1. Introduction

Midtown Veterinary Hospital (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our clients, website visitors, and anyone who contacts us. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information in connection with our veterinary services and our website at midtownvets.ca.

We operate in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. This policy is governed by the BC Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA, SBC 2003, c. 63) and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). To the extent individuals located in the United States access our website or services, we also comply with all applicable US state consumer privacy laws.

By using our website or providing us with personal information, you consent to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our website or services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including when you:

• Complete a new client registration or appointment request form on our website
• Submit a contact or inquiry form
• Call, email, or text our clinic
• Communicate with us through our website chat or automated phone attendant
• Place an order through our online store

The types of information we may collect include your name, phone number, email address, mailing address, pet’s name and species, and the nature of your inquiry or request. We do not collect payment card information directly; payment processing is handled by a third-party payment platform.

Form submissions made through our website are delivered to us by email. Form data is not stored in a database by our website.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies, including:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type, device type, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation paths
• Referring website or search query that brought you to our site
• Interactions with website elements such as buttons and forms

This information is collected using analytics and tag management tools to help us understand how visitors use our website and improve its performance. This data is associated with anonymous identifiers, not your name or contact details, unless you have also submitted a form or contacted us directly.

2.3 Communication Platforms

When you contact us by phone, text message, or through automated communication tools, we may collect and retain records of those communications. This includes inbound and outbound call recordings, voicemail recordings and transcriptions, text message exchanges, automated reminder and follow-up message records, and chatbot or automated attendant interaction logs.

These records are used for quality assurance, staff training, appointment management, and service improvement purposes.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect to:

• Provide veterinary care and related services to you and your pet
• Respond to your inquiries, appointment requests, and service requests
• Send appointment reminders, follow-up communications, and health updates by phone, email, or text message
• Process orders placed through our online store
• Improve our website, services, and client experience
• Analyze website traffic and user behavior to optimize our website and advertising
• Display relevant advertising to individuals who have previously visited our website, through online advertising platforms
• Comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations
• Protect the security and integrity of our systems and services

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

4. SMS and Text Message Communications

Midtown Veterinary Hospital may send you text messages for appointment reminders, follow-up communications, and service-related notifications. By providing your mobile phone number, you consent to receive text messages from us related to your care and account.

Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies based on your appointments and account activity.

To opt out of text messages at any time, reply STOP to any message we send. To request assistance, reply HELP. You may also opt out by contacting us directly by phone at (778) 775-8387 or by email at info@midtownvets.ca. Opt-out requests will be processed within 10 business days.

Opting out of text messages does not affect your ability to receive services from our clinic.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

5.1 Types of Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. We use three categories of cookies, which correspond to the options in our cookie consent banner:

5.2 Cookie Consent

When you first visit our website, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner. You may accept all cookie categories, accept only essential cookies, or customize your preferences by category. Your preferences are stored and applied on subsequent visits.

Cookie consent infrastructure on our website is configured by VSA Vet Media Inc. as part of our website management services. You can update your cookie preferences at any time using the cookie settings link in our website footer.

5.3 Global Privacy Control and Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms

We recognize the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal and Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms (UOOM). If your browser transmits a GPC signal, we treat it as a request to opt out of the use of your personal information for targeted advertising and, where applicable under law, as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information. This signal is processed automatically when detected.

5.4 Online Advertising and Remarketing

We use online advertising services, including search advertising and social media advertising platforms, to display ads to individuals who have previously visited our website. This practice is known as remarketing or retargeting. These services place cookies in the Marketing category on your device when you visit our website, which allows advertising platforms to recognize your browser and display our ads on other websites and platforms.

To the extent this activity constitutes the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information under applicable US state consumer privacy laws, residents of applicable US states may opt out of this activity using the methods described in Section 9 of this policy, by submitting a GPC signal from your browser, or by using the opt-out tools provided by the advertising platforms directly.

You may opt out of interest-based advertising by visiting:

• Google Ads Settings: google.com/settings/ads
• Network Advertising Initiative opt-out: networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp

Opting out through these tools does not mean you will stop seeing advertising. It means that the advertising you see will not be based on your previous visits to our website.

6. Third-Party Service Providers

We work with third-party service providers to operate our website and deliver our services. We share personal information with these providers only to the extent necessary for them to perform services on our behalf. We do not authorize our service providers to use or disclose your personal information for their own purposes. We describe our third-party providers by functional category only and do not disclose vendor names in this policy.

Categories of third-party service providers we use include:

• Online appointment and form providers: platforms that receive and process appointment requests and inquiries submitted through our website
• Communication and scheduling platforms: platforms used to manage client communications, including appointment reminders, text messaging, call recording, automated attendants, and chatbot interactions
• Website analytics platforms: platforms that collect and analyze anonymized data about website traffic and visitor behavior
• Website hosting providers: platforms that host and serve our website
• Online advertising platforms: platforms through which we display advertising to individuals who have previously visited our website
• Social media platforms: platforms on which we maintain a business presence and through which we may run advertising campaigns
• Online store providers: platforms that process orders, manage inventory, and handle payments for products available through our online store

Each of our third-party service providers is contractually required to protect your personal information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

7. AI-Assisted Tools

7.1 No AI Used for Medical Decisions

No artificial intelligence tool used in connection with our website or communication systems is used to make veterinary or medical decisions. All clinical decisions are made by licensed veterinary professionals.

