Privacy policy

Southeastern Reptile Conservation ("SERC," "we," "us," or "our") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organization based in Hampton Roads, Virginia. This policy explains what information we collect through our website, southeastreptile.org, how we use it, and the choices you have. We value your privacy and collect only what we need to do our work.

Information we collect

We collect information in a few limited ways:

• Animal reports and intake. When you report an injured, orphaned, or displaced animal, we collect the details you provide, such as your name, phone number, email address, the location where the animal was found, and a description of the situation. Our public animal report form is provided by Wildlife Rehabilitation MD (WRMD), and the information you submit is stored in our WRMD account.
• Contact and volunteer inquiries. When you email us or use a form to get in touch, we receive the name, email address, and message you provide.
• Donations. When you donate, our payment processors (such as Zeffy, PayPal, or others we may use) collect and process your payment information directly. We do not see or store your full payment card details.
• Automatically collected usage data. Like most websites, we collect basic, non-identifying analytics about how visitors use the site (for example, pages viewed and general location), described under "Analytics" below.

How we use your information

We use the information you provide only to carry out our mission and to respond to you. Specifically, we use it to:

• Respond to animal reports and coordinate rescue, intake, and rehabilitation.
• Meet recordkeeping and reporting requirements for wildlife intake under the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and our permit conditions.
• Reply to questions, volunteer inquiries, and other messages.
• Process and acknowledge donations.
• Understand and improve how the website is used.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information, and we do not use the information you submit for animal intake for any purpose beyond the care of that animal and the recordkeeping required of us.

How we share information

We share personal information only in these limited circumstances:

• Service providers. We use trusted third-party services to operate, including WRMD (animal intake records), our donation processors, email, and website hosting. These providers handle information only as needed to provide their service to us.
• Wildlife authorities. As a permitted rehabilitator, we may be required to share intake records with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources or other authorities as part of our licensing and reporting obligations.
• Legal requirements. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety of people or animals.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website so we can improve it. Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect standard internet log information and aggregated visitor behavior. This information is processed in a way that does not identify you personally. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, or by disabling cookies in your browser settings.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device. We use them primarily for the analytics described above. Most browsers let you refuse or delete cookies through their settings. Disabling cookies will not prevent you from using the core parts of our site.

Third-party links and embedded forms

Our site links to and embeds services operated by others, including our WRMD animal report form, donation platforms, and social media. When you interact with these, their own privacy policies apply. We encourage you to review the privacy practices of any third-party service you use.

Children's privacy

Our website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

How we protect your information

We take reasonable measures to protect the information you share with us and limit access to it. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to safeguard your information and to use providers that do the same.

Your choices

You may request that we correct or delete the personal information we hold about you, subject to any records we are legally required to keep as a permitted wildlife rehabilitator. To make a request, or if you have any questions about this policy, contact us at info@southeastreptile.org.

Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the effective date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review it periodically.

Contact us

Southeastern Reptile Conservation
Hampton Roads, Virginia
info@southeastreptile.org