The Dog Book Project – Privacy Notice
Last updated: 25 October 2026
A little note about your privacy
Hello!
Thank you for your interest in The Dog Book Project.
I'm creating a coffee table book filled with beautiful portraits of dogs and the wonderful stories behind them, with profits from book sales going to Mesothelioma UK.
As part of the project, I'll need to collect a little information about you and your dog.
I promise to look after your details, use them responsibly and never share them for unrelated marketing.
Here's everything you need to know.
1. Who's looking after your information?
The Dog Book Project is organised and run by Clare Walpole, based in Shaldon, Devon, UK.
I'm responsible for how your personal information is collected and used.
If you have any questions about your information, you can contact me at:
Email: thedogbookproject@gmail.com
Website: https://thedogbookproject.com/
2. What information do I collect?
When you complete the registration form, I may collect:
Your name and email address.
Your mobile number, if provided.
Your town, county and the first part of your postcode.
Your general availability for a photography session.
Your dog's name, breed, age and personality.
Information about your dog's behaviour, preferences and anything that might help them feel comfortable during a photoshoot.
Stories and information you choose to share about your relationship with your dog.
Whether you'd like to receive occasional project updates.
If your dog takes part in a photoshoot, I'll also create and store photographs of your dog, along with any additional story information and publication permissions we agree.
You don't need to share anything particularly personal or sensitive in the initial form. We can always have a conversation later if there's something important to your story that you'd prefer to discuss privately.
3. How will I use your information?
I'll use your information to:
Respond to your enquiry about taking part in The Dog Book Project.
Learn a little about your dog before a possible photoshoot.
Arrange and confirm photography sessions.
Identify areas where there may be enough interest to organise photography sessions outside Devon.
Keep track of participating dogs and their stories.
Deliver your complimentary digital portrait following your photoshoot.
Contact you about the project and your participation.
I may also contact you with occasional updates about the book, including when it becomes available to buy, but only if you've chosen to receive those updates.
I won't add you to an unrelated mailing list or sell your personal information.
4. What's my legal basis for using your information?
Under UK data protection law, I need a valid reason for collecting and using personal information.
For managing enquiries, planning photoshoots, responding to participants and organising The Dog Book Project, I rely on legitimate interests. This means using the information reasonably needed to run the project and communicate with the people who have expressed an interest in taking part.
For optional email updates and promotional messages, I rely on your consent. You can change your mind at any time.
For photographs and personal stories that may identify you and be published in the book or used for publicity, I'll discuss the proposed use with you and obtain appropriate permission separately. Where consent is the relevant data protection basis, I'll explain what you're agreeing to.
If you choose to share sensitive personal information, such as details about your health, I'll explain how it would be used and seek any additional explicit consent required before using it in the project.
5. Will my dog's photograph or story be published?
Taking part in a photoshoot doesn't automatically mean your dog will appear in the finished book.
If your dog is selected, I'll discuss the photographs and story with you before publication and arrange a separate photography and publication agreement.
This will explain how the images and story may be used, including in the book and any agreed promotional material.
Everyone who attends a completed photoshoot will receive a complimentary digital portrait of their dog, whether or not their dog appears in the book.
6. Where will your information be stored?
Your initial registration details will be collected using Google Forms and stored in a connected Google Sheet.
I'll take reasonable steps to keep your information secure and limit access to those who genuinely need it for the project.
Photographs and associated files will be stored securely using my photography storage systems.
I may use trusted service providers, such as online photo gallery services, to deliver your photographs. I'll update this notice if additional services are introduced that affect how your information is handled.
Some technology providers, including Google, may process information outside the UK. Where personal data is transferred internationally, appropriate data protection arrangements must be in place. You can contact me for further information about the safeguards used.
7. Will you share my information with anyone?
I won't sell your details or share them with unrelated businesses for marketing purposes.
Information may be shared with trusted service providers where necessary to run the project, such as Google or a photography gallery provider.
If your dog's portrait and story are selected for publication, the information you've agreed to publish may also be shared with the people or businesses involved in producing and promoting the book.
Your registration details won't automatically be shared with Mesothelioma UK.
If you choose to donate through JustGiving, your donation will be handled by JustGiving under its own privacy arrangements. I won't collect your payment card details through the registration form.
8. How long will I keep your information?
I'd love The Dog Book Project to reach as many dogs and owners as possible, so I may keep enquiries from people outside Devon while I explore future photography locations.
As a general rule:
If you register your interest but don't go ahead with a session, I'll normally keep your enquiry details for up to 18 months after our last contact, unless there's a good reason to delete them sooner.
If you take part in a photoshoot, I'll keep your booking details, relevant story notes and photographic files while the book is being created and normally for up to two years after publication.
Materials included in the published book, together with the relevant permissions and records, may need to be kept for longer while the book remains in publication and to document the agreed uses.
If you've opted in to project updates, I'll keep your contact details for that purpose until you unsubscribe or the updates come to an end.
You can ask me to remove your information at any time, subject to any legal or other valid reasons I may need to retain particular records.
9. What are your rights?
Under UK data protection law, you have rights relating to your personal information.
Depending on the circumstances, these include the right to:
Ask what personal information I hold about you.
Request that incorrect information is updated.
Ask for your information to be deleted.
Request that I restrict how your information is used.
Object to certain uses of your information, particularly where I rely on legitimate interests.
Request a copy of your information in a portable format, where applicable.
Withdraw your consent at any time where I'm relying on consent.
If you'd like to exercise any of these rights, simply contact me using the email address above.
If information has already appeared in printed copies of the book, it may not be possible to retrieve copies already distributed. I'll explain any limitations in the separate publication agreement.
If you're unhappy with how your information has been handled, you can also contact the UK's data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office, at https://ico.org.uk/.
10. Will I be making automated decisions about your application?
No. I may group enquiries by location to help plan photography sessions, but decisions about which sessions can go ahead will be made personally, not by an automated system.
11. Changes to this notice
As The Dog Book Project grows, I may need to update this privacy notice.
If I make significant changes to how I use personal information, I'll make sure anyone affected is informed where required.
Thank you for trusting me with your details and for being part of The Dog Book Project.
I'm looking forward to meeting lots of wonderful dogs and hearing the stories that make them so special. 🐾❤️