Privacy policy

Online Activity and Social Media

We use Google Analytics to track visits to our website, and use this information to track the effectiveness of our website, like visits, length of visit, viewed pages and the technical capabilities of our visitors. While this data is mostly anonymous, sometimes we will connect it to you, for instance in personalising a webpage, or prefilling a form with your details. For more information on our analytics tools, read Google’s Privacy Policy.

We also use tools that tell us when a computer or device has visited or accessed our content, and allow us to tailor advertising both on our websites and through advertising networks on other websites based on your visits or behaviour through cookies on your device. You can control how cookies are used and for what through the settings on your chosen browser. You can also control how your information is used with advertisers through the Network Advertising Initiative, including opting-out from interest-based advertising (click here).

You can also engage with RSPCA Australia through social media, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. You can always control how you receive content through each website’s settings. Occasionally, we may get in touch with you via social media if you aren’t a follower by using the details on your record, such as email address. If you prefer we don’t do this, please let our team know via email.

RSPCA Australia recognises the importance of protecting the privacy and the rights of individuals in relation to their personal information.

This document is our privacy policy and it tells you how we collect and manage your personal information.

We respect your rights to privacy under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)(‘the Act’) and we comply with all of the Act’s requirements in respect of the collection, management and disclosure of your personal information.

What is your personal information?

Essentially ‘personal information’ means any information that can be used to personally identify you.

This may include your name, address, telephone number, email address and profession or occupation. If the information we collect personally identifies you, or you are reasonably identifiable from it, the information will be considered personal information and protected in accordance with this policy.

What personal information do we collect and hold?

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• name;
• mailing or street address;
• email address;
• telephone number/s;
• any other contact details you wish to provide;
• age or birth date; profession,
• occupation or job title;
• details of the products and services you have purchased from us or which you have enquired about, together with any additional information necessary to deliver those products and services and to respond to your enquiries;
• any additional information relating to you that you provide to us directly through our websites or indirectly through use of our websites or online presence, through our representatives or otherwise; and
• information you provide to us through customer surveys or online contacts.

We may also collect some information that is not personal information because it does not identify you or anyone else. For example, we may collect anonymous answers to surveys or information about how users use our website.

What is sensitive information?

‘Sensitive information’ (a type of personal information), means information or an opinion about an individual’s race or ethnic origins, political opinions and associations, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, sexual preferences or practices, trade or professional associations and memberships, union membership, criminal record, health or genetic information or biometric information.

What sensitive information do we collect and hold?

There are very few circumstances where we collect sensitive information – for example, as part of information collected about directors and employees for company and human resource management purposes. Where such information is collected, we will only do so if you have provided your consent or where required by law.

How do we collect your personal information?

We collect your personal information directly from you in most cases, where reasonable and practicable. When collecting personal information from you, we may collect in ways including:

• through your access and use of our website;
• during conversations between you and our representatives; or
• when you complete an application or purchase order; or
• when the law requires.

We may also collect personal information from third parties including:

• law enforcement agencies and other government entities where this is authorised or required by law.

Cookies

We may send cookies, or small pieces of information, to your web browser in order to collect information on your browsing session. Our cookies do not collect personal information, but may be used for:

• Recording preferences that you specify on our websites
• Providing general visitor and customer analytics for internal reference
• Conducting research to improve our content, products and online services
• Assisting with direct marketing, should you opt-in for this service
• Supporting security measures, such as requiring you to re-login to a site after your account has been inactive for a period of time

If you do not wish to receive cookies you may disable these in your web browser, however please note that doing so may affect our sites’ ability to function properly. See the ‘Help’ section of your web browser for more information on changing your cookie preferences.

We may log IP addresses (that is, the electronic addresses of computers connected to the internet) to analyse trends, administer the website, provide relevant content to users, monitor fraudulent activity, and gather broad demographic information.

What happens if we can’t collect your personal information?

If you do not provide us with the personal information described above, some or all of the following may happen:

• we may not be able to provide requested services or products to you, either to the same standard or at all;
• we may not be able to provide you with information about activities, products and services that you may be interested in - including information about campaigns, discounts, sales, events or special promotions; or
• we may be unable to tailor the content of our websites to your preferences and your experience of our websites may not be as enjoyable or useful.

For what purposes do we collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information?

We collect your personal information so that we can perform our animal welfare and related activities and functions and to provide the best possible quality of supporter and client service.

We collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information in relation to the following purposes:

• Animal intake and care in our shelters;
• Animal adoption and foster care;
• Veterinary and grooming services;
• Education, advocacy and public campaigns;
• Bequest animal and respite programs;
• Public complaint and inquiry response and referral;
• Inspectorate enforcement activities;
• Fundraising, events, donations and memberships;
• Community engagement and communications;
• Legacies and bequests;
• Retail sales and marketing;
• and ancillary purposes, or as otherwise permitted by law.

