Privacy Policy
Last updated: July 2026
Who we are
Cats First Rescue ("we", "us") is a UK-based cat rescue covering Hereford, Ross-on-Wye, Monmouth and the surrounding areas. This policy explains how we handle personal data collected through this website, in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We only collect the data described below, only for the purposes described below, and we never sell it or use it for advertising.
What we collect and why
- Applications (foster, adoption, emergency fosterer, volunteer) — the details you enter on the form, and the date and time of submission. We do not record your IP address. Used solely to assess your application and contact you about it. Lawful basis: taking steps at your request prior to entering an agreement (Art. 6(1)(b)).
- Contact form messages — your name, email, optional phone number and message, used solely to respond to your enquiry. Lawful basis: legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f)).
- Website chat — if you choose to use the chat, your messages are stored so our team and our AI assistant can reply to you. Please don't share sensitive personal information in chat. Chat messages are processed by Anthropic (our AI provider) to generate automated replies — Anthropic does not use this data to train its models, and transfers are protected by standard contractual safeguards. When you ask to speak to the team, a short excerpt of your message is sent to staff phones via our notification provider (ntfy). Lawful basis: providing the service you request (Art. 6(1)(b)).
Cookies and stored data on your device
We use no advertising, analytics or tracking cookies. The complete list of what this site stores in your browser:
| Name | Purpose | Type |
|---|---|---|
| cfr-cookie-consent | Remembers your cookie choice so we don't keep asking | Essential |
| cfr_session | Keeps rescue staff logged in to the admin area (staff only) | Essential |
| cfr-chat-key / cfr-chat-conversation | Connects you to your chat conversation. With "Accept all" this is remembered between visits; with "Essential only" it is kept just for your current browser session and deleted when you close the browser. | Functional (consent-based persistence) |
You can change your choice at any time using the "Cookie preferences" link in the footer. Our fonts are self-hosted, so no font requests are sent to Google or other third parties when you browse.
How long we keep your data
Applications are kept while you are an active applicant, fosterer or volunteer, and for up to 24 months after your last contact with us. Contact messages and chat conversations are deleted once resolved. You can ask us to delete your data at any time.
Sharing
We never sell your data. It is visible only to authorised rescue staff, and shared with service providers only where needed to run the website: our hosting provider (Railway), our AI provider for chat replies (Anthropic), and our staff-notification provider (ntfy). We may also disclose data where required by law.
Your rights
You have the right to access, correct, delete or restrict the use of your personal data, to object to processing, and to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk). To exercise any of these rights, contact us at catsloverescue1@gmail.com — we'll respond within one month.