Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 4, 2026
Last Updated: September 4, 2026

The Virginia Professional Pet Groomers Association (“VPPGA,” “Association,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of our members, event attendees, website visitors, vendors, exhibitors, sponsors, educators, volunteers, and other individuals who interact with the Association.

This Privacy Policy explains how VPPGA collects, uses, stores, and shares information when you visit our website, become a member, register for an event or educational program, make a payment, subscribe to communications, participate in Association activities, or otherwise interact with VPPGA.

By using our website or providing information to VPPGA, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

The information VPPGA collects depends upon how you interact with the Association.

Information You Provide to Us

We may collect information you voluntarily provide, including:

  • Name;

  • Business or organization name;

  • Mailing or business address;

  • Email address;

  • Telephone number;

  • Membership information;

  • Professional or business information;

  • Job title or professional role;

  • Grooming or industry-related credentials and certifications;

  • Membership category and status;

  • Event and class registrations;

  • Competition registrations and related information;

  • Vendor, exhibitor, speaker, instructor, or sponsor information;

  • Communication preferences;

  • Survey responses;

  • Comments, questions, and correspondence;

  • Photographs, videos, testimonials, articles, or other content submitted to VPPGA; and

  • Other information you voluntarily provide.

Account Information

If VPPGA provides member accounts or online portals, we may collect information necessary to establish and maintain those accounts, including login credentials, account identifiers, profile information, membership history, and account activity.

Transaction and Payment Information

When you purchase a membership, register for an event, purchase a booth, sponsorship, class, or other product or service, we may collect transaction-related information such as:

  • Name;

  • Billing address;

  • Transaction amount;

  • Items or services purchased;

  • Registration information;

  • Payment status; and

  • Transaction or confirmation numbers.

Payments may be processed by third-party payment processors or event-registration providers.

VPPGA generally does not directly store complete credit or debit card numbers when payments are processed through a third-party payment provider.

The payment processor may collect and process payment information according to its own privacy policy and terms.

2. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the VPPGA website, certain information may be collected automatically through cookies, analytics tools, server logs, and similar technologies.

This information may include:

  • Internet Protocol (IP) address;

  • Browser type;

  • Device type;

  • Operating system;

  • Approximate geographic location derived from IP address;

  • Pages visited;

  • Links clicked;

  • Referring website;

  • Date and time of visits;

  • Length of website sessions;

  • Website interactions; and

  • Other technical or usage information.

We may use this information to operate the website, understand how visitors use it, improve functionality, maintain security, troubleshoot technical issues, and evaluate Association programs and communications.

3. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The VPPGA website and third-party services integrated into the website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Cookies are small data files stored on your browser or device that can help websites remember preferences, maintain sessions, understand website usage, and provide functionality.

Cookies may include:

Essential Cookies
Necessary for website functionality, security, account access, registration, checkout, or other basic operations.

Functional Cookies
Used to remember preferences and improve website functionality.

Analytics Cookies
Used to understand website traffic, visitor behavior, and website performance.

Marketing or Social Media Technologies
Certain third-party services, embedded content, or social media integrations may use cookies or similar technologies.

You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings or any cookie-management tools made available through the VPPGA website.

Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

4. How We Use Information

VPPGA may use collected information to:

  • Establish and manage memberships;

  • Process membership applications and renewals;

  • Provide membership benefits;

  • Maintain member accounts;

  • Maintain membership records;

  • Operate member directories;

  • Process event and class registrations;

  • Process vendor and exhibitor registrations;

  • Process sponsorships;

  • Process payments and transactions;

  • Communicate regarding memberships, purchases, events, classes, and Association activities;

  • Send newsletters, Association updates, educational information, and announcements;

  • Provide member-only resources;

  • Administer competitions, educational programs, and other events;

  • Manage speakers, instructors, volunteers, vendors, exhibitors, and sponsors;

  • Respond to questions and requests;

  • Improve our website, events, programs, and member services;

  • Conduct surveys and obtain member feedback;

  • Maintain website and account security;

  • Prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorized activity;

  • Maintain appropriate Association and financial records;

  • Comply with legal, tax, accounting, insurance, and regulatory requirements;

  • Enforce VPPGA's Terms and Conditions, policies, agreements, and rules; and

  • Carry out other legitimate Association activities consistent with VPPGA's mission.

5. Membership Directory

VPPGA may provide an online or printed membership directory as a benefit to members or the public.

