GDPR & Data Protection

Last updated: June 2025. PawLocal is committed to handling personal data responsibly and in full compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This page summarises your key rights and how we uphold them.

Data Controller

PawLocal is the data controller for all personal data collected through this platform. We determine the purposes and means of processing your data. For any data protection enquiries, contact us at pawlocalinfo@yahoo.com.

Your Rights Under UK GDPR

As a data subject, you have the following rights: (a) Right of Access — you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (a 'Subject Access Request'); (b) Right to Rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data; (c) Right to Erasure — you can request that we delete your personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing; (d) Right to Restriction — you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances; (e) Right to Data Portability — you can request your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format; (f) Right to Object — you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes; (g) Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making — you have the right not to be subject to solely automated decisions that significantly affect you.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To make any data rights request, email us at pawlocalinfo@yahoo.com with 'Data Rights Request' in the subject line. Include your full name and the email address associated with your account. We will respond within 30 days. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request.

Lawful Basis for Processing

We only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so under UK GDPR. This includes: processing necessary to perform a contract with you (e.g. managing your account and bookings); processing based on our legitimate interests (e.g. fraud prevention and platform security); compliance with a legal obligation; and, where applicable, your explicit consent.

Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Account data is retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterwards. Financial and booking records may be retained for up to 7 years. You may request deletion of your data at any time.

International Data Transfers

PawLocal primarily operates within the United Kingdom. If any personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK GDPR requirements, such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access. This includes encrypted storage, access controls, and working only with trusted service providers.

Right to Complain

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's supervisory authority for data protection. You can contact the ICO at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113. We would, however, welcome the opportunity to address your concerns directly — please contact us first at pawlocalinfo@yahoo.com.

Changes to This Page

We may update this GDPR information page as our practices evolve or as legal requirements change. We will notify registered users of material changes where possible. For questions, contact pawlocalinfo@yahoo.com.