Privacy Policy

Heelside Dog Services ("we", "our", "us") is a sole trader dog training business based in Adelaide, South Australia. We are committed to protecting your personal information and handling it responsibly in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights.

1. Who We Are

Heelside Dog Services is a sole trader business providing professional dog training services in Adelaide, South Australia. For any privacy enquiries, please contact us via our email address heelsidedogs@gmail.com

We collect personal information that is reasonably necessary to provide our dog training services. This may include:

• Your contact details — name, email address, phone number, and home address (if required) collected when you make a booking or enquiry.

• Dog health and vaccination records — information about your dog's health status or vaccination history, where relevant to safely delivering our services.

• Photos and videos of your dog — taken during training sessions, used for progress tracking, client communication, or promotional purposes (with your consent).

We collect this information directly from you through our website, booking system, email, or in person. We do not collect sensitive personal information about you (such as health records about you personally) unless you choose to share it.

3. Third-Party Tools We Use

To operate our business, we use the following third-party platforms, each of which may process your personal information in accordance with their own privacy policies:

• Google Sites — our website platform (Google LLC).

• Gmail — used for client communications and follow-up emails (Google LLC).

• Setmore — our online booking and scheduling platform. Your name, contact details, and appointment information are stored within Setmore.

• Square — used to process payments. Payment card details are handled directly by Square and are not stored by us.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these platforms if you have questions about how they handle your data. Some providers may store data on servers outside Australia; where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information remains protected.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Manage your bookings and appointments via Setmore.

• Communicate with you about your sessions, scheduling, and any follow-up questions.

• Process payments securely via Square.

• Share progress updates, training notes, or photos and videos relevant to your dog's training.

• Send follow-up messages after training sessions and, occasionally, request Google reviews to support our small business.

• Promote our services, including using photos or videos of dogs on our website or social media — only with your prior consent.

5. Photos and Videos

We may take photos or videos of your dog during training sessions. These may be used to share progress with you or for promotional use on our website or social media channels.

We will always seek your consent before using any images or footage for promotional purposes. You may withdraw this consent at any time by contacting us, and we will remove any content upon your request where it is reasonable and practical to do so.

6. Communications and Follow-Ups

We may send follow-up emails after training sessions or occasionally ask you to leave a Google review for our business. These messages are directly related to the services you have received and are sent via Gmail.

We do not send unsolicited bulk marketing or newsletters. If you would prefer not to receive follow-up messages, please let us know at any time and we will respect your preference.

7. Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We only share your information in the following circumstances:

• With the third-party platforms listed in Section 3, as necessary to operate our services.

• If required or authorised by law (for example, in response to a court order or regulatory requirement).

• To protect the safety of a person or to prevent or report suspected unlawful activity.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, and unauthorised access. This includes using reputable, secure platforms that apply their own security measures. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Accessing and Correcting Your Information

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, and to ask us to correct it if it is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date. To make a request, please contact us via our website. We will respond within a reasonable time and at no charge.

10. Retention of Information

We retain your personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law. When no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it.

11. Complaints

If you have a concern about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first so we have the opportunity to resolve the matter. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The current version will always be available on our website. We encourage you to review it periodically.