Effective date: 1st November, 2025

Who we are

Pickle’s Pet Pals (“we”, “us”, “our”) provides dog walking and pet sitting services. We are committed to protecting your personal data and being transparent about what we do with it.

What this Notice covers

This Notice explains how we collect, use, store, secure, disclose, and retain personal data (your “personal information”) when you become our client or interact with us in providing pet care services. It also explains your rights under data protection law.

Data we collect

Although we do not collect personal data via our website (for example via forms, cookies, or other online tracking), we do collect and hold personal data by other means when you sign up for services. This may include:

Your name, postal address, phone number, email
Address(es) and access information for where pets are kept
Information about your pet(s) (breed, age, medical conditions, vet contact)
Emergency contact information
Service agreements, schedules, notes, invoices, payment records
Any correspondence (emails, messages, notes) relevant to your service
Any consent, preferences, or instructions you provide (e.g. special care instructions)

We collect this data typically through paper forms, in-person discussions, phone calls, or email.

Purposes and lawful basis for processing

We process your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide the pet walking / pet sitting services you request
To manage and administer scheduling, care instructions, payments, and billing
To contact you regarding your bookings, reminders, changes, or emergencies
To respond to queries or complaints
To comply with legal obligations (e.g. accounting, tax, insurance, record keeping)
To maintain business records, including for any disputes or liability protection
The legal basis we rely on is:
Performance of a contract (i.e. to deliver the services you engage us for)
Legitimate interests (for example, managing our business operations, ensuring pet safety, addressing service issues)
Compliance with legal obligations

How we store and protect your data

We take reasonable precautions and follow industry best practices to keep your personal data secure:

Paper records are stored in locked filing cabinets, in a secure premises
Electronic records are kept in password-protected computer folders / drives
Access to personal data is limited to necessary staff / persons
We regularly back up electronic data
When we no longer need certain records, we securely destroy or erase them

Disclosure of your data

We will not sell or rent your personal data. However, we may share your information under limited circumstances:

With staff, contractors or trusted third parties who assist us in providing pet services (e.g. substitute walkers/sitters), under confidentiality
With third parties when required by law or regulatory obligation
With insurers, in case of claims or legal liability
With law enforcement, courts, or authorities if required to comply with a legal order
In the event of business reorganisation (sale, merger, transfer), subject to safeguards
Whenever we share data with third parties, we ensure they have adequate data protection and security commitments.

Retention of your data

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined above, or to comply with legal, accounting, or regulatory obligations. For example:

Active client records may be kept for the duration of the client relationship
After the relationship ends, we may keep necessary records (e.g. invoices, liabilities) for a further [insert period, e.g. 6 years, or as required by law]
Once data is no longer needed, we securely erase or destroy it

Your rights

Under applicable data protection law (UK GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018), you have rights including:

Right to be informed about how your data is used (this Notice)
Right of access (request a copy of your personal data)
Right to rectification (correct inaccurate or incomplete data)
Right to erasure (in certain circumstances)
Right to restrict processing (in certain circumstances)
Right to object to processing (e.g. for marketing or on grounds of legitimate interest)
Right to data portability (if applicable)
You can exercise these rights by contacting us (see section 10). We may ask for identification to verify your request. Where a request is manifestly unfounded, excessive or repetitive, we may refuse or charge a reasonable fee.

Complaints and regulatory authority

If you believe we have processed your personal data unlawfully, or you are dissatisfied with how we deal with your request, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Website: https://ico.org.uk
Phone: 0303 123 1113

Contact & changes to this Notice

If you have any questions, requests, or concerns about this Notice or our handling of your data, please contact:

Pickle’s Pet Pals
St Anthony Road, Heath, Cardiff. CF14 4DG
Email: picklespetpals@outlook.com
Phone: 07598 204115

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time (for example, to reflect changes in law or services). When we do, we will provide a revised date and, where necessary, notify clients directly.

Pickle’s Pet Pals is the data controller for your personal data. If you have any queries about your data or this notice, contact our Data Protection Lead at picklespetpals@outlook.com or by post at the above address.