Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 17/12/25

At Strawberry Paws, we are committed to protecting the privacy of our clients, their pets, and our website visitors. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. The Data Controller

For the purposes of data protection, the “Data Controller” is Strawberry Paws. You can contact us at strawb3rryyy.paws@gmail.com regarding any data-related queries.

2. Information We Collect

  • Directly from You: To provide our dog-walking and pet-sitting services, we collect your name, address, phone number, email address, pet medical/behavioural history, and emergency contact details.
  • Website Data: When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information, such as your IP address, browser type, and how you interact with our site via cookies.
  • Forms: Information submitted through our website forms (via WPForms) is used to process your specific service enquiries or bookings.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we process your data based on:

  • Contractual Necessity: We need your information to fulfil the service agreement you have entered into with us.
  • Legal Obligation: We are required to keep certain records for tax and accounting purposes.
  • Consent: Where you have specifically opted-in to receive marketing or have your pet’s photo shared on Instagram.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your data solely for the following purposes:

  • To confirm, manage, and process payments for your bookings.
  • To provide safe care for your pets and communicate with you during services.
  • To respond to enquiries made via our website contact forms.
  • To contact you in the event of an emergency or cancellation.

5. Data Security and Retention

  • Access Details: Information regarding key locations or property entry codes is stored securely and only used for carrying out scheduled services.
  • Security Measures: We use industry-standard security measures to protect your digital and physical data.
  • Data Retention: We keep your information for as long as you are a client. Following the termination of our services, we retain financial records for 7 years to comply with UK HMRC requirements.

6. Third-Party Sharing

We do not sell or rent your personal data. We only share information when necessary to:

  • Protect the safety of your pet in an emergency (e.g., sharing details with a veterinarian).
  • Process payments through secure third-party providers.
  • Comply with legal or regulatory obligations.

7. Your Rights

Under UK law, you have the following rights:

  • The right to access: You can request a copy of the data we hold about you.
  • The right to rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate information.
  • The right to erasure: You can ask us to delete your data (subject to legal retention requirements).
  • The right to withdraw consent: You can change your mind about marketing or social media use at any time.

8. How to Complain

If you have concerns about how we use your data, please contact us first. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk.