1. Introduction

Tricity Animal Hospital (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our clients, website visitors, and anyone who interacts with our services. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, share, and protect personal information through our website (tricityvet.ca) and our communications with you.

This policy applies to information collected through our website, appointment requests, phone calls, text messages, and other interactions with our practice.

By using our website or communicating with us, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

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 intake form
• Request an appointment online or by phone
• Contact us by phone, email, or through our website contact form
• Submit a product refill request or place an online store order
• Sign up for SMS or text message communications
• Interact with our website chatbot or automated phone attendant

The types of information you may provide include your name, your pet’s name, your address, phone number, email address, and details about your pet’s veterinary needs.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information through website analytics platforms and tag management systems. This may include your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, time spent on pages, and how you arrived at our website.

This information is collected to help us understand how visitors use our website, improve our content and services, and measure the performance of our marketing efforts. It is collected using cookies and similar tracking technologies.

2.3 Communication Platforms

When you communicate with us by phone, email, or through messaging platforms, information related to those communications may be collected and stored through our communication and scheduling platforms. This includes appointment confirmations, reminder messages, and follow-up communications.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Schedule and manage veterinary appointments
• Communicate with you about your pet’s care
• Respond to your inquiries and service requests
• Process product refill requests and online store orders
• Send appointment reminders and follow-up communications by phone, email, or text message
• Improve our website and digital services
• Deliver and measure the performance of our online advertising
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations

4. SMS and Text Message Communications

If you opt in to receive text messages from us, we may send appointment reminders, confirmations, follow-up communications, and general practice updates to the mobile number you provide.

Message frequency will vary. Standard message and data rates may apply.

To opt out of SMS communications at any time, reply STOP to any text message you receive from us. To request help or more information, reply HELP. You may also opt out by contacting us directly using the information in Section 16.

We will process your opt-out request within 10 business days and will not send further SMS messages after that period, except as required to confirm your opt-out.

We do not sell or share your mobile number with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

5.1 Types of Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to function properly and to help us understand how visitors interact with our content. The cookies we use fall into the following categories:

Essential Cookies: These cookies are required for the website to operate and cannot be disabled. They support functions such as page navigation, security, and form submission.

Statistics Cookies: These cookies collect anonymous information about how visitors use our website, such as which pages are visited most often and how users move through the site. This information is used to improve the website experience. These cookies do not identify you personally.

Marketing Cookies: These cookies are used to deliver relevant advertising based on your interests and to track the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns. They may collect information about your browsing activity across websites.

5.2 Cookie Consent

When you first visit our website, you will be presented with a cookie consent notice that allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookies. Essential cookies are always active as they are necessary for the website to function.

You may update your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the cookie settings link available on our website. Cookie consent on our website is configured and managed by VSA Vet Media Inc. as part of their website management services.

5.3 Do Not Track / Global Privacy Control

Our website recognizes and responds to the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal and Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms (UOOM) as required by applicable privacy laws. If your browser or device transmits a GPC or UOOM signal, we will treat it as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising purposes, where required by law.

5.4 Online Advertising and Remarketing

We use online advertising services that may show our advertisements to you on other websites and platforms after you have visited our website. This is commonly referred to as remarketing or retargeting. These services use cookies and similar tracking technologies to recognize your browser across websites.

Our advertising uses geographic targeting and is limited to the local area served by our practice.

If you prefer not to receive interest-based advertising, you may opt out using the following tools:

Google Ads Settings: https://www.google.com/settings/ads

Network Advertising Initiative Opt-Out: https://optout.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp

Opting out does not mean you will stop seeing advertisements altogether. It means that advertising networks will no longer use your information to show you personalized ads.

6. Third-Party Services

To operate our website and deliver our services effectively, we work with third-party service providers. We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We share information only as necessary to provide our services and as required by law.

Our third-party service providers fall into the following functional categories:

• Online form and appointment request providers
• Communication and scheduling platforms
• Website analytics platforms
• Website hosting providers
• Online advertising platforms
• Social media platforms (for advertising and audience measurement)
• Online store providers

Each of these providers is required to handle your information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and our service agreements with them.

