1. Introduction
Mission Veterinary Hospital (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the website at https://missionvet.ca (the “Site”). We are committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our clients, visitors, and anyone who interacts with us online or by telephone.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have regarding your information. It applies to all personal information collected through the Site, our online booking and form systems, our telephone communications, and our digital marketing activities.
This policy is prepared in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) (SBC 2003, c. 63) of British Columbia, Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), and all other applicable Canadian federal and provincial privacy laws.
By using this Site, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:
- Submit a new client registration form, appointment request, or contact form on the Site
- Book an appointment through our online booking platform
- Call our clinic directly
- Send us an email
- Communicate with us by text message or other messaging channel
The categories of personal information collected through these interactions may include your name, telephone number, email address, mailing address, pet information (species, name, age, and health history), appointment preferences, and any other information you voluntarily provide in correspondence with us.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our Site, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar tracking technologies. This may include your browser type and version, operating system, internet service provider, the pages you visit on our Site, the date and time of your visit, referring website addresses, and general geographic location derived from your IP address.
We use this information to understand how visitors use our Site, to improve the user experience, and to measure the effectiveness of our marketing activities. The cookies we use are described in Section 5.
2.3 Communication Platforms
We use third-party communication platforms to manage appointment reminders, client notifications, and follow-up communications. These platforms may process your name, telephone number, email address, and appointment details on our behalf. When you call our clinic, your call may be recorded and processed using AI-assisted tools for quality assurance, appointment management, and communication categorisation purposes. See Section 7 for full disclosure of AI-assisted tools.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
- To schedule, confirm, remind, and manage appointments
- To respond to your enquiries and service requests
- To send appointment reminders and follow-up communications
- To improve the quality of our services and the performance of our website
- To fulfil our legal and regulatory obligations as a veterinary practice
- To manage our online advertising and marketing activities in accordance with this policy
- To protect the safety of our clients, their pets, and our team
We do not sell personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
4. SMS and Text Message Communications
We may send you text messages (SMS or MMS) for appointment reminders, confirmations, and service-related notifications. All text message communications are governed by Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL, SC 2014, c.23).
Transactional messages (such as appointment confirmations and reminders directly related to a service you have requested) may be sent on the basis of implied consent. Marketing messages (such as promotions or wellness reminders not directly tied to a booked appointment) require your express consent before we send them.
You may unsubscribe from marketing text messages at any time by replying STOP to any message. Standard carrier messaging rates may apply.
5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
5.1 Types of Cookies We Use
Our Site uses the following categories of cookies:
- Essential Cookies: Required for the Site to function correctly. These cookies cannot be disabled as they are necessary for core features such as security, form submission, and navigation. They do not collect personal information for marketing purposes.
- Statistics Cookies: Collect anonymised or pseudonymised data about how visitors use our Site, including which pages are visited most often and how visitors arrive at our Site. This information is used to improve the Site. These cookies are enabled only with your consent.
- Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver advertising relevant to your interests and to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns. These cookies track your activity across websites and may be used to build a profile of your interests. They are enabled only with your consent.
5.2 Cookie Consent
When you first visit our Site, a cookie consent banner will appear. You may accept all cookies, accept only essential cookies, or customise your preferences by category. Your consent choices are stored and applied to future visits. The consent banner is configured and managed by VSA Vet Media Inc. on behalf of Mission Veterinary Hospital.
You may change your cookie preferences at any time by clearing your browser cookies and revisiting the Site, or by using your browser settings to manage or block cookies.
5.3 Global Privacy Control and Universal Opt-Out Mechanisms
Our Site recognises Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals and other applicable universal opt-out mechanisms transmitted by your browser or device. Where a valid signal is detected, we honour your preference as required by applicable law.
5.4 Online Advertising and Remarketing
We engage in online advertising, including interest-based advertising and remarketing. This means that after you visit our Site, you may see advertisements for our clinic on other websites and platforms. These advertising activities use marketing cookies and similar technologies to identify your browser or device and deliver relevant content.
We conduct advertising through third-party advertising networks and platforms. No personal health information about your pet is used for advertising purposes.
You may opt out of interest-based advertising at any time:
- Google ad settings: google.com/settings/ads
- Network Advertising Initiative: optout.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp
6. Third-Party Services
We work with third-party service providers to operate our website, manage client communications, and conduct marketing activities. These providers are authorised to use your personal information only as necessary to perform their services on our behalf and are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information.
The functional categories of third-party services we use include:
- Website hosting, maintenance, and performance providers
- Online form and appointment booking providers
- Client communication and notification platforms
- Analytics and performance measurement platforms
- Advertising and remarketing platforms
- AI-assisted communication and telephony platforms
- Cookie consent management platforms
We do not name specific vendors in this policy as our service providers may change over time. If you have questions about a specific provider, contact us at missvet@shawbiz.ca.
7. AI-Assisted Tools
7.1 No Medical Decisions by AI
We use AI-assisted tools for communication and administrative purposes only. No AI system used by Mission Veterinary Hospital makes clinical decisions, provides veterinary advice, or affects the care your pet receives. All veterinary decisions are made exclusively by our licensed veterinary professionals.
7.2 Call Recording
Telephone calls with our clinic may be recorded. By calling us, you acknowledge and consent to the recording of your call in accordance with applicable privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) (SBC 2003, c. 63). Recordings may be processed using AI-assisted transcription and categorisation tools for quality assurance and appointment management purposes. Recordings are retained only as long as necessary for these purposes and are handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
7.3 Automated Communications
We use automated systems to send appointment reminders, confirmations, and follow-up messages by text message, email, or telephone. These messages are generated and sent by automated platforms on our behalf. If you receive an automated message and wish to speak with a member of our team, you may call us directly at (604) 826-8456 during clinic hours.
7.4 AI Interaction Disclosure
Some interactions with our communication systems, including telephone attendant features and online chat tools, may involve AI-assisted processing. Where AI is involved in handling your initial enquiry, a member of our human team remains responsible for all clinical and service decisions. We may use AI tools for voicemail transcription, call categorisation, review response suggestions, and automated appointment management.
7.5 Your Rights Regarding AI Processing
You have the right to enquire about how AI tools have processed your personal information and to request human review of any automated decision that has affected you. To make such a request, contact us at missvet@shawbiz.ca.
8. Data Protection and Security
We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures are appropriate to the sensitivity of the information we hold and are reviewed periodically.
No method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we take the protection of your personal information seriously, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8.1 Data Breach Notification
In the event of a breach of security involving your personal information that creates a real risk of significant harm, we will notify you and the applicable regulatory authority as required by applicable law, including PIPA (BC) and any applicable federal legislation.
9. Your Privacy Rights
As a resident of British Columbia, you have the following rights under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) (SBC 2003, c. 63):
- Right of Access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
- Right of Correction: You have the right to request correction of any personal information we hold about you that is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: You have the right to withdraw consent to our collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions. Withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide you with services.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at missvet@shawbiz.ca or (604) 826-8456. We will respond within the timeframe required by the applicable statute.
10. Sharing of Information
We share your personal information only as described in this policy, including with third-party service providers acting on our behalf (see Section 6) and as required by law.
We may disclose your personal information where required by a court order, subpoena, regulatory authority, or applicable legislation, or where we have a good-faith belief that disclosure is necessary to protect the safety of any person or to investigate suspected unlawful activity.
We do not sell personal information. We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their own independent marketing or commercial purposes.
Where personal information is shared with third-party service providers operating outside Canada, we take reasonable steps to ensure that such providers protect your information in a manner consistent with the principles of PIPA (BC) and applicable Canadian privacy law.
11. Children’s Privacy
Our Site is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, please contact us at missvet@shawbiz.ca and we will take prompt steps to delete that information.
12. Links to External Websites
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, including pet health resources, government portals, and other external content. These links are provided for your convenience. We do not control the privacy practices or content of linked external websites and are not responsible for their privacy policies. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.
Regarding Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram): Our advertising and social media activities may involve Meta Platforms. Meta’s own data practices and privacy policy govern the information it collects when you interact with our advertising or social media content on Meta’s platforms. Mission Veterinary Hospital is not responsible for Meta’s data practices. You may review Meta’s data policy at facebook.com/privacy/explanation.
13. Data Retention
We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations as a veterinary practice, and to resolve disputes or enforce our agreements. The appropriate retention period depends on the type of information and the purposes for which it is used.
When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it securely.
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 the services we provide. When we update this policy, we will revise the effective date at the top of the page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the Site after a change has been posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
15. Website Design and Management
The https://missionvet.ca website is designed, developed, and managed by VSA Vet Media Inc., a digital marketing agency specialising in veterinary practices, on behalf of Mission Veterinary Hospital. VSA Vet Media Inc. acts as a service provider and processes personal information collected through the Site solely in accordance with the instructions of Mission Veterinary Hospital and the terms of our service agreement. VSA Vet Media Inc. does not use client information for its own marketing purposes and does not retain personal information beyond the scope of its service obligations.
16. Contact Information
For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us:
Mission Veterinary Hospital
31945 Lougheed Hwy., Mission, BC V2V 0K8
Phone: (604) 826-8456
Email: missvet@shawbiz.ca
If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy concern, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (OIPC BC) at oipc.bc.ca.