This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, who we may share it with, how long we keep it and the rights you have under UK data protection law.
This policy applies when you:
- visit our website;
- contact or make an enquiry with us;
- request a meet and greet;
- complete our New Client Form;
- become or are a client of The Hound & Estate;
- use our dog walking, dog care visits at your home, field sessions or other pet-care services;
- communicate with us; or
- otherwise provide personal information to us.
1. Who we are
The Hound & Estate is the trading name of Hollie Adamson, a sole trader providing professional dog walking, dog care visits at your home and related pet-care services in Cheshire and surrounding areas.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, the data controller is:
Hollie Adamson, trading as The Hound & Estate
Business / correspondence address:
Email:enquiries@thehoundandestate.co.uk
Telephone:01606 227 728
Website: thehoundandestate.co.uk
When this Privacy Policy refers to “The Hound & Estate”, “we”, “us” or “our”, it means Hollie Adamson, trading as The Hound & Estate.
As the data controller, we are responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used.
2. What personal information we collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with us and which services you use.
Enquiries and meet-and-greet requests
When you contact us or submit an enquiry through our website, we may collect:
- your name;
- email address;
- telephone number;
- village, town or general location;
- the services you are interested in;
- your dog’s name;
- your dog’s breed and age;
- information about your dog’s routine;
- temperament and behaviour information;
- recall information;
- care or health requirements;
- information contained in notes or messages you send us; and
- any other information you choose to provide.
We use this information primarily to respond to your enquiry, determine whether our services are suitable and arrange a meet and greet where appropriate.
When you send our enquiry form you also confirm that you accept our Terms and Conditions, and we keep a record of that confirmation with your enquiry.
3. Information collected from new clients
If you choose to use our services, we collect more detailed information through our New Client Form and during the onboarding process.
Your contact information
We may collect:
- full name;
- home address;
- email address;
- telephone number; and
- other contact information you provide.
Secondary and emergency contacts
You may provide details of another person, including:
- their name;
- telephone number;
- address;
- relationship to you; and
- other relevant contact information.
Information about your dog
We may collect:
- name;
- breed;
- age or date of birth;
- sex;
- colour;
- identifying markings;
- whether they are neutered or spayed;
- whether they are microchipped;
- whether they are insured;
- temperament;
- behaviour;
- recall;
- fears;
- anxieties;
- triggers;
- routine;
- social behaviour;
- travel behaviour;
- feeding requirements;
- exercise requirements;
- walking preferences; and
- other care information.
Information about an animal is not normally personal information in its own right. However, we may hold this information as part of a record connected to you and your services.
Veterinary and health information about your dog
We may collect:
- veterinary practice name;
- veterinary contact details;
- known medical conditions;
- injuries;
- allergies;
- medication;
- ongoing treatment;
- health restrictions;
- veterinary instructions; and
- other health or welfare information relevant to safely caring for your dog.
We may also record instructions or permissions concerning emergency veterinary treatment or CPR.
Information about your dog’s health is not normally health information about you for the purposes of UK data protection law.
If you voluntarily provide information concerning your own health or another person’s health, that information may receive additional protection under data protection law.
4. Permissions and care instructions
We may record your instructions or permissions relating to matters including:
- off-lead walking;
- group walking;
- access to water during walks;
- giving treats;
- transporting your dog;
- emergency treatment;
- veterinary treatment;
- CPR;
- photographs and videos;
- promotional use of photographs and videos;
- handling or exercising your dog;
- use of private exercise areas; and
- other agreed care arrangements.
These records help us provide services safely and demonstrate the instructions you have given us.
5. Property, keys and access information
Where our services require access to your home or property, we may collect or hold information such as:
- your property address;
- access arrangements;
- key information;
- key-safe information;
- alarm or entry instructions;
- gate or access arrangements;
- information required to secure the property;
- information about where your dog or pet-care items are located; and
- other instructions necessary to provide the agreed service.
We ask you not to provide security information that is unnecessary for us to provide the service.
Where we physically hold keys or access devices, we take reasonable precautions to keep them secure.
Where reasonably practicable, keys will not be labelled in a way that unnecessarily identifies the property they belong to.
6. Signatures, declarations and acknowledgements
Our New Client Form may request:
- your name;
- the date;
- a typed signature;
- confirmation that information supplied is accurate;
- acknowledgement of relevant terms or policies; and
- confirmation of permissions or instructions.
