Privacy Policy

Last Updated: July 12, 2023

This privacy policy (the “Privacy Policy”) describes how Teacup PuppySpot Group, LLC (“Teacup PuppySpot”) handles your personal information. By using any of the sites owned and operated by Teacup PuppySpot, including, but not limited to, www.TeacupPuppySpot.com, and downloading and using the Teacup PuppySpot mobile application (collectively referred to herein as the “Site”), you consent to the collection, use, storage, processing, transfer, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you disagree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not create a profile, use the site, or use any of the services offered.

Information Collection

We collect information to provide the site and its services to you and our other users, improve user experience, and communicate with you and other users about the site and its services. The information we collect from you and the applicability of various sections of this Privacy Policy will depend on your interaction with the site.

Profile Information: To create a profile, make submissions or comments, adopt a puppy, receive notifications and updates, or request additional information about the site or the services offered on the site, we may collect the following information: name, e-mail address, phone number, mobile phone number, physical address and zip code, gender, birth date, information about yourself and your family, any additional information you choose to provide such as reviews, comments, video, audio, photographic, written or other content or information.

Teacup PuppySpot allows you to register an account with us by logging in with an account you have established with specific third-party sites such as, but not limited to, Facebook (hereafter, the “Outside Account”). By logging in via the Outside Account, you are granting Teacup PuppySpot the right to access, utilize, and store (if applicable) information (including Personal Information) tied to your Outside Account in connection with your site use. Depending on the Outside Account you choose and subject to the privacy settings that you have set in such Outside Account and on your account with PuppySpot, the information you make accessible via your Outside Account (including Personal Information) will be available to Teacup PuppySpot and on and through your Teacup PuppySpot account.

Public Content: The information you contribute through the site is intended for public display, including your account profile, username, photos, videos, reviews, and comments. We may display this information through the site, share it with businesses, use it in promotional materials, and further distribute it to a broader audience at our sole discretion. We are not responsible for the privacy or security of any information you make publicly available on the site or what others do with the information you share with them. We are not responsible for the accuracy, use, or misuse of any content you disclose or receive from third parties through the site.

Purchase Information: When you make a payment on the site or by phone, you may be asked for financial information such as account or credit card numbers in addition to information about you such as your name, phone number, billing/mailing address, and e-mail address as well as any other information you provide us to process your transaction or complete your purchase, including credit card or payment account information. Teacup PuppySpot uses this personal and financial information (hereafter, “Personal Information”) that you voluntarily provide us to provide you with the services offered through the site. By purchasing on the site, you consent to our providing your Personal Information to our service providers and third parties as we determine is necessary to process your transaction, such as credit card companies and banking institutions used to process the transaction and breeder(s).

Interaction with the Site: We may store information about your use of the site, such as your search activity, the pages you view, the date and time of your visit(s), and purchases you make through the site. We also may store information that your computer or mobile device provides to us in connection with your use of the site, such as your browser type, type of computer or mobile device, browser language, IP address, mobile carrier, phone number, unique device identifier, advertising identifier, location (including geolocation, beacon-based location, and GPS location), and requested and referring URLs. You can opt out of our use of specific location data through your device or browser settings. While you may decline to provide certain information to us, it may render you unable to access certain services and features offered through the site.

Log File and Cookie Information

Log Files: For all Site users, the web server uses an extended log file format that captures the date and time of visit, referring address (location from which a visitor comes to the site), type of Internet browser, and visitor’s IP address. Each computer that connects to the Internet is assigned a unique number, an IP address, for identification purposes. The log file does not capture a user’s e-mail address.

Cookies: A cookie is a series of data characters that, when programmed into a website, is placed by the web server into your computer’s browser’s application folder. Once placed onto your machine, the cookie will allow the website or certain third parties we work with to “recall” you as a unique individual. We use cookies on the site to assist us in providing customized services.

In addition, we place cookies that collect information about how you use the site. These cookies aggregate anonymous information regarding how visitors use the site so that we can improve how the site works. For example, it will let us, our affiliates, and certain third parties that we work with know which pages visitors go to the most or if our visitors see an error page on our site. We also place cookies to remember your choices on the site so that we and others we work with can provide you with a more enhanced and personalized experience.

If you choose to do so, cookies can be removed from your hard drive, and specific web browsers can be set so cookies are not used or saved. Please check with your browser provider for more information on removing cookies. Disabling cookies may restrict your site use and affect how it operates.

We may use third-party advertising companies to serve ads on our behalf across the Internet. These advertising companies may also collect anonymous information about your visits to the site. This is primarily accomplished through a technology device, commonly called a Web beacon, cookie, or an action tag, placed on various Web pages within the site or in an HTML e-mail that allows the third-party advertising company to collect anonymous information. There may also be, from time to time, services offered by external service providers that help you use the site. Suppose you choose to use these optional services, disclose information to the external service providers, and permit them to collect information about you. In that case, their use of your information is governed by their privacy policies, if any.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this policy, a third-party advertiser (or its partners) may place or recognize a unique cookie on your browser when visiting the site. These cookies enable more customized ads, content, or services. To trigger these cookies, we may pass an encrypted or “hashed” (non-human readable) identifier corresponding to your e-mail address to a Web advertising partner, who may place a cookie on your computer. No personally identifiable information provided to Teacup PuppySpot is on or is included with these cookies. You may opt out of these cookies by visiting www.aboutads.info/choices and www.networkadvertising.org/choices and following their instructions. We are not responsible for the effectiveness or compliance with any third parties’ opt-out functionality.

By visiting or using the site, you may have access to certain third-party functionalities, websites, services, and applications that may use tracking technologies to enhance your experience and provide services and content. One of these technologies is a Flash cookie embedded in the Adobe Flash Player, a web tool that allows rapid development of dynamic content. Adobe Flash cookies may be used when we use Flash to provide content and remember settings, preferences, and usage. They are similar to browser cookies (as described herein) but are managed through a different interface than the one provided by your web browser. You may access Flash management tools directly from Adobe’s website at www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager06.html. Please note that you must accept all or some cookies to take full advantage of all offerings on the site, particularly those requiring you to sign in.

Except where a user has registered an account with us, the log files and cookies do not, on their own, allow us to determine the user’s identity. However, as noted above, this information may allow us to determine things like the URL of the website you visited before coming to the site, the type of browser or mobile device you are using to access the site, your IP address, language, approximate geographic location, and time zone. We and our authorized third-party service providers may automatically collect this information when you access and use the site through electronic tools like log files and cookies. We use non-personally identifiable information to troubleshoot, administer the site and its services, analyze trends, gather demographic information, comply with applicable laws, and cooperate with law enforcement activities. We may also share this information with our authorized third-party service providers to measure the overall effectiveness of our online tools, content, and programming.

For California Users: Various third parties are developing or have developed signals or other mechanisms for expressing consumer choice regarding collecting information about an individual consumer’s online activities over time and across third-party websites or online services (e.g., browsers do not track signals). We do not monitor or take any action concerning these signals or other mechanisms. The site is not presently configured to support Do Not Track (“DNT”) signals from web browsers.

Minors

We only operate general audience services and do not use the site to knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of thirteen (13) that requires parental notice and consent under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) without such parental consent. If you are a child under thirteen (13) years of age, in addition to the fact that you are not permitted to use the site as you are under eighteen (18) years of age (see our Terms of Use), you are not permitted to send any information about yourself to us through the site.

Suppose we become aware that we have collected personal information from any child under thirteen (13). In that case, we will dispose of that information per COPPA and other applicable laws and regulations. If you are a parent or guardian and you believe that your child under the age of thirteen (13) has provided us with personal information without COPPA-required consent, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at help@puppyspot.com

Use

We use your Personal Information and other information we obtain about you to provide you with the services you request, process transactions, verify your identity, communicate with you, improve our marketing and promotional efforts, provide customer support, analyze Site usage, improve the site and overall experience, troubleshoot problems, customize your experience, inform you about our services and site updates, measure interest in our sites and services, internal business purposes, resolve disputes and enforce our Terms of Use.

We also work with various third parties to improve the site. We may be required to do this, and you are authorized to share certain information about you or your computer with those third parties. In those cases, we require those third parties to abide by this Privacy Policy and similarly restrictive terms.

You agree that we may use your information to contact you and to deliver information to you that, in some cases, is targeted to your interests, such as targeted banner advertisements, administrative notices, product offerings, and communications relevant to your use of the site.

If you wish to opt out of receiving promotional e-mails and marketing information from us, you may do so at the Unsubscribe Link in any of the e-mails you received. E-mail messages will also allow you to opt out of receiving this information. Please note changes to your preferences may take time to be effective.

Disclosure – Sharing of Personal Information

We may share your information with third parties for business purposes. When we disclose personal information for a business purpose, we enter a contract that describes the purpose and requires the recipient to keep that personal information confidential and not use it for any purpose except the contract. We will retain your Personal Information for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy unless a more extended retention period is required or allowed by law.