7. AI-Assisted Tools

7.1 No Medical Decisions by AI

No artificial intelligence system is used to make clinical or medical decisions about your pet’s care. All veterinary care decisions are made exclusively by our licensed veterinary professionals.

7.2 Call Recording

Calls to and from our practice may be recorded. Recordings are used for quality assurance, staff training, and communication follow-up. By continuing a call with our practice, you acknowledge that the call may be recorded.

AI-assisted features may be applied to recorded calls, including voicemail transcription, call categorization, and automated follow-up reminders.

7.3 Automated Communications

We use automated communication tools to send appointment reminders, follow-up messages, and practice updates via phone, email, and text message. These communications may be generated or personalized using automated systems.

7.4 AI Interaction Disclosure

Our website and phone system may include automated or AI-assisted features such as a chatbot, automated phone attendant, or interactive voice response (IVR) system. Where required by applicable law, we disclose the use of these automated systems. Interactions through these systems are handled in compliance with applicable law.

7.5 AI Rights

You have the right to request that interactions or decisions involving AI-assisted tools be reviewed by a human member of our team. Please contact us using the information in Section 16 to make such a request.

8. Data Protection and Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the personal information we hold from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Our website uses SSL encryption to secure data transmitted between your browser and our servers.

Form submissions made through our website are transmitted to our team by email and are not stored in a website database.

While we take data security seriously, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8.1 Data Breach Notification

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

9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

• The right to know what personal information we collect, use, and share about you
• The right to access a copy of your personal information
• The right to correct inaccurate personal information
• The right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions
• The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising purposes
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

Residents of British Columbia and other Canadian provinces have rights under applicable federal and provincial privacy legislation, including the right to access their personal information and to request corrections.

If you are subject to applicable US state consumer privacy laws, you may have additional rights as described under those statutes.

To exercise any of your privacy rights, please contact us using the information provided in Section 16. We will respond within the timeframe required by the applicable statute.

To opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information, you may also use the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link available on our website, or submit your request by contacting us directly.

10. Sharing of Information

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

• With third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering our services, as described in Section 6
• With online advertising and social media platforms for the purpose of delivering targeted advertising and measuring advertising performance. For residents of certain jurisdictions, this may constitute “sharing” of personal information under applicable law
• When required by law, court order, or government authority
• To protect the rights, property, or safety of our practice, our clients, or others

Where required by applicable US state consumer privacy laws, we disclose that we share personal information with advertising and analytics platforms for cross-context behavioural advertising purposes. You have the right to opt out of this sharing as described in Section 9.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and 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 and we will promptly delete that information.

12. Links to External Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites that are not operated by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Our website may include social media features and links to our social media profiles. Any interaction you have with those features is governed by the privacy policies of the respective social media platforms. Tricity Animal Hospital is not responsible for the data practices of Meta Platforms, Inc. or any other third-party social media platform. Meta Platforms, Inc. operates independently, and your interactions with their services are subject to Meta’s own terms and privacy policy.

13. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When personal information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to securely delete 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, technology, or legal requirements. When we make changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

15. Website Design and Management

Our website is designed, developed, and maintained by VSA Vet Media Inc., a veterinary-focused digital marketing agency. VSA Vet Media Inc. acts as a service provider in connection with website operations, analytics configuration, cookie consent management, and digital marketing services.

VSA Vet Media Inc. processes personal information collected through this website only as directed by Tricity Animal Hospital and in accordance with applicable privacy law. VSA Vet Media Inc. is identified as a service provider under applicable US state consumer privacy laws and as a third-party service provider under applicable Canadian privacy legislation.

16. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or need to report a privacy concern, please contact us:

Tricity Animal Hospital

26-2755 Lougheed Hwy

Port Coquitlam, BC  V3B 5Y9

Phone: 604-942-2225

Email: info@tricityvet.ca