We keep these records as evidence of our agreement with you, your instructions and the terms applying to our services.
Acknowledging that you have read this Privacy Policy does not mean that we rely on your consent for all use of your personal information.
We use the appropriate lawful basis for each processing activity.
7. Communications
When you communicate with us, we may retain relevant correspondence through:
- email;
- telephone;
- text message;
- messaging services;
- website forms;
- social media; and
- other communication channels used in connection with our services.
We may retain records concerning bookings, care instructions, incidents, complaints, payments or other aspects of our relationship with you.
8. Payment and business records
Where you become a customer, we may process information associated with:
- invoices;
- payments;
- amounts owed;
- refunds;
- payment dates;
- transaction references; and
- accounting records.
Where payments are made through a bank or third-party payment provider, that organisation may process your information under its own privacy arrangements.
9. Photographs and videos
We may take photographs or videos of dogs while providing our services.
A photograph of a dog alone will not normally identify an individual.
However, photographs or videos may become personal information where they contain identifiable information such as:
- a recognisable person;
- an identifiable home;
- a vehicle registration;
- an address; or
- another identifying feature.
Where you have given permission, photographs or videos may be used for:
- providing updates about your dog’s care;
- our website;
- our social-media accounts;
- promotional materials; and
- marketing our services.
Where we rely on consent for a particular use, you may withdraw that consent for future use by contacting us.
10. Information about other people
You may provide information about another person, particularly a:
- partner;
- family member;
- second contact;
- emergency contact;
- property contact; or
- other authorised person.
If you provide another person’s details, you should make sure you are entitled to do so and, where appropriate, tell them that you have provided their information to us.
If you nominate an emergency contact, you are asking us to contact them if we cannot reach you, and they may be asked to make decisions about your dog or property in your absence, including decisions about veterinary treatment. Please make sure they know you have chosen them.
We may use their information to:
- contact them in an emergency;
- contact them where we cannot reach you;
- coordinate your dog’s care;
- deal with a property or access issue;
- confirm authorised instructions; or
- otherwise provide the services you have requested.
Where required by law, we will provide appropriate privacy information directly to that person.
11. Website and technical information
When somebody visits our website, technical information may be processed in connection with delivering and securing the website.
Our website pages load fonts from Google Fonts. When a page loads, your browser may therefore send information such as your IP address and device details to Google, as well as to our website host, Webflow. If you accept marketing cookies, our website also uses the Meta Pixel, as explained in section 23.
Depending on the technology used, this may include:
- IP address;
- browser type;
- device type;
- operating system;
- date and time of access;
- pages requested;
- referral information;
- technical identifiers;
- diagnostic information;
- security information; and
- cookie or similar-technology information.
12. How we use your personal information
We may use personal information to:
- respond to enquiries;
- provide information about our services;
- arrange meet and greets;
- assess whether we can safely provide a requested service;
- set up and manage client relationships;
- enter into and perform agreements with clients;
- arrange and administer bookings;
- provide dog walking;
- provide dog care visits at your home;
- provide field or exercise sessions;
- understand individual care requirements;
- follow care instructions;
- maintain records of permissions;
- protect dogs in our care;
- contact clients about their dogs;
- contact emergency or secondary contacts where necessary;
- communicate with veterinary professionals;
- obtain emergency veterinary assistance where appropriate;
- manage access to client properties;
- manage keys and access arrangements;
- send invoices;
- collect and record payments;
- keep accounting and tax records;
- maintain insurance records;
- respond to incidents or complaints;
- establish, exercise or defend legal claims;
- protect our business, clients, animals and property;
- maintain website and system security;
- prevent fraud or misuse;
- comply with legal and regulatory requirements;
- measure how well our website and adverts work, and show our adverts to people who have visited our website, where you have accepted marketing cookies;
- improve our services; and
- carry out marketing where permitted by law.
13. Our lawful bases for processing
Contract
We may use personal information where necessary to:
- take steps at your request before entering into an agreement; or
- perform our agreement with you.
This may include responding to enquiries, administering bookings, maintaining care instructions and communicating about services.
Legitimate interests
We may process information where necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
Our legitimate interests may include:
- operating a safe and effective pet-care business;
- maintaining client records;
- protecting animals in our care;
- protecting client property;
- contacting emergency contacts;
- maintaining evidence of instructions and permissions;
- managing enquiries;
- preventing fraud;
- securing our website and systems;
- managing insurance matters;
- dealing with complaints; and
- establishing, exercising or defending legal claims.
Legal obligations
We may process information where required to comply with legal obligations relating to matters such as:
- taxation;
- accounting;
- data protection;
- insurance;
- legal proceedings; and
- regulatory requirements.
Consent
Where consent is the appropriate lawful basis, we will ask for it.
This may apply to certain promotional uses of identifiable photographs or videos, certain marketing communications and the use of non-essential cookies on our website, such as the Meta Pixel.
Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
Vital interests
In exceptional circumstances, we may process personal information where necessary to protect someone’s life or physical safety.
14. Information we need to provide services
Some information is necessary for us to assess or provide services safely.
This may include:
- your contact details;
- your address where home access is required;
- information about your dog;
- veterinary information;
- behavioural information;
- emergency instructions; and
- appropriate permissions.
If information is necessary for us to provide a service and you choose not to supply it, we may be unable to provide some or all of that service.
15. Veterinary treatment and emergencies
If an urgent incident occurs involving a dog in our care, we may use relevant information to obtain appropriate assistance.
This may involve contacting or sharing relevant information with:
- you;
- your authorised secondary contact;
- your emergency contact;
- your usual veterinary practice;
- an emergency veterinary practice;
- another veterinary professional;
- your pet insurer;
- emergency services; or
- another person reasonably necessary to manage the emergency.
We will aim to share only information reasonably necessary in the circumstances.
16. Who we may share information with
We do not sell your personal information.
Where necessary and lawful, we may share information with:
- website hosting providers;
- website-form providers;
- advertising providers, namely Meta Platforms Ireland Limited (Facebook and Instagram), where you have accepted marketing cookies;
- our cookie-consent provider, Cookiebot (Usercentrics A/S);
- email and communications providers;
- cloud-storage and IT providers;
- accountants and bookkeepers;
- professional advisers;
- banking and payment providers;
- insurers;
- veterinary practices;
- emergency veterinary providers;
- contractors or assistants involved in delivering services;
- legal advisers;
- courts and tribunals;
- regulatory authorities;
- law-enforcement authorities; and
- emergency services.
17. Webflow
Our website is built and hosted using Webflow.
Webflow provides website infrastructure and functionality that may include hosting and processing information submitted through website forms.
Information submitted through our enquiry form and New Client Form may therefore be processed through Webflow’s systems.
Form submissions are stored in our Webflow account so that we can respond to you and manage your enquiry or onboarding.
18. Other service providers
We may use third-party services for:
- email;
- website hosting;
- form processing;
- file storage;
- communications;
- accounting;
- banking;
- payments;
- scheduling;
- cookie-consent management;
- advertising and measuring the performance of our adverts;
- business administration; and
- IT support.
Some providers act as processors on our behalf, while others may act as independent data controllers.
19. International transfers
Some technology providers we use may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will take appropriate steps required under UK data protection law.
Depending on the circumstances, safeguards may include:
- UK adequacy regulations;
- recognised contractual safeguards;
- the UK International Data Transfer Agreement;
- the UK Addendum to approved contractual clauses; or
- another lawful transfer mechanism.
20. How long we keep personal information
We do not keep personal information for longer than reasonably necessary.
Enquiries that do not become clients
We would normally retain enquiry information for up to 12 months after our last meaningful contact.
Active clients
We retain information necessary to provide our services while you remain an active client.
Former clients
Relevant contractual, service and client records may normally be retained for up to six years after our relationship ends where reasonably required for contractual, insurance or legal purposes.
Financial records
Relevant financial and accounting records will be retained for the period required under applicable tax and accounting rules.
Emergency and secondary contacts
We normally retain these details while they remain necessary for your active client relationship.
Property-access information
We aim to delete, return or securely dispose of access information when it is no longer needed.
Photographs and videos
Photographs and videos may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which they were taken.
Complaints and incidents
Records relating to complaints, incidents, insurance matters or legal disputes may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to deal with the matter and related legal requirements.
21. How we protect personal information
We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect personal information.
These may include:
- password protection;
- restricted access;
- appropriate device security;
- secure website infrastructure;
- limiting access to those who need information;
- appropriate storage of client records;
- secure handling of keys and access devices; and
- secure deletion or disposal when information is no longer required.
No method of electronic storage or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
22. Direct marketing
We may contact clients or prospective clients about our services where permitted by applicable law.
Electronic marketing will only be sent where:
- you have consented; or
- applicable rules permit us to contact you about similar services.
You can ask us to stop marketing to you at any time by emailing:
enquiries@thehoundandestate.co.uk
If you opt out, we may retain a limited suppression record so that we know not to send further marketing to your contact details.
Service messages concerning bookings, payments, care arrangements, incidents or emergencies are not marketing communications.
23. Cookies and similar technologies
Our website may use cookies or similar technologies.
Some technologies may be necessary for:
- website functionality;
- security;
- processing forms;
- maintaining sessions; or
- providing a service you request.
Where a cookie or similar technology is strictly necessary, consent may not be required.
Where we use non-essential technologies requiring consent, they will not be activated until appropriate consent has been obtained.
Our website uses the following cookies and similar technologies.
Necessary cookies: Cookiebot
We use Cookiebot, provided by Usercentrics A/S, to ask for and record your cookie choices. Cookiebot stores a cookie on your device to remember your choice and keeps a record of your consent so that we can show it was given. This is strictly necessary and does not require consent.
Marketing cookies: Meta Pixel
With your consent, our website uses the Meta Pixel, a tool provided by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, the company behind Facebook and Instagram.
If you accept marketing cookies, the Meta Pixel may collect information such as the pages you view on our website, actions you take (for example, sending an enquiry), your IP address, browser and device information, and cookie identifiers. Meta may link this information to your Facebook or Instagram account if you have one.
We use this to measure how well our adverts work, to show our adverts on Facebook and Instagram to people who have visited our website, and to reach people with similar interests. We receive summary reports from Meta, not information that identifies individual visitors.
We and Meta are joint controllers for the collection of this information on our website and its transfer to Meta. Meta is responsible for its own use of the information after it receives it, as explained in Meta’s Privacy Policy at facebook.com/privacy/policy. Meta may transfer information outside the United Kingdom, including to the United States, using appropriate safeguards.
Our lawful basis for using the Meta Pixel is your consent. It does not load unless you accept marketing cookies. The Meta Pixel cookie normally lasts for up to 90 days.
Changing your cookie choices
You can change or withdraw your consent at any time using Cookie Settings. Our Cookie Policy, linked at the bottom of every page, lists the cookies we use. You can also delete cookies using your browser settings. Withdrawing consent does not affect any use of your information before you withdrew it.
24. Social media and third-party websites
We may maintain profiles on third-party social-media services or link to external websites.
Those organisations operate under their own privacy terms.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of websites that we do not operate.
25. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights including:
- the right to access personal information we hold about you;
- the right to correct inaccurate information;
- the right to request deletion in certain circumstances;
- the right to request restriction of processing;
- the right to object to certain processing;
- the right to data portability where applicable;
- the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and
- rights relating to certain automated decisions.
These rights are not absolute and may not apply in every circumstance.
26. Your right to object
You have the right to object in certain circumstances where we use your personal information on the basis of legitimate interests.
You also have an absolute right to object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing.
To object, contact:
27. Making a data protection request
You can exercise applicable data protection rights by contacting:
Hollie Adamson, trading as The Hound & Estate
Email:enquiries@thehoundandestate.co.uk
Telephone:01606 227 728
Post:
You do not normally have to pay a fee to exercise your rights.
We may ask for reasonable information to verify your identity before releasing personal information.
28. Automated decision-making
We do not currently use solely automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects on individuals.
If this changes, we will update this Privacy Policy as appropriate.
29. Complaints about our use of personal information
If you believe we have used your personal information improperly or have not complied with data protection law, please contact:
Hollie Adamson
Sole trader, trading as The Hound & Estate
Email:enquiries@thehoundandestate.co.uk
Telephone:01606 227 728
We will take appropriate steps to investigate and respond to data protection complaints.
30. Complaining to the Information Commissioner’s Office
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator.
Further information is available at:
We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly first, but this does not remove any right you have to contact the ICO.
31. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.
The latest version will be published on our website and the “Last updated” date will be amended.
Where a significant change affects how existing personal information is used, we will take appropriate steps to notify affected individuals where required.
32. Contact us
For questions about this Privacy Policy, personal information, your data protection rights or a privacy complaint, contact:
The Hound & Estate
Hollie Adamson, Sole Trader
Email:enquiries@thehoundandestate.co.uk
Telephone:01606 227 728
Website: thehoundandestate.co.uk