Privacy Policy
Neighbourhood Pet Clinic is committed to protecting the privacy of our clients and complying with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable Ontario privacy laws.
What Is Personal Information?
Personal information means any information that can identify an individual. This may include information provided by clients in the course of receiving veterinary care or interacting with our website.
Personal Information We Collect
We only collect information necessary to provide veterinary care and operate our business, including but not limited to: client information, name, address, phone number, email address, emergency contact information, payment and billing details, pet information, name, species, breed, age, sex,
medical history and treatment records, diagnostic imaging and laboratory results, insurance and treatment documentation (if applicable), technical & website information, IP address, browser and device information, website usage data (including cookies and analytics tools), and information submitted through contact forms, booking forms, or the mobile app.
How We Collect Information
We collect personal information directly from clients, through our website forms, by telephone, and during veterinary consultations. We also collect information through third-party veterinary systems and service providers used in the course of delivering care.
Why We Collect Personal Information
We collect and use personal information for the following purposes:
- Maintaining complete veterinary medical records, including relevant clinical findings, diagnoses, treatments, and pertinent communications or events
- Communicating with clients regarding appointments, treatment, and follow-up care
- Assisting with clinical documentation and medical record keeping through the use of secure transcription tools, where applicable
- Processing payments and insurance-related transactions
- Sending clinic updates and reminders related to patient care or service operations
- Improving our website, services, and client experience
- Meeting legal, regulatory, and professional obligations set by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO)
We do not use personal information for purposes unrelated to veterinary care without consent.
Consent
By providing personal information to us, you consent to its collection, use, and disclosure as described in this policy. Consent may be expressed or implied depending on the circumstances of collection.
You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal, contractual, or technical limitations. Withdrawal of consent may limit our ability to provide veterinary services.
Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Third Parties
We do not sell or rent personal information. We may disclose personal information only when necessary to provide veterinary care or operate our business, including to:
- Laboratories and diagnostic services
- Imaging storage and review systems
- Veterinary communication platforms
- Veterinary practice management software
- Clinical documentation tools
- Payment processors
- IT service providers and cloud infrastructure providers
- Website and analytics providers
All third-party providers are required to safeguard personal information and use it only for the services they provide to us.
Some service providers may store or process personal information outside of Canada, including in the United States. In these cases, information may be subject to foreign laws, but remains protected through contractual and technical safeguards.
Clients may opt out of non-essential third-parties at any time via unsubscribe links or by contacting the clinic. Please note that this may limit our ability to provide certain services.
Retention of Personal Information
We retain personal information only as long as necessary to provide veterinary care and meet legal and regulatory obligations.
- Veterinary medical records are retained, at minimum, for the lifetime for the pet or as required for continuity of care and regulatory purposes
- Financial records are retained for at least 7 years as per CRA guidelines
- Telephone recordings may be retained temporarily for training and quality purposes and overwritten periodically or when storage limits are reached
- Website and analytics data is retained according to provider default retention settings
When no longer required, personal information is securely destroyed or anonymized.
Safeguards
We use appropriate safeguards to protect personal information, including but not limited to: Password-protected systems and user authentication, Role-based access controls within clinical systems, Encrypted or secured cloud storage where applicable, Secure disposal of physical records via certified shredding services, and IT-managed network security and monitoring.
In the event of a privacy breach involving personal information, we will contain the breach and assess risk, notify affected individuals where required, report to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada when legally required, and work with our IT provider to mitigate and prevent recurrence.
Credit Card and Payment Information
We collect and process payment information securely through our Point-of-Sale payment processor (both in-clinic and through our payment portal) and veterinary financing companies, when applicable. In some cases, clients may provide credit card information verbally or in writing for their convenience. When this occurs:
- Card information is stored securely in a locked safe with restricted access
- Access to the safe is limited to authorized staff
- Information is used only for authorized payment processing
- Physical records are securely shredded when no longer required
Website Cookies and Analytics
Our website may use cookies and analytics tools, including Google Analytics, to understand website usage and improve functionality. We may also use marketing and tracking technologies such as Meta Pixel where active on the site. Users may disable cookies through browser settings. Our website and services are not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Contact Information for Privacy Officer
We take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is accurate and complete. Clients may request updates or corrections at any time, withdraw consent where applicable, or ask questions about how their information is handled.
Neighbourhood Pet Clinic has designated a Privacy Officer to oversee the maintenance of our privacy policy and compliance with Canadian privacy legislation.
Privacy Officer Contact: Brent Barr
Neighbourhood Pet Clinic
Email: parkranger@neighbourhoodpetclinic.com
Phone: (519) 649 0080
Mailing Address: 746 Waterloo St, London ON N6A 3W3
Updates to Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The most current version will always be available on our website. If you have questions or concerns about this policy or your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.