Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Refett LLC ("Refett," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares information when you use the Refett website and related services (the "Platform"), whether as a pet owner or a veterinary provider. This Policy covers how we handle personal data. If you submit reviews, suggestions, or other content through the Platform, the separate license terms in our Pet Owner Terms of Service or Veterinary Provider Agreement (as applicable) govern our rights to use that content; this Policy addresses only the personal-data aspects of such submissions.

2. HIPAA and Pet Health Information

Refett is not a HIPAA-covered entity, and HIPAA, the federal law governing human medical records, does not apply to Refett or to the pet health information collected through the Platform. Pet health information is not treated as protected health information under federal law. This Policy, not HIPAA, governs how Refett handles the information described below.

3. Information We Collect

From Pet Owners: name, email address, phone number, pet information (species, condition/reason for visit), general location, and any details you include in an appointment request or in reviews, suggestions, or other content you submit.

From Veterinary Providers: name, contact information, veterinary license number and issuing state(s), DVM and other credentials, practice name and address or service area, profile photo, pricing and financing information, PIMS/software preferences, any suggestions or notes you submit, and, through our identity-verification provider (currently Stripe Identity), a government-issued ID and related identity-verification data, which is processed by that provider and not stored directly by Refett except as needed to reflect verification status. Once fees apply, we also collect limited billing information (such as your name and billing address) and, through Stripe, our payment processor, information about your payment method; Refett does not receive or store your full payment card number; see Section 7.

Automatically Collected: We collect standard technical and usage data generated by your use of the Platform, such as pages visited, general location inferred from IP address, device and browser information, and how you interact with the Platform. We currently use, or plan to use, analytics tools such as Google Analytics to collect this information.

Sensitive Personal Information: the government-issued ID and identity-verification data described above is treated as "sensitive personal information" under some state privacy laws. Refett uses it solely to verify your identity and license and does not use it for any other purpose.

4. How We Use Information

We use this information to: operate the Platform (matching pet owners with providers, transmitting appointment requests); verify provider identity and licensure; send transactional emails (such as lead notifications and account confirmations); maintain and improve the Platform, including incorporating suggestions into our shared search taxonomy as described in our Terms; and communicate with you about your account.

5. How We Share Information

With veterinary providers you select, so that they can respond to your appointment request; see Section 6 for how responsibility for that information works once it's been shared.

Service providers who help us operate the Platform, including our database and authentication hosting provider (currently Supabase), our transactional email delivery provider (currently Resend), our identity-verification provider (currently Stripe Identity), and our location/mapping services provider (currently Mapbox). These providers are contractually limited to using data as needed to provide services to Refett, and this list may change as we adopt or switch providers.

State veterinary licensing boards, to the extent necessary to verify a provider's license.

Legal or safety purposes, if required by law, subpoena, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Refett, our users, or the public.

Business transfers, if Refett is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. You will be notified of any such change.

We do not sell your personal information.

6. Providers Are Responsible for Their Own Data Practices

Once Refett shares your information with a veterinary provider you've selected, that provider's own data security practices and use of your information are governed by their separate obligations to you and to Refett under our Veterinary Provider Agreement and applicable law, not by Refett. Refett is not responsible for a data breach, unauthorized disclosure, or misuse of your information that occurs on a provider's own systems or through a provider's own conduct, once that information has been shared with them.

7. Data Storage and Security

Platform data is stored with our database hosting provider (currently Supabase), hosted in the United States (currently the US East / Northern Virginia region). We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect your information, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

Payment card information is collected, processed, and stored directly by our payment processor (currently Stripe), which is PCI-DSS Level 1 certified. Refett does not store full payment card numbers on its own systems.

8. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Platform, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. You may request deletion of your account and associated data as described in Section 7.

9. De-Identified and Aggregated Data

We may create and use de-identified or aggregated data (information that has been stripped of details that could reasonably identify you) for purposes such as internal analytics, understanding trends across specialties or regions, and business development materials (for example, illustrating overall demand or pricing patterns to prospective investors or partners). We do not attempt to re-identify de-identified data except as required or permitted by law, and we require any third party we share de-identified or aggregated data with to agree not to attempt to re-identify it either.

10. Automated Decision-Making

Refett does not use automated processing to make decisions about you that produce legal or similarly significant effects. For example, we do not use automated systems to approve, deny, or price veterinary services, or to evaluate your eligibility for anything based on your data. Matching you with a veterinary provider based on your search criteria is not this kind of automated decision-making.

11. Your Choices and Rights

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information by contacting us at info@refett.com. Depending on your state of residence, you may have additional rights under state privacy laws (such as the right to opt out of certain data uses); we will honor applicable requests to the extent required by law.

If we deny your request, you may appeal that decision by replying to our response or contacting us at info@refett.com. We will review the denial and respond to your appeal within a reasonable time.

12. Cookies and Analytics

The Platform may use cookies and similar technologies, including Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use the Platform. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

13. Children's Privacy

The Platform is intended for use only by individuals 18 or older, consistent with the eligibility requirements in our Pet Owner Terms of Service and Veterinary Provider Agreement. The Platform is not directed to, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from, anyone under 18. If you believe someone under 18 has provided us information, contact us at info@refett.com and we will delete it.

14. Not a Substitute for Direct Communication with Your Provider

This Policy addresses how Refett handles data on the Platform; it does not govern how a veterinary provider you select handles your information once you communicate with them directly.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be noted by updating the "Last Updated" date, and, where appropriate, by additional notice.

16. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy can be sent to info@refett.com.