Data Request Guidelines for Law Enforcement and Government Authorities

These guidelines are intended to inform law enforcement and government authorities about Rover’s general policies and procedures for handling their requests for non-public information related to Rover, its users or their accounts.

About Rover
General Guidelines
Content Requirements
User Notification
How to Submit a Data Request
Other Third-Party Requests
Contact Information

About Rover

Rover is an online platform that connects pet parents with a network of independent pet care providers. We believe in the unconditional love of pets, and Rover exists to make it possible for everyone to experience this love in their lives. More information about Rover is available in our Terms of Service, Privacy Statement, and our Help Center.

General Guidelines

Rover is committed to working cooperatively with law enforcement and government authorities, while at the same time safeguarding the private information of users and respecting applicable law and relevant privacy principles. All data requests from law enforcement or government authorities must comply with any applicable content requirements set forth in these guidelines, and they must be submitted per the instructions specified below. Rover will construe all requests as narrowly as possible to maintain user privacy and avoid the risk of improper disclosure of user data or any misuse thereof.

Content Requirements

All Requests

In addition to any additional information specified below, all requests must include all of the following information:

• (i) date of request and (ii) any fulfillment deadline (note that non-emergency requests for information will be processed within any mandated timeline or approximately thirty days);
• requesting party’s (i) name, (ii) title, (iii) agency (e.g. law enforcement agency, local council, veterinarian, animal control, etc.), and (iv) country;
• requesting party’s (i) official email address, (ii) physical address, and (iii) phone number
• both the (i) case number and (ii) Rover ticket number (if known); and
• details of request including (i) purpose of the request (i.e. emergency, crime, or incident that is the basis of the request), and indicate if there is an ongoing criminal investigation, (ii) describe the information being requested as specifically as possible, (iii) describe how the information being requested serves the purpose of the request, and (iv) indicate if your request includes personal data of Rover users or employees, or if it includes any of Rover’s confidential business information.

Non-emergency U.S. Requests in the United States

Rover will respond to non-emergency requests for user data from U.S. government or law enforcement entities only when submitted in the form of valid and binding compulsory legal process issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise in accordance with applicable law and served in compliance with relevant legal standards. Requests that meet these requirements must also (i) identify the requesting party and agency, (ii) describe the specific data being requested, including the identity of the associated data subject (if applicable), and (iii) include all information described in the “All Requests” subsection above.

Non-emergency Requests Outside the United States

Rover will comply with non-emergency requests for user data from government or law enforcement entities from non-U.S. territories in which Rover operates when submitted in the form of valid and binding compulsory legal process issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authorized agency, acting in accordance with applicable law and served in compliance with relevant legal standards.

Rover will also consider other non-emergency requests for user data from government or law enforcement entities from non-US territories in which Rover operates. Rover’s review of all requests will take into account applicable laws and privacy principles, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).

Requests that meet these requirements must also (i) identify the requesting party and agency, (ii) describe the specific data being requested, including the identity of the associated data subject (if applicable), (iii) be presented on the government or law enforcement agency's letterhead and include contact details for a specific individual responsible for the request and (iv) include all information described in the “All Requests” subsection above.

Emergency Disclosure Requests

Rover will work with law enforcement to the fullest extent reasonably possible to address an emergency.

In the event of an emergency, such as an imminent risk of serious harm to any person, a law enforcement official may submit an emergency disclosure request by sending an email to trust@rover.com. At a minimum, requests for emergency disclosures must: (i) identify the requesting party and agency (including the name and contact details of an individual at the agency responsible for the request, (ii) describe the specific data being requested, including the identity and all known contact information of the associated data subject (if applicable), and how the data pertains to your investigation, (iii) explain the nature of the emergency and the reason the data requested cannot be obtained through the use of ordinary legal process, and (iv) include all information described in the “All Requests” subsection above.

We will respond to emergency disclosure requests only from law enforcement officials. Non-law enforcement officials aware of an emergency situation should immediately and directly contact local law enforcement.

User Notification

Rover reserves the right to notify the subjects of data requests about the requests for their data, unless we are prohibited by law from doing so. If a valid data request is accompanied by a specific and valid non-disclosure period, we further reserve the right to provide delayed notice to the impacted data subjects upon expiration of such period. Law enforcement officials who believe that data subject notification would jeopardize an investigation should obtain a court order or other appropriate process to prohibit such notice or otherwise provide clear reasons why notification would have this effect or is otherwise prohibited. All delayed notification and non-disclosure requests issued to A Place for Rover, Inc. must comply with 18 USC § 2705(b).

How to Submit a Data Request

Rover will accept only data requests that comply with applicable laws and these Guidelines. In order to expedite the processing time of properly submitted data requests, Rover requests that all data requests be written or translated into English.

To submit a data request to Rover, please include all of the information described in the “Content Requirements” section above in an email to trust@rover.com. Rover can only respond to requests that include all of the required information.

In addition to providing a courtesy copy electronically via email to legal@rover.com, all subpoenas, court orders, warrants, and formal production orders from a court of competent jurisdiction must be mailed to A Place for Rover, Inc., 711 Capitol Way S., Suite 204, Olympia, WA 98501, U.S.A. Please note that Rover will only respond to data requests received by email addresses from official law enforcement domains.

Private Party Requests

Private parties, including civil litigants and criminal defendants, may request non-public data from Rover using the below process.

All legal documents (including complaints and subpoenas) must be served on our registered agent for service of process: A Place for Rover, Inc., 711 Capitol Way S., Suite 204, Olympia, WA 98501, U.S.A, with a courtesy copy emailed to legal@rover.com. Our acceptance of legal process does not waive any legal objections we may have and may raise in response.

Rover will review each private party subpoena or data request for facial and substantive validity, and will reject requests that are not facially and substantively valid. Among other things, we require requests to be narrowly tailored, and will reject requests that are overly broad, vague, irrelevant, unduly burdensome, or not proportional to the needs of the case. Before making a request, please check to see if the information sought is publicly available. Rover reserves the right to charge an administrative fee for fulfillment of private party data requests.

We require private party data requests to (i) identify the requesting party, (ii) describe the specific data being requested, including the identity, address, and email address of the associated data subject (if applicable), and (iii) pertain to a narrowly tailored time period. For private party subpoenas, we also require a copy of the complaint and proof that no other parties have objected to the request within the timeline permitted by law, or otherwise that a court of competent jurisdiction has ordered disclosure by Rover. When considering these requests, Rover will take into account applicable laws and privacy principles, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).

Reservation of Rights

Rover’s acceptance of legal process does not waive any legal objections we may have and may raise in response. Rover does not accept legal process or requests directly from law enforcement entities outside of the territories in which we operate our platform. These law enforcement agencies should refer to a pertinent Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty or their nation’s diplomatic offices to obtain requisite legal support for their request.

Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about these Data Request Guidelines, please contact us at trust@rover.com.