Here is a list of Universities and research organisations that we share pseudonymised data with. The list is updated from time to time. (Last updated 20th October 2021)
For research purposes, pseudonymised data from the Generation Pup project has been shared with the following institutions:
Applications for access to data from the Generation Pup project are being processed from the following institutions. We intend to share pseudonymised data with these institutions for research purposes, providing the applications are approved and data sharing agreements are in place*:
In order to access veterinary notes via databases held by other research groups, we are sharing Generation Pup Dog ID numbers and/or microchip numbers with the following research groups*:
*Please note that the sharing of your data with the above institutions will only take place if you have consented to it.
BACKGROUND
This Privacy Policy sets out how Dogs Trust (registered charity numbers: 227523 (England & Wales) & SC037843 (Scotland)) (“we,” “our,” “us,”) collects, uses, and shares the information that you provide to us in connection with Generation Pup. Further information about Generation Pup can also be found in the “Information for Puppy Owners” document which is provided to dog owners when they sign-up.
Generation Pup is a cohort research study which is focused on following the development of dogs throughout their lifetime and researching health and behavioural issues that occur in order to better understand how and why these issues develop. This involves the collection of various data about the dogs and their owners by the Generation Pup research team at Dogs Trust.
Dogs Trust is the UK’s leading dog welfare and rehoming charity. For over 50 years, we’ve promised never to put down a healthy dog. We keep our promises, and that includes treating your personal details with care and respecting your privacy.
This Privacy Policy relates to personal data that is processed in connection with Generation Pup only. For information about how Dogs Trust processes other types of personal data please see the Dogs Trust Privacy Policy – https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/privacy/
This Privacy Policy may be subject to updates. To keep up to date, please visit these pages from time to time.
Last updated: 05 December 2022
CONTENTS
1. Personal data we process as part of Generation Pup
Personal data is any information that relates to an individual.
When signing up to take part in Generation Pup, and during the course of the study, we ask participants to provide the following personal data (some of which are optional to provide):
This personal data is collected via the Generation Pup Registration Form, Veterinary Records Consent form, the Generation Pup questionnaires that you are sent and asked to complete during the study, any other documents or information you may send to the Generation Pup research team or allow us to access from time to time and via any additional correspondence our researchers may have with you.
We also hold the following data:
In some cases (where you have consented to us doing so), we might obtain veterinary records from research groups (for example based at UK Universities) that are already working with veterinary practices. We provide further information on this in section 4 below.
We also collect and store information about your device and your visits to the Generation Pup Website (“the Site”) such as your IP address, geographical location, browser type, referral source, length of visit, and number of page views. See more in the “Cookies” section below.
We collect an IP address from all visitors to our Site. An IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer when you use the Internet. We use IP addresses to help diagnose problems with our server, administer our Site, analyse trends, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use in order for us to improve the site.
Sensitive personal data
We will only collect and use sensitive personal data (also known as special category data under the UK GDPR) if there is a valid reason for doing so and where the law allows us to. Sensitive personal information includes personal information about health, ethnicity, religion, political opinions or sexuality. The only sensitive personal data that we collect as part of Generation Pup is any health information that you choose to provide in response to relevant questionnaire questions.
We do not collect any other types of sensitive personal data, and we request that you avoid disclosing to us any sensitive personal data relating to you or anyone else when providing us with personal information, except where that information has been requested.
2. Why we process your personal information
We may process your personal information for various purposes relating to Generation Pup, including:
We do not use automatic decision-making or engage in automated profiling. We undertake some limited forms of manual profiling in order to assist with and improve our scientific research. This includes, for example, using the results of our research to communicate with participants based on their dog-related interests and needs (such as inviting them to complete a specific questionnaire or sending them information about certain services), as well as to help us with our forecasting and decision making around future projects.
If a situation arises where we intend to use your personal information for any reason beyond its original purpose, we will notify you and provide additional information ahead of time.
3. How we will contact you in relation to Generation Pup
We will contact you by e-mail and/or post to send you the information and materials that you will need to take part in Generation Pup, including questionnaires about your dog as well as Vet Cards and sample kits.
Where you have provided us with your telephone number, we may also contact you by phone and text where you have consented for us to do so.
We won’t contact you for any other purpose (e.g. direct marketing or fundraising) unless you already receive these communications from Dogs Trust.
You can opt-out or change your communication preferences at any time by contacting generationpup@dogstrust.org.uk or phoning +44 (0) 7434 843460.
4. How we share personal data relating to Generation Pup
We work collaboratively with a number of research institutions and universities that are undertaking similar studies into dog health and behaviour. This allows us to better understand common themes and trends that occur between dogs and develop new approaches for therapy and treatment.
Where you have provided consent for us to do so within the Generation Pup Registration form, we will share the personal data that you have provided to us as part of the Generation Pup study with other universities and research institutions to help inform their own similar research. This may include special category data and any samples that you have agreed to be stored from your dog.
We will only ever share personal data with external research institutions who we authorise to access the data we hold and which we have entered into a data sharing agreement with. We protect personal data prior to sharing it by removing your name and other personal identifiers from the research data and storing them separately (known as “pseudonymisation”). The third party researchers only receive an ID number with the data, rather than your name. This process means that data is not held in an identifiable form, but enables those authorised to do so to “re-match” the research data with the individual it relates to, if needed.
We collaborate and share data with the University of Bristol and the Royal Veterinary College, both of which have been involved in Generation Pup for a number of years. We also share data with other research institutions from time to time. A full list of the institutions that we share or intend to share data with can be found at the top of this webpage, which is updated from time to time.
In some cases the relevant research institutions will also share data from their study back with Dogs Trust, so that the data they collect can be added to the Generation Pup database.
