Privacy Policy
The HALO chip regularly records your dog's location and learns your dog's health patterns. This policy explains exactly what that means for your data, in plain English.
1. Who we are and what this covers
HALO X Labs, Inc. runs The HALO Chip. This policy covers our website, the waitlist and newsletter, the HALO Chip app, the HALO chip and the emails we send.
The HALO Chip is made by HALO X Labs, Inc., 2810 N Church St #88456, Wilmington, DE 19802 ("The HALO Chip", "we", "us"). We are responsible for the personal information described here. This policy applies to thehalochip.com, our waitlist and newsletter, the HALO Chip app, the HALO chip and emails from us.
The HALO chip regularly records your dog's location and learns your dog's health patterns. This policy explains exactly what that means for your data. We treat your dog's location and health data as your personal data, because they can reveal where you live and where you go.
The HALO chip is available in the United States only. If that changes, we will update this policy first.
2. What we collect
Some information you give us, some comes from the HALO chip, and some is collected automatically when you use the website or app.
Information you give us
- Your name and email address, when you join the waitlist, sign up for our newsletter or create an account.
- Your state, your pet type and the referral code you used, when you join the waitlist.
- Your phone number, if you add one to your account for text alerts.
- Your dog's profile: name, breed, age, weight, sex and photo. We use weight to check the 5 kg (11 lb) minimum.
- Your plan choice and billing status. Payments are handled by Stripe. We never see or store your full card number.
- Messages you send us for support.
Information from the HALO chip
- Location fixes for your dog. See section 3.
- The hardware addresses (MAC/BSSID) and signal strength of nearby Wi-Fi networks, used only to work out your dog's position.
- Which Amazon Sidewalk gateway the chip connected through, and that gateway's approximate location.
- An identifier for your home Wi-Fi network and household Sidewalk devices, so the HALO chip can tell when your dog is home.
- Motion, posture and temperature readings, used for activity and health insights. See section 5.
Information from your phone
- Bluetooth, used to set up the chip, send it secure updates and find your dog at close range.
- Your phone's location, if you allow it, to show how far you are from your dog and which way to go. It is stored with your account in the app, and you can delete it.
- Notification permission, so we can send you alerts.
Information collected automatically
- Device type, operating system, app version, crash logs and IP address.
- Website usage, measured by Google Analytics and Framer Analytics. Google Analytics uses cookies to count visits and see which pages are popular. You can block these cookies in your browser settings or with Google's opt-out tool at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
- On our website, your browser stores your own referral code and whether you have joined the waitlist, so we can show you the right screen next time. This stays on your device.
- If you search for a clinic near you, the ZIP code you type or your browser location (if you allow it) is used to show nearby clinics on a map provided by Mapbox.
Information from partner clinics
When a partner veterinary clinic places your HALO chip, we receive the chip ID, the activation details, the clinic's name and the visit date.
3. How your dog's location works
Your dog's location is the most sensitive data we handle. Here is how it is collected, where it goes and how long we keep it.
The HALO chip takes short location snapshots rather than tracking nonstop. It does not work out its own position. It sends a small, encrypted message, and your dog's position is calculated on our servers at Amazon Web Services (AWS IoT Core Device Location), using GPS signals, nearby Wi-Fi networks or the network it connected through. Safe zones are checked with Amazon Location Service.
The chip sends data over Amazon Sidewalk and LoRaWAN networks. Sidewalk messages can pass through nearby compatible devices, including other people's Amazon Echo and Ring devices. These messages are encrypted end to end, so the owners of those devices cannot read them or see your dog's location. Amazon tells us which gateway carried the message and roughly where it is.
The chip learns your home Wi-Fi network and household Sidewalk devices so it can tell when your dog is home. Because of this, your home network identifier is stored with your account, and it can reveal your home address.
Nearby Wi-Fi networks, including networks that are not yours, are used only to work out your dog's position. We do not link them to the people who own those networks.
We keep your dog's current location and location history while your account is active. You can delete your dog's location history at any time in the app. We never sell location data.
4. Lost Pet mode and helpers
If your dog goes missing, you can turn on Lost Pet mode so nearby HALO Chip app users can help find them. They never see who you are.
Lost Pet mode is off until you turn it on in the app. When it is on, your phone and the phones of other HALO Chip app users nearby can pick up your dog's Bluetooth signal and help you home in on your dog at close range.
Helpers see only the direction and rough distance to the missing dog. They do not see your name, contact details or address. You can turn Lost Pet mode off at any time.
5. Health insights
The HALO chip uses motion and temperature readings to spot changes in your dog's normal patterns. These insights are not a veterinary diagnosis.
