At Vacay Sitters, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your Personal Information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your data when you use our mobile application (“App”) or website (“Website”). By accessing or using the App or Website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

1. DEFINITIONS

1.1 “Booking” means the booking that is created when the Sitter accepts the Client’s Booking Request;

1.2 “Booking Request” means when a Client makes a request for a Booking to an available Sitter on his/her/their profile for specific Service/s required;

1.3 “Client” means a person who uses the App to book certain Service/s and registers as such on the Client Application;

1.4 “Personal Information” means information provided by Users in the use of the Website/App including, but not limited to:

• 1.4.1 account registration details including name, address, telephone number, and email address;
• 1.4.2 bank details or credit card details;
• 1.4.3 the information that Vacay Sitters gather about Users as a result of use of the Website/App, including without limitation details relating to Listings posted and Services offered;
• 1.4.4 information defined as “personal information” in section 1 of the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”);

1.5 “Pet” refers to any domestic pet that is under the care of the Client to be looked after by the Sitter in the case of pet sitting Services;

1.6 “Services” mean in-house pet sitting and house-sitting services offered on our App to be performed in terms of an accepted Booking;

1.7 “Sitter” means a pet/house sitter who uses our App to offer his/her Services and registers as such on the Sitter App;

1.8 “User(s)” shall mean a Sitter and/or a Client, as the case may be.

2. INFORMATION COLLECTED BY VACAY SITTERS

2.1 Vacay Sitters may collect, store, use and process the following information:

2.1.1 if you register an account on the Website/App as a Client:

• 2.1.1.1 Personal Information: name, ID number, physical address, e-mail address, contact number/s, payment details;
• 2.1.1.2 Location information: precise location of house;
• 2.1.1.3 Pet information: Pet name, breed, medical history, special care instructions;
• 2.1.1.4 Usage data: information about how you interact with our App, including your device type, IP address, browser type, and operating system;

2.1.2 if you register an account on the Website/App as a Sitter:

• 2.1.2.1 Personal Information: name, ID number, physical address, e-mail address, contact number/s, payment details;
• 2.1.2.2 Location information: precise location;
• 2.1.2.3 Care-giving details: care-giving experience, certification/s, background checks, availability;
• 2.1.2.4 Usage data: information about how you interact with our App, including your device type, IP address, browser type, and operating system.

3. HOW VACAY SITTERS USES AND PROCESSES THE INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDE OR MAKE AVAILABLE

3.1 We use, store and process Personal Information for the following general purposes to:

• 3.1.1 enable you to use the Website/App and provide Services;
• 3.1.2 operate, protect, improve and optimise the Website, App, our Users’ experience and to provide customer service;
• 3.1.3 to send Users service, support and administrative messages, reminders, technical notices, updates, security alerts and information requested by you;
• 3.1.4 to send Users marketing, advertising, and promotional messages and other information that may be of interest, including information about Vacay Sitters, new Users, new features and developments. Users may unsubscribe or “opt-out” from receiving these communications by emailing helpdesk@vacaysitters.co.za;
• 3.1.5 protect the rights of our Users and help create and maintain a safe environment on the Website/App;
• 3.1.6 facilitate Bookings and communicate with you regarding your Bookings and account;
• 3.1.7 provide location-based Services to offer Services tailored to your location, such as connecting you with local Clients/Sitters and optimizing the Service delivery;
• 3.1.8 comply with our legal obligations and enforce our agreements with third parties;
• 3.1.9 analyze usage data to enhance the functionality and user experience of our App, as well as to develop new features and services;
• 3.1.10 to facilitate and make payment of Service Fees.

3.2 Your Personal Information may be transferred, used and disclosed as follows, and Users acknowledge, consent and agree that Vacay Sitters may access, preserve and disclose Personal Information on this basis:

• 3.2.1 to the respective User(s), to allow Clients and Sitters to make a Booking Request or Booking;
• 3.2.2 to trusted third-party service providers to collect biometric information of Users for purposes of identity verification;
• 3.2.3 to third-party service providers to help us operate the service provided on the Website or administer activities on our behalf, such as analysing the behaviour of Users of our Website or sending out newsletters;
• 3.2.4 and as otherwise required by law or where reasonably necessary (a) to respond to claims asserted against Vacay Sitters; (b) to comply with legal process (for example subpoenas and warrants), (c) to enforce and administer Vacay Sitters agreements with Users, such as Terms and Conditions and this Privacy Policy; (d) for fraud prevention, risk assessment, investigation, customer support, product development and de-bugging purposes; or (e) to protect the rights, property or personal safety of Vacay Sitters or its Users.

