Saving Pets.com.au blog...

[redangel]

This came into my newsfeed and I was wondering can anyone explain the pro/cons or thoughts  of the points it is trying to make to a layperson?

http://savingpets.com.au/blog/petrescue-is-a-very-good-website

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by redangel

[Little Gifts]

Shel is a DOLer so if you change the title to say Saving Pets Blog it might prompt her to come in and explain the article further.

[Pjrt]

And I think you can tag as well @shel   

[_PL_]

There's a couple of threads about PetRescue and the latest being that they have upped the push for snaking out donations that would normally go to rescue, at the same time claiming to provide a lot of services that nobody actually needs or even uses. To my knowledge they already hit up every single PR inquiry we get with a solicitation email before rescue even get the chance to respond. 
 

All we (and I'm speaking for ourselves not everyone) need is a website to list pets on, not for them to raise $50 - $100k in a massive Christmas advertising campaign for 'website updates while claiming it helps us directly. There's a nebulous idea of building a button, which will appear on all our pets, as a way for people to donate for desexing. However it's clear by each profile that the pets are already desexed so the day we get one single donation for that I'll let people know. 
 

They also already have paid full time CEO/IT and the resources ($) to build donation platforms. https://acnc.gov.au/AIS2017?ID=798C5A5D-12CB-4F78-96BA-08B6AC609AAB&noleft=1

 

"While the numbers of pets being adopted is leveling out, PetRescue is exponentially increasing its revenue. Nearly entirely by increasing the number of donors it's recruiting and donations it's securing."

@shel will hopefully have time to pop in. 

Edited January 1, 2018 by Powerlegs

[redangel]

Thank you Powerlegs...I am glad you clarified. As I said in my OP I wanted to understand but wanted clarification I guess for how it read. That summary of inward outward goods is to me everything I fear as a donation giver....more than half is in expenses for the less than ten employees...and business expenses...and I cannot see to my eye disbursements to the coal face rescuers who actually deal with the animals being rescued. Am I seeing right?  I must be ignorant as I thought in some way it supported the rescues with more than a promotion platform.
The heart of rescue must be a littlen broken over this ...so many people doing work at a loss to see their passion for saving animals becomes reality.

.  

[_PL_]

You are seeing right.   It goes to PR who then sprinkle out some things like 'free' dog food or some frontline. Which they don't pay for anyway. 

 

The cat subsidy program even has strings attached. If you can afford to participate with $50 cats, you get a $25 corporately sponsored subsidy in exchange for your adopter's details so PR can apparently do follow-ups. For us that would be a massive breach of privacy. And we do follow-ups on pets, not some third party. 

 

Yes it really is distressing. Especially that they have pretty much cornered a market and are milking the money out that should be going where people believe it is. Straight to the animals.  

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by Powerlegs

[shel]

The inconvenient truth for PetRescue is, it doesn't cost all that much to run a website.

When you actually look at the annual spend on the actual website, it is only a fraction of their income. $204k per year according to their calculations. So in order to justify the massive amounts of money they're raking in, now they've implemented aggressive fundraising solicitation strategies (including misleading donors into thinking these donations are going into animal care) they're emphasising that:
 

Quote

"To realise our vision of finding a forever home for every rescue pet, we deliver a whole raft of amazing campaigns, marketing and programs. We also run a website..."
(ref)

 

(highlighting mine)

 

Rescue need to decide whether they want these programs. You can't say no... then take the food or money or attend the event, because then you're signalling to the donating-public that you are one of the groups supposedly "relying" on PetRescue's programs. You have to recognise the short term gain of some flea treatment, or a cheque, or a hyped adoption day, will absolutely lead to the long-term pain of the loss of your financial supporters and bequests.

It's also worth noting that the two directors ("Key Management Personnel" One part time, one full time) are boasting wages for the 2016/17 financial year of  $255,609

More than half the entire PetRescue wages budget. PetRescue claim to be a representative for rescue groups, but are now paying their two directors (probably) $140k pro-rata'ed each year. (http://bit.ly/2D3T65u)
 

Their last three hires have been outside the rescue movement; a non-executive director who is a venture capitalist, a web-developer to work on their "Matchmaker" donation platform and a paid, bequest/fundraising manager (who is also the Director's brother).

 

PetRescue is telling rescue groups EXACTLY what their strategy is moving into 2018 and it ain't taking less money from you.

 

Even if you can't give up the website, step away from the Pedigree.