Privacy | Security | Safe Internet Practices

Read this privacy policy carefully before using this website because your understanding of it is important. If you disagree or are uncomfortable with the policy, please stop using the site. You can always contact me with questions or concerns.

Thank you for spending time at griefandpetloss.com®. I will make every effort to protect your personal information and privacy.

The “S” in HTTPS means secure. The purpose of HTTPS is to ensure the protection, integrity, and privacy of the data exchanged between a server and a browser. It also authenticates websites and confirms its trustworthiness.

The protocol is enabled by installing an SSL Certificate on the website's server. “SSL” stands for secure sockets layer — which creates a secure encrypted connection between the web server and the web browser. Without HTTPS, any data passed is not secure. This site begins with https and is SSL certified.

Privacy and Data Collection

The front end of a website is called the client side and the back end of the web industry is called the server side. A lot happens on the server side.

WIX automatically collects certain information when you visit, use or navigate this site. This information does not reveal your specific identity, like your name or contact information, but may include device and usage information.

Examples of device and usage information are your IP address, browser and device characteristics, operating system, language preferences, referring URLs, device name, country, location, information about how and when you use this website and other technical information.

This information is needed to maintain the security and operation of this website and its platform WIX and for internal analytics and reporting purposes.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a web analysis service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”) Google uses the data collected to track and examine the use of this website, to prepare reports on its activities and share them with other Google services.

Google may use the data collected to personalize the ads of its own advertising network, but griefandpetloss.com® will always be ad free.

I deleted my Google Analytics account on this site because I think the idea of tracking visitors is disturbing. Make no mistake, whether I delete my Google Analytics account or not, we are still being tracked.

Confidentiality and Email

I did not purchase a cloud based custom email from G Suite. Because I do not use contact forms, my email inbox is not part of the WIX Site Dashboard. Any correspondence between us will be strictly between you, your own email platform, me and Apple iCloud, unless you share the email with others.

I will not share your email to me with anyone and I do not collect email lists.

If, at any time, I feel your situation falls outside the scope of grief education and sharing on the level of one griever to another, I may suggest other resources for support or encourage you to seek professional advice—but it will ALWAYS be your decision whether or not you take further action. I will never forward your email to a professional counselor without your express consent.

Children and the Internet

Even though this is not a children's site, and I do not solicit personal information from children, I abide by the rules of the Federal Trade Commission because I know that children surf the web. Therefore, I do not knowingly respond to minors under the age of 13 without parental consent.

Parents, if you do not want your kids to read about death or grief, please adjust your parental control settings and have a conversation with your children. If you are aware that I have corresponded with your child without your consent, please contact me.

To read more about children's safety on the Internet, go to Protecting Kids Online | FTC.

Click FTC Online Privacy and Security for more tips to help you and your family stay safe and secure online.

Affiliations and Advertising

This site is not affiliated with any organization or enterprise. I do not receive compensation for linking to a site that sells products or services. I did not contact the owners of any commercial site and ask for back links.

I do not accept advertising of any kind. Griefandpetloss.com® will always be free to use.

I will never email you solicitations or marketing ploys. There is nothing to buy through this site. Oh, and one more thing—No annoying pop ups. Ever.

Internet Safety: External Links and Attachments

I want you to feel safe here and this site has Safe Secure Lock (SSL), indicated by the padlock icon you see in the browser window. I link to outside websites that also have the Safe Secure Lock to inform or comfort you and I am careful in my choices, but even the presence of SSL is not a guarantee of complete safety.

If you use these links, I cannot guarantee the content, accuracy, or safety of external sites. No one can guarantee that the Internet is 100% safe to use.

In keeping with electronic safety guidelines, I do not open email attachments from senders I do not know. A sad fact of life in cyberspace. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.

Accessibility

Griefandpetloss.com® is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability. I stay as close as possible to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as I can. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. Following these guidelines helps make the web more user friendly to everyone.

Examples of this website’s accessibility include easy site structure, descriptive headings, legible fonts, all images labeled with alt text, visual indicators on buttons and navigation bars and large text. It is not possible for me to make this site 100% accessible to every person, but I hope you find the overall accessibility useful.

Griefandpetloss.com® is taken from my original, nonfiction writing—with the exceptions of outside links and royalty free photography. When I have quoted the work of another, I have given credit to the author in sources and related reading at the end of the article.

You may use brief quotes from the articles on this site, but please do not post paragraphs of text without my permission. If you share the information with anyone, including links and social media, I ask only that you give proper citation by letting others know that you found it at griefandpetloss.com®.

Thank you for honoring copyright law.

Disclaimer:

Griefandpetloss.com® is a free site for general information only. Its goals are to comfort, educate and inform. It is not intended as a diagnostic tool or professional counsel* for grief or pet health. The holistic self-care techniques described here complement, but do not replace, standard medical care. If you need help or think you are having symptoms, please seek the expert guidance of a qualified health care provider. Always consult your veterinarian if you have questions or concerns about the health of your pet. Never disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment because of something you have read on this site.

*Compliance Reference: Chapter 4757.02 of the Ohio Revised Code