3.3 Your information will not be sold, traded or made known to any third party except as required by law.

3.4 Whilst we will do all things reasonably necessary to protect your rights of privacy, we cannot guarantee or accept any liability whatsoever for unauthorized or unlawful disclosures of your Personal Information, whilst in our possession, made by third parties who are not subject to our control, unless such disclosure is a result of our gross negligence.

3.5 If you disclose your Personal Information to a third-party, such as an entity which operates a website linked to our Website or anyone other than Vacay Sitters, Vacay Sitters shall not be liable for any loss or damage however arising, suffered by you as a result of the disclosure of such information to the third party.

3.6 A User may choose not to provide certain Personal Information, but that may limit the service experience of the User/use of the Website.

4. STORAGE

Personal information will be stored for as long as necessary to fulfil purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Personal Information will be destroyed once it has become obsolete (out of date or unusable).

5. SECURITY

5.1 We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and therefore cannot guarantee absolute security.

5.2 We will:

• 5.2.1 treat your information as strictly confidential, save where we are entitled to share it as set out in this Privacy Policy;
• 5.2.2 take appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure that your Personal Information is kept secure and is protected against unauthorized or unlawful processing, accidental loss and destruction or damage, alteration, disclosure or access;
• 5.2.3 provide you with access to your Personal Information to view and/or update personal details;
• 5.2.4 promptly notify you if we become aware of any unauthorized use, disclosure or processing of your Personal Information;
• 5.2.5 provide you with reasonable evidence of our compliance with our obligations under this Privacy Policy on reasonable notice and request; and
• 5.2.6 upon request, promptly return or destroy any and all of your Personal Information in our possession or control, save for that which we are legally obliged to retain.

6. CONTROLLING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION/PRIVACY CHOICES

6.1 You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your Personal Information by emailing us at
helpdesk@vacaysitters.co.za, should you:

• 6.1.1 have previously agreed to us using your Personal Information and you wish to change your mind;
• 6.1.2 require details and/or copies of Personal Information which we hold about you;
• 6.1.3 believe that any Personal Information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, we will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect;

6.2 Account Settings: You can update your account information and communication preferences at any time by accessing your account settings in the App;

6.3 Opt-Out: You may opt-out of receiving promotional emails by following the unsubscribe instructions included in the email or contacting us directly.

6.4 Location Settings: You can manage location services through your device settings. Disabling location services may affect certain functionalities of the App.

6.5 Should your Personal Information change, please inform us and provide us with updates as soon as reasonably possible to enable us to update and keep your Personal Information accurate by sending an e-mail to helpdesk@vacaysitters.co.za.

6.6 If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy from time to time or about our Website information collection practices, please contact us at helpdesk@vacaysitters.co.za.

7. CREDIT CARD SECURITY AND PRIVACY

7.1 Should Users provide Vacay Sitters with credit card details for payment, we will keep that information in the strictest confidence and such information will not be sold or made known to third parties except insofar as is required for executing a payment or as permitted by law.

7.2 Credit card transactions will be facilitated for Vacay Sitters by an online payment processing solution (or such other payment method as may be approved and/or determined by Vacay Sitters in writing from time to time). Vacay Sitters will ensure that the aforesaid online payment processing solution (or other approved/determined payment method, if applicable) uses the strictest encryption and will procure that their security certificate and security policy is made available to Users upon request.

7.3 No credit card details are stored on the Website and will be kept separate from other User information.

8 COOKIES AND ANONYMOUS IDENTIFIERS

8.1 If you have used the Website then your computer or device may store and identify cookie or anonymous identifier, which can save you time and each time you revisit the site, by accessing your information when you sign in to the Website.

8.2 We may use cookies and anonymous identifiers for a number of purposes including to access your information when you sign in, keep track of your preferences, direct specific content to you, report on our user base, and to improve the Website. We may also use cookies or anonymous identifiers when you interact with our affiliate service providers, if applicable.

8.3 You hereby agree that if you change the settings on your internet browser to block or restrict cookies, including cookies associated with the Website, or to indicate when a cookie is being set by Vacay Sitters, the Website may not work as intended. You should remember that, whilst you may still be able to use the Website if your cookies are disabled, it may not function properly on your device and you may not be able to take advantage of certain features on the Website.

9. LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

9.1 Our Website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our Website, you should know that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this Privacy Policy.
You should exercise caution and consider the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

10. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

Our Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect Personal Information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

11. AMENDMENTS

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes we may make to our Privacy Policy will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, notified to you in the appropriate manner.