EQUINE WELFARE NEW ZEALAND
Privacy Policy
How we collect, use and protect your information.
Last updated 14 October 2026
1. Our commitment to privacy
Equine Welfare New Zealand (EWNZ) is a registered New Zealand charity dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming horses and other equines in need, while promoting education and responsible equine ownership.
We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information entrusted to us.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share and protect personal information in accordance with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.
It applies to information collected through our website, online forms, donations, volunteer and foster applications, adoption processes, equine welfare reports, fundraising activities and other interactions with EWNZ.
2. Information we collect
Depending on how you interact with EWNZ, we may collect:
Personal and contact information: Your name, email address, phone number and postal or residential address.
Volunteer information: Your availability, experience, relevant skills, emergency contact details and other information required to assess and coordinate volunteering.
Foster and adoption information: Details about your property, facilities, equine experience, references, existing animals and suitability to care for an equine.
Donation information: Donation amounts, dates, payment references and information required for donation receipts and financial records.
Equine welfare information: Details provided in reports about horses or other equines, their owners, carers, locations, welfare concerns and relevant circumstances.
Communications: Enquiries, correspondence, feedback and information you provide when contacting us.
Website information: Technical information such as browser type, IP address, website usage and cookies, where collected by our website or service providers.
Photographs and media: Images, videos and stories provided to us or collected during our charitable activities, where relevant.
We aim to collect only information reasonably necessary for our charitable purposes and operations.
3. How we collect information
We may collect personal information:
Directly from you through our website, including forms hosted by Rocketspark.
Through volunteer, foster and adoption applications.
When you donate, participate in fundraising activities or subscribe to communications.
When you contact us by email, telephone, social media or in person.
Through reports or referrals from members of the public, animal welfare organisations, veterinarians or other relevant parties.
Through our authorised volunteers, foster carers and representatives.
Through records lawfully transferred to EWNZ from Rodney Animal Rescue.
Sometimes we receive personal information about an individual from someone else, particularly in relation to equine welfare concerns.
Where required by the Privacy Act 2020, including Information Privacy Principle 3A, we will take reasonable steps to notify individuals about the collection of their information, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
4. Transition from Rodney Animal Rescue
Equine Welfare New Zealand (EWNZ) is a separately registered New Zealand charity established to continue and expand the equine welfare activities previously undertaken by Rodney Animal Rescue (RAR).
During a transitional period, Rodney Animal Rescue will continue operating as a separate legal entity, with funds received by RAR gifted to EWNZ in support of its charitable purposes.
As part of this transition, relevant records previously held by Rodney Animal Rescue are being transferred to EWNZ to support continuity of animal care, adoption and foster arrangements, volunteer coordination, donor relationships, fundraising and other charitable activities.
These records may include personal information relating to donors, supporters, volunteers, foster carers, adopters and individuals who have contacted or interacted with Rodney Animal Rescue.
The transfer and subsequent use of personal information will be undertaken in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. EWNZ will use transferred information for purposes consistent with its original collection, or for other purposes permitted by law.
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that information is transferred securely, access is appropriately restricted and individuals are informed about the transition where required.
Information relating to equine welfare reports will be handled with particular care, including consideration of confidentiality, individual safety and applicable legal obligations.
Individuals may contact EWNZ to request access to or correction of their personal information, or to update their communication preferences.
5. How we use your information
We use personal information to:
Respond to enquiries and requests for assistance.
Assess equine welfare concerns and coordinate appropriate responses.
Arrange veterinary treatment, rehabilitation, foster care and adoption.
Process volunteer, foster and adoption applications.
Manage relationships with donors, supporters, volunteers and partners.
Process donations, maintain financial records and issue receipts.
Administer fundraising activities, events and charitable programmes.
Provide updates, newsletters and fundraising communications where permitted.
Improve our website, services and charitable activities.
Meet our legal, regulatory, reporting and governance obligations.
We will not use personal information for unrelated purposes unless permitted by law or authorised by the individual concerned.
6. Equine welfare reports and confidentiality
EWNZ receives reports and enquiries concerning the welfare of horses and other equines.
These reports may contain sensitive or confidential information about individuals, properties, animals and circumstances.
We take reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of people who raise welfare concerns. However, we cannot guarantee anonymity in every situation, particularly where disclosure is required by law or is necessary for an appropriate response.
Information provided in a welfare report may be shared with relevant animal welfare authorities, veterinarians, animal welfare organisations or other appropriate parties where lawful and necessary.
We assess disclosure decisions carefully, taking into account privacy, confidentiality, animal welfare and safety considerations.
We ask people submitting reports to provide information they reasonably believe to be accurate and relevant.
7. Sharing information with others
We do not sell or rent personal information to third parties.
We may share information, where appropriate and lawful, with:
EWNZ trustees, authorised volunteers, foster carers and representatives.
Veterinarians, farriers, transport providers and other equine care professionals.
Relevant animal welfare organisations and authorities.
Service providers assisting with website hosting, administration, fundraising, payment processing, communications and database management.
Professional advisers, including legal and accounting advisers.
Government agencies, regulators or other parties where required or authorised by law.
We limit access and disclosure to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
8. Third-party platforms and overseas services
EWNZ uses third-party services to support its operations. These include:
Rocketspark: Website hosting and online forms.
Salesforce: Management of organisational information, records and relationships.
Donorbox: Online donations and associated donation records.
Payment service providers: Secure processing of applicable payments.
Some service providers may store or process information outside New Zealand.
Where personal information is disclosed to overseas organisations, we will comply with the applicable requirements of the Privacy Act 2020, including requirements relating to appropriate privacy safeguards.
We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party services when using their platforms.
9. Donations and payment information
When you make a donation, personal and transaction information may be collected by EWNZ and its payment processing providers.
Online payments are processed through third-party payment services.
EWNZ uses donation information for payment administration, financial reporting, donor communications and issuing receipts where appropriate.
We do not intentionally collect or retain complete payment card details through our general website enquiry forms.
10. Newsletters and fundraising communications
Where you have subscribed or we are otherwise legally permitted to contact you, we may send updates about:
Horses and other equines in our care.
Rescue, rehabilitation and adoption stories.
Fundraising campaigns and events.
Volunteering and foster opportunities.
EWNZ news, education and charitable activities.
We will comply with applicable New Zealand electronic marketing requirements, including the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007.
You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe instructions provided or by emailing admin@equinewelfarenz.org.
Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not prevent us from sending necessary messages about existing applications, donations or other matters you have asked us to manage.
11. Cookies and website analytics
Our website and third-party services may use cookies or similar technologies to support website functionality, understand visitor activity and improve the user experience.
Some cookies may be set by third-party services integrated into our website.
You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.
Where additional consent or notification is required, we will take appropriate steps to meet those requirements.
12. Storage and security
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, misuse, modification and disclosure.
These steps may include restricted access to systems, account security measures and the use of reputable service providers.
Access to personal information is limited to people with an appropriate operational need.
While we take privacy and security seriously, no electronic storage or transmission system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
13. Retention of information
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required or permitted by law.
Different retention periods may apply to financial records, adoption agreements, volunteer information, welfare reports and other organisational records.
When information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy or de-identify it.
14. Accessing or correcting your information
Under the Privacy Act 2020, you may request access to personal information we hold about you and ask us to correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete or misleading.
Please send requests to admin@equinewelfarenz.org.
We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will consider and respond to requests within the timeframes required by law.
In some circumstances, the Privacy Act permits us to withhold particular information.
If we do not make a requested correction, you may ask us to attach a statement of correction to the information, as provided for under the Act.
15. Privacy concerns and complaints
If you have concerns about how EWNZ has handled your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer.
Privacy Officer: Madeleine Flannagan
Email: admin@equinewelfarenz.org
We will take privacy concerns seriously and work to resolve them appropriately.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at www.privacy.org.nz.
16. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to our operations, technology or legal obligations.
The latest version will be published on our website with its updated date.
17. Contact us
Equine Welfare New Zealand (EWNZ)
Registered New Zealand Charity
Charity Registration Number: CC63890
Email: admin@equinewelfarenz.org
Website: www.equinewelfarenz.org
Privacy Officer: Madeleine Flannagan
Equine Welfare NZ Registered Charitable Trust Building on the work of Rodney Animal Rescue
Charity Registration CC63890