Privacy Policy.

1. Who we are & scope

This Privacy Policy applies to Rescue Network ("we," "us," or "our"), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue organization based in Buffalo, Minnesota (EIN 84-3274038). This policy describes how we collect, use, and protect information when you visit rescuenetworkmn.org, interact with our forms, donate, adopt, foster, volunteer, or otherwise engage with us.

By using our website or services, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you don't agree, please don't use our website.

2. Information we collect

Information you provide directly

When you fill out forms, donate, apply to adopt or foster, or contact us, we collect:

• Identity & contact info: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address
• Adoption/foster application info: Household composition, housing situation, pet history, veterinary references, employment status, landlord contact (if renting)
• Surrender request info: Pet's species, breed, age, behavior history, your reason for surrender
• Donation info: Donation amount, frequency, payment method (processed by our payment provider — see Payment processing)
• Communication content: Messages you send us via email, contact forms, or social media
• Newsletter signup info: Email address, first name, last name

Information collected automatically

When you visit our website, we (or our service providers) may automatically collect:

• Device & browser info: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring website
• Location data: General geographic location (city or region) inferred from IP address — not precise GPS location
• Cookies & similar technologies: See Cookies & tracking below

Information from third parties

We may receive information about you from:

• Payment processors (donation confirmation, transaction status)
• Email marketing platforms (open rates, click rates, bounces)
• Social media platforms (when you interact with our posts or send messages)
• Veterinary or rescue partners (when verifying your application or processing a transfer)

3. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and verify adoption, foster, and volunteer applications
• Match you with appropriate animals based on your home and lifestyle
• Process donations and send receipts for tax purposes
• Communicate with you about animals you're interested in, application status, or upcoming events
• Send newsletters and updates if you've subscribed (you can unsubscribe anytime)
• Respond to surrender requests and provide alternative resources
• Improve our website, programs, and operations
• Comply with legal obligations (tax reporting, contract enforcement, fraud prevention)
• Protect the welfare of the animals in our care

4. When we share information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in these limited cases:

Service providers

We share information with vendors who help us operate, such as:

• Payment processors (Stripe, Infinite Giving) to process donations
• Email platforms (Mailchimp) to send newsletters
• Hosting providers (WordPress hosting) to operate the website
• Adoption management software (Shelterluv) to display adoptable animals and track applications
• Analytics providers to understand website usage

These vendors only access information needed for their services and are required to keep it confidential.

Rescue partners & volunteers

Adoption applications may be shared with the foster caring for an animal, our adoption coordinators, and home-visit volunteers — all of whom have agreed to confidentiality.

Legal requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Rescue Network, our animals, our community, or the public.

Business transfers

If Rescue Network merges with, is acquired by, or transfers operations to another nonprofit, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Privacy Policy.

5. Cookies & tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies:

• Essential cookies: Required for the site to function (e.g. remembering you're logged in, form security)
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use the site (e.g. Google Analytics)
• Marketing cookies: If applicable, used by social media platforms to measure ad performance

You can control cookies through your browser settings or by using our cookie banner if shown. For more detail, see our Cookie Policy.

6. Payment processing

When you donate or make a purchase, payment information (credit card number, billing address) is collected and processed directly by our payment provider — Stripe for merchandise and Infinite Giving for donations. We never see or store your full card number. Stripe's privacy policy is available at stripe.com/privacy and Infinite Giving's at infinitegiving.com/privacy-policy.

7. Email & communications

If you sign up for our newsletter, we'll send periodic updates about adoptable animals, events, and rescue news. Every email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can opt out anytime. We use Mailchimp to send these — their privacy practices are at mailchimp.com/legal/privacy.

Transactional emails (donation receipts, adoption application updates, form confirmations) are not promotional and don't include an unsubscribe option since they're necessary to deliver the service you requested.

8. Data retention

We retain personal information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected and to comply with legal obligations:

• Adoption records: Indefinitely, to honor our lifetime commitment to returned animals
• Donation records: At least 7 years for tax and accounting purposes
• Newsletter subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe
• Contact form messages: Up to 3 years
• Declined applications: Up to 3 years

9. Your rights & choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal information, including:

• Access: Request a copy of the information we hold about you
• Correction: Ask us to fix incorrect or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request that we delete your information (subject to retention requirements above)
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time
• Cookies: Adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies

California residents: Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have additional rights including the right to know what categories of personal information we collect and the right to request deletion. You can submit a CCPA request by emailing info@rescuenetworkmn.org.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information below.

10. Children's privacy

Our website and services are not directed to children under 13. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we've collected information from a child under 13, please contact us so we can delete it.

11. Security

We use reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect your information — including SSL encryption on our website, secure payment processing through PCI-compliant providers, and access controls on our internal systems. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We can't guarantee absolute security, but we work hard to protect your data.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we may also notify you by email or post a notice on the website. Your continued use of our website after the policy is updated constitutes acceptance of the changes.

13. Contact us