Chairman update 25th May 2021 - GDPR
25 May 2021
This Chairman’s update includes some important information and a plea to all ISDS registered dog owners.
| 1 | During preparation of the 2019 paper studbook, it became apparent that the ISDS was in breach of GDPR regulations within its production process. |
| 2 | General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became law in this country on 25th May 2018. Put simply, GDPR prohibits the processing, storage and sharing of personal data, e.g. your name, without explicit consent to do so. |
| 3 | The 2018 paper studbook is an illegal document and all pedigree certificates and dog registration certificates produced since that time are also in breach of GDPR. |
| 4 | In effect, most of the work that the Society undertakes for ISDS registered dog owners is directly breaching GDPR and is therefore unlawful. As a consequence, since the 25th May 2018, the Society has been seriously exposed to the possibility of prosecution and fine by the ICO as well as litigation by registered dog owners. |
| 5 | On the 29th January 2021, the ISDS self-reported these breaches to the ICO. |
| 6 | The ICO then carried out a breach investigation and have agreed that ISDS be allowed an opportunity to become fully compliant. A remedial action plan has been put in place and is being progressed. We should expect that there will be some fundamental changes to the way that the society operates. |
Action Required
Council have spent some considerable time considering all the ramifications and the actions required to become fully compliant with GDPR law and still be able to carry out the essential functions of the Society. Please make no mistake that no matter how absurd you consider these regulations to be, they are the law, and your trustees cannot knowingly put the Society in the very serious position of operating outside the law.
To move this forward I am appealing to every ISDS registered dog owner (members or otherwise) of our Society for their help.
| 1 | The simplest route for the Society to become GDPR compliant is to obtain the consent from every ISDS registered dog owner to allow their details to be processed, stored and shared in what are essential ISDS documents. |
| 2 | We have started a “consent harvesting project”. The first stage of that is that every ISDS registered dog owner who has given the Society an email address will be sent a link, which if clicked, gives the Society explicit consent to process, store and share their personal data. |
| 3 | There will be a simple form on the ISDS website that ISDS registered dog owners can print off, add their membership number, sign and return to the Office to give their consent. |
I cannot stress enough to Members (and all non-member ISDS registered dog owner) how important it is for the future of the Society that this consent harvesting has a positive response from everyone.
We cannot continue to issue the documents which are the very “essence“ of our Society if we fail to become GDPR compliant.
Kind Regards,
Ian Fleming
