Privacy & Security

1. Who we are 

PetsDrugMart ("we," "us," "our") is a licensed pharmacy operated as a division of Canada Chemists, accredited by the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP Accreditation #307884). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit petsdrugmart.ca (the "Website") or use our services, including online ordering, prescription fulfillment, and compounding services (the "Services"). 

This Policy applies to information collected through the Website and in connection with the Services. It does not apply to third-party websites we may link to. 

2. Laws that apply to us 

PetsDrugMart complies with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada's federal private-sector privacy law, which governs the personal information we collect from customers during our commercial activities. As an OCP-accredited pharmacy, we also operate consistent with the recordkeeping, confidentiality, and consent-related obligations that apply to pharmacies under the Drug and Pharmacies Regulation Act (DPRA) and OCP standards of practice. 

3. Information we collect 

We collect the following categories of information, depending on how you interact with us: 

• Identity and contact information: name, email address, phone number, billing and shipping address. 
• Pet and prescription information: your pet's name, species/breed, and the prescription or veterinary information necessary to verify and fill an order (e.g., prescribing veterinarian's name and clinic, drug, dosage, and directions). 
• Payment information: payment card details are collected and processed by our payment processor; we do not store full card numbers on its own systems. 
• Order and account information: order history, communications with our customer service and pharmacy staff, and account credentials. 
• Technical information: IP address, browser and device type, and website usage data collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies (see Section 6). 

4. How we use your information 

We use personal information to: 

• Process, verify, and fulfill prescription and non-prescription orders; 
• Confirm and coordinate prescription details with the prescribing veterinarian or clinic where necessary; 
• Compound, package, and ship your order, including sharing necessary details with our shipping and delivery providers; 
• Provide customer service - Communicate with you about your order, account, prescription, or other inquiries  
• Meet our recordkeeping, reporting, and other obligations under the DPRA, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and other applicable pharmacy and health-product regulation; 
• Send you marketing communications, where you have consented, and in accordance with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL); you may withdraw consent at any time; 

We only use personal information for the purposes identified at or before the time of collection, or for a new purpose to which you have consented. 

5. How we share your information 

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only as follows: 

• Service providers who support our operations, for prescription fulfilment, order processing, payment processing, and IT support.  
• Prescribing veterinarians and clinics, to verify or clarify a prescription. 
• Canada Chemists, our parent organization, for pharmacy operations and compliance purposes. 
• Regulators and authorities, including the Ontario College of Pharmacists and Health Canada, where required by law or professional obligation. 
• As required by law, such as in response to a valid legal request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of PetsDrugMart, our customers, or others. 

Any service provider that processes personal information on our behalf outside Canada is contractually required to protect it to a standard comparable to PIPEDA, and we assess the risks of that transfer before it occurs. 

6. Cookies and similar technologies 

We and our service providers use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Website, remember your preferences, and understand how visitors use our site. You can decline non-essential cookies through the cookie banner on our site, and you can control cookies through your browser settings. Declining certain cookies may affect site functionality. 

7. How we protect your information 

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including: 

• All information relating to transactions, customers, and prescriptions is transmitted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) / TLS encryption; 
• Access to prescription and patient information is restricted to authorized pharmacy staff; 

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. In the event of a breach affecting your personal information, we will notify affected individuals and the appropriate regulator(s) as required by law. 

8. How long we keep your information 

Prescription and dispensing records are retained for a minimum of 10 years from the date of the last pharmacy service provided, as required by the DPRA and OCP recordkeeping standards (longer for patients under 18, per OCP guidance). Other personal information (e.g., marketing preferences, general account data) is retained only as long as needed for the purposes it was collected, or as required by law, after which it is securely destroyed or de-identified. 

9. Your rights 

Subject to limited exceptions permitted by law, you have the right to: 

• Access the personal information we hold about you; 
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete information; 
• Withdraw consent to marketing communications or other optional uses, at any time; 
• Challenge our compliance with this Policy or with applicable privacy law. 

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer using the details in Section 11. We will respond within the timelines required by PIPEDA. 

10. Children's privacy 

The Website is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. 

11. Contact us / Privacy Officer 

Questions, concerns, or complaints about this Policy or our handling of your personal information can be directed to: 

Email: info@petsdrugmart.ca Phone: 1-866-462-4007 

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (priv.gc.ca). 

12. Changes to this Policy 

We may update this Policy from time to time. We will post the revised Policy on this page with an updated "Last updated" date and will provide additional notice for material changes.