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[tdierikx]

Great to hear that a resolution is in the offing shel...there is definitely room for both IMHO... and you are the best person for the job you've chosen...

T.

[Steve]

Hey guys,

Thanks for your feedback! The guidebooks have now been taken off PetRescue, so there seems to be no longer a dispute over ownership.

I will keep this project moving forward. Educating the community about how to reform their local pound is too important a project to be discarded - I'm excited about the challenges ahead!

There's not much else to say about the rest of the info on the thread, except to agree with a lot of it. I have probably chalk some of it up to personal inexperience; I was trying to create a movement - and in reality created an organisation.

(The learning curve on grassroots ---> major charity in ten years is an unimaginably steep one!)

For those who do support me - thank you from the bottom of my <3 !

x

Shel :)

I think taking the fact that the guidebooks have been taken off the site as an indication that there is no longer a dispute over ownership would be folly.

[melzawelza]

Pet Rescue is not now 'for profit'. Paying staff is not only completely acceptable within a not for profit model, it should be the ultimate goal of the vast majority of charities and not for profits, including animal-related ones.

Our work is valuable as all hell and we deserve to be remunerated for it as much as any other job (if not more so). On top of that, if we were all able to dedicate 38 hours per week to it, rather than burning ourselves out trying to fit it in around a full time job that pays our bills, imagine what we could actually achieve.

Would you continue to have volunteers doing the heavy lifting while you spend money on lawyers trying to get back something done by another volunteer?

I agree that it's nice if people working for charities got paid. But it does start to cause conflicts of interest. Some charities are better at managing the perceived conflicts and actual ones than others. That's when you start to look at the percentage of income (donations) that go to caring for and placing dogs vs that which goes on admin and lawyers.

Shel was paid just like everyone else while at PetRescue (barring the start up years where no one was paid), and as far as I know there aren't volunteers doing all the heavy lifting - the staff are paid at PetRescue. We also have no idea whether they paid for the letter to be sent or whether the time was donated or heavily discounted by the solicitor in question. Even if it was paid, it does not cost much to have a cease & desist letter drawn up.

I'm not really interested in assessing the merits of the feud between Shel & PetRescue or taking sides - there's clearly plenty going on behind the scenes that none of us know, but I'm getting mighty irritated at the constant stream of people implying that PetRescue are doing the wrong thing by paying their staff. It isn't just 'nice' for employees of charities to be paid, it should be expected and we certainly shouldn't be shooting down those who have worked hard enough and been successful enough to achieve that goal.

I completely run myself in to the ground working a full time job to pay my bills and then working for free at another job running my charity. Because of the day job, I cannot dedicate the sort of time to the charity that I know could achieve enormous things if myself and my other volunteers could forget the day jobs and focus on it 100%.

It's not sustainable long term and if we do not get to the point of being able to pay staff within the next 5 years then it's likely I will walk away. I'm not ashamed or embarrassed of that. My time is valuable and I do extremely valuable work - I deserve to be remunerated for it and the charity deserves to have a Director that can focus 100% of her working energy on achieving it's goals and isn't completely burnt out.

Is your charity going to be relying on other charities to keep yourself afloat, I guess that is what it comes down to. PR do not exist without the rescues putting their dogs on their site, or referring people to their site to look at animals on there. They get so many other financial resources that rescues don't, and I am not sure how many people want to donate to a rescue when their donation will pay wages instead of going to a vet bill except in the larger rescue organisations like the RSPCA.

My charity does not rely on other rescues to stay afloat, no. Although I'm not convinced that PetRescue does, either.

In regards to some other comments after yours: I don't really agree that PetRescue have more opportunities for grants etc than rescues do.

My charity is similar to PetRescue in that we do not physically take animals in to our care. Our focus is on supporting pet owners in need, and keeping pets in their original homes, often through financial assistance.

The problem with this is that in order to be eligible for 99% of animal welfare-related grants, you need to be physically caring for animals. This makes us ineligible for many grants that rescues would be eligible for. PetRescue would be in the same boat, I'd imagine.

As far as corporate sponsorships and other means of revenue raising go, there's nothing stopping rescues (and my charity) pursuing those. This isn't something PetRescue have a monopoly on. For me, the only thing stopping us going for them is the *time* it takes to seek out and pursue those opportunities. And this of course comes back to the fact that I'm working 38 hours per week already in a full time job, which doesn't leave nearly enough time for the charity. If I could take a wage and do the charity full-time we'd be growing like mad every year.

I like Shel, I like PetRescue. There's obviously bad blood between the two and I don't know nearly enough to 'take sides' (or even want to take sides), but I'm very disappointed that it seems that the main conversation that has come out of the response to Shel's post has been to disparage charities that work hard to build themselves up from nothing and pay themselves wages in order to do the best work they can possibly do. I'm sure there's things that can be criticised about PetRescue (as there is with all organisations) but IMO that isn't it.

Edited June 7, 2016 by melzawelza

[_PL_]

All rescues have choices they can make to get the same financial resources and more that PR have access to. In fact with a good approach small rescue could access better and more funding than they can.

No we don't have access to the same if you've gone through the grants system and corporate sponsorship availability we aren't eligible for a huge slice. You are very welcome to prove me wrong by applying for a few and see how far you get. Actually, anyone who can wade through the paperwork and successfully compete in a very competitive field then bravo. But don't think that if you just put all your effort in, that something will come of it.

If some rescue groups choose not to grow their businesses in this way they can hardly blame PR for that . In fact its quite ridiculous. PR allow anyone who qualifies to advertise for free the ability to do so and utilise their resources [library etc] including those who are not set up as non profits but also those who are for profit and those who are not incorporated as either.

Irrelevant. And not ridiculous. Our animals drive traffic to the site. Our input is valuable and is not treated as such. Unless you are suggesting that by staying small, we have less rights to question because it's our own fault?

BTW when you sign up as a member you agree that if you are not already an entity or some variety of non-profit, or you are working towards it.

Sure their intent is to be a specialty advertising space for rescue only rather than like gumtree that has numerous categories

Eh? Odd comments but Gumtree is free too. But they make money from ad-space and selling stats. They also promote themselves via advertising and would be up there with largest free online classifieds. But they don't take a cut and they encourage users to advertise on their site because listings drive traffic to the site. If they choose to go into philanthropy they still won't be charging a fee to advertise.

I just went through the process to donate money - its very clear that this money goes only to them and what services they provide using the donations. At no time does it get anywhere near saying the money goes to small rescues who may or may not be incorporated so even if someone does think the button on the right is money for the rescue who is advertising the dog on that page seriously no one could complain that they are taking money under any where near false pretences in my opinion.

Really? So you're fine with a commercial business (call it a charity) who has the ability to raise their revenue elsewhere skimming extra off the top just because we use their service for free? People think they are donating to RESCUE. It's in the name. And now they are doing their own rescue too which not long ago they were asking for donations for. Tell me that isn't confusing.

And our pets are the face of each donation button. It appeared out of the blue on the site rebuild.

You tell us to try harder for donations for funding. Why don't PR try harder? Then they won't need to piss off their support base; which is rescue by the way. Seeing as how at last count there 10,710 pets from 974 rescue groups.

The things they do sound like a very good thing to me to make donations to and their activities lift the profile and support for rescue in general

Looks to me that the rescue world has benefited enormously for a long time and whats more the ads are allowed to solicit for individual donations to the group that is advertising the dog anyway.

Again, it's a 'Suck it up Princess'. We use the site for free and it's our own fault for pointing out that every dollar they take is one more dollar we have to make up elsewhere. We began linking to our donation page to each pet the moment the PR donation button popped up.

7 ways your support makes a difference

How your awesome support saves lives

Every companion animal has the right to be loved and cared for for life. When you make a donation to PetRescue today, your gift is funding all these life-saving projects in your community – projects that make it possible for all PetRescue pets to find a forever home.

Giving pets a free listing on PetRescue.com.au

You're enabling rescue groups, pounds and shelters to list their pets for adoption for free and helping pet seekers find their new best friend online.

Helping all pets survive the pound system

You're supporting our Safe & Sound Pound Program that promotes direct-from-pound adoption and best practice in animal care to help Australia work towards a no-kill future.

Finding more foster homes

You're supporting our foster campaigns and community events to encourage individuals and workplaces to consider pet fostering, enabling rescue groups to save even more lives.

Improving the adoption experience

You're helping to develop a faster, more efficient and responsive online adoption process so that all Australian pet seekers can save a life and discover the joy a rescue pet brings.

Supporting adoption & foster events

Your gift puts homeless pets into the hearts and minds of the community by bringing pets out of the pounds, shelters and foster homes for a friendly meet-and-greet in pet stores nationwide.

Offering interstate rehoming

You're helping PetRescue and Jetpets to arrange free interstate flights for three homeless pets every month, ensuring distance is no barrier to adoption and happiness.

Giving free advice to help all pets

You're helping to grow our Library, providing more free resources to pounds, shelters, rescue groups, foster carers and pet seekers that ultimately saves lives and keeps pets happy in their homes.

Just like all websites that collect data you get a chance to opt in or out , legally they cant spam you and at any time you get to say take me off your mail list.

And Shel at a minimum helped set this up - its not like the donation button is a new addition.

Im at a loss to understand what you would do or expect anyone else to do if someone were damaging your rescue service's reputation,taking your programs for their own gain and putting at risk everything you had worked for years to do other than see a legal person to see what could be done with the least amount of pain.

Anyone here complaining about their programs? I've not seen one. And of course Shel was involved that's half the point of post 1.

Additionally, no pro bono service or legal funds were available to me when myself and my org were getting dragged through the shit. We're small. As above, we don't have access to the same things because of my 'ridiculous' decision to stay manageable within our goals.

Dogzonline make income not from the forum or the breeder listings. Forum posts, shows, results, breeders and a whole lot of factors; all drive traffic here. Making the business viable. Just because it's not a charity or touchy feely rescue stuff would you be ok throwing a few bucks in the kitty or pay for forum use when Dogz needs to make legal moves or would you say; your business, your responsibility. Just earn yourself more money or let it go.

The good news is its a free enterprise country and if you don't like PR then you don't have to use it but looks to me that if you dont its throwing away a very good free resource. looks like someone who doesn't want people to know who they are is setting up their competition and soliciting for email contacts without showing any terms and conditions but it still makes no sense for those who don't pay for the service and who don't donate to PR to change anything they are doing as I'm guessing that if some do leave it wont be much skin off their noses financially and those who choose not to advertise are the losers.

Great idea to go with the new one but you loose if you also leave the old one not them. For everyone they loose out of this they will some up and Im more likely to donate to them now than Ive ever been before.

That remains to be seen. Like DOL, there's been attempts to set up an alternative and none have really flown.

[Malti]

Pet Rescue is not now 'for profit'. Paying staff is not only completely acceptable within a not for profit model, it should be the ultimate goal of the vast majority of charities and not for profits, including animal-related ones.

Our work is valuable as all hell and we deserve to be remunerated for it as much as any other job (if not more so). On top of that, if we were all able to dedicate 38 hours per week to it, rather than burning ourselves out trying to fit it in around a full time job that pays our bills, imagine what we could actually achieve.

Would you continue to have volunteers doing the heavy lifting while you spend money on lawyers trying to get back something done by another volunteer?

I agree that it's nice if people working for charities got paid. But it does start to cause conflicts of interest. Some charities are better at managing the perceived conflicts and actual ones than others. That's when you start to look at the percentage of income (donations) that go to caring for and placing dogs vs that which goes on admin and lawyers.

Shel was paid just like everyone else while at PetRescue (barring the start up years where no one was paid), and as far as I know there aren't volunteers doing all the heavy lifting - the staff are paid at PetRescue. We also have no idea whether they paid for the letter to be sent or whether the time was donated or heavily discounted by the solicitor in question. Even if it was paid, it does not cost much to have a cease & desist letter drawn up.

I'm not really interested in assessing the merits of the feud between Shel & PetRescue or taking sides - there's clearly plenty going on behind the scenes that none of us know, but I'm getting mighty irritated at the constant stream of people implying that PetRescue are doing the wrong thing by paying their staff. It isn't just 'nice' for employees of charities to be paid, it should be expected and we certainly shouldn't be shooting down those who have worked hard enough and been successful enough to achieve that goal.

I completely run myself in to the ground working a full time job to pay my bills and then working for free at another job running my charity. Because of the day job, I cannot dedicate the sort of time to the charity that I know could achieve enormous things if myself and my other volunteers could forget the day jobs and focus on it 100%.

It's not sustainable long term and if we do not get to the point of being able to pay staff within the next 5 years then it's likely I will walk away. I'm not ashamed or embarrassed of that. My time is valuable and I do extremely valuable work - I deserve to be remunerated for it and the charity deserves to have a Director that can focus 100% of her working energy on achieving it's goals and isn't completely burnt out.

Is your charity going to be relying on other charities to keep yourself afloat, I guess that is what it comes down to. PR do not exist without the rescues putting their dogs on their site, or referring people to their site to look at animals on there. They get so many other financial resources that rescues don't, and I am not sure how many people want to donate to a rescue when their donation will pay wages instead of going to a vet bill except in the larger rescue organisations like the RSPCA.

My charity does not rely on other rescues to stay afloat, no. Although I'm not convinced that PetRescue does, either.

In regards to some other comments after yours: I don't really agree that PetRescue have more opportunities for grants etc than rescues do.

My charity is similar to PetRescue in that we do not physically take animals in to our care. Our focus is on supporting pet owners in need, and keeping pets in their original homes, often through financial assistance.

The problem with this is that in order to be eligible for 99% of animal welfare-related grants, you need to be physically caring for animals. This makes us ineligible for many grants that rescues would be eligible for. PetRescue would be in the same boat, I'd imagine.

As far as corporate sponsorships and other means of revenue raising go, there's nothing stopping rescues (and my charity) pursuing those. This isn't something PetRescue have a monopoly on. For me, the only thing stopping us going for them is the *time* it takes to seek out and pursue those opportunities. And this of course comes back to the fact that I'm working 38 hours per week already in a full time job, which doesn't leave nearly enough time for the charity. If I could take a wage and do the charity full-time we'd be growing like mad every year.

I like Shel, I like PetRescue. There's obviously bad blood between the two and I don't know nearly enough to 'take sides' (or even want to take sides), but I'm very disappointed that it seems that the main conversation that has come out of the response to Shel's post has been to disparage charities that work hard to build themselves up from nothing and pay themselves wages in order to do the best work they can possibly do. I'm sure there's things that can be criticised about PetRescue (as there is with all organisations) but IMO that isn't it.

Petrescue needs traffic to their site, if there is none, businesses will not offer sponsorship nor advertising on a site with nothing happening on it. We are a product they sell to make money. Simple as that.

[Malti]

Sure their intent is to be a specialty advertising space for rescue only rather than like gumtree that has numerous categories

I just went through the process to donate money - its very clear that this money goes only to them and what services they provide using the donations. At no time does it get anywhere near saying the money goes to small rescues who may or may not be incorporated so even if someone does think the button on the right is money for the rescue who is advertising the dog on that page seriously no one could complain that they are taking money under any where near false pretences in my opinion.

The things they do sound like a very good thing to me to make donations to and their activities lift the profile and support for rescue in general

Looks to me that the rescue world has benefited enormously for a long time and whats more the ads are allowed to solicit for individual donations to the group that is advertising the dog anyway.

7 ways your support makes a difference

How your awesome support saves lives

Every companion animal has the right to be loved and cared for for life. When you make a donation to PetRescue today, your gift is funding all these life-saving projects in your community – projects that make it possible for all PetRescue pets to find a forever home.

Giving pets a free listing on PetRescue.com.au

You're enabling rescue groups, pounds and shelters to list their pets for adoption for free and helping pet seekers find their new best friend online.

Helping all pets survive the pound system

You're supporting our Safe & Sound Pound Program that promotes direct-from-pound adoption and best practice in animal care to help Australia work towards a no-kill future.

Finding more foster homes

You're supporting our foster campaigns and community events to encourage individuals and workplaces to consider pet fostering, enabling rescue groups to save even more lives.

Improving the adoption experience

You're helping to develop a faster, more efficient and responsive online adoption process so that all Australian pet seekers can save a life and discover the joy a rescue pet brings.

Supporting adoption & foster events

Your gift puts homeless pets into the hearts and minds of the community by bringing pets out of the pounds, shelters and foster homes for a friendly meet-and-greet in pet stores nationwide.

Offering interstate rehoming

You're helping PetRescue and Jetpets to arrange free interstate flights for three homeless pets every month, ensuring distance is no barrier to adoption and happiness.

Giving free advice to help all pets

You're helping to grow our Library, providing more free resources to pounds, shelters, rescue groups, foster carers and pet seekers that ultimately saves lives and keeps pets happy in their homes.

Gumtree, really? is it not for profit, and just like Petrescue, you can breakdown to a specific area on their website that you want to look at.

You failed to mention a significant point on this, and find your own post misleading, if you click on the link, the first thing that pops up is saying if you donate, you can save 'all the adorable things'' and by the amount you donate, increases the lives saved. No one is looking on the lower right hand side down the page while they click on donate with the list of things you say is so clear. Even you seem to have missed how 'You can save all the adorable things" by donating to Petrescue!!!!

So Petrescue does seem to save lives, not rescues, unless you read the obtuse ways your support (AKA donation) does.

1) funding life saving projects ????

2) free petrescue listings (refer back to Shel's whilst she represented Petrescue comment that 'rescues are lucky they aren't made to pay for listings'

3) The safe and sound program, is that the one they got $60 000 of donations and increased pound listings by 6 (that is over $8000 for each of the pounds that joined up)

4) Finding foster carers - umm really? So social media outlets rescues use have no impact that, or the rescues own website asking for carers. Petrescue does all that, gotcha ;)

[Steve]

Fair enough. Some clearly believe this is a terrible thing for someone and would like to see them punished.

I don't agree and I think it's been a good relationship where everyone has benefited and they still do. Cant see any difference between post Shel and when she was there.

I think its a great service and I think if people believe there is false pretences etc that they should take it to ASIC and have it addressed.

Just goes to show that no good deed will go unrewarded and you cant please all of the people all of the time.

[_PL_]

ASIC

If you're meaning me? I don't think you've understood a thing I'm saying. Or listened to the video IN FULL compared to Shel's previous post which I've used as an example of whatever is going on with the brand a nation of rescues are associated with.

Nothing to do with ASIC.

Same as listing a bunch of pound dogs on FB and asking for money to save them. But not physically touching them or rescuing them with said money. All above board, accounted for, just a bit blurry because people don't read the fine print. But the dogs get exposure and adoption and rescue eventually so it's all ok.

2 Examples of PR being as clear as mud in the eyes of the public.

My link

My link

video reference 4.20

Edited June 8, 2016 by Powerlegs

[Steve]

Sure their intent is to be a specialty advertising space for rescue only rather than like gumtree that has numerous categories

I just went through the process to donate money - its very clear that this money goes only to them and what services they provide using the donations. At no time does it get anywhere near saying the money goes to small rescues who may or may not be incorporated so even if someone does think the button on the right is money for the rescue who is advertising the dog on that page seriously no one could complain that they are taking money under any where near false pretences in my opinion.

The things they do sound like a very good thing to me to make donations to and their activities lift the profile and support for rescue in general

Looks to me that the rescue world has benefited enormously for a long time and whats more the ads are allowed to solicit for individual donations to the group that is advertising the dog anyway.

7 ways your support makes a difference

How your awesome support saves lives

Every companion animal has the right to be loved and cared for for life. When you make a donation to PetRescue today, your gift is funding all these life-saving projects in your community – projects that make it possible for all PetRescue pets to find a forever home.

Giving pets a free listing on PetRescue.com.au

You're enabling rescue groups, pounds and shelters to list their pets for adoption for free and helping pet seekers find their new best friend online.

Helping all pets survive the pound system

You're supporting our Safe & Sound Pound Program that promotes direct-from-pound adoption and best practice in animal care to help Australia work towards a no-kill future.

Finding more foster homes

You're supporting our foster campaigns and community events to encourage individuals and workplaces to consider pet fostering, enabling rescue groups to save even more lives.

Improving the adoption experience

You're helping to develop a faster, more efficient and responsive online adoption process so that all Australian pet seekers can save a life and discover the joy a rescue pet brings.

Supporting adoption & foster events

Your gift puts homeless pets into the hearts and minds of the community by bringing pets out of the pounds, shelters and foster homes for a friendly meet-and-greet in pet stores nationwide.

Offering interstate rehoming

You're helping PetRescue and Jetpets to arrange free interstate flights for three homeless pets every month, ensuring distance is no barrier to adoption and happiness.

Giving free advice to help all pets

You're helping to grow our Library, providing more free resources to pounds, shelters, rescue groups, foster carers and pet seekers that ultimately saves lives and keeps pets happy in their homes.

Gumtree, really? is it not for profit, and just like Petrescue, you can breakdown to a specific area on their website that you want to look at.

You failed to mention a significant point on this, and find your own post misleading, if you click on the link, the first thing that pops up is saying if you donate, you can save 'all the adorable things'' and by the amount you donate, increases the lives saved. No one is looking on the lower right hand side down the page while they click on donate with the list of things you say is so clear. Even you seem to have missed how 'You can save all the adorable things" by donating to Petrescue!!!!

So Petrescue does seem to save lives, not rescues, unless you read the obtuse ways your support (AKA donation) does.

1) funding life saving projects ????

2) free petrescue listings (refer back to Shel's whilst she represented Petrescue comment that 'rescues are lucky they aren't made to pay for listings'

3) The safe and sound program, is that the one they got $60 000 of donations and increased pound listings by 6 (that is over $8000 for each of the pounds that joined up)

4) Finding foster carers - umm really? So social media outlets rescues use have no impact that, or the rescues own website asking for carers. Petrescue does all that, gotcha ;)

I said when you proceed through the process of donation before you actually donate after clicking the donate button to me it is very clear about what they do and what I'm donating to. I said I cannot see that they are taking money under false pretences.

And Shel was right people who use other businesses' resources do usually have to pay for using their services and their website alone has provided a good platform to promote rescue groups and their animals.

What Petrescue has done by providing that resource and gathering corporate sponsorship has been more instrumental in promoting and helping lift the profiles of private rescue participants of their services and the availability of rescue dogs than most other things over the past decade.

I dont see anyone saying that other things such as social media rescues use and other resources dont have an impact as well and of course Petrescue don't do it all on their own.

I have no association with them and I have no desire to defend them or continue with this my point was that I can see why Shel received the letter.

[Steve]

ASIC

If you're meaning me? I don't think you've understood a thing I'm saying. Or listened to the video IN FULL compared to Shel's previous post which I've used as an example of whatever is going on with the brand a nation of rescues are associated with.

Nothing to do with ASIC.

Same as listing a bunch of pound dogs on FB and asking for money to save them. But not physically touching them or rescuing them with said money. All above board, accounted for, just a bit blurry because people don't read the fine print. But the dogs get exposure and adoption and rescue eventually so it's all ok.

2 Examples of PR being as clear as mud in the eyes of the public.

My link

My link

video reference 4.20

No I wasn't meaning you in particular but accusations of false advertising and taking donations by deception do have the agencies that deal with these things. ASIC and the ACCC would be a good start.

Anyway - not my business and this sort of thing usually works for the business rather than against them. They will probably gain more supporters due to this than they will loose.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Steve

[Kirislin]

Not sure if anyone remembers my thread asking about the donation grab?

Well here's the outcome. Pet Rescue no longer works for us. We work for them.

Response from the last time I asked.

Heya!

If anyone ever has concerns about stuff like this, I'm always happy to hear from you. I've been on back-to-back maternity leave having my two girls, but am on deck now - [email protected].

I pop by DOL as often as I can, so am also happy to chat here (but I might not see it straight away).

The layout being discussed is the side bar. We use this for our primary advertising and have headed it with a donation bar. We do this to make money. Yup! We use the space for advertisers and donations because it is prime real estate. A potential link to the profiles had never occurred to us.

We've looked at many other revenue streams as we continue to grow - the obvious one being some kind of membership or the like. But seriously, we're not in the business of taking money from rescue groups - we don't want to charge you. We want you guys to set your adoption fees and keep the lot. We don't even charge the millions of visitors who come to the site. We don't sell a super successful product on the side. We're a revenue-free business model!! GENUIS! Except, TOTALLY NOT GENIUS. We've had to find ways to scrape revenue. Like with a donate button.

And to be honest, I'm a bit sad to hear everyone leap to the conclusion that this is an effort to do you out of genuine donations. I don't want your donations. I want to run a healthy business doing good and on its own merit. If anyone in my team was told by a donor they'd donated to us in error they would have been horrified, just as I am. And it would have been sorted out. Something else happened - I can't tell you what as I don't know - but Jill, email me and I promise to do anything I can to sort it.

Please - we want to be in the business of SAVING rescue groups money. We secure excellent tv adverts and radio play and calendars and national tv spots. If anyone has ever tried to get any of that stuff alone, you'll know it costs money - friggin stacks of the stuff. We bust balls to get PetRescue in every major place we can - so more people see your pets - more adopters come forward - more animals get placed - rescue groups get more revenue so they can take even more of a chunk out of the major players - and independent rescue grow and have an even greater standing in dictating policy in the animal welfare space - that 'rescue voices' get heard. That pets are made safe.

By joining forces with you, we can secure the exposure levels of the major players. We want to be able to do cool stuff for you. If anyone feels our membership 'costs' more than it provides, then I'm really, truly sorry. We totally failed you.

Not much more I can say

I dont know anything about this. Is that woman in the video you powerlegs? She doesn't introduce herself.

[_PL_]

No Kirsilin that's Shel ex-Pet Rescue.

I would never put myself in a video LOL

[_PL_]

ASIC

If you're meaning me? I don't think you've understood a thing I'm saying. Or listened to the video IN FULL compared to Shel's previous post which I've used as an example of whatever is going on with the brand a nation of rescues are associated with.

Nothing to do with ASIC.

Same as listing a bunch of pound dogs on FB and asking for money to save them. But not physically touching them or rescuing them with said money. All above board, accounted for, just a bit blurry because people don't read the fine print. But the dogs get exposure and adoption and rescue eventually so it's all ok.

2 Examples of PR being as clear as mud in the eyes of the public.

My link

My link

video reference 4.20

No I wasn't meaning you in particular but accusations of false advertising and taking donations by deception do have the agencies that deal with these things. ASIC and the ACCC would be a good start.

Anyway - not my business and this sort of thing usually works for the business rather than against them. They will probably gain more supporters due to this than they will loose.

Cool, thanks Steve. I'm trying to stay on topic which for me, isn't about staff getting paid and suchlike. You can't run a large org on fresh air and sunshine but I wholeheartedly object to the unnecessary skimming of the finite income available to their valuable rescue members.

We have our own worth and value as a key resource to them.

Giving us free food they were donated and setting up low cost things like yellow pages and adoption days (only useful to certain groups), using the press as advertising for themselves; and then pretty much charging us for the privilege by using our membership rubs me up the wrong way when they can source funds elsewhere.

Stats for direct donations to them leapt with the website rebuild which would be a direct result of hitting up new subscribers via their sign-up emails as pointed out by Shel.

[_PL_]

As previously stated; WTF

http://us1.campaign-...d=274bce6cea&e=

So who exactly are they raising money for?? Pet Rescue.

Hi, I'm Bill! I'm part Beagle, part AWESOME.

Ok let's be honest, I'm mostly awesome.

The first thing you'll probably notice are my big, soft and awesomely floppy ears. Ironically, I'm deaf, so they're really just for decoration, and for giving a nice scratch. I'm learning to respond to sign language while I wait for my forever home.Top of my bucket list is to smell the world.

As I'm a Beagle cross, and deaf, smells are extra good! I'd also love to find a family, or a fun-loving guy (I love men), to go on adventures with.

I'd love someone to love me and to let me love them back. To be by their side, for life.

If you can't adopt me, will you help me?

Special needs pets like me often find it harder than most to find a home.

We tend to get overlooked and need an extra helping hand to find love.

Will you help by donating just $10 today?

$10 gives a rescue group a free listing for special needs pets like me.

Show special needs pets like me that we are loved!

Donation link to 'The Adoptables'

$10 Gives one pet a free listing and support services

$30 Gives one pet's profile a professional makeover

$100 Boosts a pet's social profile to help them find love

$250 Creates free care guides for special needs pets

$500 Helps pets get mobile with new mobile website

$1000 Supports out Matchmakers Project to save lives

$10 - gives the impression they are shouting us a listing with support services whatever that is. Support services provided by volunteers? Free air-transport provided by jetpets? Free food donated by pet food companies?

$30 - no idea. Photos? Better description? Provided by unpaid volunteers?

$100 - they will share our pets to their own free social media accounts? Not bad $ for a few clicks. Especially considering a volunteer does it already if you ask.

$250 - eh? No idea. Once a free care guide is created it costs nothing. Are sponsors going to be expected to keep giving? Will the $250 provide useful information?

$500 - again; what? Don't they get enough corporate sponsorship or have thousands left over from their last $60,000 project?

$1000 - Free money. Because PR users interested in matchmaking do it already and those who are uninterested won't do it anyway.

