This privacy notice explains in detail what types of personal information I collect from ​you. It also explains how I will store and use your data to keep it safe. I am registered ​as a data controller at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO); under ​registration number ZB668936.

Your privacy is therefore extremely important to me, as such, I am committed to ​handling your information in accordance with GDPR and the Data Protection Act ​2018. This means that your personal information will be:

• Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner
  
• Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes
  
• Only collected so far as required for my lawful purposes
  
• As accurate and up-to-date as possible
  
• Retained for a reasonable period of time in accordance with my retention policies
  
• Processed in a manner which ensures an appropriate level of security
  

Data protection laws set out the legal bases that I can rely on when processing your ​personal data. These include:

• Consent. In specific situations, I can collect and process your personal ​information with your consent.
  
• Contractual Obligation. In certain circumstances, I need your personal ​information to comply with my contractual obligation to provide you with my ​services.
  
• Legal Compliance. If the law requires me to, I may need to collect and process ​your personal information.
  
• Legitimate Interest. In specific situations, I may require your data to pursue my ​legitimate interests in a way which might reasonably be expected as part of ​running my business, and which does not materially impact your rights, freedom ​or interests.
  

I cannot provide you with the service required without collecting some personal ​information from you. If you choose not to share the required personal information ​with me, I may not be able to provide the service(s) that you have asked for, and I will ​notify you if this is the case.

What personal information do I collect?

I collect the following personal information from clients/potential clients by way of a ​questionnaire to be completed and emailed back to me:

• Name, address, email address, telephone number, emergency contact name, ​address and telephone number.
  

I may also collect:

• Records of enquiries, meetings, emails and written correspondence and other ​direct engagement.
• Transactional data – details about transactions to and from you and details about ​services you purchase from me.

Where do I collect personal information from?

I collect personal information from you in many ways. These include:

• Directly from you – for example, from telephone conversations, emails and ​written correspondence and meetings with you (including the client questionnaire ​form you complete and email to me when booking my services)
  
• From other organisations/people that refer you to me, such as other professional ​pet sitters/dog walkers and my network of contacts.
  
• The internet and networking and social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook ​and WhatsApp.
  

How I use your personal information?

I will only process personal information where I believe I have a lawful basis to do so. ​The basis for processing will vary from activity to activity. In some instances, ​processing may have more than one lawful basis.

Your completed questionnaire will be:

• Printed and stored securely in a locked cabinet when not in use
  
• Securely saved in a password protected device
  
• Removed from the locked cabinet only when providing my service, and will be
  
• Returned to the locked cabinet on service completion
  

Any personal data provided will be used by me to:

• Provide my service to you and your pet(s) only
  
• Provide relevant information to a Veterinary practice in relation to your pet(s) in ​the event of a medical emergency (i.e. to ensure your pet(s) gets any necessary ​Veterinary care)
  
• Ensure I comply with any legal obligations that may be imposed upon me (e.g. by ​Police or animal welfare etc. in relation to your pet(s) or your home)
  

Your telephone number will be:

• Stored on my mobile phone with only your name and a pet’s name. This mobile is ​pin protected, and only I know the pin to gain access.
  

Photos/videos taken of your pet(s):

• Will be shared directly with you, via Facebook messenger or WhatsApp, only if you ​have specified that you would like this to happen
  
• May be uploaded to Whyte Whisker Pet Sitter Facebook page or website (but only ​if you have agreed to this in your completed questionnaire)
  

Any keys belonging to you will be:

• Kept in a locked cabinet in my house, and will only be taken out and carried by me ​when providing my service to you and your pet(s), and will be
  
• Returned to you as agreed, or at your request
  

Please note that under UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) you are ​entitled to ask me to amend any incorrect personal data I hold on you, or delete or ​destroy your personal data if you no longer wish to use my services. I will only retain ​your data for as long as reasonably necessary in order to fulfil the purposes for which ​it was collected.

What I do not do

I do not use client personal information for profiling, nor do I use your personal ​information for direct marketing. I do not use your personal information for any ​automated decision making and I do not sell, rent or distribute your personal ​information to any third party.

Who I may share your personal information with

Some of the processing activities set out above may require me to share personal ​information with third parties. Whenever I share personal data, I take all reasonable ​steps to ensure it will be handled appropriately and securely by the third party. I do ​not allow any third-party with whom I share your personal data to use it for their own ​purposes, and only permit them to process your personal data (i) for specified ​purposes and (ii) in accordance with my instructions.

The following is a list of the main third parties who I may share personal information ​with:

• Microsoft and/or Google Cloud Services.
  
• Financial banking/accounting software
  
• The police and other law enforcement agencies, HMRC and other government ​bodies
  
• The Information Commissioners’ Office (ICO)
• My insurers

For practical reasons, this is an indicative, but not exhaustive list.

Please also note that the list may be updated from time to time.

Data security

I have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from ​being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or ​disclosed.

I have also put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach ​and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where I am legally ​required to do so.

How long do I retain your personal information for?

The period for which I retain personal information depends on the purpose for which ​the information was obtained. In general terms, I will retain personal data for so long ​as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes I collected it for, including by law or as ​may be required for record keeping and legal claims purposes. I may retain your ​personal data for a longer period in the event of a complaint or if I reasonably believe ​there is a prospect of litigation in respect of my relationship with you.

Changes to my privacy statement

I keep this privacy statement under regular review and will place any updates on my ​website.

This privacy policy was last updated on 27 March 2024.

Contact information and further advice

Whyte Whisker Pet Sitter

11 Lochaber Road, Strathaven, South Lanarkshire

ML10 6HZ

Telephone: 07920549001

Complaints

I seek to resolve directly all complaints about how I handle personal information, but ​you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s ​Office, whose contact details are as follows:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone – 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745

Website

Email: whytewhiskerpetsitter@gmail.com