to assist in pet recovery
  • Operate our 24/7 hotline and customer support at (844) 484-3448
  • Prevent fraud, spam, and abuse of our forms
  • Improve Website functionality and user experience
  • Comply with applicable legal obligations

4. How We Share Your Information

  • Pet alert distribution: Pet details, photos, and general location may be displayed in search listings or shared to help locate a lost pet or its owner. Your phone number and email may be visible to potential finders or owners depending on how your alert is published.
  • Payment processor: PayPal processes Premium payments. We share only the information necessary to complete your transaction.
  • Hosting provider: Our Website is hosted on third-party servers (e.g., IONOS). Data passes through their infrastructure under their security policies.
  • Email delivery: Report submissions and photos may be transmitted via email to Search Pets staff for processing.
  • Legal compliance: We may disclose information when required by law, subpoena, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of Search Pets, our users, or the public.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Photo Uploads

By uploading pet photos, you confirm you have the right to share those images. Do not upload photos of people, private property, or sensitive documents. Uploaded images are used solely for lost/found pet identification and alert distribution. Photos submitted with Premium alerts receive priority processing and featured placement as described on our Pricing page.

6. Data Retention

We retain pet reports, contact information, and uploaded photos for as long as reasonably necessary to operate our services, maintain search records, and comply with legal obligations. Unpaid Premium orders pending checkout are automatically deleted after 24 hours. You may request deletion of your data by contacting us (see Section 12).

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including secure hosting (HTTPS), form spam protection, and restricted access to submitted reports. No method of Internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of data transmitted to or from our Website.

8. Cookies & Tracking

Our Website may use essential cookies for basic functionality and session management. We do not use cookies to sell personal data. You may disable cookies in your browser settings; some features may not function properly if cookies are disabled. Third-party services such as PayPal may set their own cookies when you use their checkout flow.

9. Third-Party Links

Our Website links to third-party resources including PayPal, state legal information pages, and external pet recovery resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to review their policies before providing personal information.

10. Children's Privacy

Search Pets is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted information to us, contact us immediately and we will delete it.

11. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your U.S. state of residence, you may have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate information
  • Request deletion of your personal information
  • Opt out of certain data processing activities

California residents may have additional rights under the CCPA/CPRA. To exercise any privacy rights, email [email protected] or call (844) 484-3448.

12. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions or data requests:

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Continued use of the Website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Last updated: June 16, 2026