Privacy Policy
SYLVA Deer · Deer Management Application
Last updated: 25-06-2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Sylva Deer and Veterinary Services Limited collects, uses, shares and protects your personal data when you use the SYLVA Deer mobile application (the “App”) and related services (together, the “Services”). It should be read alongside our Terms of Service. The App is available only to users in the United Kingdom and is intended for adults aged 18 or over.
1. Who we are
1.1 The Services are operated by Sylva Deer and Veterinary Services Limited (company number 15283688), a company incorporated in England and Wales with its registered office at 17 Chilworth Close, Nuneaton, England, CV11 4XE (the “Company”, “we”, “us”, “our”).
1.2 We are the data controller responsible for your personal data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
1.3 We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) under registration number ZC171286.
1.4 For any question about this policy or your personal data, contact us at sylva@sylvadeer.co.uk
2. Scope of this policy
2.1 This policy applies to personal data we process about users of the App and Services, whether you use the App as an individual or on behalf of a business, estate or organisation.
2.2 The App is made available only to users located in the United Kingdom and is intended for use only in the UK by individuals aged 18 or over.
2.3 The App may contain links to, or integrate with, third-party services that have their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties.
3. Personal data we collect
We collect the following categories of personal data:
Account & identity data
You sign in to the App using Google Sign-In. When you do, Google shares basic profile information with us — your name, email address and a Google account identifier — which we use to create and manage your account. We do not offer email-and-password sign-in, so we never receive or store a password for the App.
Activity data
Data you record about deer management and hunting activities, including hunting sessions and outcomes, shots fired, animal characteristics (such as age, sex, weight and measurements), post-mortem observations and health-related signs, and economic information such as the sale price of venison. This data relates to your activities and the animals you record; it is not health data about people.
Photographs & documentation
Images and documents you upload, which are intended to depict animals rather than people. Photographs may carry embedded metadata (for example, EXIF data such as the time, device or location of capture). See section 6.
Location data
If you choose to enable it, your device’s approximate or precise location, so your own position can be shown to you on the in-App map. This is collected only while the App is open and in use; we do not collect your location when the App is closed. See section 5.
Device & technical data
Information about the device and software you use, such as device identifiers, device model, operating system, App version, language settings, IP address and basic diagnostic information.
Usage & analytics data
Information about how you interact with the App (such as features used, screens viewed and events), collected through analytics tools to help us understand and improve the Services.
Communications data
If you contact us — for example, by email — we keep the content of your message and our correspondence with you.
Special category data
We do not intend to collect special category data (such as data about a person’s health, race, religion or biometrics). Please do not upload special category personal data about identifiable people through the App.
4. How and why we use your data
We use your personal data for the purposes below, each relying on a lawful basis under the UK GDPR:
4.1 Where we rely on legitimate interests, we have considered whether those interests are overridden by your rights and freedoms. You can object to this processing — see section 14.
4.2 Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time (for example, by turning off location in your device or App settings, or by unsubscribing from any marketing). Withdrawing consent does not affect processing carried out before withdrawal.
5. Location data
5.1 Location is optional. The feature shows your own position to you on the in-App map and is used only for that purpose.
5.2 We collect location data only while the App is open and you have enabled location (“when in use”). We do not track or collect your location in the background or when the App is closed.
5.3 You control location access through your device permissions and the App’s settings, and you can switch it off at any time. Turning it off may limit map-related features.
6. Photographs and metadata
6.1 Photographs you upload are intended to depict animals, not people. You are responsible for ensuring you have the right to upload any image and that you do not upload images of identifiable people without an appropriate basis.
6.2 Photographs may contain embedded metadata (for example, EXIF data such as date, device and the location where the photo was taken). If you do not wish to share this, you can disable location tagging in your device’s camera settings or remove metadata before uploading.
7. Push notifications & marketing
7.1 We do not currently send marketing communications, and the App does not currently send push notifications.
7.2 If we introduce push notifications or marketing communications in future, we will update this policy, rely on your consent where required, and give you a way to opt out. Essential service or security messages (for example, important account or security notices) are not marketing.
8. Who we share data with
8.1 We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with the service providers and recipients below, and only as needed to run the Services.
Service providers (processors)
We use Google Ireland Limited and Google LLC (Google Cloud Platform / Firebase) to host and operate the Services, including:
Firebase Authentication with Google Sign-In — account sign-in and identity;
Cloud Firestore — database hosting (data stored in the UK; see section 9);
Firebase Hosting — serving web content via Google’s content delivery network;
Google Analytics for Firebase — usage analytics;
Google Maps Platform — maps, geocoding and related location features.
Other recipients
Apple — as the App Store operator through which the App is distributed (subject to Apple’s own privacy policy);
Professional advisers, authorities and regulators — where we are legally required to disclose data, or to establish, exercise or defend legal claims;
A successor — if we reorganise, sell or transfer our business, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this policy.
8.2 Our service providers act on our instructions under written terms that require them to protect your data and use it only for the purposes we specify.
9. International data transfers
9.1 Your core App data is stored in the United Kingdom (the Cloud Firestore database is located in Google’s London region, europe-west2).
9.2 Some of the Google services we use (such as analytics, maps and content delivery) may process data on Google’s global infrastructure, which can involve transfers outside the UK, including to the United States.
9.3 Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure an appropriate safeguard is in place, in particular:
the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework (“UK-US Data Bridge”), where the recipient is certified under it; and/or
the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, with a transfer risk assessment where appropriate.
9.4 You can ask us for more information about these safeguards using the contact details in section 19.
10. Cookies & similar technologies
10.1 The App and any associated web content use software development kits (SDKs) and device identifiers — provided mainly through Google/Firebase — for functions such as authentication and analytics.
10.2 These technologies store or access limited information on your device. Where they are not strictly necessary to provide the Services, we rely on your consent or, for low-risk analytics, on the basis permitted under applicable law. You can manage permissions through your device settings.
11. Collaboration & shared records
11.1 The App includes collaboration features (such as shared calendars and team-based records). If you invite others to view or collaborate on your data, or if you record data within a team or organisation, that information may be visible to other authorised members, such as a deer manager.
11.2 If you use the App on behalf of a business, estate or organisation, you are responsible for ensuring you have the authority and appropriate basis to upload and share any personal data, and that you only share it with people you intend to access it.
11.3 We are not responsible for how other users handle information you choose to share with them through the App.
12. How long we keep data
12.1 We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, then delete or anonymise it.
Account & activity data — kept while your account is active, and deleted or anonymised within 30 days after your account is closed.
Backups — purged within 90 days through our routine backup cycle.
Support correspondence — kept for up to 2 years after your query is resolved.
Records of consent — kept while relevant and for a reasonable period afterwards to evidence compliance.
Anonymised, aggregated data — may be kept indefinitely, as it no longer identifies you.
13. How we protect your data
13.1 We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including encryption of data in transit and at rest (as provided by our hosting infrastructure), access controls, and restricting access to those who need it.
13.2 No system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You are responsible for keeping your sign-in credentials (including your Google account) secure and for notifying us promptly of any suspected unauthorized access to your account.
14. Your rights
14.1 Under UK data protection law you have the right to: access your personal data; have inaccurate data corrected; have data erased; restrict or object to processing; data portability; and to withdraw consent where we rely on it. These rights apply in certain circumstances and may be subject to exemptions.
14.2 To exercise any of these rights, contact us at sylva@sylvadeer.co.uk. We will respond within one month, though we may extend this where a request is complex, and will tell you if we do.
14.3 We will not charge a fee for handling most requests, but we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse a request that is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
15. Automated decisions
15.1 The App generates statistics, summaries and reports to support your own decision-making. We do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects on you.
16. Children
16.1 The Services are intended for adults aged 18 or over and are not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
17. Complaints
17.1 If you have a concern about how we handle your personal data, please contact us first at sylva@sylvadeer.co.uk so we can try to resolve it. We will acknowledge your complaint and respond without undue delay.
17.2 You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection:
Website: ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Post: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
17.3 We would, however, appreciate the chance to address your concerns before you approach the ICO.
18. Changes to this policy
18.1 We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version and revise the “Last updated” date at the top.
18.2 Where changes materially affect your rights, we will provide reasonable notice through the App or by email where we have your address.
19. How to contact us
For any question about this policy, your personal data or your rights, contact: Sylva Deer and Veterinary Services Limited. Email: sylva@sylvadeer.co.uk. Post: 17 Chilworth Close, Nuneaton, England, CV11 4XE
