Consent and CASL
Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL) says you may only send marketing email — offers, news, promotions — to people who agreed to receive it, that every such email must say who you are and how to reach you, and that anyone can stop receiving it with one click. United Pet Club builds all of that into email campaigns so you do not have to think about it. This page explains what happens behind the scenes.
Two kinds of consent
Section titled “Two kinds of consent”Express consent — the client told you, in writing, that they want your marketing email: they ticked the box when booking online, on your website’s contact form, or signed your intake form. Express consent does not expire; it lasts until the client withdraws it.
Implied consent — the client bought a service from you recently. The law calls this an existing business relationship: for 24 months after their last completed appointment or purchase you may email them marketing, even without a ticked box. Every completed appointment restarts the 24 months. When the 24 months pass without a visit, the consent lapses and the client silently drops out of your audience — they are still your client, still get confirmations and reminders, they just stop getting promotions.
You never have to track any of this: the platform records the basis of every consent and the date an implied consent expires, and the campaign audience only ever includes clients whose consent is valid at the moment the campaign is sent.
What counts, what does not
Section titled “What counts, what does not”| Needs consent? | |
|---|---|
| Appointment confirmations, reminders, “we’re on our way”, receipts | No — transactional mail is never a campaign and never counts against your allowance. |
| ”20% off baths this month”, a newsletter, a new-service announcement | Yes — this is a campaign. |
| A message to someone who has never been your client | Not covered here — that is prospecting, a separate paid add-on with its own rules. |
Importing a client list
Section titled “Importing a client list”When you import a spreadsheet you must confirm that you have consent for every address in the file. The confirmation is recorded with the import. Then, per row:
- a “marketing opt-in: yes” column gives the client express consent under your confirmation;
- otherwise a last visit date within the last 24 months gives implied consent until that date + 24 months;
- otherwise the client is imported with no marketing consent — you can book and remind them, but they will not be in a campaign audience until they visit or opt in.
Recording a client’s consent yourself
Section titled “Recording a client’s consent yourself”On a client’s record you can switch marketing email on. Because the law puts the burden of proof on the sender, you must note how and when the client agreed (“signed intake form, 12 March 2026”). A switch without a note is refused.
The footer nobody can remove
Section titled “The footer nobody can remove”Every campaign ends with your legal or business name, your mailing address and an Unsubscribe link. Fill the name and address in Campaign settings — until they are there, no campaign can be scheduled. The unsubscribe link works with one click, applies immediately (the law allows ten days; we take none), and only affects your marketing email: unsubscribing from a groomer does not touch the client’s vet.
When someone unsubscribes, bounces or complains
Section titled “When someone unsubscribes, bounces or complains”- Unsubscribe: the client leaves your audience for good. A later visit does not put them back — only a new, explicit opt-in from them does.
- Bounce (the address no longer exists) or spam complaint: the address is blocked for every business on the platform, because it damages everyone’s ability to reach inboxes.
- Too many complaints or bounces on your own campaigns (more than 0.3% complaints or 5% bounces) pause your campaigns automatically. Support reviews and resumes them. Keep your list current and only email people who expect it — see Email campaigns.
Quebec and outside Canada
Section titled “Quebec and outside Canada”CASL applies to email sent from or to Canada. Quebec’s privacy law (Law 25) adds nothing you need to do differently for consent here; the same rules keep you compliant with it. Clients in the United States fall under CAN-SPAM, which is less strict than what the platform already enforces.