PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated: 12 December 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how Citivet Bothasig & Monte Vista (“Citivet”, “we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, stores and shares personal information when you use our website, contact us, book an appointment, join a wellness plan, or visit our clinics.

This Privacy Policy is intended to align with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (“POPIA”) and should be read together with our Cookie Policy and Website Terms of Service.

Who we are and how to contact us

Citivet operates two veterinary clinics in Cape Town:

Bothasig clinic

8 Tafelberg Street, Bothasig, 7441

Tel: 021 558 0995

Cell: 083 822 1657

Monte Vista clinic

22 Diaz Avenue, Monte Vista, 7460

Tel: 021 558 2933

Cell: 083 822 1786

Emergency number

083 683 6550

Email

reception@citivetbothasig.co.za

Our Information Officer

Name: ________________________

Email: reception@citivetbothasig.co.za

Phone: ________________________

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact our Information Officer.

Key definitions

Personal information means information relating to an identifiable, living natural person and, where applicable, an identifiable existing juristic person (for example, a company).

Data subject means the person or entity to whom the personal information relates.

Responsible party means the person or organisation that determines why and how personal information is processed (that is Citivet for purposes of this Policy).

Operator means a third party who processes personal information for a responsible party (for example, an IT service provider) under a written agreement.

What personal information we collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

3.1 Client and account information

Full name, contact numbers, email address, residential or postal address, communication preferences, and details needed to administer your account with us.

3.2 Appointment and service information

Appointment bookings, dates and times, branch selection, service requests, notes relevant to providing services, and records of visits.

3.3 Billing and payment-related information

Invoices, receipts, payment references, account history, and information required for accounting and tax compliance.

We do not intentionally store full card details if payments are handled by a secure third-party payment provider.

3.4 Pet and treatment-related information

Information about your pet (for example name, species, breed, age) and veterinary treatment records.

Note: a pet is not a data subject under POPIA; however, information about a pet may be linked to an identifiable owner and will still be treated confidentially and handled carefully.

3.5 Communications

Emails, WhatsApp messages, contact-form submissions, call logs, and other correspondence with Citivet.

3.6 Website usage and technical information

IP address, device and browser information, pages viewed, approximate location (inferred from IP address), and cookies or similar technologies (see our Cookie Policy).

How we collect personal information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

Directly from you when you contact us, register, complete a form, book an appointment, join a wellness plan, or provide information at our clinics.
Automatically when you use our website (through cookies and similar tools).
From third parties where lawful and necessary, such as diagnostic laboratories, specialist veterinary practices, insurers (if relevant), or service providers who support our systems.

Why we process personal information

We process personal information only where it is lawful and necessary, including to:

Provide veterinary services and related customer support
Arrange, confirm, change, or cancel appointments
Maintain clinical and administrative records to support continuity of care
Respond to queries and communications
Administer wellness plans and plan benefits
Process billing and payments, manage accounts, and maintain financial records
Send appointment reminders and service-related messages
Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from regulators or authorities
Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from regulators or authorities
Protect our staff, clients, systems and property, and prevent fraud or misuse

Lawful bases / grounds for processing

Depending on the context, we process personal information on one or more lawful grounds, including:

Your consent (for example, where required for certain marketing communications)
Performance of a contract or taking steps related to a contract (for example, providing services you request)
Compliance with legal obligations (for example, accounting and regulatory requirements)
Legitimate interests (for example, maintaining proper operational and clinical records, system security and fraud prevention)

Direct marketing and communications

We may send service-related communications (for example booking confirmations, reminders, or important notices about our clinics). These are not marketing.

We may also send marketing communications (for example information about wellness plans, promotions, or specials) where permitted by law.

You can opt out of marketing at any time by contacting us at reception@citivetbothasig.co.za or by using an unsubscribe option where provided.

If you opt out of marketing, we may still send essential service communications.

Sharing personal information

We do not sell personal information.

We may share personal information with:

Our employees, veterinarians, nurses, and authorised staff who need it to deliver services
Operators and service providers (such as hosting, IT support, booking systems, communications platforms, analytics providers) who process information on our behalf under appropriate confidentiality and data-protection obligations
Diagnostic laboratories and specialist providers where necessary for your pet's care
Professional advisers (for example accountants, auditors, legal advisers) under duty of confidentiality
Authorities, regulators or law enforcement where required by law or where necessary to protect rights, safety, or property

Cross-border transfers

Some service providers or systems we use may process or store information outside South Africa. Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we will take reasonable steps to ensure an adequate level of protection consistent with POPIA, including through contracts, policies, and security measures.

Security safeguards

We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, unlawful processing, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, user authentication, encryption where appropriate, secure backups, staff training, and contractual controls with operators.

No system can be guaranteed 100% secure, but we continuously work to reduce risk.

Data breaches

If there is a suspected or actual security compromise that may affect personal information, we will investigate and take appropriate steps, which may include notifications to affected data subjects and the relevant regulator where required by law.

Retention of personal information

We keep personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy and as required by law, professional practice requirements, or legitimate business needs.

When information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to delete it, destroy it, or de-identify it.

Your rights under POPIA

Subject to applicable laws, you may have the right to:

Request access to the personal information we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information
Request deletion or destruction of personal information where appropriate
Object to certain processing (including direct marketing)
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
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To exercise a right, contact our Information Officer at reception@citivetbothasig.co.za. We may request reasonable proof of identity before processing a request.

PAIA and access to records

As a private body, we are subject to the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (“PAIA”).

Requests for access to certain records may need to be made in terms of PAIA and may be subject to applicable fees, forms, and legal grounds for refusal.

Our PAIA Manual is available on request.

To request a copy, email reception@citivetbothasig.co.za (Attention: Information Officer).

Children

Our services are intended for adult clients. If a minor provides personal information to us, we will handle it with care and in line with applicable law. Where required, we may request consent from a competent person.

Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies on our website. Please read our Cookie Policy for more information on what we use, why we use it, and how to manage cookie preferences.

Third-party websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third parties. Please review their policies before providing them with personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will be published on our website and will apply from the “Last updated” date shown above.