Last updated: March 2026

Privacy Policy

Smartchainers Private Limited ("we", "us", or "our"), operating under the brand PetCare.AI (a PetON Company), is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website (petcare.ai), mobile applications, and related services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

When you create an account or use our services, we may collect:

• Name, email address, and phone number
• Account credentials and authentication data
• Profile photo (if provided)
• Billing and payment information (processed securely by third-party payment processors)

1.2 Pet Information

To provide personalised health guidance, we collect information about your pets:

• Pet name, species, breed, age, weight, and sex
• Vaccination records and medical history
• Photos of your pet (including images submitted for AI analysis)
• Behavioural notes and dietary information

1.3 Health Data

When you interact with Rio, our AI health companion, or consult with veterinarians, we collect:

• Symptom descriptions and health queries
• AI triage results and urgency classifications
• Consultation notes and veterinary recommendations
• Health records and treatment history

1.4 Location Data

• Approximate location for finding nearby veterinary clinics
• City and region data for vet directory searches
• Location is collected only when you actively search for vets or enable location services

1.5 Usage Data

• Device information (type, operating system, browser)
• Log data (IP address, access times, pages viewed)
• App interaction data (features used, session duration)
• Crash reports and performance data

2. How We Use Your Data

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• AI Health Analysis: To power Rio's symptom triage, provide urgency classifications, and generate personalised health guidance for your pets
• Vet Matching: To connect you with appropriate veterinary professionals based on your location, pet's needs, and preferences
• Appointment Booking: To facilitate scheduling, confirmations, and reminders for veterinary consultations
• Health Records: To maintain your pet's health history, vaccination schedules, and treatment records
• Service Improvement: To analyse usage patterns, improve AI accuracy, and enhance the overall user experience
• Communication: To send service updates, appointment reminders, and health alerts relevant to your pets
• Safety and Security: To detect fraud, prevent abuse, and maintain the integrity of our platform

3. AI Health Analysis (Rio)

Rio is PetCare.AI's artificial intelligence health companion. It is important that you understand how Rio uses your data:

• Rio analyses symptoms you describe to provide health guidance and urgency assessments
• Rio uses your pet's profile data (breed, age, weight, history) to personalise its analysis
• Conversations with Rio may be reviewed in anonymised form to improve AI accuracy
• Rio's analysis is powered by machine learning models and does not constitute medical diagnosis
• Rio is designed to guide you toward appropriate veterinary care, not to replace professional medical advice

Important: Rio provides AI-powered health guidance only. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a licensed veterinarian for medical decisions regarding your pet's health.

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 Sharing with Veterinary Professionals

When you book an appointment or initiate a consultation, we share relevant pet health information with the veterinary professional to facilitate effective care. This includes pet profiles, symptom descriptions, and AI triage summaries.

4.2 We Never Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information or pet health data to third parties for marketing or advertising purposes. Your trust is fundamental to our service.

4.3 Service Providers

We may share data with trusted service providers who assist in operating our platform:

• Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers
• Payment processors (for handling transactions securely)
• Analytics services (in anonymised or aggregated form)
• Communication services (for notifications and emails)

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, in response to valid legal processes, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of PetCare.AI, our users, or others.

5. Cookies and Analytics

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Maintain your session and authentication state
• Remember your preferences and settings
• Analyse website traffic and usage patterns
• Improve our services based on how users interact with our platform

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features. We use analytics tools such as Google Analytics to understand aggregate usage patterns. This data is collected in anonymised form.

6. Data Storage and Security

We take the security of your data seriously:

• Data is stored in MongoDB databases with encryption at rest and in transit
• We use TLS/SSL encryption for all data transmitted between your device and our servers
• Our primary servers are located in India, with additional infrastructure in the EU for European users
• Access to personal data is restricted to authorised personnel on a need-to-know basis
• We conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Authentication data is hashed and salted using industry-standard algorithms

While we implement robust security measures, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to protecting your data to the highest practical standard.

7. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@smartchainers.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

8. GDPR Compliance for EU Users

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• We process your data based on consent, contractual necessity, or legitimate interests
• You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority
• International data transfers are governed by appropriate safeguards, including Standard Contractual Clauses
• We have appointed a Data Protection Officer who can be reached at contact@smartchainers.com

For detailed information about our GDPR compliance, please see our dedicated GDPR Policy.

9. Data Retention

We retain your data for the following periods:

• Account Data: Retained for as long as your account is active, plus 12 months after deletion request to allow for account recovery
• Pet Health Records: Retained for 5 years after last activity to support continuity of veterinary care
• AI Conversation Logs: Anonymised after 24 months and retained in aggregate for model improvement
• Appointment Records: Retained for 3 years for service and legal purposes
• Payment Records: Retained for 7 years as required by financial regulations
• Usage Analytics: Retained in anonymised form for up to 36 months

After the retention period, data is securely deleted or irreversibly anonymised.

10. Third-Party Services

Our platform integrates with the following third-party services:

• Firebase (Google): Authentication, push notifications, and real-time data synchronisation
• Google Cloud Platform: Cloud infrastructure, storage, and computing services
• Payment Processors: Secure payment handling (we do not store full payment card details on our servers)
• Google Analytics: Website traffic analysis (anonymised data only)
• Cloud Communication Providers: Email delivery and SMS notifications

Each third-party service has its own privacy policy governing data use. We recommend reviewing their policies for comprehensive information.

11. Children's Privacy

PetCare.AI is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we discover that we have collected data from a child under 16 without parental consent, we will delete it promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information to us, please contact us at contact@smartchainers.com.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will notify you by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website with a revised "Last updated" date
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice within our mobile applications

Your continued use of our services after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: