How Safe Are Dog Walking Apps for Your Privacy?

Dog walking apps may seem like the most convenient option for busy dog owners, allowing owners to remotely request an on-demand walk via their mobile device. The war between technology and anonymity has existed for decades, and as new apps develop, the question remains: is this safe for your privacy?

You’ve likely seen dog walking apps and similar apps in the Play store. In the past year, the app world has seen a higher saturation of on-demand walking apps than ever, due to their convenience and cost-effectiveness. But newer isn’t always better. In 2015, for example, one Brooklyn couple reported that their dog walker, whom they found via Wag, lost their pet chihuahua.

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The Issue with Location Sharing
Your pet is likely important to you, which means you should exercise caution when displaying your home location with strangers. As a precautionary measure, one app, Rover, advises customers to meet with the walker prior to handing over the house keys. But is this enough? Apps with location-sharing features can automatically share that device’s location in the “background,” meaning that you may be unaware of this location-sharing occurring. This is also how users on the app can view pet owners near them, with some even displaying specific neighborhoods via a “pin” in a map.

The app, Wag, notes in their privacy policy: “Whenever you interact with our Services, we automatically receive and record information on our server logs from your browser or device, which may include your IP address, geolocation data, device identification, ‘cookie’ information, the type of browser and/or device you’re using to access our Services, and the page or feature you requested.”

How to Have a Safer Experience
Although it is common to skip over the fine print, make sure to read over the terms and conditions before signing up for a dog walking app. Further, make sure to avoid any apps that request unusual permissions from your phone, or too many permissions. You should research dog walking apps, read reviews, and make sure any app you’re interested in is a legitimate, safe app before you download it.

Additionally, be cautious about the information you choose to display on your public profile. While these apps may not be storing your information for malicious purposes, many are unaware that this information is being stored. If dogs really are man’s best friends, we should make sure to take security measures to keep them — and us — safe.