Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Buyapuppysafely.org is a website run by the Scottish Government to help people learn the warning signs of an illegally bred puppy. This Privacy Policy forms part of the Terms of Use of this website (www.buyapuppysafely.org). This Privacy Policy also relates to any other personal data buyapuppysafely.org collects when providing services.
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The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland and has its headquarters at St Andrew’s House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG.

2. How we use your information

This privacy statement explains how the buyapuppysafely.org website collects and uses personal information about you to provide you with services. In general terms, buyapuppysafely.org collects and uses personal information about you to:

to provide you with services, activities or online content, to provide you with information about them and to deal with your requests and enquiries;
to provide you with the most user-friendly online navigation experience;
we may also show you relevant advertising on third party sites;
to use IP addresses and device identifiers to identify the general location (country or city) of users to block disruptive use, and to establish the number of visits from different countries;
for analysis and research purposes so that we may improve the services offered by buyapuppysafely.org. This can include using geo-demographic information from external sources, where this helps us ensure we are making something for everyone;
we may also use and disclose information in aggregate (so that no individuals are identified) for marketing and strategic development purposes.

2.1 We collect from you when you:

visit our website (including cookies, IP addresses, hostnames and search engine);
use our social media channels (Twitter, Instagram, You Tube and Snapchat);
If you contact us, we will collect your email address and any other personal data contained in your message. If you contact us asking for information, we may need to contact other government bodies and relevant stakeholders to find that information. Once you have received a reply, we will keep a record of your message for a maximum of three months for reference and audit purposes, after which it will be deleted unless otherwise in order to stay in contact with you about supporting the work of buyapuppysafely.org.

2.2 Links to third party websites

Buyapuppysafely.org website contains hyperlinks to websites owned and operated by partners and third parties. These partner and third-party websites have their own privacy statements, which will let you know how personal information collected on those websites will be used. Third party websites are also likely to use cookies, and will have their own policy on this also. We therefore urge you to review their privacy statement and cookies policy when using these websites. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the privacy practices of such partners or third-party websites and your use of such websites is at your own risk.

2.3 Google analytics & doubleclick

At an advertiser's discretion, Google Analytics data may be examined in concert with data about buyapuppysafely.org ads that have been shown using the Google Display Network or DoubleClick for Advertisers. Thus, buyapuppysafely.org can understand how anonymous users interacted with the advertiser's website after seeing buyapuppysafely.org ads.

Buyapuppysafely.org may use this data to inform and optimize our ad campaigns.
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Users may opt out of the DoubleClick cookie by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page or visitors may opt out of our use of Analytics by visiting the Google Analytics Opt-out page.

2.4 Google analytics & remarketing

Third party vendors, including Google, may show buyapuppysafely.org ads on sites on the internet. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to buyapuppysafely.org website.
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We may also use analytics data to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to our website, as well as to develop remarketing lists for customised campaigns (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads). Users may opt out of Google's use of cookies by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page. In addition, you may also opt out of third party vendor's use of cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt out page.

2.5 Social media

Buyapuppysafely.org uses a variety of social media channels and any data captured by buyapuppysafely.org via these channels will be done so with your consent.
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Social media channel advertisers will be required to obtain consent from users for the collection of data for personalized ads (e.g. remarketing tags to build audience lists) and for the use of cookies where legally required (e.g. conversion tags).
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Social channels we use can be found below:Facebook, Instagram, You Tube, Snapchat

3 When will buyapuppysafely.org contact me?

Buyapuppysafely.org may contact you in relation to any service, activity or online content to ensure that buyapuppysafely.org can deliver services or in relation to any correspondence we receive from you or any comment or complaint you make to buyapuppysafely.org.

4 Your rights

You have a right of access to any personal data we hold about you, by making a Subject Access Request (SAR).
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In addition, if you believe that the data we hold is inaccurate or incomplete you can ask us to update our records. If you are unhappy with the way in which we process your personal data you can request that we stop or restrict the processing we complete using your personal data or ask us to delete the personal data we hold about you.

In some circumstances we may not be able to comply with your request. This is because some of these rights are conditional and can only be applied in certain circumstances and/or where there is no compelling reason to continue to process your personal data.

Contact

The Data Protection Officer Data Protection and Information Assets Team V Spur Saughton House Broomhouse Drive Edinburgh EH11 3XD
Email: dpa@gov.scot
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You can also report any concerns here: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/handling/