The short version (not a substitute for the full policy):
We collect what we need to run TailWag — your account and dog details, the things you post, walk and location data, and basic usage and device data. Your core data is hosted in Australia; some service providers process data overseas (mostly the US). We don't sell your data, and we don't use your in-app information for targeted advertising — our marketing website does use the Meta Pixel to measure how our ads perform (section 6). You can access, correct, download, or delete your data at any time, and complain to the OAIC.
This Privacy Policy explains how TailWag Group Pty Ltd (ACN 703 225 932, ABN 84 703 225 932), of Victoria, Australia ("TailWag", "we", "us") collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal information. We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme. Where the EU/UK GDPR applies to a user, we also seek to comply with it.
Business structure: TailWag is operated by TailWag Group Pty Ltd (ACN 703 225 932, ABN 84 703 225 932), an Australian proprietary company registered in Victoria. Before 14 October 2026 TailWag was operated by Peter Warden as a sole trader (business name TailWag App, ABN 91 360 554 740). From 14 October 2026 the company is the entity responsible for your personal information. Your personal information continues to be handled on the same terms.
| Category | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Account data | Email, Apple ID token, nickname/username, and your first name and last initial (asked at sign-up and shown on your profile as, for example, "Sam T.") | Authentication, account management, support, and showing other members who you are |
| Date of birth | Your date of birth, collected once at signup | Verifying you are 18 or older (TailWag is 18+ only); kept while your account exists and deleted with it |
| Dog profile | Name, breed, age, size, temperament, photos, owner-reported vaccination/health badges | Discovery, matching, boards |
| Location (coarse) | Suburb / area bucket (not exact address) | Proximity discovery, leaderboards, parks |
| Location (precise) | GPS coordinates during an active walk, including in the background while a walk is recording (with your permission); your position at the moment you check in to a park or partner cafe; and your device position if you use it to suggest a park with "Add a park" | Walk tracking and stats; confirming you are at the park or cafe you check in to; placing a park you suggest on the map |
| Messages & posts | Chat content, board posts, comments, reactions | Community and messaging features |
| Activity data | Walk distance/duration/route, check-ins, XP, challenges, Wag Wars | Stats, progression, leaderboards |
| Your patch | Which map squares (about 100 m across) your walks have covered | Showing you your own patch in the app; only you can see it |
| Connections | Your friends and friend requests, likes, matches, follows and blocks | Running Discover (including who you see and in what order), friends-only settings, and keeping blocked members away from you |
| Purchase data | Membership/order status, transaction IDs, shipping address (for physical orders) | Billing, fulfilment, support (we do not store card numbers) |
| Device & push token | Apple Push Notification (APNs) token, device/OS/app version | Delivering enabled notifications; diagnostics |
| Hashed device ID | SHA-256 of a vendor identifier | Anonymous grouping, anti-abuse |
| Usage & analytics | Feature interactions, sessions, screens | Product analytics (no cross-app tracking) |
| Crash & diagnostic data | Error reports, app/OS/device info | Finding and fixing problems |
| Found-dog reports | Finder's message, finder's phone number (required on an urgent "I found this dog" report so the owner can call), optional name, the found area (a place description, or — if the finder chooses "use my current location" — their device's precise GPS coordinates), hashed device ID | Passing a found-dog report to the dog's owner — collected only from a member of the public who submits one on our website (see section 9) |
| Website waitlist | Email, suburb or country, postcode, your dog's breed, the ad or link that brought you to the site, and whether you ticked to receive news and offers | Telling you when TailWag opens in your area; news and offers only if you ticked to receive them |
| Support & comms | Emails/messages you send us | Responding to and recording enquiries |
We do not intentionally collect sensitive information about you (such as health, racial, political, or biometric information) beyond what you voluntarily include in your profile or messages. We do not collect payment card numbers — memberships are processed by Apple In-App Purchase (iOS) and website merchandise orders by Stripe. Dog vaccination/health details are owner-reported and not verified by us.
Where it is lawful and practicable, you may interact with parts of the Service using a nickname rather than your real name (APP 2).
We use information only for the purpose it was collected, a directly related purpose you would reasonably expect, or another purpose you have consented to (APP 6). We do not sell your personal information. We use the Meta (Facebook) Pixel on our marketing website to measure advertising performance (see section 6); we do not use your in-app personal information for targeted advertising.
We send essential service messages (security, billing, account, order and safety notices) while you hold an account — you cannot opt out of these. We only send marketing (news/offers) where you have consented, either expressly or where consent can reasonably be inferred from your existing relationship with us. Every marketing message identifies TailWag as the sender and includes a functional unsubscribe option, and we action unsubscribe requests within 5 business days. You can also turn off analytics and notification categories in the app's Privacy & Data screen or your device settings. We handle marketing consistently with the APPs and the Spam Act 2003 (Cth).
