Legal
Privacy Policy
Effective October 1, 2026
Last updated September 2, 2026
01Who We Are and Scope
VetWise Incorporated (Canada) and VetWise USA Inc. (United States) (together, "VetWise", "we", "us", or "our") provide veterinary telemedicine consultations, after-hours call services for participating veterinary practices, and related messaging services (the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use the Service, how we use and disclose it, and the choices you have. This Policy applies to pet owners who book or participate in consultations, callers to services we operate on behalf of veterinary practices, users of our website and application, and authorized users of participating practices.
02Information We Collect
Information you provide: • Account and contact information — name, email address, phone number, billing address, and account credentials. • Pet information — species, breed, age, sex, weight, medical history, current condition, medications, and any other details you share about your pet. • Consultation content — messages, notes, and images you submit, and the content of consultations themselves. • Recordings and transcripts — as described in Section 3, calls and consultations may be recorded and transcribed. • Payment information — payment card details are collected and processed by our third-party payment providers; we do not store full card numbers ourselves. • SMS data — phone numbers and message content associated with our SMS notifications, as described in Section 11. Information collected automatically: • Usage data — information about how you access and use the Service, such as your IP address, browser type and version, pages visited, time and date of visits, and device identifiers. • Cookies and similar technologies — as described in Section 9.
03Recording and Transcription
Calls, consultations, and other service interactions may be recorded and transcribed. Callers to our phone services will hear a brief notice that the call may be recorded. Recordings and transcripts are used to: • document consultations for your veterinary practice and medical record purposes; • support quality assurance, clinical safety, and staff training; and • improve our services, as described in Section 5.
04How We Use Information
We use the information we collect to: • provide, operate, and maintain the Service, including scheduling and delivering consultations and sending notifications; • document consultations and share records with participating or primary veterinary practices as described in the Terms of Service; • process payments and prevent fraud; • provide customer support and respond to your requests; • monitor usage and diagnose technical issues; • ensure the safety and security of the Service and our staff; and • comply with legal obligations.
05De-Identified Data and Service Improvement
We may use De-identified data — information from which identifying details have been removed using reasonable and documented measures so that it cannot reasonably be expected to identify an individual (as defined in our Terms of Service) — for analytics, quality improvement, research, and the development, training, evaluation, and improvement of our products and services, including automated and machine-learning systems. This may include de-identified information derived from consultations. • De-identified data is not Personal Information under this Policy, and the restrictions in this Policy on Personal Information do not apply to it. • We will not attempt to re-identify De-identified data except to verify that it meets our de-identification standard or as required by law. • We will not sell or rent your personal information, and we do not sell identifiable consultation content.
06Legal Basis and Consent
We collect and use your personal information with your consent, or as otherwise permitted or required by law, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy laws. By providing your information, booking a consultation, or using the Service, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure described in this Policy, including our use of de-identified data for analytics, research, and the development, training, and improvement of our products and services (including automated and machine-learning systems) as described in Section 5. You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal and contractual restrictions, by contacting us at privacy@getvetwise.com. Withdrawal of consent may limit our ability to provide the Service.
07How We Disclose Information
We do not sell your personal information. We disclose information only as follows: • Service providers — third parties who help us operate the Service (for example, cloud infrastructure, payment processing, telephony and recording, transcription, analytics, and customer support). These providers receive only the information needed to perform their tasks and are contractually obligated not to use or disclose it for other purposes. • Veterinary practices — we share consultation records and related information with the veterinary practice on whose behalf the service is provided, and with your regular veterinary practice as you direct. Records created for a practice remain the practice's medical records. • Legal and safety — where required by law, regulation, or legal process, or where necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of VetWise, our staff, users, or the public, or to investigate suspected wrongdoing. • Business transactions — in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Policy.
08Retention and Security
We retain personal information only as long as necessary to provide the Service, fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, and comply with legal, regulatory, and professional record-keeping obligations. De-identified data may be retained for longer periods for the purposes described in Section 5. We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including encryption in transit, access controls, and staff training. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
09Cookies and Analytics
We use cookies and similar technologies to operate and improve the Service, remember preferences, and understand usage. Examples include session cookies (to keep you signed in), preference cookies (to remember settings), and security cookies. We use third-party analytics providers, including Google Analytics, to understand how the Service is used. Google may use the data collected to track and monitor usage and may share data with other Google services. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, or adjust your browser settings to manage cookies.
10Your Rights and Choices
Subject to applicable law, you may: • Access and correct — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, or ask us to correct inaccurate information; • Delete — request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal and professional record-keeping requirements; • Opt out of SMS — reply STOP to any text message, as described in Section 11; • Opt out of marketing — decline or unsubscribe from any non-service marketing communications; • Ask questions or raise concerns — contact us at privacy@getvetwise.com. You may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or your provincial privacy regulator. To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@getvetwise.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request.
11SMS Data
When pet owners interact via SMS with VetWise's automated virtual receptionist on behalf of a participating veterinary clinic, or in connection with a telemedicine consultation, we collect: • phone numbers provided during phone calls with our virtual receptionist; • message content of inbound SMS replies; and • timestamps of messages sent and received. This data is used solely to deliver callback confirmations, queue update notifications, and follow-up reminders on behalf of the veterinary clinic the caller contacted or in connection with the consultation. It is not used for any other purpose. Phone numbers and SMS data collected through our messaging program will not be shared with third parties for their own marketing or business purposes. SMS opt-in data and phone numbers will not be used for marketing purposes and will not be shared with third parties for marketing. To request removal of your phone number from our records, contact us at support@getvetwise.com.
12International Transfers
Your information may be transferred to, and processed in, jurisdictions outside your province or country (including the United States), where data protection laws may differ. We take reasonable steps to ensure your information is protected with appropriate safeguards, including contractual protections with our service providers, wherever it is processed.
13Children's Privacy
The Service is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us at privacy@getvetwise.com and we will take steps to remove it.
14Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If a change is material, we will provide at least 30 days' notice by posting the updated Policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" above before it takes effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date means you accept the updated Policy.
15Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices: • By email: privacy@getvetwise.com (privacy matters) or info@getvetwise.com (general) • By phone: 1 (888) 243-1411 • By mail (Canada): VetWise Incorporated, 2400 Guelph Line, Burlington, Ontario, L7P 4M7, Canada (Attention: Privacy Officer) • By mail (USA): VetWise USA Inc., 1110 Brickell Ave., Suite 505, Miami, FL 33131, USA