In order to continue to provide and improve these services, products and activities to you as a supporter and/or client, we require your personal information, in particular:

• to provide news, information, products and services to you and to send communications requested by you;
• to answer enquiries and provide advice about existing and new campaigns, services or products; to conduct activities including providing personal information to contractors, service providers or other third parties when necessary;
• for the administrative, marketing (including direct marketing), planning, activity or service development, quality control and research purposes of RSPCA Australia, its contractors or service providers;
• to update our records and keep your contact details up to date; to process and respond to any complaint made by you; and
• to comply with any law, rule, regulation, lawful and binding determination, decision or direction of a regulator, or in co-operation with any governmental authority of any country (or political sub-division of a country).

Your personal information will not be shared or disclosed other than as described in this Privacy Policy.

To whom may we disclose your information?

We may disclose your personal information to:

• our employees, contractors or service providers for the purposes of operation of our supporter and customer services, and to otherwise provide information, products and services to you including, without limitation, web hosting providers, IT systems administrators, mailing houses, couriers, payment processors, data entry service providers, electronic network administrators, debt collectors, and professional advisors such as accountants, solicitors, business advisors and consultants;
• the other RSPCA organisations in Australia which are members of RSPCA Australia
• suppliers and other third parties with whom we have commercial relationships, where this is necessary to provide you with a service or product; and
• any organisation for any authorised purpose with your express consent.

Direct marketing materials

We may send you direct marketing communications and information about our products and services that we consider may be of interest to you.

These communications may be sent in various forms, including email, SMS, fax and by post, in accordance with applicable marketing laws, such as the Spam Act 2003 (Cth). If you indicate a preference for a method of communication, we will endeavour to use that method whenever practical to do so.

In addition, at any time you may opt-out of receiving marketing communications from us by contacting us (see the Contact us box below), or by using opt-out facilities provided in the marketing communications, and we will then ensure that your name is removed from our mailing list.

Except for the other RSPCA organisations in Australia which are members of RSPCA Australia, we do not provide your personal information to other organisations for the purposes of direct marketing.

How can you access and correct your personal information?

You may request access to any personal information we hold about you at any time by contacting us (see the Contact us box below). You will be required to provide verification of your identity, and we reserve the right to withhold information if we are not satisfied you are the person identified in it.

Once verification is complete, where we hold information that you are entitled to access, we will make reasonable efforts to provide you with suitable means of accessing it (for example, by mailing or emailing it to you).

We may charge you a fee to cover our administrative and other reasonable costs in providing the information to you and, if so, will notify you of the applicable charges. We will not charge for you making the request and will not charge for making any corrections to your personal information.

There may be instances where we cannot grant you access to the personal information we hold. For example, we may need to refuse access if granting access would interfere with the privacy of others or if it would result in a breach of confidentiality. If that happens, we will give you written reasons for any refusal.

If you believe that personal information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, then you may request us to amend it. We will consider if the information requires amendment. If we do not agree that there are grounds for amendment then we will add a note to the personal information stating that you disagree with it.

What is the process for complaining about a breach of privacy?

If you believe that your privacy has been breached, please contact us using the contact information below and provide details of the incident so that we can investigate it.

Our procedure for investigating and dealing with privacy breaches is an internal review by the Privacy Officer, who may contact you to seek further information to your initial complaint, if needed. At the conclusion of that review, you will be provided with a written account of the outcome and any measures we propose to take to address defects in our processes.

At any time, if you wish to have the matter considered externally, you may complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner via the details below.

Do we disclose your personal information to anyone outside Australia?

We may (with your consent, which you give by using any of our products or services, visiting our website or giving us your personal information) disclose your personal information overseas for processing, storage or back-up purposes.

Overseas recipients are located in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. In giving your consent, you acknowledge these overseas recipients are not required to comply with the APPs. In providing someone else’s personal information to us, you warrant that you do so with their consent including to overseas disclosure on these terms.

Security

We take reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is protected from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We may hold your information in either electronic or hard copy form. Personal information is destroyed or de-identified when no longer needed.

As our website is linked to the internet, and the internet is inherently insecure, we cannot provide any assurance regarding the security of transmission of information you communicate to us online. We also cannot guarantee that the information you supply will not be intercepted while being transmitted over the internet. Accordingly, any personal information or other information which you transmit to us online is transmitted at your own risk.

Links

Our website may contain links to other websites operated by third parties. We make no representations or warranties in relation to the privacy practices of any third party website and we are not responsible for the privacy policies or the content of any third party website. Third party websites are responsible for informing you about their own privacy practices.

Contact information

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, any concerns or a complaint regarding the treatment of your privacy or a possible breach of your privacy, please use the contact link on our website or contact our Privacy Officer using the details set out below.

We will treat your requests or complaints confidentially. Our representative will contact you within a reasonable time after receipt of your complaint to discuss our concerns and outline options regarding how they may be resolved. We will aim to ensure that your complaint is resolved in timely and appropriate manner.

Changes to our privacy policy

We may change this privacy policy from time to time. Any updated versions of this privacy policy will be posted on our website. This privacy policy was last updated on 16 February 2015.