- Introduction
Renfrew Animal Hospital (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who visits our website at renfrewvet.com or contacts us through any of our communication channels. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have regarding your personal information.
This policy applies to information collected through our website, online forms, phone calls, SMS messages, and other digital communications. By using our website or contacting us, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
We operate in British Columbia, Canada, and our practices comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the Personal Information Protection Act (BC PIPA), and Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). Where visitors from other jurisdictions access our website, we also comply with all other applicable privacy laws.
- Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:
- Submit an appointment request, new client registration, or contact form on our website
- Call our clinic
- Send us an email or SMS message
- Interact with our online chat or automated phone systems
- Place an order through our online store
The types of information you may provide include:
- Your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address
- Your pet’s name, species, breed, age, and health information
- Appointment preferences and service inquiries
- Product refill requests and online store orders
- Payment information, which is processed by a third-party payment provider — we do not store full payment card details
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies, including:
- Your IP address and approximate geographic location
- Browser type, version, and device type
- Pages visited, time spent on each page, and navigation paths
- Referring website or search query that brought you to our site
This information is collected through analytics and tag management platforms operated on our behalf and is used to understand how visitors use our website so we can improve our services.
2.3 Communication Platforms
When you contact us by phone, email, or SMS, we may collect and retain records of those communications, including:
- Phone call recordings and transcriptions (see Section 7.2)
- Email and SMS message content
- Voicemails and automated message interactions
- How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Schedule and confirm appointments
- Respond to your inquiries and service requests
- Send appointment reminders, recall notices, and follow-up communications
- Process online store orders and product refill requests
- Improve our website and digital communications
- Display relevant advertising to people who have previously visited our website (see Section 5.4)
- Operate and improve our AI-assisted tools (see Section 7)
- Comply with legal, professional, and regulatory obligations
We use your information only for the purposes described in this policy. We do not use your personal information for purposes incompatible with those described here without your prior consent.
- SMS and Text Message Communications
If you have opted in to receive SMS messages from us, we may send you appointment reminders, follow-up messages, and other service-related communications.
Opting out: You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any message you receive from us. You may also contact us directly by phone or email to request removal from our SMS list.
Help: Reply HELP to any of our messages for assistance, or contact us at reception@renfrewvet.com.
Message frequency: Message frequency varies depending on your appointment schedule and communication preferences.
Message and data rates: Standard message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier and plan.
Processing time: Opt-out requests will be processed within 10 business days.
SMS consent is not a condition of receiving veterinary services. You may opt out by any reasonable method, including contacting us directly.
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies
5.1 Types of Cookies
We use the following categories of cookies on our website:
Essential Cookies — These cookies are required for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are set in response to actions you take, such as completing a form or setting your privacy preferences. These cookies do not store personally identifiable information.
Statistics Cookies — These cookies allow us to count visits and measure traffic so we can understand how visitors interact with our website. Information collected is aggregated and anonymous. These cookies are opt-in.
Marketing Cookies — These cookies are used by our advertising services to track visits and build a profile of your interests for the purpose of displaying relevant advertisements on other websites. They do not store personal information directly but uniquely identify your browser and device. These cookies are opt-in.
5.2 Cookie Consent
Our website uses a consent management system configured by VSA Vet Media Inc. When you first visit our website, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept, reject, or customize your preferences by category.
You may update your preferences at any time through the privacy settings on our website. Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are necessary for the website to operate. Clearing your browser cookies will reset your preferences.
5.3 Global Privacy Control and Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms
We recognize Global Privacy Control (GPC) and Universal Opt-Out Mechanism (UOOM) signals transmitted by your browser. If your browser is configured to send a GPC signal, we will treat it as a request to opt out of the use of your information for advertising and analytics purposes, to the extent required by applicable privacy law.
5.4 Online Advertising and Remarketing
We use online advertising services to display relevant advertisements to people who have previously visited our website. This practice, known as remarketing or retargeting, allows us to show our advertising to past website visitors on other websites and platforms.
Our advertising platforms use cookies to collect information about your visits to our website. This information is used to serve advertisements that may be relevant to your interests. We use these services for local advertising only and do not target audiences outside our service area.
Data shared for advertising purposes: When you visit our website, information about your visit — such as pages viewed and actions taken — may be shared with our advertising platforms to deliver relevant advertisements. This sharing is disclosed here in the interest of transparency and in compliance with applicable privacy law.
You may opt out of personalized advertising at any time:
- Google Ads settings: google.com/settings/ads
- Network Advertising Initiative opt-out: networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp
Opting out of personalized advertising does not mean you will stop seeing advertisements — it means the ads you see will not be tailored based on your browsing history.
- Third-Party Services
We work with third-party service providers to operate our website and deliver our services. These providers access your information only to the extent necessary to perform their functions and are required to protect your information in accordance with applicable privacy law.
The functional categories of third-party services we use include:
Online form and appointment providers — Platforms that receive and route appointment requests, new client registrations, and contact form submissions
Communication and scheduling platforms — Services used to send appointment reminders, recall notices, and other client communications by phone, email, and SMS
Website analytics platforms — Services that help us understand how visitors use our website and measure the performance of our content
Website hosting providers — Infrastructure services that store and deliver our website content
Online advertising platforms — Services used to display advertisements to past website visitors (see Section 5.4)
Online store providers — Platforms that facilitate product orders and refill requests through our online store
Payment processing providers — Services that process payment transactions; we do not store full payment card details
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We share your information with service providers only as necessary to deliver the services described in this policy.