Some of the circumstances under which your information may be shared:

  • To provide services offered through the Site: We may share Personal Information with third-party service providers who help with our business operations, including, but not limited to, agents and others that we use in the ordinary operation of the site, such as account and billing, marketing and promotion (including sharing of e-mail addresses with Site marketing partners such as Facebook and Google), user experience research and surveys, website hosting and support and maintenance, the breeder you contract or communicate with, the airline or other transportation provider, Pet Insurer or other third party puppy insurance company, the American Kennel Club, and any other parties involved in the sale, transportation, insuring or veterinary care of your puppy or any related or ancillary services. We will only disclose your Personal Information to the extent reasonably required for the limited purpose of the third party evaluating, analyzing, and providing services contracted to us.
  • With your consent: We will share Personal Information with outside companies, organizations, or individuals when we have your consent.
  • With advertisers: We aggregate (gather data across multiple members’ accounts) personally identifiable information and disclose such information non-personally identifiable to advertisers and other third parties for marketing and promotional purposes. We may use third-party advertising companies to serve ads on our behalf. These companies may employ cookies and action tags (single-pixel gifs or web beacons) to measure advertising effectiveness. Please see the above section regarding cookies for further information, including information on sharing hashed e-mail addresses.
  • For legal reasons: We will share user information with outside parties if we have a good-faith belief that access, use, preservation, or disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary to meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable governmental request; or protect against harm to the rights, property or safety of us, our users or the public as required or permitted by law.
  • To provide third-party offers: We reserve the right to offer third-party services and products based on the preferences you identify in your registration, and at any time after that, our company or third parties may make such offers.
  • Other corporate entities: We may share your Personal Information with members of our corporate family who may provide joint or complementary content or services or may help detect or prevent potentially illegal acts. Should we plan to merge or be acquired by another business entity, we may share personal information with the other company. We will require the new combined entity to follow this Privacy Policy concerning your personal information. Further, should Teacup PuppySpot file for protection or have a third-party petition filed against it under the bankruptcy code, any company assets, including member Personal Information and non-personal information, may be sold or transferred, in whole or part, to a new entity.
  • Sweepstakes, Contests and Promotions. We may offer sweepstakes, contests, and other promotions (any “Promotion”) through the site that may require registration. By participating in a Promotion, you agree to official rules that govern that promotion, which may contain specific requirements of you, including allowing the promotion sponsor to use your name, voice, and likeness in advertising or marketing associated with the promotion. If you choose to enter a Promotion, Personal Information may be disclosed to third parties or the public in connection with the administration of such promotion, including in connection with winner selection, prize fulfillment, and as required by law or permitted by the promotion’s official rules, such as on a winners list.
  • Legal Requests: Teacup PuppySpot cooperates with law enforcement inquiries and other third parties to enforce laws. We can (and you authorize us to) disclose any information about you to law enforcement and other government officials as we, in our sole discretion, believe necessary or appropriate in connection with any investigation of fraud, intellectual property infringements, or other activity that is illegal or may expose us or you to legal liability.

By accepting this Privacy Policy, you agree that concerning other user’s personally identifiable information that you obtain through the Site, Teacup PuppySpot at this moment grants to you a license to use such information only for: (a) Site-related communications that are not unsolicited commercial messages, and (b) any other purpose to which such user expressly agrees after complete disclosure of the purpose. In all cases, you must give users an opportunity to remove themselves from your database. In addition, under no circumstances, except as defined in this Privacy Policy, may you disclose personally identifiable information about another user to any third party without our consent and the consent of such other user after adequate disclosure. Teacup PuppySpot and our Site users do not tolerate spam. Therefore, without limiting the preceding, you are not licensed to add a Site user to your mailing list (e-mail or physical mail) or any other advertising, contact list, or database without such user’s express consent after adequate disclosure. To report spam from other Site users, please contact Us.

Federal law gives you the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Some of the personal information we collect and share depends on the product or service you have with us. This shared information includes your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. We may share your personal information with third parties for our everyday business purposes, for our marketing purposes, for joint marketing with other companies, and for our affiliates and non-affiliates to market to you.

If you are a new user, we can begin sharing your information from when you agree to this agreement. When you are no longer an active user on the site, we may continue to share your information as described in this notice.

