DMV Paws & Parks ("we," "us") runs dmvpaws.org, a community guide to dog parks in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. This policy explains what we collect, why, who we share it with, and the choices and rights you have.
1. Information We Collect
Information you give us
- Account details: email address, password (stored encrypted by our login provider), display or pack name, and home area.
- Dog profiles: dog names, breeds, photos, and other details you add.
- Contributions: reviews, ratings, photos, check-ins, park condition and mud reports, meetups, park suggestions, and issue reports.
- Newsletter and alert choices, and messages you send us.
Information collected automatically
- Basic usage data such as pages viewed, device and browser type, and approximate region, used in aggregate to improve the site.
- Essential browser storage for keeping you signed in, remembering your theme, and saved comparisons.
Location
If you choose "near me" or sort by distance, your browser shares your approximate location with the page to calculate distances. We do not store it on our servers.
IP addresses
Like every website, our hosting provider briefly processes your IP address to deliver pages and block abuse. We do not store IP addresses with your account, show them to anyone, or use them for advertising.
Who This Site Is For
The Service is operated from Virginia, USA, and is intended for users in the United States. We do not target or offer services to people in the European Union or other countries.
2. How We Use Information
- To run the site, your account, and community features.
- To show your public contributions (reviews, photos, pack name) to other visitors.
- To send account emails and, only if you opt in, newsletters and park alerts.
- To review photos and content for safety and quality, including with automated tools.
- To prevent abuse, fix problems, and improve the site.
- To meet legal obligations.
3. What Is Public
Your pack name, dog names and photos, reviews, public photos, and badges may be visible to anyone. Your email address is never shown publicly.
4. Who We Share Information With
We share information only with service providers that help us run the site, under agreements that limit their use of it:
- Hosting, database, login, and file storage (Lovable Cloud).
- Email delivery for account emails and newsletters.
- Google Maps and Google Places for maps, directions, and public park ratings.
- AI services used to check uploaded photos and draft park descriptions.
We may also disclose information if required by law, to protect safety, or as part of a sale or transfer of the site.
5. We Do Not Sell or Share Your Personal Information
We do not sell your personal information and do not "share" it for cross-context behavioral advertising, as those terms are defined by California and other state laws. We do not use targeted advertising. We honor browser Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals as a request to opt out of any sale or sharing.
6. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live — including California (CCPA/CPRA), Virginia (VCDPA), Maryland (MODPA), Colorado, Connecticut, and other states with privacy laws — you may have the right to:
- Know and access the personal information we hold about you.
- Correct inaccurate information.
- Delete your information and your account.
- Get a copy of your information in a portable format.
- Opt out of sale, sharing, targeted advertising, or profiling (we do none of these).
- Not be treated differently for using these rights.
To make a request, email hello@dmvpaws.org from the address on your account. We will confirm your request and respond within 45 days. You may use an authorized agent. If we deny a request, you can appeal by replying to our decision; if you are still unsatisfied, you may contact your state Attorney General.
You can also edit your profile and dogs at any time, and unsubscribe from emails using the link in any email.
7. Children's Privacy
The site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them (COPPA). If you believe a child has given us information, contact hello@dmvpaws.org and we will delete it.
8. Data Retention and Security
We keep information while your account is active or as needed to provide the site, then delete or anonymize it, unless the law requires longer. We use encryption in transit, access controls, and limited staff access, but no system is perfectly secure. If a breach affects you, we will notify you as required by law.
9. Emails
Newsletters are sent only if you opt in. Every email includes an unsubscribe link. Account and security emails may still be sent while you have an account.
10. Changes to This Policy
We will post updates here and change the "Last updated" date. For material changes, we will provide notice on the site or by email.
11. Contact Us
Support, questions, or privacy and deletion requests: hello@dmvpaws.org.
Mail: DMV Paws & Parks, 46762 Southern Oaks Terr, Sterling, VA 20164.