- AI-Assisted Tools
We use artificial intelligence tools to support our communications and administrative operations. This section explains how those tools are used and the limits of their use.
7.1 No AI for Medical Decisions
No AI tool is used to make clinical or medical decisions. All clinical decisions are made exclusively by our licensed veterinarians and veterinary team. AI tools are used only to assist with scheduling, communications, and administrative tasks.
7.2 Call Recording
Calls to and from our clinic may be recorded for quality assurance, training, and operational improvement. By calling our clinic, you consent to the recording of your call in accordance with applicable law.
We use AI-assisted tools to transcribe voicemails and categorize call content for internal use. Call recordings and transcriptions are accessible only to authorized staff and our communications service providers.
7.3 Automated Communications
We use automated systems to send appointment reminders, recall notices, follow-up messages, and other service-related communications by phone, email, and SMS. These systems may use AI to assist with the timing and content of automated messages based on your appointment history and communication preferences.
7.4 AI Interaction Disclosure
Some of our digital communication tools, including our website chat and automated phone systems, may use AI to respond to common inquiries. Where an AI system is responding to your inquiry, this will be disclosed in compliance with applicable law. You may request to speak with a member of our team at any time.
7.5 Your Rights Regarding AI Interactions
You have the right to request human review of any AI-assisted communication that has materially affected you. You may request that we limit or discontinue AI-assisted communications with you by contacting us using the information in Section 16.
- Data Protection and Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include SSL encryption for data transmitted through our website, access controls limiting staff access to personal information on a need-to-know basis, and regular review of our security practices.
No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we take reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.
8.1 Data Breach Notification
In the event of a data breach that poses a real risk of significant harm, we will notify affected individuals and, where required, the appropriate regulatory authority, as required by applicable law.
- Your Privacy Rights
Canadian Privacy Rights
If you are located in Canada, you have the following rights regarding your personal information under PIPEDA and BC PIPA:
Right of access — You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Right to correction — You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
Right to withdraw consent — You may withdraw your consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information, subject to legal and contractual restrictions
Right to complain — You may file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia
Our practices comply with the Personal Information Protection Act (BC PIPA), which governs the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by private-sector organizations in British Columbia.
US Visitors
If you are visiting our website from the United States, applicable US state consumer privacy laws may grant you additional rights, including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to request deletion, and the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information. We do not sell your personal information. To exercise any applicable rights, please contact us using the information in Section 16. We will respond within the timeframe required by the applicable state statute.
How to Submit a Request
To exercise any of your privacy rights, please contact us at reception@renfrewvet.com or by phone at +1 (778) 737-1600. We will verify your identity before processing your request and will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.
- Sharing of Information
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
We share your personal information only in the following circumstances:
- With our service providers, as described in Section 6, to operate our website and deliver our services
- With our advertising partners, as described in Section 5.4, for the purpose of displaying relevant advertising to past website visitors
- When required by law, court order, or regulatory authority
- To protect the rights, safety, or property of our clinic, our staff, or our clients
- In connection with a business transaction such as a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which case we will notify you before your information is transferred
- Children’s Privacy
Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
- Links to External Websites
Our website may contain links to external websites, including our online store, partner organizations, and third-party resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any external website you visit before providing personal information.
- Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, to comply with our legal and professional obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements.
Client records, including appointment history and communication records, are retained in accordance with the applicable professional and legal requirements for veterinary practices in British Columbia.
Analytics and advertising data are retained in accordance with the data retention settings of our third-party analytics and advertising platforms.
When personal information is no longer required and retention is not required by law, we securely delete or anonymize it.
- Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this policy.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. If we make material changes that significantly affect your privacy rights, we will take reasonable steps to notify you, which may include posting a notice on our website.
- Website Design and Management
Our website is designed, built, and maintained by VSA Vet Media Inc., a veterinary digital marketing agency based in Vancouver, British Columbia. VSA Vet Media Inc. acts as a service provider with respect to this website and has access to its administrative functions as necessary to perform development, maintenance, and optimization services.
This access is governed by a service agreement that includes data protection obligations consistent with applicable privacy law. VSA Vet Media Inc. does not use your personal information for any purpose other than providing services to Renfrew Animal Hospital, and does not sell or disclose your personal information to any other party.
For California residents: Under our service agreement, VSA Vet Media Inc. is a CCPA/CPRA service provider. VSA Vet Media Inc. is prohibited from selling your personal information, retaining, using, or disclosing it for any purpose other than performing the services specified in our agreement, or combining it with personal information obtained from other sources.
- Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
Renfrew Animal Hospital
1801 Renfrew St
Vancouver, BC V5M 3H9
Canada
Phone: +1 (778) 737-1600
Email: reception@renfrewvet.com
Website: renfrewvet.com
If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy inquiry, you have the right to contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (oipc.bc.ca) or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (priv.gc.ca).