Edited June 14, 2016 by Powerlegs

[tdierikx]

I think support services and free listings would refer to site hosting costs... and someone at PR to middle man any difficulties with the site - ie: trouble uploading, member sign-ups, etc...

No idea about the professional makeover?

Boosting profile possibly means that it will come up on the front page more often and the like...

Free care guides are usually provided by the rescue adopting out the special needs animal, no? Not to mention that I could knock one up specifically tailored to a particula individual animal for a hell of a lot less... *grin*

$500... mobile site? Surely a once off cost?

Matchmakers Project? Huh?

T.

[_PL_]

Exactly!

Somehow I missed the explanation

$10 Giving pets a free listing on PetRescue.com.au

You're enabling rescue groups, pounds and shelters to list their pets for adoption for free and helping pets find love online.

Self explanatory I guess and probably the only thing they could really justify.

$30 Giving pet's profiles a revamp

For pets that find it harder than most to find a human to love, the PetRescue team offers a free service to revamp pet profile with a sassy new description.

A service which was always done by PR volunteers anyway.

Giving pets the star treatment

We know great profile pics get pets adopted. And for rescue pets based in Perth, we're now offering a free studio session with professional pet photographer, K9Kate. We also help our rescue members find volunteer photographers in their own local area too.

Perth. Yay for the rest of Aus.

$100 Giving pets an extra boost to reach more adopters

For the month of June, we're trialling a program that will boost post's advertising pets on our Facebook page to give them an even better chance of reaching that special someone who can love them for life.

Bargain

$250 Giving free advice to adopters of special needs pets

You're helping to provide more resources to potential adopters – busting myths and offering free advice on what to expect when you adopt a pet with special needs and how to care for them.

Something done by rescues ... and I'll be pissed off when my advice about a pet I rescued, rehabilitated, treated by my vets and lived in my home; is ignored in favour of a generic handbook. Busting myths? Do people need to read the handbook before they apply or after?

$500 Developing our mobile website to get more pets noticed and adopted

In 2015, more than 60% of all traffic to the PetRescue was from mobile devices.

That's 1.89 million Australians who are looking for a pet via mobile. Your donation today will help bring more pet search functionality to the mobile website.

And generate more income from us and our pets. The site rebuild has been a roaring success.

$1000 Supporting our Matchmakers Project and making it easier for all pets to find love

You're helping to develop a faster, more efficient and responsive online adoption process so that all pets, including those who find it harder to find love, find their furever home sooner. And, ultimately, you'll help save more lives

This makes no sense. They did or are ? setting up a way to pay adoption fees online. What else?

Edited June 14, 2016 by Powerlegs

[_PL_]

T, as you probably know I've had the most f'd up month and shouldn't really be letting this get to me but when I think of the effort and heartbreak we go through and see it used as a tool to boost a brand name's income it it is too much.

[Scottsmum]

$100 Giving pets an extra boost to reach more adopters

For the month of June, we're trialling a program that will boost post's advertising pets on our Facebook page to give them an even better chance of reaching that special someone who can love them for life.

Bargain

I'm not commenting on the actual topic - but I do know that facebook boosting is basically daylight robbery. On my own dog walking FB account I can boost a post so 1000 locals who I can select as targeted (gender, age, location, likes) for $14 a day - meaning my posts will come up with that annoying "sponsored posts" thing you get. So 14 days at $14 ($196)

Plus - that's the low rate - at times (for reasons I can't explain) they offer the same service for up to $28 a day (14*28= 392) - which I think is crazy.

Anyhow - Greyhound adoption NZ - often "boost" adoption profiles so - maybe that's a thing which is being proven to work?

Just a thought

[tdierikx]

T, as you probably know I've had the most f'd up month and shouldn't really be letting this get to me but when I think of the effort and heartbreak we go through and see it used as a tool to boost a brand name's income it it is too much.

I can see exactly where you are coming from... big hugs babe!

T.

[mita]

A genuine question. Some of the charities I've donated to ... have a list of amounts of money indicating what that money would buy. So you tick whichever amount/use you're donating to ... & it gives an idea of what the value of that money might support. For example, respected charities like Doctors Without Borders (one of my favourites) will indicate something like $50 will buy an ante-natal kit for 1 woman' . I think I've also seen the same method used by a large animal welfare organization, where the options relate to services/items for the animals. Is this Pet Rescue attributions to various amounts, just doing the same?

Edited June 17, 2016 by mita