7.2 Call Recording and Voicemail Transcription

Midtown Veterinary Hospital records incoming and outgoing calls and voicemail messages for quality assurance, staff training, and service improvement purposes. AI-assisted tools may be used to transcribe voicemail messages, categorize calls, and generate summaries. Call recordings and transcriptions are retained in accordance with our data retention practices described in Section 13.

British Columbia is not a province that requires all-party consent to call recording under provincial law. Call recording at our clinic is conducted in accordance with applicable federal and provincial requirements.

7.3 Automated Communications

We use AI-assisted tools to send automated appointment reminders, follow-up messages, and service notifications by phone, text, and email. These tools may also generate suggested responses to online reviews. Automated messages are reviewed and managed by our team.

7.4 AI Interaction Disclosure

Our website may include a chatbot or automated phone attendant that uses artificial intelligence to respond to inquiries. Where required by applicable law, we will disclose when you are communicating with an automated system rather than a person. Interactions with automated systems are handled in compliance with applicable law.

7.5 Your Rights Regarding AI

You may request that a member of our team follow up with you directly rather than through an automated system by contacting us at (778) 775-8387 or info@midtownvets.ca. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate such requests.

8. Data Protection and Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational safeguards to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include secure website connections (SSL/TLS encryption), access controls on systems that store personal information, and agreements with service providers that require appropriate security standards.

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we take reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your personal information.

8.1 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify affected individuals and applicable regulatory authorities as required by applicable law.

9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

• Right to access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to correction: request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information
• Right to deletion: request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention obligations
• Right to restrict processing: request that we limit how we use your personal information in certain circumstances
• Right to data portability: request a copy of your personal information in a portable format where technically feasible
• Right to object: object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing or certain other purposes
• Right to opt out of targeted advertising: opt out of the use of your personal information for interest-based or targeted advertising

To the extent applicable under all applicable US state consumer privacy laws, residents of applicable US states may also have the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of their personal information. We do not sell personal information. To the extent our use of online advertising platforms constitutes “sharing” under applicable law, you may opt out using the mechanisms described in Section 5 of this policy.

To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us using the information in Section 16. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable privacy legislation. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

A link to submit a “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” request is available in our website footer.

10. Sharing of Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your personal information in the following circumstances:

• With third-party service providers as described in Section 6, to the extent necessary to deliver our services
• With online advertising and social media platforms as described in Sections 5.4, for the purpose of displaying interest-based advertising to website visitors. To the extent applicable law characterizes this as a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information, you may opt out as described in Section 9.
• With veterinary specialists, referral practices, or other healthcare providers with your knowledge and consent, in connection with your pet’s care
• To comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal process, or governmental requests
• To protect the rights, property, or safety of Midtown Veterinary Hospital, our clients, or others
• In connection with a business transaction such as a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which case personal information would be transferred subject to appropriate confidentiality protections

11. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not directed to 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 immediately at info@midtownvets.ca and we will take steps to delete that information.

12. Links to External Websites and Third-Party Platforms

Our website may contain links to external websites, including pet health resources, online store platforms, appointment portals, and social media platforms. This policy does not apply to external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external websites you visit.

We maintain a business presence on social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram, which are operated by Meta Platforms, Inc. When you interact with our pages on those platforms, Meta collects and processes your information in accordance with Meta’s own privacy policy and data practices, which are separate from and independent of this policy. Our use of social media platforms for advertising purposes includes the use of pixel and audience tools provided by Meta. We are not responsible for Meta’s data practices, and your use of Meta’s platforms is governed by Meta’s terms and privacy policy.

13. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to provide our services, and to comply with applicable legal, regulatory, and business requirements. The retention period for different categories of information varies based on the nature of the information and the applicable requirements.

Client records related to veterinary care are retained in accordance with applicable professional and regulatory standards. Communication records, including call recordings and message logs, are retained for quality assurance and legal compliance purposes. Website analytics data is retained in anonymized or aggregated form.

When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy or anonymize it.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, applicable law, or services. We will post the updated policy on our website with a revised effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our website following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

15. Website Design and Management

Our website is designed, developed, and maintained by VSA Vet Media Inc. (“VSA”), a veterinary digital marketing agency. VSA acts as a service provider to Midtown Veterinary Hospital in connection with our website and digital marketing services. In this capacity, VSA may have access to personal information collected through our website, including form submissions, analytics data, and communication records, solely to provide services on our behalf.

VSA is identified as a service provider for purposes of applicable privacy legislation, including the CCPA/CPRA and applicable Canadian privacy law. VSA is contractually prohibited from using your personal information for any purpose other than providing services to Midtown Veterinary Hospital. VSA does not sell or share your personal information with third parties for their own purposes.

For questions about how VSA handles personal information in its role as service provider, please contact us using the information in Section 16 and we will direct your inquiry appropriately.

16. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact us:

For privacy complaints that are not resolved to your satisfaction, residents of British Columbia may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC (oipc.bc.ca). Residents of applicable US states may have the right to appeal our decisions regarding your privacy rights request as described in Section 9.