Privacy Policy for Mello Pets

This Privacy Policy is an electronic record under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the rules made thereunder, as well as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act). This electronic record is generated by a computer system and does not require any physical or digital signatures.

This document is published in compliance with:

• Section 43A of the Information Technology Act, 2000;
• Rule 4 of the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011;
• Section 5 & Section 6 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023; and Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020.

Mello Pets ("Company", "we", "our", or "us"), operating as a Data Fiduciary under Indian law, is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of users ("Data Principals", "you", or "your") who visit or purchase dog and pet care products/services from our website www.mellopets.co

We collect only the Personal Data that is necessary for lawful purposes connected with our pet care e-commerce and service operations:

• Identity & Contact Data: Full name, email address, mobile number, billing address, and shipping address.
• Pet Profile Information (Optional): Your dog’s name, breed, age, weight, medical/dietary preferences, and photographs (collected when you create a pet profile or order customized dog products).
• Financial & Transaction Data: Payment mode details, UPI IDs, or bank transaction references. (Note: Credit/debit card numbers and net banking credentials are processed through RBI-compliant third-party payment gateways and are not stored on our servers).
• Technical & Device Data: IP address, browser type, device identifiers, cookies, and browsing activity on our website for security and analytics.

• Free and Informed Consent: By ticking the consent checkbox, registering an account, or placing an order on Mello Pets, you provide your free, specific, informed, unconditional, and unambiguous consent to the processing of your Personal Data for the specified purposes below.
• Language Accessibility: In compliance with the DPDP Act, 2023, you may request access to this Notice in English or any language specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India by contacting our Grievance Officer.

Your Personal Data is processed strictly for the following legitimate purposes:

1. 1
   Order Fulfillment: Processing orders, arranging delivery of dog food, accessories, or pet care products, and handling returns/refunds.
2. 2
   Customer Support & Communication: Sending order confirmations, dispatch alerts, invoices, and responding to queries.
3. 3
   Personalization: Suggesting dog breed-specific or age-specific nutrition and care products.
4. 4
   Marketing (Opt-in): Sending promotional offers, discounts, and pet care tips (only with your explicit consent, which you can withdraw at any time).
5. 5
   Legal & Tax Compliance: Complying with GST invoicing requirements, fraud prevention, and statutory disclosures required by Indian government authorities.

We do not sell or trade your Personal Data. We disclose your data only on a need-to-know basis with trusted Data Processors under strict contractual obligations:

• Logistics & Courier Partners: To deliver orders to your doorstep.
• RBI-Authorized Payment Gateways: (e.g., Razorpay, PayU, Paytm, Stripe) to process payments securely.
• Government & Law Enforcement Agencies: We may disclose your Personal Data without prior consent if mandated by law, court order, or government agencies under Section 17 of the DPDP Act, 2023 or Section 69 of the IT Act, 2000 for cybersecurity, investigation, or legal proceedings.

In accordance with Section 8(7) of the DPDP Act, 2023, we retain your Personal Data only for as long as it is needed to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, or until you withdraw your consent—whichever is earlier. However, transaction records and invoices may be retained for up to 8 years as mandated under Indian taxation and accounting laws (Income Tax Act, 1961 and CGST Act, 2017).

Under Indian law, you have the following statutory rights:

1. 1
   Right to Access Information: Request a summary of the Personal Data we hold about you and the identities of all Data Processors with whom your data has been shared.
2. 2
   Right to Correction and Erasure: Request correction of inaccurate/misleading data, completion of incomplete data, or erasure of your Personal Data that is no longer necessary.
3. 3
   Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent at any time via account settings or by emailing our Grievance Officer. (Withdrawal will not affect the legality of processing conducted prior to withdrawal).
4. 4
   Right to Nominate: Nominate another individual who shall exercise your rights under this Policy in the event of death or incapacity.
5. 5
   Right of Grievance Redressal: Register a complaint with our Grievance Officer if you are unsatisfied with our data handling practices.

Under the DPDP Act, 2023, a "Child" is any individual under the age of 18 years. Our website is intended for purchases by adults (18 years and older). We do not knowingly collect Personal Data of individuals under 18 without verifiable parental or lawful guardian consent. Nor do we undertake tracking, behavioral monitoring, or targeted advertising directed at children.

In compliance with Rule 8 of the IT (SPDI) Rules, 2011 and Section 8(5) of the DPDP Act, 2023, Mello Pets implements appropriate technical and organizational security safeguards (such as SSL encryption, firewalls, and restricted access controls) commensurate with industry standards (such as IS/ISO/IEC 27001) to prevent Personal Data breaches. In the event of a Personal Data breach, we will notify the Data Protection Board of India and affected users as required by law.

This Privacy Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India. Any dispute arising under this Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts.