This notice explains how we obtain, use and disclose your personal information, in accordance with the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
At Hennie Alberts Veterinary Clinic (including its website) we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is collected and used properly, lawfully, and transparently.
Definition of Personal Information
According to the Act, ‘‘personal information’’ means information relating to an identifiable, living, natural person, and where it is applicable, an identifiable, existing juristic person.
The Information We Collect
We may collect and process your personal information directly from you upon appointment, via our website, or via our social media channels. Information may be collected verbally, in writing, or electronically.
Information is collected in order to ensure that proper care is provided for your animals, to contact you, and to share important information that clients agree to receive. Personal information collected may include your title, your full name, your home language, your contact details, your physical address, and your postal address. Non-personal information collected may include your animal’s name, the species of your animal, the breed and sex of your animal, the colour and other identifying marks of your animal, the birth date of your animal, your animal’s microchip number, whether your animal has been sterilised, and whether your animal is covered on a medical plan (and, if so, details of the medical plan).
Use of Personal Information
HAVC will use your personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected and agreed with you. Personal information is used to identify clients and their animals. It is necessary to preserve the legal veterinarian-client relationship and to help with follow up treatment as well as the recall of a patient’s history to be able to make informed decisions regarding treatment. It is also useful in cases where animals stray from home to be able to find their owners.
Personal information will never be given to third parties, except in cases of non-payment in which case the information may be given to debt collecting agency to enable them to collect the outstanding amount.
Sharing of Personal Information
Your personal information will only be shared with a third party with a debt collection agency in the case of non-payment, for any legal reason where the information may be required by any legal authority, court order, or by order of the government, or with service providers involved in the delivery of products or services to you.
Safeguarding of Personal Information
HAVC will do everything in its power to protect and safeguard the information entrusted to us from accidental or unlawful loss, alteration, unauthorised access or revelation by implementing reasonable physical, electronic, or technical measures.
Period of Storing Personal Information
According to law, we retain all information related to our clients and patients for a period of five years. Information of clients will be kept as long as they are in bona fide a veterinarian-client relationship with us. When this veterinarian-client relationship is broken due to the client relocating or informing us of a to move to another veterinarian, the information will still be kept for a further five years, whereafter the information will be deleted.
Updating of Privacy Policy
This policy may be updated from time to time as necessary. The last date of the update will be noted at the end of this policy.
Your Rights
You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. To do this, simply contact us at the numbers/addresses as provided on our website and specify what information you require. We may require a copy of your ID document to confirm your identity before providing details of your personal information.
Please note that any such access request may be subject to a payment of a legally allowable fee.
You have the right to ask us to update, correct, or delete your personal information. We may require a copy of your ID document to confirm your identity before making changes to personal information we may hold about you. We would appreciate it if you would keep your personal information accurate.
For further clarification on the way in which we collect, store, and utilise personal information, contact us via one of the following channels.
- Physical address: 108 Hennie Alberts Street, Brackenhurst, Alberton, 1448
- Telephone: +27 (81) 724 7284
- WhatsApp: +27 (67) 426 0215
- Email: havcreception@gmail.com