Depending upon the directory and membership type, directory information may include:

  • Member name;

  • Business name;

  • Business location;

  • Telephone number;

  • Email address;

  • Website;

  • Professional services;

  • Credentials;

  • Social media information; and

  • Other professional information provided by the member.

VPPGA may provide members with the ability to control certain directory information or request that certain information not be publicly displayed.

Information provided specifically for internal membership administration will not automatically be treated as public directory information unless disclosed to you or reasonably necessary for the directory service.

6. Email and Marketing Communications

VPPGA may use your contact information to send communications concerning:

  • Membership;

  • Membership renewals;

  • Association news;

  • Events;

  • Educational opportunities;

  • Classes and webinars;

  • Industry information;

  • Volunteer opportunities;

  • Vendor or sponsor opportunities;

  • Surveys; and

  • Other VPPGA programs.

Transactional or administrative communications may be sent when necessary to administer your membership, registration, account, transaction, or participation in Association activities.

You may unsubscribe from promotional email communications by using the unsubscribe link included in applicable emails or by contacting VPPGA.

Unsubscribing from promotional communications may not prevent you from receiving necessary administrative or transactional communications.

7. Event Registration and Event Information

When registering for a VPPGA event, class, competition, conference, seminar, webinar, or other program, we may collect information necessary to administer your participation.

Certain information may be shared with individuals or organizations reasonably necessary to operate the event, including:

  • Event venues;

  • Registration providers;

  • Payment processors;

  • Instructors or speakers;

  • Event contractors;

  • Technology providers;

  • Competition organizers or judges; and

  • Other service providers involved in producing the event.

We limit such sharing to information reasonably necessary for the applicable purpose.

8. Vendors, Exhibitors, Sponsors, and Business Partners

VPPGA may collect information from businesses participating as vendors, exhibitors, sponsors, advertisers, speakers, educators, or partners.

Certain business contact information may be published on the VPPGA website, event materials, floor plans, schedules, applications, directories, social media, or promotional materials as part of the applicable relationship.

Information intended for public promotion may therefore be publicly accessible.

9. How We Share Information

VPPGA does not sell personal information for monetary compensation.

We may share information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We may provide information to vendors and contractors that perform services on our behalf, such as:

  • Website hosting;

  • Website administration;

  • Membership-management systems;

  • Event-registration platforms;

  • Payment processing;

  • Email and newsletter services;

  • Accounting;

  • Data storage;

  • Analytics;

  • Event management;

  • Communications;

  • Information technology; and

  • Other operational services.

These providers may access information as reasonably necessary to provide their services.

With Your Direction or Consent

We may share information when you request, authorize, or consent to the disclosure.

Legal and Safety Purposes

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

  • Comply with applicable law;

  • Respond to lawful legal process;

  • Protect VPPGA's legal rights;

  • Investigate suspected fraud or misuse;

  • Enforce our agreements or policies;

  • Protect the safety or security of VPPGA, its members, event participants, or others; or

  • Protect the security and integrity of our systems.

Organizational Changes

If VPPGA undergoes a reorganization, merger, restructuring, transfer of operations, or similar organizational change, information may be transferred as reasonably necessary as part of that process and subject to applicable law.

10. Third-Party Platforms and Services

VPPGA may use third-party services to operate portions of its website, membership programs, registrations, communications, and transactions.

These may include services for:

  • Website hosting and management;

  • Membership management;

  • Event registration;

  • Ticketing;

  • Payment processing;

  • Email communications;

  • Surveys;

  • Analytics;

  • Video conferencing;

  • Social media; and

  • Other Association operations.

For example, VPPGA may use Squarespace for website functionality and may use event-management or registration platforms such as RegFox, Cvent, Accelevents, or another comparable provider.

When you interact directly with a third-party platform, information collected by that provider may also be subject to the provider's own privacy policy and terms.

VPPGA encourages users to review the privacy practices of third-party services they use.

11. Payment Security

Payments made through VPPGA's website or registration systems may be processed by third-party payment processors.

VPPGA does not intend to independently collect or retain full payment card numbers when payment information is securely transmitted to and processed by an authorized payment provider.

Payment providers maintain their own security procedures and privacy practices.

12. Data Security

VPPGA takes reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures appropriate to the nature of the information we maintain to help protect information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or misuse.

However, no website, internet transmission, electronic storage system, or information-security system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their account credentials and should notify VPPGA if they believe their account or information has been compromised.

13. Data Retention

VPPGA retains information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and for legitimate Association, administrative, financial, legal, tax, insurance, recordkeeping, and compliance purposes.

Retention periods may vary depending upon the type of information.

For example, certain transaction and accounting records may need to be retained after a membership expires or an event has concluded.

When information is no longer reasonably necessary, VPPGA may delete, anonymize, aggregate, or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with its recordkeeping practices.

14. Your Privacy Choices

Depending upon the type of information and applicable law, you may contact VPPGA to request that we:

  • Update or correct your contact information;

  • Update your membership profile;

  • Change certain communication preferences;

  • Remove certain information from a public membership directory;

  • Unsubscribe you from promotional communications; or

  • Address questions or concerns about information VPPGA maintains about you.

Certain information may need to be retained for legal, financial, contractual, administrative, fraud-prevention, or legitimate recordkeeping purposes.

Requests may be submitted using the contact information at the end of this Privacy Policy.

VPPGA may take reasonable steps to verify the identity and authority of a person making a request before making changes to personal information.

15. Photographs, Video, and Event Media

VPPGA events, classes, meetings, conferences, competitions, and other activities may be photographed, livestreamed, or recorded.

Photographs, video, or audio may be used for Association purposes, including:

  • Event coverage;

  • Educational materials;

  • Website content;

  • Social media;

  • Newsletters;

  • Advertising;

  • Historical records; and

  • Promotion of VPPGA and future events.

Specific events may include additional media notices or releases.

When an event provides a process for requesting not to be photographed or recorded, attendees should follow the instructions provided for that event.

16. Information About Children

The VPPGA website and membership services are primarily intended for professionals, businesses, students, and other individuals involved in the pet grooming industry and are not directed toward children under 13.

VPPGA does not knowingly seek to collect personal information online directly from children under 13 without appropriate authorization.

If we learn that information has been collected directly from a child under 13 in circumstances requiring parental consent, we will take appropriate steps to address the information.

Parents or guardians who believe a child has provided personal information to VPPGA may contact us.

17. External Links

The VPPGA website may contain links to third-party websites or resources.

VPPGA does not control the privacy practices of external websites.

When you leave the VPPGA website, the collection and use of information may be governed by the privacy policy of the third-party website or service.

We encourage users to review those policies before providing personal information.

18. Social Media

VPPGA may maintain accounts on third-party social media platforms.

Information you submit or make publicly available through those platforms is subject to the applicable platform's privacy policies and settings.

Interactions with VPPGA through social media may be visible to other users depending upon your privacy settings and the nature of the platform.

19. Aggregated and De-Identified Information

VPPGA may create or use aggregated, statistical, or de-identified information that does not reasonably identify an individual.

We may use such information to understand membership trends, event participation, website activity, Association performance, and other operational or planning matters.

20. Virginia Privacy Law

VPPGA is organized as a nonprofit professional association.

Certain privacy laws may exempt nonprofit organizations or may apply only when specified statutory thresholds or other requirements are met.

Regardless of whether a particular privacy statute applies, VPPGA seeks to handle personal information responsibly and consistently with the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to create rights beyond those provided by applicable law.

21. Visitors From Outside Virginia

VPPGA primarily operates in the Commonwealth of Virginia and primarily serves the professional pet grooming community in Virginia and surrounding areas.

Individuals from other states or jurisdictions may nevertheless access the website or participate in VPPGA programs.

Privacy rights and obligations may differ by jurisdiction.

Where applicable law provides rights that cannot lawfully be limited by this Privacy Policy, VPPGA will comply with those requirements.

22. Changes to This Privacy Policy

VPPGA may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to our website, membership programs, events, technology, service providers, business practices, or legal obligations.

The updated policy will be posted on the VPPGA website with a revised “Last Updated” date.

When appropriate, we may provide additional notice regarding material changes.

23. Relationship to Other VPPGA Policies

This Privacy Policy should be read together with VPPGA's:

  • Website Terms and Conditions;

  • Membership terms and policies;

  • Event registration terms;

  • Competition rules;

  • Vendor and exhibitor agreements;

  • Sponsorship agreements;

  • Media releases; and

  • Other applicable Association policies or agreements.

If a specific program requires additional collection or use of information, additional privacy notices may be provided.

24. Contact Us

Questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or VPPGA's privacy practices may be directed to:

Virginia Professional Pet Groomers Association (VPPGA)

Email: info@vppga.org

Mailing Address:
4500 Plank Rd., Ste. 1030, Fredericksburg, VA 22407

Website:
vppga.org