Pad & Co Privacy Policy
Last updated: 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Pad & Co collects, uses, stores and protects personal information about clients, prospective clients, app users and people who contact us about our dog walking and pet care services.
Pad & Co is operated as a sole trader.
Data Controller: Philip Penn trading as Pad & Co
Email: info@padandco.com
Website: www.padandco.com
Business address: Ipswich, Suffolk, UK
In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” means Pad & Co.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we use your personal information, please contact us using the details above.
- What personal information we collect
We collect and use personal information needed to provide dog walking, pet care, home visit and related services.
This may include:
Client information:
• Name
• Address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Emergency contact details
• Booking and service details
• Payment and invoice information
• Messages, enquiries and communication history
Pet and care information:
• Pet name or names
• Breed, age and general care needs
• Feeding instructions
• Behavioural information, including bite history, anxiety, reactivity or other safety information where relevant
• Walking preferences
• Off-lead permissions
• Medication or care instructions where provided
• Veterinary practice name, address and phone number
• Emergency instructions relating to your pet
Home access and security information:
• Key safe number, where provided
• Key collection and return information
• Home access instructions
• Notes needed to safely enter your property and care for your pet
App account information:
• Account name
• Email address
• Login/account details
• Profile avatar
• Contact number, where added
• Address information
• Pet name or names
• Key safe number
• Pet care notes
• Chat messages
• Photos uploaded to chats
• Photos uploaded as profile images
• Notification preferences
• Device or push notification tokens needed to send app notifications
• Basic technical information needed to keep the app working securely
We only ask for information that is needed to provide our services, manage client communication, keep pets safe and operate the Pad & Co app.
- How we collect personal information
We may collect personal information when you:
• Complete a registration form
• Book or enquire about a service
• Contact us by email, phone, website, social media or message
• Use the Pad & Co app
• Update your app profile
• Send or receive messages in the app
• Upload photos in the app
• Provide home access or key safe information
• Provide pet care, behaviour or veterinary information
• Make a payment or receive an invoice
We may also receive information from a person you have authorised, such as a family member, emergency contact or another person involved in your pet’s care.
- Why we use your personal information
We use personal information to:
• Set up and manage client accounts
• Provide dog walking, pet care, home visits and related services
• Communicate with you about bookings, pets, changes and emergencies
• Allow authorised Pad & Co staff or walkers to care for your pet safely
• Access your property where needed to provide agreed services
• Keep records of pet needs, behaviour, safety instructions and care preferences
• Manage invoices, payments and accounting records
• Respond to enquiries, complaints or service issues
• Manage insurance, safety and legal matters
• Operate and maintain the Pad & Co app
• Send app messages, email notifications and push notifications
• Invite users to the app
• Reset passwords or help with account access
• Protect clients, pets, staff and our business
• Improve the reliability and security of our services, website and app
We do not sell your personal information.
- Lawful basis for using your personal information
We use personal information under one or more lawful bases under UK data protection law.
Contract
We use personal information where it is necessary to provide the services you have asked us to provide. This includes managing bookings, contacting you, caring for your pet, using your address to attend visits and keeping pet care instructions.
Legitimate interests
We use personal information where it is necessary for the proper running of our business, provided this does not override your rights. This includes managing client communication, keeping service records, maintaining app security, handling service issues, improving our systems and protecting pets, clients, staff and our business.
Legal obligation
We may use and keep information where required by law, such as tax, accounting, insurance, health and safety or legal record keeping.
Consent
Where we rely on consent, such as for certain optional marketing, testimonials, promotional images or non-essential communications, you can withdraw consent at any time.
Vital interests
In an emergency, we may use information where necessary to protect the life, health or safety of a person or animal. This may include contacting a vet, emergency contact or other relevant service.
- How we handle app data
The Pad & Co app is used for private communication between Pad & Co admins, staff and clients.
The app was developed using Emergent. We may use Emergent and connected technical services to help operate, host, maintain, test or support the app.
The app allows authorised users to:
• Send and receive chat messages
• Upload photos to chats
• View photos shared in chats they are part of
• Upload a profile avatar
• Add or update address details
• Add or update key safe details
• Add pet name or names
• Add care notes where required
Chats are created and managed by Pad & Co admins. Normal users cannot create chats, add other users or browse all app users.
Private profile details such as addresses, contact numbers, key safe numbers and pet care notes are not intended to be visible to other clients. Access to this information is restricted to Pad & Co admins and authorised team members where needed to provide services.
Chat messages and photos may be visible to:
• The person who sent them
• Other users included in the same chat
• Pad & Co admins
• Authorised Pad & Co team members where needed to manage the service or support the app
Photos uploaded to chats are used for communication and service purposes only. The app does not need access to your full photo library. Where possible, users select specific images to upload.
