Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 20 July 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to PetPal ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains what information Team PetPal collects, how we use it, and the choices you have when you use the PetPal mobile application for Android, the Nintendo 3DS homebrew version, and the teampetpal.com online services that power passing, accounts, and cross-device linking (collectively, the "Service"). By using PetPal, you agree to the practices described here.

PetPal is a free, non-commercial hobby project, and we designed it to need as little personal information as possible. You do not create an account with your name, email, or phone number to play, and the app contains no advertising and no third-party analytics or tracking SDKs.

2. Information We Collect

Because PetPal simulates "passing" over our own network, we collect a small amount of data to make online play, moderation, and cross-device linking work:

  • Pseudonymous account identifier. The first time you play online, our server issues your pet a random ID in the form PP-XXXX-XXXX plus a matching device token. The token is stored only on your device (and in your 3DS SD-card save); together they let your device prove it owns that ID. This ID is not linked to your real-world identity.
  • Connection information. When your device contacts teampetpal.com, our hosting provider records your IP address. We use it only for security, abuse prevention (rate-limiting and bans), and to link your Android and 3DS to the same account when you choose to. We do not collect precise GPS location; a coarse region may be inferred from an IP address, but we do not store it as location data.
  • Device type. Your device tells the server whether it is an "android" or "3ds" device so linked pets are labelled correctly. We do not collect hardware identifiers such as the Android ID, IMEI, or an advertising ID.
  • Game & passing data. To exchange pets, we store a small snapshot of your pet: its name, appearance (species and colors), stats and level, and any profile badges. This snapshot is shared with other players you pass (see Section 5).
  • User-generated content. Text you enter — mainly the name you give your pet, and the reason you supply if you report another player — is stored so the feature works and so we can moderate abuse.

3. Device Permissions (Android)

The Android app requests only the permissions its features need, and explains each one at the moment you use it:

  • Camera — used solely to scan another player's QR code so we can read their PP-XXXX-XXXX Pet ID and add them as a friend. Camera images are processed on your device in real time and are never stored or transmitted.
  • NFC — used solely to "tap" two phones together to exchange a Pet ID. No other data is read from or written to your device.
  • Notifications — used to remind you when your pet needs care. Reminders are scheduled and shown entirely on your device; no push server is involved and no data leaves the device to power them.
  • Internet & network state — used to talk to teampetpal.com for passing, accounts, and linking.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the data above strictly to operate and protect the game. Specifically, to:

  • Enable asynchronous "passing," so your pet can meet other players' pets over the internet.
  • Sync your pet between your linked Android and Nintendo 3DS devices.
  • Show profile badges and let you report, or be protected from, abusive content.
  • Keep the teampetpal.com servers secure and prevent cheating, spam, and abuse — including banning an offending Pet ID or IP address.

5. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We do not sell your data, and we do not use it for advertising. We share information only in these limited ways:

  • With other players. By design, your pet's public profile — its name, appearance, stats, badges, and any gift it carries — is shared with the players you "pass," and your Pet ID is shared with anyone you knowingly trade with in person via QR or NFC.
  • With our hosting provider. teampetpal.com runs on Cloudflare, which processes requests (including IP addresses) on our behalf to deliver and secure the Service.
  • Google Play. When you install or update the Android app, Google Play handles distribution under its own privacy policy. The app itself sends no data to Google.
  • Legal reasons. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety of our users and the Service.

6. Data Security

All communication with teampetpal.com uses encrypted HTTPS. The apps store no server secrets: each device holds only its own randomly-issued token. Privileged administrative actions (such as bans and badge changes) are protected by a login and a time-based one-time passcode (2FA). No method of transmission or storage is ever 100% secure, but we take reasonable measures to protect the limited data we hold.

7. Data Retention and Deletion

We keep your account record and pet snapshot for as long as your pet is active so the Service can function, and short-lived passing packets are automatically discarded by the relay after a brief period. Security information such as IP addresses is retained only as long as needed for abuse prevention.

Because your account is pseudonymous, you can request deletion of your account record and pet data at any time by emailing contact@teampetpal.com and including your Pet ID (PP-XXXX-XXXX), which is shown in the app's Settings. We will delete the associated server record. Uninstalling the app removes all locally-stored data, including your device token, from your device.

8. Children's Privacy

PetPal is a virtual-pet game intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or the applicable age of consent in your region). Because the game asks for no real-world personal information, the only data tied to a young player would be a pseudonymous Pet ID and a pet name. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided information you would like removed, contact us at contact@teampetpal.com and we will remove it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as PetPal evolves. Material changes will be reflected here with a new "Last updated" date, and where appropriate we will note them in the app or on teampetpal.com. Continued use of the Service after an update means you accept the revised policy.

10. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy or your data? Reach Team PetPal at contact@teampetpal.com, through our Discord community, or via our open-source repository at github.com/PetPal-Team/PetPal.