Security

The site has security measures in place to protect your information. We take reasonable precautions to protect against the loss, misuse, and unauthorized access of your personal information under our control. Because the security of your personal information is a high priority, we have taken appropriate steps to ensure that it is processed confidentially, accurately, and securely. The site uses encryption technology supported by the vast majority of modern Internet browsers to verify the identity of the transacting servers through certificates and digital signatures and confirm that message content integrity is maintained throughout its transmission. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we employ commercially reasonable security measures to protect data and seek to partner with service providers that do the same, we cannot guarantee the security of any information transmitted to the site and are not responsible for the actions of any third parties that may receive any such information.

Data Retention and Requesting Data Deletion

We keep your information, such as your name, e-mail address, and phone number, for as long as you keep your account. Sometimes, we will delete the information you provide us after it is no longer needed. Please note that it may only be possible to delete some copies of information, photographs, or submissions that have been previously shared on our site.

To request deletion of your personally identifiable information collected by PuppySpot, please send an e-mail with your request to deletemypsdata@teacuppuppyspot.com. We may deny your deletion request if we retain the information necessary to complete the transaction for which we collected the personal information and our legitimate business interests for legal reasons and to prevent harm to you, any third party, or us. For example, we will keep your personal information if you have purchased a puppy through Teacup PuppySpot so that we can continue to provide service for any health claims. 

Only you, or someone you authorize to act on your behalf, may request to know or delete your data. An authorized agent may request on your behalf by providing written permission signed by you. 

You must provide sufficient information to verify that you are the consumer from whom we collected the personal information. Any Personal Information you send us to verify your identity will be used for this purpose only. We will make commercially reasonable efforts to identify the personal information we collect, process, store, disclose, use, and respond to your requests. If we cannot verify your identity or suspect fraudulent activity, we may decline to comply with your request.

For Users Outside The United States

The site is hosted on servers located in the United States. Suppose you are a user accessing the site from the European Union, Australia, Asia, or any other region with laws or regulations governing personal data collection, use, and disclosure that differ from United States laws. In that case, you are transferring your personal information and data to the United States, which may not have the same data protection laws as other regions. By providing user information through the site, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States for processing and maintenance per this Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use. You are also consenting to the application of United States law in all matters concerning the site.

California Privacy Rights

We may elect to share information about you with third parties for those third parties’ direct marketing purposes. California Civil Code § 1798.83 permits California residents who have supplied personal information (as defined in the law) to us to, under certain circumstances, request and obtain certain information regarding our disclosure, if any, of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. If this law applies to you, you may obtain the categories of personal information shared by us and the names and addresses of all third parties that received personal information for their direct marketing purposes from us during the immediately prior calendar year (e.g., requests made in 2016 will receive information about 2015 sharing activities). To make such a request, please provide sufficient information for us to determine if this applies to you, attest that you are a California resident, and provide a current California address for our response. To make such a request (limit one request per year), please send a request by e-mail to the Privacy Administrator at pleasedonotsellca@teacuppuppyspot.com. All requests must be labeled “Your California Privacy Rights” on the e-mail subject line, envelope, or postcard. For all requests, please clearly state that the request is related to “Your California Privacy Rights.” include your name, street address, city, state, zip code, and e-mail address (your street address is optional if you wish to receive a response to your request via e-mail) and indicate your preference on how our response to your request should be sent (e-mail or postal mail). We will not accept requests via the telephone or by facsimile. We are not responsible for notices that are not labeled or sent properly or do not have complete information.

The California Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA” or “Act”) provides California residents with specific rights regarding their personal information. You may learn more about your rights under the CCPA here.

Nevada Privacy Rights

Nevada residents have specific privacy rights as specified under Nevada law. Our Privacy Policy is consistent with these laws. We do not sell your covered information as defined under Chapter 603A of the Nevada Revised Statutes. If you have any questions, please contact us at pleasedonotsellca@teacuppuppyspot.com. 

Copyright

All text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio clips, video clips, and other content on the site are the property of Teacup PuppySpot or its content suppliers. We and international copyright laws protect it. The collection, arrangement, and assembly of all content on this site is the exclusive property of Teacup PuppySpot and is protected by US and international copyright laws. Any other use, including the aggregation, posting, reproduction, modification, distribution, transmission, re-publication, display, or performance, of the content on this site is strictly prohibited.

Changes To This Privacy Policy

Teacup PuppySpot reserves the right to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time, so please review it frequently. If Teacup PuppySpot changes this Privacy Policy, we will post those changes to this page so that you know what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we disclose it, if any. By continuing to access or use the site after those changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy.