Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Alma Animal Hospital (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy of every person who visits our website, contacts our clinic, or uses our services. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have over your information.

This policy applies to all information collected through our website at https://almavets.ca, our online forms, our telephone system, and any other means by which you interact with us.

By using our website or contacting our clinic, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our website or submit information through our forms.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us when you use our website forms, contact us by phone, email, or text message, or register as a client. This includes:

• Your name, phone number, and email address
• Your pet’s name, species, and relevant history you choose to share
• Appointment requests and scheduling preferences
• Service inquiries submitted through our contact or inquiry forms
• Product refill requests submitted through our online form
• Employment applications submitted through our careers form

Please do not submit payment card numbers, government-issued identification, or sensitive personal health information through our online forms.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we and our service providers automatically collect certain technical information, including:

• Your IP address (anonymized where technically feasible)
• Browser type and version
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited, links clicked, and time spent on each page
• Referring website address
• General geographic location based on IP address (city or region level only)

This information is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies. It is used for website analytics, performance improvement, and to support our online advertising. See Section 5 for details on cookies and how to manage your preferences.

2.3 Communication Platforms

When you contact us by phone, our telephone system records calls and may transcribe voicemails using automated technology. When you communicate with us by email or text message, we retain those communications as part of our client records. If you use the automated chat or phone attendant on our website, your interactions are processed by that system to respond to your inquiry.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To schedule and confirm veterinary appointments
• To respond to your inquiries and service requests
• To send appointment reminders and follow-up communications
• To send product refill confirmations and order updates
• To maintain and improve our website performance and user experience
• To measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns
• To display personalized advertising to visitors who have previously visited our website
• To comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations
• To protect the security of our systems and prevent fraud

We do not use your information to make automated decisions that have legal or significant effects on you without human review.

4. SMS and Text Message Communications

Alma Animal Hospital may send text messages to phone numbers you provide, including appointment reminders, follow-up communications, and informational messages about our services. Message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier plan.

By providing your mobile phone number and consenting to receive text messages, you agree to receive SMS communications from us. Your consent to receive marketing or promotional text messages is not a condition of receiving veterinary care from our clinic.

To opt out of text messages at any time, reply STOP to any message we send. To request help or information about our text messaging program, reply HELP. We will process your opt-out request within 10 business days. We do not share your mobile phone number with third parties for their marketing purposes.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

5.1 Types of Cookies

We use the following categories of cookies and tracking technologies on our website:

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function. They enable core features such as page navigation, form submission, and security. These cookies cannot be disabled.
• Statistics cookies: Used to collect anonymized information about how visitors use our website. This helps us understand which pages are most useful and how to improve the site. These cookies are only set with your consent.
• Marketing cookies: Used to track visitors across our website and display advertising relevant to your interests. These cookies are set by our advertising service providers and are only active with your consent.

5.2 Cookie Consent

When you first visit our website, you are presented with a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept or decline each category of cookie. Your preferences are saved and applied on subsequent visits. You may update your cookie preferences at any time by accessing the cookie settings link in our website footer.

The cookie consent infrastructure on this website is configured and maintained by VSA Vet Media Inc. as part of their website management services. Essential cookies are always active regardless of your preferences, as they are required for the website to function.

5.3 Global Privacy Control and Universal Opt-Out

Our website recognizes the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal and Universal Opt-Out Mechanism (UOOM) where technically feasible. If your browser or device transmits a GPC signal, we treat this as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information, and we process it accordingly.

5.4 Online Advertising and Remarketing

We use online advertising services to display ads about our clinic to people who have previously visited our website. This is called remarketing. When you visit our website, advertising cookies may be placed on your device by our advertising service providers. These cookies allow our ads to appear when you visit other websites or platforms.

Our advertising is targeted to a local radius around our clinic location. We do not run national or international advertising campaigns.

You may opt out of interest-based advertising at any time through the following resources:

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

Opting out of interest-based advertising does not prevent you from seeing ads. It means that ads you see will be less tailored to your interests.

6. Third-Party Services

We work with third-party service providers to operate our website and deliver our services. These providers access your information only to the extent necessary to perform their functions and are contractually required to protect your information. We do not name specific vendors in this policy. We describe our service providers by functional category:

• Website analytics platforms: We use web analytics services to measure website traffic and visitor behavior in aggregate. These services collect anonymized usage data and generate reports that help us improve our website.
• Online advertising platforms: We use advertising platforms to manage and deliver our online ads, including remarketing campaigns. These platforms may place cookies on your device as described in Section 5.4.
• Online form and appointment booking providers: Our website forms are processed by third-party form and appointment management platforms. Information submitted through these forms is transmitted to us and may be temporarily processed by these providers.
• Communication and scheduling platforms: We use third-party platforms for appointment reminders, client communications, and telephone management, including voicemail transcription and call recording.
• Website hosting providers: Our website is hosted on servers managed by a third-party hosting provider. Your data may be stored on or transmitted through these servers.
• Social media platforms: Our website includes links to our social media profiles. If you interact with our social media pages, those platforms govern the data they collect about you under their own privacy policies.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. For information on how we share data in connection with our advertising activities, see Section 10.

7. AI-Assisted Tools and Automated Features

7.1 No AI Used for Medical Decisions

No artificial intelligence tool used on or in connection with our website or telephone system is used to make medical decisions, provide veterinary assessments, or replace the judgment of a licensed veterinarian. All clinical decisions are made by our licensed veterinary team.

7.2 Call Recording

Telephone calls to and from our clinic may be recorded for quality assurance, staff training, and operational purposes. British Columbia is a single-party consent province; calls may be recorded without notifying all parties. If you do not wish your call to be recorded, please notify our staff at the beginning of the call and we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your request.

Voicemail messages left at our clinic may be transcribed using automated transcription technology to improve response efficiency. Transcriptions are reviewed by our staff and are not shared externally.

7.3 Automated Communications

Our systems use automation to send appointment reminders, follow-up messages, and other operational communications. These messages are triggered by actions you take, such as booking an appointment, and are reviewed and configured by our team. You may opt out of automated communications at any time by contacting us directly or by using the opt-out instructions in any message we send.

7.4 AI Interaction Disclosure

Our website and telephone system may include an automated chat assistant or interactive voice response attendant. When you interact with these features, you may be communicating with an automated system rather than a human staff member. These systems are disclosed in compliance with applicable law. If you prefer to speak with a human staff member, you may request to do so at any time or contact us directly at (604) 229-5564.

7.5 AI Rights

Any content generated by artificial intelligence tools in connection with our marketing materials, website, or communications is reviewed by human staff before publication. You have the right to request information about how automated tools have been used in any communication from us. To submit such a request, contact us at privacy@almavets.ca.

8. Data Protection and Security

We implement technical and organizational security measures appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information we handle. These measures include secure socket layer (SSL) encryption for data transmitted through our website, firewall protection, access controls limiting who within our organization can access personal information, and regular security monitoring.

No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8.1 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a security incident that compromises the personal information we hold, we will notify affected individuals and relevant regulatory authorities as required by applicable law. We will take prompt steps to contain any breach and to mitigate harm to affected individuals.

9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights regarding your personal information under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) of British Columbia, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) at the federal level, or all applicable consumer privacy laws. These rights may include:

• The right to access the personal information we hold about you
• The right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• The right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention obligations
• The right to withdraw consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your information, where processing is based on consent
• The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information for advertising purposes
• The right to data portability, where applicable
• The right to lodge a complaint with the relevant privacy regulator in your jurisdiction

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us in writing at privacy@almavets.ca or by mail at the address in Section 16. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request.

To opt out of the sharing of your personal information for advertising purposes, you may use the opt-out tools in Section 5.4, activate a Global Privacy Control signal in your browser, or contact us directly. A “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link is available in our website footer.

10. Sharing of Information

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

• With our service providers: We share information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, delivering our services, and conducting our advertising activities, as described in Section 6. These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations and may only use your information for the purposes we specify.
• For advertising purposes: We share certain information with online advertising platforms to display targeted advertising to people who have previously visited our website. This sharing enables the remarketing activities described in Section 5.4. You may opt out of this sharing using the tools described in Section 5.4 and Section 9.
• In connection with legal obligations: We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of our clinic, our clients, or others.
• With your consent: We may share your information for other purposes if you have given us your explicit consent to do so.

Under applicable privacy law, sharing personal information with our advertising service providers for the purpose of targeted advertising may constitute “selling” or “sharing” of personal information. You may opt out of this activity at any time using the mechanisms described in this policy.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our website and online services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe that a child under 13 has provided personal information to us through our website, please contact us at privacy@almavets.ca and we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

12. Links to External Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms, government resources, pet health organizations, and other external sites. This Privacy Policy applies only to our website at https://almavets.ca. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of any external website. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any website you visit.

Meta / Facebook Disclaimer: This website is not part of the Facebook or Meta website and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Meta Platforms, Inc. in any way. FACEBOOK and META are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc.

13. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with legal obligations, and to resolve disputes. The specific retention period depends on the type of information and the purpose for which it was collected.

Information submitted through our website contact forms is transmitted directly to our email inbox. We do not retain form submission data on our website servers beyond the transmission. Client records maintained within our practice management system are retained in accordance with applicable veterinary recordkeeping requirements.

When personal information is no longer required, 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, applicable law, or our services. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this policy and, where appropriate, notify you through our website or by other means.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of our website following the posting of an updated policy constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

15. Website Design and Management

This website was designed, built, and is maintained by VSA Vet Media Inc., a veterinary-focused digital marketing agency. VSA Vet Media Inc. acts as a data processor and service provider in connection with the operation of this website, including website hosting management, analytics configuration, cookie consent infrastructure, and advertising platform integration.

VSA Vet Media Inc. accesses personal information submitted through this website only to the extent necessary to provide these services. VSA Vet Media Inc. does not use personal information collected through this website for its own marketing or sales purposes and is bound by contractual obligations to protect the information it processes on our behalf.

VSA Vet Media Inc. is identified as a service provider under applicable privacy law. Requests related to personal information collected through this website should be directed to Alma Animal Hospital at the contact information in Section 16.

16. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or the personal information we hold, please contact us:

For complaints about how we handle your personal information, you may also contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia at https://www.oipc.bc.ca.