Privacy Statement

Privacy Notice

Last updated: 08/10/2025

The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), trading as the National SPCA (NSPCA), relies on the generosity and support of individuals like you to carry out our vital work with animals. We are committed to protecting the personal information we process when you engage with us. This Privacy Notice explains why we may ask for your personal information, what we do with it, and your rights under data protection law.

This Privacy Notice covers all activities of the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) (Charity number CHY1047) and its charitable trading company, Dublin SPCA Animal Shelter Ltd (Company Number 262283), a wholly owned subsidiary of the DSPCA, all of whose profits go towards the running costs of the organisation.
For the purposes of this notice, references to “we”, “us” or “our” refer to the DSPCA trading as the National SPCA (NSPCA).

 

Scope of this Notice

This Privacy Notice applies to:

  • The DSPCA and its trading name, the National SPCA (NSPCA);

  • DSPCA Dog Training; and

  • All associated online platforms, including our online shop hosted on Shopify.

Information provided on these web pages, or through services offered and accepted, is deemed to have been provided to the DSPCA/NSPCA.
Linked external websites are not covered by this statement.

We use up-to-date security features and procedures to keep your information safe and we respect the privacy of all visitors to our website.

 

Data Collection and Purposes

Data Collected Purpose Legal Basis
Contact details (name, email, phone, address) To fulfil orders, respond to enquiries, and provide services Performance of contract
Billing information, payment card details To process payments and donations securely Performance of contract
Company information, contact details Corporate marketing and partnership management Legitimate interest
Personal details To provide requested services and customer support Performance of contract
IP address, device info, browser data To operate, maintain and improve website performance Legitimate interest
Contact info (for newsletters, events, campaigns) To send updates, promotions, or fundraising materials Consent
CCTV (on premises) For the safety of staff, volunteers, visitors, and animal welfare Legitimate interest
Analytics data and user feedback To improve services and user experience Legitimate interest
Rescue and cruelty case information For documentation to authorities and to fulfil our mission of preventing animal cruelty Public interest / Legal obligation

How We Collect Data

We collect data directly from you when you:

  • Place an order through our Shopify store;

  • Donate, register for events, or use our services;

  • Subscribe to newsletters or contact us directly;

  • Interact with us on social media platforms.

We also collect limited technical information automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
Please see our Cookie Policy for more details on how these are used.

Shopify and Ecommerce Data

Our online shop is powered by Shopify, which acts as a data processor on our behalf.
Shopify securely stores your order, payment, and delivery information to process transactions and prevent fraud.

Shopify may transfer and process data outside the European Economic Area (EEA) in accordance with GDPR-compliant safeguards.
For more details, please see Shopify Privacy Policy - Shopify Ireland

Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for.
Extended retention may occur if required by law, for accounting, or in the event of a complaint or anticipated litigation.
Once data is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.

Security Measures

As a data controller, the DSPCA/NSPCA employs robust security measures, including:

  • Storing information on secure servers;

  • Using encrypted connections (SSL/TLS) on our websites;

  • Restricting access to authorised personnel only; and

  • Ensuring secure access to our premises and IT systems.

Data Breach

In the unlikely event of a data breach that may compromise your personal data, we will act promptly and transparently.
If the breach poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the Data Protection Commission within 72 hours and inform affected individuals without undue delay.

Your Data Rights

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the following rights:

  • Right to access (Article 15): Request copies of your personal data.

  • Right to rectification (Articles 16 & 19): Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.

  • Right to erasure (Articles 17 & 19): Request deletion of your data under certain conditions.

  • Right to restrict processing (Article 18): Request limited use of your data.

  • Right to object (Article 21): Object to processing based on legitimate interest.

  • Right to data portability (Article 20): Request transfer of your data to another organisation.

  • Right to lodge a complaint: You may contact the Data Protection Commission if you believe your rights have been violated, though we encourage you to contact us first to resolve any issue directly.

Privacy of Children

Our services and online shop are intended for persons aged 16 and over.
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16.
If we become aware that data has been collected from a minor, it will be deleted in accordance with applicable law.

Privacy and Other Websites

Our website may contain links to other websites.
This Privacy Notice applies only to DSPCA/NSPCA-operated websites.
If you click on a link to another website, please read their privacy policy.

Updates to This Notice

We regularly review our privacy practices and update this notice as needed.
Any updates will be posted on this page with a new “Last Updated” date.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us:

Email: data.protection@dspca.ie

Phone: +353 1 499 4700

Postal Address:
DSPCA Campus,
Mount Venus Road,
Rathfarnham,
D16 F9C4, Ireland

Supervisory Authority

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Data Protection Commission (DPC):

Data Protection Commission
21 Fitzwilliam Square South,
Dublin 2, D02 RD28, Ireland
www.dataprotection.ie