This privacy policy explains how PawGuide UK collects, uses and protects your personal data. We operate in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who we are
PawGuide UK is a website providing guides and advice for dog owners in the United Kingdom. The site is operated by an individual based in the UK. For data protection purposes, we are the data controller for personal data collected through this website.
If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us.
What data we collect
Data you provide directly
We may collect the following when you contact us or use features on the site:
- Email address — if you submit a contact form or sign up for notifications
- Name — if you include it in a contact form message
- Message content — anything you write in a contact form
Data collected automatically
When you visit PawGuide UK, certain information is collected automatically through standard web technologies:
- Log data — your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time of visit, collected by our web server (DigitalOcean / Nginx)
- Cookies — see the cookies section below
- Analytics data — if we use a service such as Google Analytics, anonymised usage data including page views and referral sources
How we use your data
We use the data we collect for the following purposes:
- To respond to enquiries you send us via the contact form
- To send notifications you have specifically requested (such as new article alerts)
- To understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it
- To maintain the security and proper functioning of the website
- To comply with legal obligations
We will never sell your personal data to third parties, and we will never use it for unsolicited marketing.
Affiliate links & third-party sites
PawGuide UK contains affiliate links to third-party websites including Amazon.co.uk, insurance providers, and pet product retailers. When you click these links, you will leave PawGuide UK and be subject to the privacy policy of the destination website.
We have no control over how third-party sites collect or use your data. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any site you visit. Our affiliate relationships are disclosed on our affiliate disclosure page.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. PawGuide UK may use the following types of cookies:
- Essential cookies — required for the website to function correctly
- Analytics cookies — used to understand how visitors interact with the site (e.g. Google Analytics). These are anonymised and do not identify you personally
- Affiliate tracking cookies — set by affiliate networks (such as Amazon Associates or Awin) when you click an affiliate link, to attribute any subsequent purchase to PawGuide UK
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of the site. For more information about managing cookies, visit aboutcookies.org.
Third-party services
We may use the following third-party services, each of which has its own privacy policy:
- Google Analytics — website traffic analysis (Google Privacy Policy)
- Google Fonts — font delivery (Google Privacy Policy)
- Amazon Associates — affiliate programme (Amazon Privacy Policy)
- Awin — affiliate network (Awin Privacy Policy)
How long we keep your data
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected:
- Contact form submissions are kept for up to 12 months, then deleted
- Email notification sign-ups are kept until you request removal
- Server log files are retained for up to 30 days
Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of access — you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate data
- Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your personal data
- Right to restrict processing — you can ask us to limit how we use your data
- Right to object — you can object to our processing of your data
- Right to data portability — you can request your data in a portable format
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
Data security
We take reasonable measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss or misuse. Our website uses HTTPS encryption (SSL/TLS via Let's Encrypt). However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children's privacy
PawGuide UK is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of PawGuide UK after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact us
If you have any questions, concerns or requests regarding this privacy policy or your personal data, please use our contact page. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 5 working days.