Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

At WestVETS, including our businesses known as WestVETS Animal Hospitals and WestVETS Equine Reproduction Centre (referred to as “we,” “us,” or and “our”), we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Our commitment is to ensure your privacy is respected and to provide transparency about how your personal information is handled in connection with our veterinary services.

Personal information is any information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who can be reasonably identified from the information or opinion. Information or an opinion may be personal information regardless of whether it is true.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Personal Details: Name, contact information (phone number and email address), and residential address.
• Pet Information: Details about your pet(s) including medical history, breed, and treatment records.
• Financial Information: Payment details for services rendered, including debit and credit card numbers.
• Communication Records: Correspondence with us, including emails and phone calls.
• Online Activity: Information collected through our website and online store, such as browsing behaviours (including the location from which you have come to the site and the pages you visited), purchase history, and technical data (which may include IP addresses, the types of devices you are using to access the website,
  device attributes, browser type, language and operating system).

We use cookies on the website. A cookie is a small text file that the website may place on your device to store information. We may use persistent cookies (which remain on your computer even after you close your browser) to store information that may speed up your use of our website for any of your future visits to the website. We may also use session cookies (which no longer remain after you end your browsing session) to help manage the display and presentation of information on the website. You may refuse to use cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. However, please note that if you do this, you may not be able to use the full functionality of the website.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

• Directly from You: When you interact with us, such as when you contact us, provide information during appointments, via forms, or through our website.
• Through Our Services: When you use our veterinary services, including consultations, treatments, and follow-ups.
• Online Store and Website: Through interactions with our online store, website forms, and cookies that track your browsing behaviour and preferences.
• From Third Parties: From other healthcare providers, pet shelters, family members or any relevant third parties, and from publicly available sources (including social media).

4. How We Use Your Personal Information

We collect, hold and use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To Provide Services: To deliver veterinary care and related services to your pet, and provide you with information and updates about those services.
• Billing and Payments: To process payments and manage accounts.
• Communication: To inform you about appointments, treatments, and other relevant information, and to respond to your queries or complaints.
• Online Interactions: To process orders from our online store, improve your experience on our website, and tailor our marketing and promotions to your preferences.
• Service Improvement: To enhance our services and customer experience.
• In Clinic Marketing: To personalise your experience with our products and services, conduct market research and improve our offerings, and provide you with updates, promotional offers, and other marketing communications that may interest you.

Opting In or Out of Marketing Communications

• Opting In: You may opt in to receive marketing communications when providing your contact details. By opting in, you consent to us using your information to send marketing communications as outlined above.
• Opting Out: Opting Out: If you no longer wish to receive marketing communications, you can opt out at any time
  by:
  • Clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in any marketing email you receive.
  • Responding “Stop” to any SMS marketing you receive from us; or
  • Contact us directly at admin@westvets.com.au.

Please note that you may receive non-marketing communications from us, even if you do not provide your consent to receive marketing materials, and if you do provide consent to receive marketing materials, you can subsequently opt-out using one of the methods described above.

5. How We Disclose Your Personal Information

We may disclose your personal information:

• To Third-Party Service Providers: Who assist us in delivering our services (e.g., billing services, IT support). These third parties are bound by confidentiality agreements.
• To Other Healthcare Providers: For the purpose of coordinating care or referral.
• To Online Service Providers: For the operation of our website and online store, including payment processors and analytics providers.
• As Required by Law: If required by legal obligations or regulatory requirements, or as otherwise permitted by law.

If the ownership or control of all or part of our business changes, we may transfer your personal information to the new owner.

Your personal information will generally remain in Australia. We will notify you where your personal information is likely to be transferred overseas.

6. Pseudonyms and Anonymity

While we respect your right to privacy, please be aware that if you choose to use pseudonyms or remain anonymous, we may not be able to provide you with our full range of services. Accurate and identifiable information is essential for delivering appropriate care, processing transactions, and complying with legal and professional obligations.

7. Data Security

We store most information about you in computer systems and databases operated by either us or our external service providers. Some information about you may also be recorded in paper files that we store securely.

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. This includes physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards. These measures include:

• • the use of identity and access management technologies to control access to systems on which information is processed and stored;
  • requiring all employees to comply with internal information security policies and keep information secure; and
  • monitoring and regularly reviewing our practices against our own policies and against industry best practice.

8. Access and Correction

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information. To do so, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request in a reasonable time and will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold about you remains accurate, up to date and complete. There are some circumstances in which we are not required to give you access to your personal information.

There is no charge for requesting access to your personal information, but we may require you to meet our reasonable costs in providing you with access (such as photocopying costs or costs for time spent on collating large amounts of material).

9. Complaints

If you have concerns about our handling of your personal information or wish to make a complaint, please contact us using the details provided below. We will investigate and respond to your complaint in a timely manner. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), www.oaic.gov.au, ph. 1300 363 992 or seek legal advice.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The revised policy will be posted on our website, or you may obtain a copy by contacting us using the contact details below.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at:

WestVETS Animal and Equine Hospital and Equine Reproduction Centre
540 Mt Crosby Road, Anstead QLD 4070
Anstead (07) 3202 7300, Marburg (07) 5464 4422
admin@westvets.com.au
www.westvets.com.au

12. Acknowledgement

By using our services and/or sharing your personal information with us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.