1. Introduction and Company Information
This Privacy Policy explains how Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. collects, uses, discloses, stores, and protects personal information in connection with its wildlife-rescue services, website, communications, intake processes, volunteer and donor relations, and related operations in Canada.
For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. is the organization responsible for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information under applicable Canadian privacy laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and, where applicable, provincial privacy legislation.
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd.
325 Catherine Street, Ottawa, ON K1R 5T4, Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (613) 742-9583
2. Data Collection and Processing
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. may collect and process personal information directly from individuals or from authorized third parties in the course of providing wildlife-rescue and related services. The types of personal information we may collect include, depending on the context:
- Contact details such as name, email address, telephone number, mailing address, and preferred communication methods;
- Information provided in rescue requests, animal intake forms, incident reports, volunteer applications, donation records, service inquiries, and feedback submissions;
- Information relating to the location, time, and circumstances of wildlife sightings, rescues, rehabilitation, or release activities;
- Payment or billing-related information, where applicable, processed through secure third-party payment providers;
- Volunteer, donor, partner, contractor, and supplier information;
- Website and device information, such as IP address, browser type, device identifiers, and usage data collected through cookies or similar technologies;
- Any other information voluntarily provided to Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. in communications, forms, surveys, or other interactions.
We limit collection to information that is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. In certain circumstances, we may collect or use sensitive information, including information that may indirectly reveal health-related details or location-based information, where required to assess a rescue request, protect an animal, ensure safety, or otherwise comply with legal or operational obligations.
3. Purpose of Data Processing
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. processes personal information for the following purposes:
- To receive, assess, and respond to wildlife-rescue requests and incident reports;
- To provide wildlife care, rehabilitation coordination, transport, release, and related services;
- To communicate with the public, landowners, volunteers, donors, partners, veterinarians, and service providers;
- To manage volunteer recruitment, training, scheduling, and safety procedures;
- To process donations, issue receipts where applicable, and maintain financial records;
- To maintain internal records, case files, and operational logs;
- To improve our services, website functionality, and public outreach efforts;
- To detect, prevent, and investigate fraud, misuse, security incidents, or unauthorized access;
- To comply with legal, regulatory, tax, and accounting obligations;
- To protect the health and safety of animals, staff, volunteers, and the public;
- To send administrative or service-related communications;
- Where permitted by law, to send updates, newsletters, and awareness communications, subject to applicable consent and unsubscribe rights.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. processes personal information in accordance with applicable Canadian privacy laws, including PIPEDA, on the basis that the collection, use, or disclosure is:
- Consistent with the purposes for which the information was provided or collected;
- Necessary to deliver requested services, respond to inquiries, or administer rescue and rehabilitation activities;
- Required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations;
- Based on consent, where consent is required or appropriate;
- Necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims;
- Justified by legitimate operational, safety, conservation, or public-interest-related needs, provided that such processing is carried out in a manner consistent with applicable law.
Where consent is relied upon, it may be express or implied depending on the sensitivity of the information and the circumstances, and individuals may have the right to withdraw consent subject to legal or contractual restrictions.
5. Data Sharing and Third Parties
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. does not sell personal information. We may share personal information only where necessary and appropriate for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including with:
- Veterinarians, wildlife health professionals, and rehabilitation partners;
- Emergency responders, animal welfare authorities, or law enforcement where safety or legal obligations require disclosure;
- Volunteers, contractors, and trusted service providers who assist with operations;
- Payment processors, accounting systems, email service providers, website hosting providers, analytics providers, and IT support vendors;
- Government authorities, regulators, courts, or legal advisers where required or permitted by law;
- Third parties in connection with a merger, restructuring, asset transfer, or similar organizational transaction, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections.
All third parties are expected to protect personal information and use it only for authorized purposes consistent with our instructions and applicable law. When third-party service providers process information on our behalf, we seek contractual or other safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
6. Data Transfer to Third Countries
Some personal information may be stored or processed outside Canada, including in other provinces, the United States, or other jurisdictions where our service providers or partners operate. In such cases, personal information may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions and may be accessible to courts, law enforcement, or regulatory authorities there.
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. takes reasonable steps to ensure that cross-border transfers are handled with appropriate safeguards, including contractual protections, access restrictions, and data security measures appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
7. Storage Duration
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. retains personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law, accounting standards, insurance requirements, operational needs, or legitimate dispute resolution purposes.
Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the context in which it was collected. Examples include:
- Service, rescue, and case records: retained for a period reasonably necessary for operational, safety, and legal purposes;
- Donation and financial records: retained in accordance with tax, accounting, and charity-related obligations;
- Volunteer records: retained for administrative, safety, and reference purposes for a reasonable period;
- Communications and inquiry records: retained for customer service, accountability, and record-keeping purposes.
When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy, anonymize, or de-identify it, as appropriate.
8. User Rights
Subject to applicable law, individuals may have the following rights regarding their personal information held by Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd.:
- Access: the right to request access to personal information we hold about you;
- Rectification: the right to request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information;
- Erasure: the right to request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances, subject to legal and operational retention requirements;
- Restriction: the right to request that processing be limited in certain situations;
- Data portability: the right, where applicable, to receive certain information in a structured and commonly used format, to the extent required by law;
- Objection: the right to object to certain forms of processing, subject to lawful grounds for continued processing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in the Contact Information section. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law or, if no specific timeframe applies, within a reasonable period.
9. Withdrawal of Consent
Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing that occurred before the withdrawal.
Please note that withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide certain services or respond to specific requests. For example, if you do not provide necessary contact information, we may be unable to follow up on a rescue request or volunteer application.
10. Right to Complain
If you have concerns about our handling of personal information, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can attempt to resolve the matter promptly and fairly.
You may also have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or, where applicable, a provincial privacy regulator if you believe that Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. has not complied with applicable privacy law.
We will cooperate with any lawful investigation and take privacy complaints seriously.
11. Data Security
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
These safeguards may include, as appropriate:
- Access controls and role-based permissions;
- Secure passwords and multi-factor authentication where available;
- Encryption in transit and/or at rest for certain systems;
- Staff and volunteer confidentiality practices and training;
- Physical security measures for records and devices;
- Monitoring, logging, and incident response procedures;
- Vendor due diligence and contractual safeguards.
No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. Accordingly, while we strive to protect personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
12. Contact Information
If you have any questions, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact:
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd.
325 Catherine Street, Ottawa, ON K1R 5T4, Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (613) 742-9583
13. Changes to Privacy Policy
Northern WildCare Rescue Ltd. may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, operational needs, or technology. Any revised version will be posted or otherwise made available with an updated effective date where appropriate.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we handle personal information. Your continued use of our services or website after changes become effective may indicate your acknowledgment of the updated policy, subject to applicable law.