Effective Date: August 22, 2026
Last Updated: August 22, 2026

REIN Rescue (“REIN,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information of our visitors, donors, adopters, volunteers, members, program participants, supporters, and other members of our community.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we may collect through REINRescue.org, how we use and protect that information, when it may be shared, and the choices available to you.

By using this website or submitting information through it, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We May Collect

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

  • Name
  • Mailing address
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Date of birth or age, when needed for a program or application
  • Parent or legal guardian information
  • Membership information
  • Adoption application information
  • Volunteer application information
  • Event registrations
  • Program applications
  • Trainer or professional references
  • Horse ownership, care, boarding, training, and equestrian experience information
  • Donation information
  • Communication preferences
  • Photographs, videos, testimonials, stories, or other materials you choose to submit
  • Information submitted for inclusion in a member, trainer, ambassador, partner, or other REIN directory
  • Any other information you voluntarily provide to REIN

We seek to collect only information reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it is requested. The FTC recommends limiting collection and retention of personal information to what an organization actually needs.

2. Donations and Payment Information

REIN may accept donations, membership payments, event registrations, adoption-related payments, sponsorship payments, or other transactions through the website.

Payments may be processed by third-party payment processors.

REIN generally does not receive or store your complete credit card or debit card number when a transaction is handled by an outside payment processor. Payment processors may collect information necessary to process your transaction in accordance with their own privacy and security policies.

We may receive transaction information such as:

  • Donor or purchaser name
  • Email address
  • Mailing address
  • Donation or payment amount
  • Transaction date
  • Recurring donation or membership status
  • Last four digits or payment-method description
  • Transaction identification number

We may retain information necessary for accounting, tax reporting, donor acknowledgment, membership administration, and other legitimate organizational purposes.

3. How We Use Information

REIN may use personal information to:

  • Process donations and provide donor acknowledgments
  • Process membership applications and renewals
  • Administer REIN programs
  • Review adoption applications
  • Communicate with adopters and prospective adopters
  • Review volunteer applications
  • Register participants for events
  • Administer Ambassador programs, achievements, badges, awards, and scholarships
  • Communicate with parents or legal guardians
  • Verify participation, achievements, references, or qualifications
  • Maintain member and program records
  • Operate directories
  • Send newsletters and organizational updates
  • Provide information about horses available for adoption
  • Share REIN news, events, fundraising campaigns, and opportunities
  • Respond to questions and requests
  • Improve our website and programs
  • Protect the safety and welfare of REIN horses and participants
  • Prevent fraud or misuse of our website
  • Comply with legal, financial, insurance, and regulatory requirements

We do not collect personal information simply for the purpose of accumulating data.

4. Membership Accounts

Certain portions of the website may allow visitors to create accounts or become members of REIN programs.

Members may be asked to provide information necessary to administer their membership, communicate about program requirements, document achievements, process renewals, or provide access to member-only resources.

Members are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their login information.

REIN may retain certain membership and achievement records after membership ends when reasonably necessary for historical, financial, recognition, program administration, or legal purposes.

5. Youth Privacy and Parent/Guardian Information

Protecting young participants is especially important to REIN.

Children Under 13

Children under the age of 13 should not create an account or independently submit personal information through REIN’s website.

When information concerning a child under 13 is required for a REIN program, application, membership, achievement, scholarship, event, or other activity, the information should be submitted by the child’s parent or legal guardian.

Where applicable, REIN may obtain parental notice, permission, or verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information concerning a child under 13.

Parents or legal guardians may contact REIN to:

  • Review personal information maintained about their child
  • Request correction of information
  • Request deletion of information when appropriate
  • Withdraw permission for future collection or use
  • Ask questions about how their child’s information is used

COPPA provides specific protections when covered websites or online services collect personal information from children under 13, including parental notice and consent, parental access, security protections, and limits on collection and retention.

Participants Under 18

REIN may require a parent or legal guardian to approve participation, applications, memberships, directory listings, media use, or other activities involving minors even when COPPA does not apply.

6. Photos, Videos and Participant Stories

REIN may share photographs, videos, success stories, Ambassador achievements, adoption stories, volunteer features, testimonials, competition results, or similar materials through its:

  • Website
  • Social media
  • Email newsletters
  • Printed publications
  • Fundraising materials
  • Advertising
  • Public relations
  • Educational materials

When REIN requires permission for such use, appropriate authorization or media releases will be obtained separately.

For minors, REIN may require authorization from a parent or legal guardian.

Submitting information to REIN does not automatically mean that REIN will publicly publish it.

7. Member and Professional Directories

REIN may operate public or private directories for members, Ambassadors, trainers, professional partners, sponsors, or other participants.

Information displayed in a directory may include information such as:

  • Name
  • Business or organization
  • City and state
  • Professional credentials
  • Equestrian disciplines
  • Services offered
  • Biography
  • Photograph
  • Website
  • Social media links
  • Other information approved for publication

REIN will determine what information is appropriate to display based upon the purpose of the directory.

We do not intend to publish private information such as home addresses, private account information, dates of birth, financial information, or other sensitive information unless there is a specific and appropriate reason to do so.

