Version: 1.4 · Effective date: 28 September 2026
1.1. These Terms set out the rules for providing services by electronic means in the Helpaw mobile application (the "App").
1.2. The service provider and administrator of the App is Dawid Kwiatkowski, sole proprietor (Dawid Kwiatkowski, 6572973652, 52329701500000, UL. WOJSKA POLSKIEGO 106B/3, PL-25-201, KIELCE, Poland) (the "Administrator").
1.3. Contact: info@helpaw.pl. This address is also the single point of contact referred to in Art. 11 and 12 of the Digital Services Act (DSA) — for authorities, users and third parties; communication is possible in Polish and English.
1.4. The App is used to publish reports of lost and found animals and to help users locate them. Use of the App is free of charge. The App shows no advertising during ordinary use; an ad appears only where you choose to watch one in exchange for highlighting your own report (the “boost” feature, Google AdMob).
To use the App you need: a device running iOS or Android, an internet connection, and — for full functionality — permission to access location, camera/gallery and notifications (optional, but declining them limits features). Some data is available offline from the local cache.
3.1. Browsing reports is possible in guest mode (an anonymous technical account). Publishing reports, comments, sightings and chat require registration.
3.2. Registration requires: an e-mail address and password or a Google/Apple/Facebook account, acceptance of these Terms, confirmation of having read the Privacy Policy, and a declaration of being at least 16 years old. The App is intended solely for persons aged 16 or older.
3.3. The service agreement is concluded upon registration for an indefinite period. The user may terminate it at any time by deleting their account (Settings → "Delete account") — deletion is immediate and irreversible.
3.4. The user undertakes to provide truthful data and to keep their login credentials confidential.
3.5. Inactive guest accounts (90 days without login and no active reports) are deleted automatically.
4.1. The user may publish reports of lost and found animals, sightings, comments, messages and success stories.
4.2. A report should contain accurate information: type (lost/found), species, location and, where possible, a photo. Providing a phone number is voluntary — the number will be visible to App users.
4.3. It is prohibited to publish content that is: unlawful, infringing the rights of third parties, offensive, vulgar, pornographic, promoting violence (including against animals), spam or content unrelated to the purpose of the App, personal data of third parties without their consent, as well as listings for the sale or breeding of animals. We have zero tolerance for such content and for abuse of other users — including harassment, threats, abusive messages and spam.
4.4. By publishing content, the user grants the Administrator a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display and store it to the extent necessary to operate the App, and represents that they hold the rights to the published materials.
5.1. Photos in reports are automatically verified by an AI system (Google Vision), which checks whether they depict an animal. A report rejected automatically is sent for review — the user may contest the decision by writing to the contact address, and it will then be reviewed by a human.
5.2. The Administrator may hide or remove content infringing these Terms and suspend or block an account infringing these Terms. The user is informed of the decision and its reasons, unless such notification is legally prohibited. The decision may be appealed to the contact address (considered within 14 days).
5.3. Anyone (including a person who does not use the App) may report unlawful content or content infringing these Terms: in the App via the "Report" button or by e-mail to the contact address, indicating the location of the content and the justification. We handle reports without undue delay and within 24 hours at the latest: unlawful content is removed and the account that posted it is blocked.
5.4. A user may block another user from the chat or from one of their comments. Blocking prevents that person from contacting the user via chat and hides their comments from the user who blocked them. A block can be lifted in the "Messages" tab.
6.1. The App serves solely to exchange information between users. The Administrator does not guarantee that an animal will be found, does not verify the identity of users or the truthfulness of reports, and does not participate in contacts or any settlements (e.g. rewards) between users.
6.2. The Administrator makes every effort to keep the App running continuously but is not liable for technical interruptions, the operation of external services (app stores, hosting providers), or the consequences of users providing untrue information.
6.3. The provisions of this section do not exclude or limit the Administrator's liability which cannot be excluded towards consumers under mandatory provisions of law.
7.1. Complaints regarding the operation of the App may be submitted by e-mail to: info@helpaw.pl, providing a description of the problem and the account e-mail address.
7.2. Complaints are considered within 14 days of receipt; the response is sent by e-mail.
7.3. A consumer may use out-of-court methods of handling complaints and pursuing claims, including the assistance of a municipal (district) consumer ombudsman or consumer organisations. More information: uokik.gov.pl.
The rules for processing personal data, including the user's rights (access, copy, rectification, erasure, portability, objection), retention periods and the list of data recipients, are set out in the Privacy Policy, available in the App (Settings) and at registration.
9.1. The Administrator may amend these Terms for important reasons (changes in law, App features, security considerations). Users will be informed of changes in the App and by e-mail at least 14 days before they take effect.
9.2. If the user does not accept the changes, they may terminate the agreement by deleting their account before the effective date of the changes.
10.1. The governing law is Polish law, provided that this choice does not deprive consumers of the protection afforded by the mandatory provisions of the law of the country of their habitual residence.
10.2. Disputes are resolved by the common courts having jurisdiction under general rules; in disputes with consumers, court jurisdiction is determined in accordance with the Polish Code of Civil Procedure.
10.3. These Terms are made available free of charge in the App, in a form that allows them to be downloaded, saved and printed.