Push notifications may be used to alert you about new chat messages or important app activity. To send push notifications, the app may store a device notification token. This does not give us access to the contents of your phone.
Email notifications may be used for invites, account access, password resets, service messages and app-related updates.
Deleting the app from your phone does not automatically delete your account or service records. If you want your app account or personal data reviewed or deleted, please contact us.
- Website data
The Pad & Co website is created and managed by us.
If you contact us through the website, by email or through any linked contact method, we may collect the information you choose to provide, such as your name, email address, phone number, pet details and enquiry information.
We use this information to respond to enquiries, manage services and communicate with clients or prospective clients.
If we add analytics, tracking cookies or marketing tools to the website, we will update this Privacy Policy and any cookie notice as required.
- Photos and media
You may send photos through the app or share photos with us as part of our services.
We may use photos:
• To communicate with you about your pet
• To provide service updates
• To keep relevant care records
• To support app chat features
• For agreed promotional use only where permission has been given
We will not use client or pet photos for marketing or promotional purposes unless we have permission to do so.
- Key safe, keys and home access information
Where you provide a key safe number, key instructions or home access information, we use this only to provide agreed pet care services.
We treat key and access information as highly sensitive from a security point of view. Access is limited to Pad & Co admins and authorised team members who need it to carry out agreed services.
We do not share key safe numbers, keys or access information with other clients or unauthorised people.
Where physical keys are held, they are kept securely and without identifying personal details attached where possible.
- Who we share personal information with
We only share personal information where needed for our services, legal obligations, safety or business operations.
We may share relevant information with:
• Pad & Co staff, walkers and authorised team members
• Veterinary practices in an emergency or where needed for pet care
• Emergency contacts you have provided
• Payment and accounting providers
• Insurance providers, legal advisers or professional advisers where needed
• App development, app hosting, database, storage and technical service providers, including Emergent where applicable
• Domain, website and email providers, including IONOS and GoDaddy where applicable
• Email delivery providers, including Resend where used for app emails, invites or password resets
• Push notification and app-store service providers
• Regulators, authorities or law enforcement where legally required
We require service providers to handle personal information securely and only for the purposes we instruct.
- International data processing
Some of the technology providers we use may process or store data outside the UK.
Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as using reputable providers and appropriate contractual protections.
- How long we keep personal information
We keep personal information only for as long as needed for the purpose it was collected, including to provide services, manage our business, meet legal obligations, handle disputes and maintain insurance or accounting records.
As a general guide:
• Active client and pet care records are kept while you use our services.
• Key safe and home access information is kept only while needed to provide services, unless there is another lawful reason to keep it.
• App account information is kept while your app account is active or while needed for service, safety, legal or business reasons.
• Chat messages and uploaded app photos are kept while needed for communication, service records or account management.
• Invoice, payment and accounting records may be kept for the period required by tax, accounting and legal rules.
• Insurance, complaint or incident records may be kept for as long as needed to deal with claims, disputes or legal obligations.
• Marketing preferences may be kept so we know whether you have opted in or out.
When information is no longer needed, we will delete it, anonymise it or securely archive it where appropriate.
- How we protect personal information
We take reasonable steps to keep personal information safe.
This may include:
• Limiting access to people who need the information
• Using password-protected systems
• Using role-based access controls in the app
• Restricting access to admin areas
• Keeping key and access information secure
• Using secure app, email and hosting providers
• Reviewing access where users leave or no longer need access
• Taking care when sending information by email, message or app
No system is completely risk-free, but we aim to use personal information carefully and securely.
- Your rights
You have rights over your personal information. These may include the right to:
• Ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Ask us to delete personal information in certain circumstances
• Ask us to restrict how we use your information in certain circumstances
• Object to certain uses of your information
• Withdraw consent where we rely on consent
• Ask for certain information in a portable format
• Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how we handle your data
To make a request, contact us at info@padandco.com.
We may need to confirm your identity before dealing with a request. We will respond in line with data protection law.
- Marketing
We may contact you with service updates or information directly related to services you use.
We will only send optional marketing where we have a lawful basis to do so. Where consent is required, we will ask for it.
You can opt out of marketing at any time by contacting us or using any unsubscribe option provided.
- Children
Our services and app are intended for use by adult clients, staff and authorised users. We do not knowingly collect app account information from children.
- Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, especially if our services, app features, technology providers or legal requirements change.
The latest version will be made available on our website or through the app where appropriate.
- Complaints
If you have a concern about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Information Commissioner’s Office
Website: www.ico.org.uk
Phone: 0303 123 1113