For minors, public directory information should be limited and subject to parent or legal guardian authorization.

8. Email and Marketing Communications

If you subscribe to REIN emails, donate, become a member, register for an event, submit an application, or otherwise interact with REIN, we may send you communications related to your relationship with the organization.

With appropriate permission, we may also send:

  • Newsletters
  • Rescue updates
  • Adoption announcements
  • Event information
  • Fundraising campaigns
  • Program information
  • Sponsor or partner information
  • Volunteer opportunities

Marketing emails will provide an opportunity to unsubscribe when required.

Administrative communications concerning an active membership, donation, application, event registration, adoption, or other transaction may still be sent even if you unsubscribe from general marketing emails.

9. Cookies and Website Analytics

REIN’s website may use cookies and similar technologies.

These technologies may help us:

  • Keep the website functioning properly
  • Remember visitor preferences
  • Maintain login sessions
  • Understand how visitors use our website
  • Measure website traffic
  • Determine which pages and campaigns are effective
  • Improve website performance
  • Prevent fraud and improve security

We may use third-party analytics or technology providers to perform these functions.

Where appropriate, visitors may be provided with cookie choices or consent controls.

Your browser may also allow you to block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect certain website features.

10. Advertising, Sponsors and Third-Party Content

REIN may work with sponsors, advertisers, corporate partners, influencers, or other organizations that support our mission.

The appearance of a sponsor, advertiser, partner, or third-party link on REIN’s website does not mean that REIN provides that organization with unrestricted access to personal information collected through the website.

We will not sell or rent our donor or member lists to third parties for their independent commercial marketing purposes.

REIN may acknowledge sponsors and partners publicly and may share aggregated or non-identifying information regarding program reach or impact.

11. When Information May Be Shared

We may share information when reasonably necessary with service providers that assist REIN with functions such as:

  • Website hosting
  • Payment processing
  • Donation management
  • Membership management
  • Email distribution
  • Event registration
  • Accounting
  • Database management
  • Website analytics
  • Forms and applications
  • Cloud storage
  • Technology support

These providers may receive only the information reasonably necessary to perform their services.

We may also disclose information when:

  • You authorize us to do so
  • Disclosure is necessary to complete a service you requested
  • Required by law, court order, subpoena, or legal process
  • Necessary to protect REIN, its horses, participants, volunteers, property, or legal rights
  • Necessary to investigate suspected fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity
  • REIN undergoes a significant organizational restructuring or transfer of operations

12. We Do Not Sell Personal Information

REIN does not sell personal information in exchange for money.

REIN does not sell donor lists, adopter lists, volunteer lists, membership lists, or information concerning youth participants.

13. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to websites operated by other organizations, businesses, social networks, event platforms, payment processors, sponsors, or partners.

REIN does not control those websites or their privacy practices.

When you leave REINRescue.org, the privacy policy of the third-party website will govern information you provide there.

14. Social Media

REIN maintains accounts on third-party social media platforms.

Information that you post publicly on social media may be visible to REIN and other users.

Your interaction with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or other platforms is also governed by those companies’ privacy practices.

15. Data Security

REIN takes reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no website, database, email system, or method of electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

We encourage users to use strong passwords and avoid sending highly sensitive information through ordinary email.

The FTC recommends that organizations limit the information they collect, restrict access to sensitive information, protect stored information, and dispose of information securely when it is no longer needed.

16. Data Retention

REIN retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or as required for:

  • Program administration
  • Membership records
  • Donation records
  • Tax and accounting requirements
  • Adoption records
  • Scholarship and achievement documentation
  • Legal obligations
  • Insurance requirements
  • Safety and horse welfare
  • Organizational history

Information that is no longer reasonably needed may be deleted, anonymized, or securely disposed of.

Information concerning children should not be retained indefinitely simply because REIN has the ability to retain it. The FTC’s updated COPPA Rule specifically limits retention of children’s personal information to the period reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

17. Your Choices and Rights

You may contact REIN to request that we:

  • Update inaccurate contact information
  • Change your communication preferences
  • Unsubscribe you from marketing communications
  • Review certain personal information we maintain about you
  • Correct certain information
  • Delete certain information when appropriate
  • Remove information from a public directory

Certain records may need to be retained for legal, accounting, donation, adoption, program administration, safety, or other legitimate purposes.

Depending upon where you live, applicable privacy law may provide additional rights.

18. International Visitors

REIN Rescue is based in the United States.

If you access our website from outside the United States, information you provide may be processed and stored in the United States or through service providers operating in other locations.

19. Changes to This Privacy Policy

REIN may update this Privacy Policy as our website, programs, technology, or legal requirements change.

When we make material changes, we will update the Last Updated date at the top of this page and may provide additional notice when appropriate.

We encourage visitors to review this policy periodically.

20. Contact REIN Rescue

Questions about this Privacy Policy or REIN’s handling of personal information may be directed to:

REIN Rescue
[MAILING ADDRESS]
Rutherfordton, North Carolina
Email: [PRIVACY OR GENERAL EMAIL]
Website: REINRescue.org

Parents or legal guardians with questions concerning information about a minor should identify themselves as the child’s parent or legal guardian when contacting REIN.