We disclose personal information only as needed to run the Service, to the following categories of recipients (our service providers / sub-processors), each bound to handle it securely and only as instructed:
Our website uses essential cookies/local storage needed for the site to function. To limit abuse of the found-dog form, our server briefly uses your IP address to count how many reports are sent from it. We also use the Meta (Facebook) Pixel on our marketing pages to measure how our advertising performs and to understand which pages visitors reach. This sets third-party cookies and sends Meta Platforms, Inc. (United States / Ireland) your IP address, browser and page-view information. We do not use it to build advertising audiences from your in-app activity, and it is not present in the TailWag iOS app. You can clear or block cookies in your browser, though some features may not work.
Your core data is stored on servers in Sydney, Australia (AWS ap-southeast-2). Several service providers are based in, or process data in, the United States, including Supabase Inc. (HQ), Apple, Stripe, Inc., Vercel, Resend, Printify, Inc. (print-on-demand fulfilment of physical orders), Anthropic, Telegram and Meta Platforms, Inc. (US / Ireland — advertising measurement on our marketing website only, see section 6). Open-Meteo, which provides the in-app walk-weather forecast, also operates outside Australia and receives only approximate coordinates rounded to about 1 km. Where personal information is processed or stored overseas, we take reasonable steps under APP 8 to ensure it is handled consistently with the APPs, relying on those providers' published privacy commitments and contractual protections (such as Standard Contractual Clauses) where applicable.
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information, including:
No system is completely secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work to protect your information and to destroy or de-identify it when no longer needed.
TailWag does not currently offer a QR identification tag or lost-dog feature; if one is offered in future, additional terms and a collection notice will apply. A found-dog report page remains available on our website.
If you submit a found-dog report: you are a member of the public, and we still handle your information under this policy. If you submit an urgent "I found this dog" report, your phone number is required and is shared with the dog's owner so they can call you. If you choose "use my current location", your device's precise GPS coordinates are also collected and passed to the owner to help them reach the dog; otherwise we collect only the place description you type. For a casual "just send a message", your phone is optional. In all cases we also collect your message, your name (optional). We never share your email, and we do not share any contact detail you do not provide yourself. You can ask us to delete a report you submitted by emailing founder@tailwag.app.
Coarse location (suburb/area) is used for discovery, parks and leaderboards and is stored against your profile.
Walks. Precise GPS is collected during an active walk to record that walk. iOS asks for "Always" permission so a walk keeps recording while your phone is locked; location is collected in the background only while a walk is recording. Walk routes are stored in full on our servers and are private to you: other members do not see them unless you choose to post a walk. When you post or share a walk, the image trims the first and last 150 m of the route so it does not show where you started or finished. You can switch off "Save Walk Routes" in Profile Settings. The optional live walk map is drawn on your own phone.
Your patch. We store which map squares (about 100 m across) your walks have covered, so the app can show you your patch. Only you can see it, and it is kept until you delete your account.
Check-ins. When you check in to a park, your device sends its position so we can confirm you are at the park; we do not store those coordinates. When you check in to a partner cafe, we store the coordinates of the check-in with the visit. iOS may ask you to allow Precise Location for check-ins and walks.
Who sees you at a park. By default only your friends can see that you are at a park. In Privacy & Data you can choose Everyone nearby, Friends only or No one. Members who can see you there are shown your dog's name and breed, when you checked in (and how many minutes ago), and the distance to the park, not your coordinates.
Deleting walks. The app does not currently let you delete individual walks. Your walks are deleted when you delete your account, and you can contact founder@tailwag.app about a particular walk. You can withdraw location permission at any time in iOS Settings → TailWag → Location.
We use automated tools to rank feeds, surface matches, and assist content moderation. These do not produce legal or similarly significant effects on you without human involvement, and you can contact us to query a moderation decision.
Under the Privacy Act (and, where applicable, the GDPR) you can:
To exercise a right, use the app's Privacy & Data screen or email founder@tailwag.app. We aim to respond within 30 days.
TailWag is for users 18 and over only. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If we learn that someone under 18 has created an account, we will terminate it and delete their data promptly.
If we suspect a data breach, we will take all reasonable steps to complete our assessment within 30 days (the NDB scheme's assessment timeframe), contain the breach, and document our assessment in all cases. Where a breach is likely to result in serious harm and the NDB scheme requires it, we will notify affected individuals and the OAIC as soon as practicable.
The Service may link to third-party sites or services (for example, partner cafes or carriers). We are not responsible for their privacy practices; review their policies before providing information.
We may update this policy from time to time. We will change the "Last updated" date above and, for material changes, notify you in-app or by email. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.
Privacy enquiries and complaints: founder@tailwag.app
TailWag Group Pty Ltd (ACN 703 225 932, ABN 84 703 225 932) · Victoria, Australia
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the OAIC at oaic.gov.au.