GDPR and ICO Registration

Our Data Source & Quality Commitment

Compare The Vet 247 provides independent comparisons of veterinary practices across the UK using the most comprehensive and up-to-date directory of UK veterinary surgeries available.

This directory covers over 5,600 practices and includes essential business information such as practice names, addresses, contact telephone numbers, and publicly listed email addresses where available.

The source is maintained and regularly updated by a specialist UK publisher with a strong focus on accuracy in the veterinary sector.

We prioritise data quality and freshness: We store the directory locally on our servers and refresh/update it regularly (e.g., via scheduled imports from the source) to ensure displayed information is as current and reliable as possible for each comparison search.

All core directory data relates to business/practice information only — we never process or display personal data about individuals in the main comparisons.

This enables reliable, accurate comparisons of veterinary services and pricing to help UK pet owners make informed decisions.

Data Storage & Processing – Core Directory

We store a local copy of the veterinary practice directory on our servers to support fast, consistent performance of the comparison tool.

In compliance with UK GDPR principles of data minimisation (adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary) and storage limitation (kept no longer than necessary):

We store only the business information required for the comparison service (e.g., practice details, no extraneous fields).

Storage is justified as necessary for delivering an efficient, real-time comparison experience without repeated full pulls from the external source on every visit.

We regularly review and update the stored data to maintain accuracy (another UK GDPR principle). Outdated entries are refreshed or removed as part of our update process.

We apply strict controls: data is stored securely, access is limited to authorised technical personnel only, and we use appropriate measures (e.g., encryption, access logs) to protect integrity and confidentiality.

We do not retain the data indefinitely — retention is tied to the ongoing need for the service (with periodic full refreshes and removal of obsolete records).

This approach balances functionality with minimal and proportionate processing of business data.

Personal Data We Collect & Store (Limited & Strictly Purpose-Specific)

We minimise personal data overall. We only collect and store limited personal information in two voluntary scenarios to enable key features:

Veterinary Practice Self-Management (Vet Claiming & Updating - free)

When a practice representative claims their listing to update details (e.g., services, pricing), we store:

The claimant's name (e.g., vet or manager).

Their email address.

The practice name (to link securely).

Purpose: Verify claims, enable authorised edits, prevent unauthorised changes.

Lawful basis: Legitimate interests (maintaining accurate practice info benefits users and practices; voluntary and business-related; minimal impact). Balanced via assessment — necessary and proportionate for service integrity.

Retention: Only while the account is active; deleted on closure or after extended inactivity ( typically two years).

Never sold, shared, given away, rented, or disclosed to third parties except for legal requirements.

Pet Owner Star Ratings & Reviews

Submissions require an email address (stored).

Purpose: Verify genuineness (one rating per email per practice), prevent spam/abuse, allow follow-up if needed, ensure trustworthy ratings.

Lawful basis: Legitimate interests (providing abuse-resistant, credible user content for pet owners; balanced by limiting to email only, no marketing use, clear requirement upfront).

Retention: Kept as long as needed for system integrity ( typically two years for ongoing usefulness); identifiers removed afterward (anonymised aggregates may remain).

Ratings displayed publicly (stars/averages) without showing submitter details. Never sold, shared, given away, rented, or disclosed except legally required.

Our clear commitment: We will not sell data from pet owners (or veterinary representatives) or give it away. Personal data is never sold, rented, shared, or disclosed for marketing, commercial gain, profiling, or non-essential purposes.

No other personal data from visitors is collected/stored beyond essential technical needs (e.g., temporary session data — no long-term tracking or advertising cookies).

ICO Registration & Overall Compliance

We are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Verify our registration: ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/search Coming soon 23/03/26

Processing relies primarily on legitimate interests under UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f), with documented balancing to avoid overriding rights/freedoms. We uphold all principles: lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity & confidentiality, accountability.

Strong security protects stored data.

Why This Matters for You

Pet owners: Email for ratings used only for verification — never sold or given away.

Veterinary practices: Claim details enable secure management without exploitation.

Everyone gets accurate, fresh comparisons with protected user input; personal data stays minimal and safeguarded.

Prices are submitted directly by participating veterinary practices or their authorised representatives

Questions About Our Data Practices ?

Contact comparethevet247@jaguarcomputers.co.uk for queries, rights (access, rectification, erasure, objection to legitimate interests processing, etc.), or concerns.

Contact the ICO: ico.org.uk (helpline 0303 123 1113).