NOTE: Privacy Policy Modified February 7, 2011
Introduction - Information Collection and Use
Your privacy is important to The Academy for Dog Trainers LLC (the "Academy"). The following privacy policy ("Privacy Policy") discloses the information practices followed by the Academy with respect to its public website, including the type of information that we gather, the way we use information internally and our policies regarding sharing information with others.
We have implemented these practices for the Academy website (www.academyfordogtrainers.com) (the "Site") and its dependent pages.
We encourage you to read this Privacy Policy.
Registration
In order to request information or feedback from the Academy, to enroll in the Academy for Dog Trainers Course (the "Course"), or to buy products from our online store, a user must first complete a form with contact and other information. These forms can include name, e mail address, mailing address, telephone numbers, experience or education level, and credit card information. The Academy uses this information to contact users about the Course, to provide other information they have requested or about which they expressed interest, and to deliver purchased products. We do not sell or make this information available for any other reason.
Certification and Referral List
The Academy currently offers certification of Academy training ("Certification") of enrollees who complete the Course, submit a video demonstrating their ability to apply lessons of the Course in an actual training situation, and obtain a satisfactory score on an exam testing their mastery of principles taught in the Course. The Academy uses enrollees' video submissions and test results solely for the purpose of considering the enrollee for Certification. Any enrollee who obtains Certification may request inclusion on the Academy's referral list ("Referral List") by completing a form on the Site with business contact and other information. This form can include name, email address, mailing address, telephone numbers, and other personal and business information. If you submit information using this form, you acknowledge and agree that such information may be posted on the Site and/or otherwise maintained on the Referral List. You should be aware that any personally identifiable information you submit on this form can be read, collected, or used by users of the Site or persons asking the Academy for referrals, and could be used to send you unsolicited messages. We are not responsible for the personally identifiable information you choose to submit for the Academy's Referral List.
Credit Card Information
We collect credit card and billing information from users who enroll in the Course or who make purchases from our online store. We use this information to bill the customer for the Course or product purchases. The Site never stores your credit card information.
Collection and processing of credit cards is performed by the third-party service provider Authorize.Net. This third party provider is not authorized or permitted to use personal information for any other reason other than those pertaining to processing order transactions.
Cookies
A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user's computer tied to information about the user. Cookie data may be linked to personally identifiable information for data analysis and quality assurance purposes, but individual cookie data is never shared with or sold to any third parties. We use session ID cookies and persistent cookies with a life up to 60 days. For the session ID cookie, once users close the browser, the cookie simply terminates. A persistent cookie is a small text file stored on the user's hard drive for an extended period of time.
The Academy uses cookies to track which areas of our site are most visited for the purpose of better optimization and user experience. If users reject the cookie, they may still use our site. Persistent cookies enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our site.
Log Files
Like most standard Web site servers we use log files. This includes Internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user's movement in the aggregate, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses, etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.
The Academy Advertising
We may engage in online advertising, in various places over the Internet, and always intend for our efforts to protect users' privacy and to obey relevant marketing laws. We abhor spam and make reasonable efforts to ensure that our marketing communications are not considered spam. Those individuals who receive our marketing communications, but no longer wish to receive marketing communications from the Academy, may opt-out by sending an e-mail to . If you have any complaints about any Academy advertisement, please contact us using the contact information in the last section of this document.
Special Offers and Updates
From time to time, users who have requested information or purchased products from the Site, or enrollees in the Class, will receive information on new programs, products, services, opportunities for graduates, and special offers. Out of respect for the privacy of our users we present the option to not receive these types of communications. See our "Choice/Opt-out" section.
Service Announcements
On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service-related announcement. For example, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an e mail. Generally, users may not opt out of these communications, though they may deactivate their accounts. These communications are not promotional in nature. See our "Choice/Opt-out" section.
Customer Service
We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested products, services, and information, and with regard to issues relating to their accounts. We also communicate with Class enrollees regarding Class materials and technology and dog training issues. We communicate for these purposes via e-mail.
Legal Disclaimer
Although we make every effort to preserve user privacy, we may need to disclose personal information when required by law when we have a good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order or legal process served on our Site.
Business Transitions
In the event the Academy goes through a business transition, such as a merger, being acquired by another company, or selling a portion of its assets, users' personal information will, in most instances, be part of the assets transferred. Users will be notified via e-mail prior to a change of ownership or control of their personal information. If as a result of the business transition, the users' personally identifiable information will be used in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection, they will be given choice consistent with our "Notification of Changes" section.
Choice/Opt-out
Users who no longer wish to receive any communication from the Academy may unsubscribe and opt out by sending an e-mail to . If users are receiving e mail communications, users can opt out of receiving further e mail communications by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e mail message.
Links
The Site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we, the Academy, are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our Site and to read the privacy statements of each and every Web site that collects personally identifiable information. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected by this Site. The Academy condones nor tolerates deceptive link building.
Surveys
From time to time the Site may requests information from users via surveys. Participation in these surveys is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose this information. Anonymous survey information will be used for purposes of monitoring or improving the use and satisfaction of the Site. Otherwise, the purpose of the survey and whether the information will be collected anonymously will be disclosed to users in advance of their participation. Users' personally identifiable information is not shared with third parties. Though we may use an intermediary to conduct these surveys, they may not use users' personally identifiable information for any other purposes.
Security
The Academy takes every precaution to protect our users' personal information and e-mail addresses. When users submit sensitive information via the Site, their information is protected both online and offline.
All enrollment forms and other information transmitted to us via the Site is encrypted using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. SSL is the industry standard and it enables users to enter personal information in a safe and secure manner.
While we use SSL encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted to the Site, we also do everything in our power to protect user information offline. All of our users' information, not just the sensitive information mentioned above, is restricted in our offices. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, our billing clerk or a customer service representative) are granted access to personally identifiable information. The servers that store personally identifiable information are in a secure environment. If users have any questions about the security at our Site, users can contact the Academy using the contact information in the last section of this document.
Modifications to Submitted Information
Graduates of the Class who appear on the Academy's Referral List may modify their business information via a form obtained from the Academy. Users who conduct the following actions: purchase products or services; enroll in the Class; or register for special offers and promotions can modify their information by e-mailing: .
Forums and Blogs
The Site may offer discussion forums and blog opportunities ("Forums") where you and other users can submit content for public viewing to facilitate your socializing and networking with others interested in dog training. If you use Forums on the Site, you should be aware that any personally identifiable information you submit there can be read, collected, or used by other users of these Forums, and could be used to send you unsolicited messages. We are not responsible for the personally identifiable information you choose to submit in these Forums. In addition, all users of our forums must adhere to the provisions of our "User Conduct" section.
User Conduct
You understand that all information, data, text, messages, or other materials ("Content"), whether publicly posted or privately transmitted through use of the Academy's facilities, are the sole responsibility of the person from whom such Content originated. This means that you, and not the Academy, are entirely responsible for all Content that you upload, post, e mail, transmit or otherwise make available in connection with your participation with the Academy and/or use of the Site, including Forums and the Referral List. The Academy does not control the Content posted or transmitted by users and, as such, does not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such Content. You understand that by participating with the Academy or using the Site, including Forums and the Referral List, you may be exposed to Content that is offensive, indecent or objectionable. Under no circumstances will the Academy be liable in any way for any Content, including, but not limited to: any errors or omissions in any Content; any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any Content posted, e-mailed, transmitted or otherwise made available via participation with the Academy or use of the Site, including Forums and the Referral List.
The full Terms of Use can be found here: [http://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/terms.html].
Notification of Changes
If we decide to change our Privacy Policy or e-mail practices, we will post those changes to this Privacy Policy, the home page, and other places we deem appropriate so our users are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. We will use information in accordance with the Privacy Policy under which the information was collected.
If, however, we are going to use users' personally identifiable information or e-mail address in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection we will notify users via e-mail. Users will have a choice as to whether or not we use their information in this different manner.
Contact Information
If users have any questions or suggestions regarding our Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
E-mail:
Postal Address: PO Box 8655, Emeryville CA 94662
NOTE: Privacy Policy Modified February 7, 2011