PRIVACY POLICY - Humane Society of Forsyth County

The Humane Society of Forsyth County (“HSFC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) values your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect the personal information you provide when visiting our website, forsythpets.org, and when you interact with us online.

By using our website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect
Personal Information You Provide:
• Name, address, phone number, and email address
• Payment and billing information for donations or clinic appointments
• Information submitted through forms (e.g., adoption or volunteer applications, event registrations)
Automatically Collected Information:
• IP address, browser type, device type, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent on the site, and other usage data
• Cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality and understand how the site is used

2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
• Process donations, adoptions, clinic appointments, and event registrations
• Communicate with you about programs, events, and opportunities to get involved
• Evaluate volunteer, foster, or adoption applications
• Improve our website, outreach, and services
• Comply with legal and tax obligations

3. Donation Processing
When you make a donation through our website, your payment is securely processed by third-party providers: GiveSmart, Venmo, and PayPal. These services handle your financial information directly and do not share full payment details with us.

We do not store credit card numbers or banking details on our website. For more information, please see:
• GiveSmart Privacy Policy: https://www.givesmart.com/privacy-policy/
• Venmo Privacy Policy: https://venmo.com/legal/us-privacy-policy/
• PayPal Privacy Policy: https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/privacy-full

4. Email Communication
We use Constant Contact to send email updates about our work, events, and impact. If you sign up for our mailing list or make a donation, your contact information may be stored securely within that platform. You can unsubscribe from emails at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email.

5. Analytics & Online Advertising
We use Google Analytics to better understand how visitors use our site and to improve user experience. We may also use our Google Ad Grant to promote our services via search results.

Google Analytics may set cookies or collect anonymized data such as your browser type and pages visited. You can opt out through your browser settings or by using Google’s opt-out tools at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

6. Volunteer and Adoption Applications
If you submit a volunteer, foster, or adoption application, we collect only the information needed to evaluate your eligibility. This may include your address, references, and pet ownership history. We treat this information with care and confidentiality and do not share it outside our organization.

7. How We Share Information
We do not sell or rent your personal information. We only share data with:
• Trusted service providers (e.g., donation processors, email platforms) who help us operate the site and conduct our programs
• Legal authorities, if required by law
All partners are required to protect your information and use it only for services provided to HSFC.

8. Your Choices
You have the right to:
• Opt out of marketing emails at any time
• Disable cookies through your browser settings
• Request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data by contacting us at the email below

9. Data Security
We take reasonable precautions to protect your information using technical, administrative, and physical safeguards. However, no system is 100% secure, and we encourage caution when submitting personal information online.

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law.

10. Children’s Privacy
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we’ve inadvertently collected such data, we will delete it promptly.

11. External Links
Our website may contain links to external websites or donation pages. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those sites.

12. International Visitors (Optional)
Our website is intended for use in the United States. If you are visiting from the European Union or other regions with data collection laws, please note that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.

13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or for legal compliance. The “Effective Date” at the top will indicate the most recent version.

14. Contact Us
Humane Society of Forsyth County
4440 Keith Bridge Rd, Cumming, GA 30041
info@forsythpets.org
(770) 887-6480