From the chip's motion, posture and temperature readings, the HALO chip works out insights such as activity, sleep, scratching, head shaking, restlessness and heat stress. Temperature readings are approximate and used for trends only.
These insights are calculated by our own models, partly on the chip and partly in our own AWS account. We do not send this data to an outside AI company.
Every HALO chip has the same sensors, so sensor readings are collected on every plan. Health insights are shown only on plans that include them.
Insights are not a veterinary diagnosis and do not replace a vet. A vet sees your dog's reports only when you choose to share them.
6. How we use information
We use your information to run The HALO Chip, keep it secure, and tell you about The HALO Chip if you want to hear from us.
- To provide the HALO chip service: the live map, safe zones, walk history, health insights and alerts.
- To run the waitlist, track referrals and apply referral rewards.
- To send you launch and clinic news. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.
- To give you support and manage your subscription and billing.
- To keep the HALO chip service working and secure, fix bugs and prevent fraud.
- To improve the HALO chip and its features.
- To meet legal obligations.
8. Your choices and rights
You control your settings and app permissions, and you can ask us to show, correct or delete your data.
Your choices
- Change your account details and your dog's profile in the app.
- Turn Bluetooth, location and notification permissions on or off in your phone settings. Some features stop working without them.
- Unsubscribe from marketing emails using the link in any email.
- Delete your account and your data from inside the app.
Your privacy rights
Wherever you live in the US, you can ask us to tell you what personal information we have about you, give you a copy, correct it, or delete it. You can also opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information and limit how we use sensitive information such as precise location. We will not treat you differently for using these rights.
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information: We do not sell or share your personal information for targeted advertising, so there is nothing to opt out of. If that ever changes, we will update this policy and give you a way to opt out first.
To make a request, email operationsx@thehalochip.com. We will confirm your identity and reply within 45 days. You can also have an authorized agent make a request for you.
9. How long we keep it
We keep information only as long as we need it to run The HALO Chip or as the law requires.
| Information | How long we keep it |
|---|---|
| Name and email (waitlist, newsletter, account) | Until you unsubscribe or delete your account |
| Your dog's current location | While your account is active |
| Your dog's location history | While your account is active, unless you delete it sooner in the app |
| Nearby Wi-Fi network identifiers | Only as long as needed to work out a location fix |
| Raw motion, posture and temperature data | Only as long as needed to produce your dog's health insights |
| Health insights and vet-ready reports | For the life of your account |
| Dog profile, chip ID and activation details | For the life of your account |
| Billing records | 7 years, as tax and accounting law requires |
| Device info, crash logs and IP address | Only as long as needed to fix problems and keep the HALO chip service secure |
| Your phone's location (if you allow it) | Stored with your account in the app until you delete it or your account |
| Support messages | As long as needed to help you and keep a record of the conversation |
10. Security
We use strong, layered protections for your data. No system is perfectly secure, so we also plan for what happens if something goes wrong.
- Each HALO chip creates its own cryptographic keys (ED25519 and P-256). The private keys never leave the chip.
- Amazon Sidewalk uses three layers of encryption between the chip and our servers.
- Chip software updates are signed and protected against rollback, and are sent over Bluetooth through your app.
- Data is encrypted in transit and at rest on AWS, and access is limited to people who need it.
Our security measures are reasonable, not perfect. If a breach affects your personal information, we will tell you and the authorities as the law requires.
11. Children
The HALO Chip is not for children.
The HALO Chip is not directed at children. You must be 18 or older to create an account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have, we will delete it. If you think a child has given us information, email operationsx@thehalochip.com.
12. Partner clinics and the placement pen
Your partner clinic sees what it needs to place and activate the chip.
When a partner clinic places your HALO chip with the placement pen, the clinic's app connects to the chip over Bluetooth, registers it, and links it to your dog and your account using the activation card. The clinic sees the chip ID and activation details, and keeps its own record of your visit. The clinic's own privacy practices apply to that visit record. Because clinics earn a share of HALO chip subscription revenue, they may see whether your plan is active. After activation, a clinic sees your dog's information only when you choose to share it with them.
13. Changes to this policy
If we change this policy in a way that matters, we will tell you before it takes effect.
The current version always lives at thehalochip.com/privacy. If we make a material change, we will email you and show a notice in the app before it takes effect. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when this policy last changed.
14. Contact us
Questions or requests about your privacy? Here is how to reach us.
Email: operationsx@thehalochip.com
Mail: HALO X Labs, Inc., 2810 N Church St #88456, Wilmington, DE 19802
To make a privacy request, email us with "Privacy request" in the subject and tell us what you would like us to do. We reply within 45 days.
