🔒 Privacy Policy — "Vind Mijn Dier" app
Last updated: 28 juli 2026
This privacy policy applies specifically to the Android app "Vind Mijn Dier" (package name nl.chipreaders.app), published on Google Play by developer Vectura Business. The app is part of ChipReaders.nl, a Dutch platform for pet microchip registration and lost/found pet reports. For the chipreaders.nl website itself, a more extensive, separate policy applies — see privacy.php. This document describes in detail which data the app collects, why, who it is shared with, how long it is retained, and what rights you have.
1. Data controller
ChipReaders.nl (operating under the developer name Vectura Business on Google Play) is the data controller for personal data collected through the app, within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
ChipReaders.nl (Vectura Business)
Chamber of Commerce (KvK) number: 98928120
Email: privacy@chipreaders.nl
2. Overview: what data, why, and on what legal basis
The table below gives a complete overview of the data categories the app processes:
| Category | Data | Purpose | Legal basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account | Name, email address, phone number, hashed password | Registration, login, account management | Performance of a contract |
| Pet data | Name, species, breed, colour, chip number, photo | Chip registration, pet management, reuniting lost pets | Performance of a contract |
| Location data | GPS position (foreground and, optionally, background) | Map of lost/found pets, proximity alert | Consent |
| Camera / photos | Camera access, photos taken or selected | Chip number scanning (on-device), photo for registration/report | Consent / performance of a contract |
| Push notifications | Firebase Cloud Messaging device token | Sending notifications (e.g. pet found, chip scanned) | Consent / legitimate interest |
| Technical/diagnostic data | Crash logs, device model, OS version, app version, usage statistics | Debugging, stability and improvement of the app | Legitimate interest |
| Biometrics (fingerprint/PIN) | Processed entirely by your device's operating system | Admin panel lock (chipreader/admin roles only) | Never stored or accessed by us — see section 6 |
3. Third-party services (SDKs) integrated in the app
The app uses the following third-party services. These have been carefully selected and only process the data required for their specific function:
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google): delivers push notifications via a unique, non-identifying device token.
- Firebase Crashlytics (Google): collects crash reports with technical data (device model, OS version, stack trace) to diagnose bugs — does not contain personal identifiers by default.
- Firebase Analytics (Google): collects anonymised usage statistics (e.g. which screens are visited) to improve the app. Advertising ID and ad personalisation are explicitly disabled — the app does not show ads.
- Google Maps SDK / Play Services Location: shows the map and determines your location for the "nearby" features.
- Google ML Kit (text recognition): reads chip numbers from a photo — this happens entirely on your device; the photo is not sent to Google or our servers for this purpose.
- Google Play In-App Review: shows, via Google's own system dialog, a one-time request for a Play Store review after sufficient usage. We do not receive any data about this ourselves.
4. Permissions the app may request
Android requests each permission separately, at the moment the corresponding feature is first used. You can always decline; the rest of the app keeps working, just not that specific feature.
- Location (foreground + background): for the map and the "missing pet nearby" alert. Background location is only requested after you explicitly allow it via a dedicated disclosure screen in the app (required by Google Play policy), and can be turned off at any time via Settings in the app or your device's location settings.
- Camera: to scan chip numbers and add photos. Only used when you actively open the camera feature yourself.
- Notifications: for push notifications (e.g. that your pet was found). Can be disabled via your device's system settings or the toggle in the app's settings.
- Fingerprint/face recognition: only used to lock the admin panel for users with a chipreader or admin role. Biometric data itself never leaves your device's secure hardware — the app only receives a yes/no result from the operating system.
5. Sharing with third parties
We never sell your data and never share it with advertisers — the app does not show ads. Data is only shared with the third-party services listed above (all part of Google), and with our own servers (chipreaders.nl) to provide the service. When a chip is scanned, the pet's owner is automatically notified — this is the core function of a chip registration service and only ever goes to the owner, never to any other third party.
6. International data transfers
Google/Firebase services may process data on servers outside the EU (primarily in the United States). Google is certified under appropriate safeguards (including EU Standard Contractual Clauses) for such transfers. Our own servers (for accounts, pet data and chip registration) are located in the Netherlands.
7. Retention period
Account data is retained for as long as your account exists. Registered chip data is retained for the registry function of ChipReaders (even after account deletion, anonymised) so a found animal can always be traced back to a chip number — this is inherent to the purpose of a chip registration service. Crash logs and analytics data are automatically deleted by Google after a few months by default.
8. Security
We take the following technical measures to protect your data:
- All communication between the app and our servers uses encrypted HTTPS/TLS — the app does not allow unencrypted (cleartext) traffic.
- Passwords are stored exclusively as a bcrypt hash, never in readable form.
- Login credentials (session token) are stored locally on your device in app-private storage inaccessible to other apps (Android DataStore).
- Biometric data (fingerprint) never leaves your device and is never stored by us.
- Access to our production database is restricted to authorised staff.
9. Children
The app is not specifically directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under this age without parental/guardian consent. If you believe a child has provided us with data, please contact us using the details below and we will remove it.
10. Automated decision-making
The app does not make automated decisions with legal effects on you and does not perform profiling. The AI recognition of chip numbers and pet photos is a tool that provides suggestions (e.g. species/colour) which you can always correct yourself before submitting — it is not an automated decision.
11. Your rights
Under the GDPR you have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict processing of, and port your data, as well as to object to processing based on legitimate interest. Send a request to privacy@chipreaders.nl — we respond within 30 days.
12. Filing a complaint
Do you have a complaint about how we process your data? Please contact us first at privacy@chipreaders.nl. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl).
13. Changes
This privacy policy may be updated, for example when new app features are added. The most recent version is always available on this page. In case of significant changes, we will inform users by email or via a notice in the app.
14. Contact
Questions about this privacy policy or the app? Email privacy@chipreaders.nl.
ChipReaders.nl · 28 juli 2026
