Privacy Notice

How Rascal K9s collects and uses client information

Rascal K9s respects your privacy. This notice explains what personal information is collected, why it is used, how long it is kept and the rights available to you under UK data-protection law.

1. Who is responsible for your information?

Rascal K9s, operated by Francesca Beth McIntyre as a sole trader, is the data controller.

Contact: hello@rascal-k9s.co.uk, 07833 405886, Waringstown, Northern Ireland.

2. Information collected

Identity and contact information, such as your name, email address, telephone number, home or service address and emergency contact details.

Booking, payment and transaction records, including records of bank transfers and cash payments. Rascal K9s does not collect or retain payment-card details.

Information about your dog, including name, age, breed, health or veterinary considerations, behaviour history, bite history, training needs and progress.

Messages, enquiries, registration-form answers, complaints and other correspondence.

Photographs and videos used for private training feedback, and marketing media where separate consent has been given.

Website and device information, such as IP address, browser data and cookie information, where collected by the website or hosting tools. The website cookie notice or settings should explain non-essential cookies separately.

Information about a dog is not normally personal information by itself, but it becomes personal information where it is linked to an identifiable owner. Please avoid supplying unnecessary information about other people.

3. Why the information is used and the lawful bases

Contract

To respond to booking steps, register you, take payment, deliver training, send service communications, provide training updates and manage cancellations or complaints.

Legitimate interests

To run and improve the business, maintain appropriate training and safety records, prevent fraud, protect clients, animals and the business, and establish or defend legal claims. These interests are balanced against your rights and expectations.

Legal obligation

To keep records or disclose information where required by tax, accounting, consumer, safeguarding or other applicable law.

Consent

To use identifiable photographs or videos for public marketing where separate consent is requested, and for electronic marketing where consent is the appropriate basis. You may withdraw consent at any time for future use.

Vital interests

In a genuine emergency, limited information may be used or shared where reasonably necessary to protect someone’s life or physical safety.

4. Who information may be shared with

Information is shared only where reasonably necessary, including with:

• Google, including Google Forms, Google Drive and Google Workspace, for registration forms, client records, documents and email;

• FreeAgent for accounting, invoicing and financial records;

  • banking providers used to receive and record bank-transfer payments;

  • Hostinger and other website or IT providers used to operate and secure the website;

  • venues or assisting professionals where needed for a booking and where sharing is appropriate;

  • veterinary professionals or emergency services in an emergency;

  • insurers, legal or professional advisers, regulators, law-enforcement bodies or courts where necessary or required by law.

Rascal K9s does not sell your personal information.

5. International transfers

Some technology providers may store or access information outside the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, Rascal K9s will rely on an applicable adequacy decision, approved contractual safeguards or another lawful transfer mechanism, as appropriate. You may ask for more information about the safeguards used.

6. How long information is kept

Enquiries that do not become bookings: normally up to 12 months after the last meaningful contact.

Client, booking, consent, safety and training records: normally for up to 6 years after the end of the client relationship, where needed for tax, contractual, insurance or legal purposes.

Financial and tax records: normally at least 5 years after the relevant 31 January filing deadline, or longer where the law requires.

Private training-update photos and videos: normally up to 12 months after the service ends, unless they remain reasonably needed for an ongoing training plan, complaint, insurance matter or legal claim.

Marketing media: until consent is withdrawn or the content is no longer needed, subject to reasonable removal from channels controlled by Rascal K9s and any necessary record of the withdrawal.

These are working retention periods. Information may be kept for longer where a dispute, insurance requirement, safeguarding concern or legal obligation reasonably requires it, and may be deleted sooner when no longer needed.

7. Security

Rascal K9s uses reasonable organisational and technical measures to protect information, such as access controls, password-protected accounts, limited access and appropriate disposal. No system is completely risk-free, but suspected data breaches will be assessed and reported where required.

8. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to ask for access to your information, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or to object to processing. Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it without affecting earlier lawful use. Some rights are subject to legal exceptions.

To exercise a right, contact hello@rascal-k9s.co.uk. Rascal K9s may need to verify your identity and will normally respond within one month.

9. Marketing choices

Service messages needed to manage an enquiry, booking, payment or training service are not marketing and may be sent as part of the contract or related legitimate interests. Rascal K9s may also send promotional emails about classes, services or offers where you have specifically opted in or where the limited existing-customer exception known as the soft opt-in lawfully applies.

Marketing permission is optional and is not a condition of receiving training. Marketing messages will identify Rascal K9s and provide a simple way to unsubscribe. You can withdraw consent or object to direct marketing at any time by emailing hello@rascal-k9s.co.uk.

10. Children

Bookings must be made by an adult. If information about a child is needed for safe participation, the responsible adult should provide only what is necessary. Rascal K9s does not knowingly use children’s information for marketing without appropriate permission.

11. Complaints

Please contact Rascal K9s first so the concern can be addressed. You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority, at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113. You may also seek a judicial remedy.

12. Changes to this notice

This notice will be reviewed periodically and updated when business practices or legal requirements change.