Cookie Policy
Last updated: April 2026
This page describes the cookies and similar technologies Pet a Day uses. Read it alongside our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file a website stores on your device to remember something about you — that you're logged in, what you put in a cart, whether you accepted this very banner. We also use related technologies like localStorage and pixel tags; we refer to all of them as "cookies" on this page for simplicity.
How we categorize cookies
We group cookies into four categories so you can choose what you're comfortable with. You can change your choice at any time using the Cookie Settings link in our footer.
1. Strictly necessary (always on)
These cookies are required for Pet a Day to function. Without them you can't log in, stay logged in, or make purchases. They do not track you for marketing and we cannot disable them.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| next-auth.session-token / __Secure-next-auth.session-token | Keeps you logged in after sign-in. Without this cookie you cannot use your account. | 30 days (rolling) | Pet a Day (first-party) |
| next-auth.csrf-token / __Host-next-auth.csrf-token | Prevents cross-site request forgery on auth endpoints. | Session | Pet a Day (first-party) |
| next-auth.callback-url | Remembers where to send you after a successful sign-in. | Session | Pet a Day (first-party) |
| next-auth.state / next-auth.pkce.code_verifier | OAuth flow security state (for Google sign-in). Deleted after the flow completes. | ~15 minutes | Pet a Day (first-party) |
| petaday_consent_v1 | Stores your cookie consent choice so we don't ask every page load. Saved in browser localStorage, not a traditional cookie. | Until you clear site data | Pet a Day (first-party) |
2. Analytics (optional)
Google Analytics 4 measures which pages are popular, how people navigate the site, and where usability breaks down. This data is aggregated and helps us prioritize product work. You can opt out — we won't load these cookies unless you grant analytics consent.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Google Analytics 4 — distinguishes unique users for aggregate traffic reporting. | 2 years | Google LLC |
| _ga_<container_id> | Google Analytics 4 — session state for the specific GA4 property. | 2 years | Google LLC |
| _gid | Google Analytics — distinguishes unique users within a 24-hour window. | 24 hours | Google LLC |
3. Advertising (optional)
Pet a Day shows ads via Google AdSense on parts of the site. These cookies measure ad impressions and clicks, cap how often you see the same ad, and — if you enable ad personalization — tailor ads to your interests. You can opt out of any or all of these categories.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| __gads / __gpi | Google AdSense — measures ad impressions, limits ad frequency, detects fraud. | 13 months | Google LLC |
| IDE / DSID | Google ad services — measures ad effectiveness and serves personalized ads (only if you enable ad personalization). | 13 months | Google LLC |
| _gcl_au | Google conversion linker — attributes visits to ad clicks. | 90 days | Google LLC |
4. Functional (always on)
Functional cookies power optional features like the Tawk.to support chat widget. If you open the chat widget, Tawk.to sets its own cookies so an agent can respond. We treat these as functional rather than marketing because they exist to deliver a specific feature you asked for.
| Name | Purpose | Duration | Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tawk_* / __tawkuuid | Tawk.to live chat widget — maintains chat session state so an agent can reply. | 6 months | Tawk.to |
Consent Mode v2
Pet a Day implements Google Consent Mode v2. In practice this means:
- Before you make a choice, analytics and advertising signals are set to
denied. Google Analytics and Google ad services receive cookieless pings instead of full events. - When you accept (all or some categories), your choices are communicated to Google in real time and the corresponding services start recording.
- When you reject, Google still processes cookieless pings for aggregate modeling but cannot identify you across visits.
Your rights
If you are in the European Economic Area, the UK, or California, you have the right to revoke consent, access the data we hold about you, delete your account, or opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. See the Privacy Policy for how to exercise these rights.
Changing your preferences
Click Cookie Settings in the footer at any time to open the preferences panel and change your consent. You can also clear cookies for petaday.com in your browser to fully reset your choice.
Contact
Questions about cookies on Pet a Day? Contact privacy@petaday.com.