A transparent marketplace for pet owners to compare veterinary costs, track medical history, and coordinate prescription fulfillment through trusted partners.

Privacy Policy | VetCostIQ

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

Account information: name, email address, and role when you register.
Pet information: pet names, species, breeds, and medical history you choose to add.
Invoice and pricing data: uploaded receipts, extracted line items, and contributed prices.
Usage data: pages visited, searches performed, and interactions with the Platform.
Location data: address or coordinates you enter for location-based search, stored locally in your browser and used only when you initiate a search.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Provide search results, price comparisons, and location-based hospital recommendations.
Maintain your pet’s medical history and prescription records.
Verify and display pricing data contributed by the community.
Process partner subscriptions and manage claimed hospital/pharmacy listings.
Send service-related communications, price alerts, and platform updates.
Improve our AI tools, educational content, and overall Platform experience.

3. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We share information only in the following circumstances:

With hospitals and pharmacies you message or submit prescriptions to.

With Stripe for processing subscription payments.

With Google Maps APIs for geocoding and location services.

When required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of VetCostIQ or its users.

4. Invoice and Receipt Privacy

Uploaded invoices may contain sensitive information. We apply redaction options (controlled by you) and use OCR to extract only pricing-relevant data. You control the visibility of your uploaded invoices (private, shared anonymously, or public).

Personally identifying information on invoices is never displayed publicly unless you explicitly choose to share it.

5. Cookies and Local Storage

We use cookies and browser local storage in two categories:

Essential: Authentication tokens and accessibility preferences are stored in your browser to maintain your session and apply your display settings. These are always active and cannot be disabled.

Analytics (optional): We use Google Analytics 4 to understand which pages are popular and how visitors find the platform. These cookies are only set after you give explicit consent via our cookie banner. You can change your preference at any time by clicking "Cookie Preferences" in the footer.

We do not use advertising cookies, sell your data to third parties, or engage in cross-site tracking for advertising purposes.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time. Anonymized pricing contributions may be retained to maintain the integrity of the community dataset.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you.
Correct inaccurate information.
Delete your account and associated personal data.
Control the visibility of your invoices and reviews.
Opt out of non-essential communications.

8. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including encrypted authentication, secure API practices, and access controls. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children’s Privacy

VetCostIQ is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us for prompt deletion.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through the Platform. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

11. Contact

For privacy questions or data requests, please contact us at support@vetcostiq.com or through our About page.