As mentioned in section 1 above, where we have your consent to do so, we might share your dog’s Generation Pup Dog ID number with research groups based at UK Universities that are working with veterinary practices and hold veterinary records in order to undertake research. The research groups will then use the ID number to identify and provide us with a copy of your dog’s veterinary records. The full list of the research groups that we share Generation Pup Dog ID numbers with can be found at the top of this webpage, as updated from time to time.
We may also share data:
On the rare occasion that the Generation Pup study transitions ownership to another organisation you will be given the opportunity to opt-out before any personal information is transferred.
5. International data transfers
Generation Pup data is primarily stored within the UK.
However, in some limited cases, we may share data with institutions that are based outside of the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA) e.g. in the United States.
In these cases, we will take steps to ensure that the recipient institution implements appropriate measures to protect your information. In most cases, this will be by entering into a contract that includes standard contractual clauses about the use of data. A copy of these standard contractual clauses (to the extent any are in place) will be available upon request.
6. Data Security
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures and precautions to protect your personal data and to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal data.
We protect data prior to analysis and publication by removing your name and other personal identifiers from the research data and storing them separately (known as “pseudonymisation”). This process means that data is not held in an identifiable form, but enables those authorised to do so to “re-match” the research data with the individual it relates to, if needed.
Any academic publications arising from the Generation Pup study will not enable individual dogs or owners to be identified.
7. How long your personal information is stored for
We will hold your personal data for the length of the Generation Pup study.
You can ask to withdraw from the study at any time. If you do so, we will retain the information that you have provided about you and your dog to inform our research. GDPR permits organisations to retain research data indefinitely subject to certain safeguards being in place, such as keeping the data secure, which Dogs Trust will make sure to do. If you want your data to be deleted, then you can exercise your rights set out in section 10 of this Privacy Policy.
8. Use of “Cookies”
Please see the Generation Pup Cookies Policy for information on how the Generation Pup Website uses Cookies: https://generationpup.ac.uk/cookie-policy/
9. Lawful bases
We will only use personal information when the law allows us to (i.e. where we have a ‘lawful basis’). Most commonly, we will use your personal information in the following circumstances:
10. Your rights
Under certain privacy laws, you have rights relating to your personal information. You may have a right to the following:
You have the right to know what information we hold about you and you can request to see it verbally or in writing.
We will supply any such information you ask for as soon as possible, but this may take up to 30 days. There is no charge, other than in exceptional circumstances. You will be asked for proof of identity as we need to be sure we are only releasing your personal data to you.
This is called a data subject access request and you can make this request to us by emailing us at generationpup@dogstrust.org.uk. Please write “ATT. LEGAL TEAM – Subject Access Request” as the subject line of your email.
You can of course call us, write or email us with your request in your own words. If you do this, please include “ATT. LEGAL TEAM – Subject Access Request” in your correspondence so we can ensure we process your request as quickly as possible.
You have the right to be informed how your personal data will be used. This Privacy Policy, as well as any additional information or notice that is provided to you either when you provided your details, or otherwise, is intended to provide you with this information.
Where we process your data based on your consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time. If you withdraw your consent we will stop processing data about you and will stop all future sharing of data with third parties (as detailed in section 4 above), unless you instruct us otherwise (e.g. on the ‘opt out’ form). It will not be possible to withdraw consent for data that has already been shared. We will also anonymise the research data we hold as far as possible so that all identifying information about you is removed from the dataset. Please note that in limited cases it may not be possible to remove all data from our datasets, but it will be held in a pseudonymised form that does not include identifiable information about you. You also have a right to object to us processing data where we are relying on it being within our legitimate interests to do so, unless an exemption applies. To do this, or to talk to us about it, please contact us using the details set out at section 12 below.
In certain situations, you have the right to ask for processing of your personal data to be restricted, such as a disagreement about its accuracy or legitimate usage.
In some cases, you have the right to be forgotten, which requires that your personal information is removed from our systems. Where you have requested this, we will keep a suppression list with some limited personal data (the GenPup Dog ID and the GenPup Owner ID), to ensure that we do not send you future communications. It is also our practice to anonymise research data in these cases as far as possible so that all identifying information about you is removed from our datasets. Please note that in limited cases it may not be possible to remove all data from our datasets, but it will be held in a pseudonymised form that does not include identifiable information about you. To exercise these rights, contact us via the “Contact Us” section below. Please be aware that Dogs Trust may be unable to provide these rights to you under certain circumstances, such as if we are legally prevented from doing so or can rely on exemptions e.g. the processing of data for scientific research purposes.
You have the right to data portability, which allows individuals to obtain and reuse their personal data for their own purposes. Your data can be moved, copied, or transferred from one IT environment to another in a safe and secure way without affecting its usability.
You have the right to have inaccurate personal data rectified. Depending on processing, you also have the right to have incomplete personal data completed.
If you would like to exercise any of these rights or make a complaint about the use of your data then please contact us using the contact details set out at section 12 below. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the ICO. To do so, contact the supervisory authority in your country of residence. In the UK, this is the Information Commissioner’s Office at www.ico.org.uk/concerns. In Ireland this is: https://www.dataprotection.ie/en/contact/how-contact-us
11. Updates to this Privacy Policy
We may change this Privacy Policy at any time in our discretion. If we decide to make significant changes to our Privacy Policy, we will contact you where reasonably possible. We will also post these changes on this page.
12. Contact us
If you have any questions about Generation Pup or the information contained in this Privacy Policy, you can contact us by phone at +44 (0)7434 843460 or email us at generationpup@dogstrust.org.uk.
