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PetRescue thread - Desexmas and now a new General Manager


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In December of last year, PetRescue ran a Christmas fundraising campaign called ‘Desexmas’ 

"Simply make a donation to our “Happy Desexmas” fundraiser and your kind gift will help rescue pets get the vital vet work they need to start a new life ­including desexing!" (ref)
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Holiday adopters being told that a donation to PetRescue is the same as a donation to rescue groups.

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The campaigned featured cute images of pets in cones, clearly having just had surgery. It claimed a gift to the campaign would be helping “grassroots community rescue groups”. But the campaign also includes this fine print:

"Christmas 2017 donations will go to funding the development of the new directed donation system and launch is planned for spring 2018. (ref)

So rather than donations to this campaign being for desexing, these funds were being directed into PetRescue’s web development and staffing costs. Their pitch video described how much money they needed;

"... there's a heap of development work to do, to make sure we build a secure and effective donation platform."

The organisation was seeking up to $100,000 to build a new platform for donations, and none of the money was going towards desexing pets (despite the graphics indicating otherwise).

 

When rescue groups expressed their dismay at the fundraiser, PetRescue was quick to defend the solicitation and blame haters and "Christmas grinches" for the negative feedback.

"There’s hundreds of hours of planning and web development to do behind the scenes to make it all work effectively and securely. We know that if we engaged external resources, the development work is likely to cost well in excess of $50,000, but we’ll be doing the vast majority of development work in house to keep costs to a minimum. And, as announced in our previous email, we aim to have this direct donation functionality live on the PetRescue website by Spring 2018.

So be sure to look out for any Christmas grinches this time of year, and if you ever have any concerns or questions always feel free to get in touch... "


~ A Christmas grinch is trying to stir up trouble (e-newsletter 12/15/2017)
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The campaign would raise just shy of $50,000...

... meaning we didn't have to see a "tasteful" video of JB (John Bishop) dunking his testicles in ice water. And the newly financially employed brother of PetRescue's Director (Michael Bishop) would be sent to pitch the new platform to rescue groups;

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"..... Hi, it’s PetRescue CFO Michael Bishop and my adopted sidekick, Chief Furry Officer Milo, here! Soon, PetRescue members will have a way to really make the most of the millions of pet-loving people visiting PetRescue.com.au each year, through direct donation functionality on pet listings..." (ref)

Fast forward six months since the fundraiser and...

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.. PetRescue announced their program late last week, making absolutely no mention that $50,000 of the community's desexing money from donors made the platform possible.

PetRescue supports rescue groups to save more lives

To coincide with its 14th birthday, Australia’s most visited charity website - PetRescue.com.au - is helping to increase the funding available to rescue organisations across Australia, so they can save more lives.

The launch of a new ‘Donate’ button on pet listings on the PetRescue website will enable animal lovers to donate directly to help any furry face they fall in love with when they’re browsing the site.

The initiative has been launched in response to PetRescue’s 2017 members survey, which revealed that a lack of funding was the biggest single issue facing hundreds of animal rescue groups across Australia. 

“When it became clear to us that funding was the overriding issue for our members, we came up with a first-of-its-kind digital solution for grassroots rescue organisations to generate direct donations from their pet listings,” says PetRescue co-founder, John Bishop. 

“And thanks to the team at Shout For Good, who have provided the best secure and mobile-friendly third party payment platform, we're now making it happen.
.....

“As we celebrate our 14th birthday and the massive milestone of over half a million listed pets adopted, the entire PetRescue team is thrilled to be able to support rescue pets in this way,” adds Mr Bishop.‍

Hangon - what was that again?

“And thanks to the team at Shout For Good, who have provided the best secure and mobile-friendly third party payment platform, we're now making it happen.

A third party payment platform? Just what is Shout For Good and what does it cost?

We are a fundraising platform that integrates giving into our everyday.... Shout provides a suite of online fundraising options to suit both our Shouter and charities.
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So this free third party platform was installed on PetRescue via a button. Signups are handled by Shout, donations are processed by Shout, and receipts are issued by Shout.

 

Exactly how much it cost to build this "button" has not been specified, but it certainly isn't the $100,000 "hundreds of hours of planning and web development" used by PetRescue to justify this campaign.

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If it cost even $10,000 - which is a hella lot of money for a button, when whole websites get built for less - that's still $40,000 unaccounted for. 

 

Donors to this campaign should be asking PetRescue exactly how much of their money when towards their stated project and where the rest of the money went.

 

While PetRescue is asking rescue groups to trust its judgement and hand their financial donors over to them and their new partner, the Shout for Good platform via the ANZ Bank. Which for groups, looks like this (lots of data being collected from your donors for uses you'll have no control over; so while the platform is "free", it's not without cost).
 

 

 

Edited by shel
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Wow. Can't they be dobbed in for obtaining donations as a charity and distributing them differently to what they have said? A little fine print about what the money is really going to be used for does not absolve them of intended deceit. Plus they said they were going to save money and do all the work themselves in house and in the end they didn't. They contracted out. More deceit. No accountability.

 

Honestly they have to be taken down. They are getting too big and powerful and have lost any ability to self-regulate their behaviours. And the ones who suffer are the animals. No extra resources going into independent rescue groups just means less money to save more animals. Geez, what $50,000 would do for just one rescue group! $1,000 spread amongst 50 groups would even be a windfall for most groups! Buy up some supplies (helps supportive Australian businesses who in turn can afford to help more rescues) and pay off some of that vet bill (allowing the vet to subsidise costs for other animal's care). See how far the positive effects spread and how the end product benefits animals? But selfishly keep that money in house and all it benefits are the staff.

 

No animals were saved in the making of this button.......

Edited by Little Gifts
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The initiative has been launched in response to PetRescue’s 2017 members survey, which revealed that a lack of funding was the biggest single issue facing hundreds of animal rescue groups across Australia. 

 

This grinds my gears. It would be different if everyone was thriving under this model. But if PetRescue know rescue groups are struggling for funds, how can they justify absorbing more and more financial resources away from these same groups. PetRescue took tens of thousands of dollars in donations from the public for "desexing", with the fine print that it wasn't for desexing at all but to build a "platform"...

... then didn't build the "platform" at all, but added a link to a third-party site that seems to have been available for little to no cost.

 

How is that "supporting rescue groups"?

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2 hours ago, shel said:

The initiative has been launched in response to PetRescue’s 2017 members survey, which revealed that a lack of funding was the biggest single issue facing hundreds of animal rescue groups across Australia. 

“When it became clear to us that funding was the overriding issue for our members, we came up with a first-of-its-kind digital solution for grassroots rescue organisations to generate direct donations from their pet listings,” says PetRescue co-founder, John Bishop. 

It took 13 years and a member survey for it to become clear to PR that funding is the major issue for rescue groups? So for 13 years they were either spectacularly ignorant of the major issue facing rescue groups, despite working 'with' rescue groups for so long, or they were spectacularly arrogant and knew of the issue but chose to do nothing about it. 

 

I look forward to seeing their 2018 financial reports. 

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They heard you.
 

Quote

"What’s more, we have no intention of ever stopping - in fact we are intent on becoming bigger and better so that more and more pets in need can find love, and in turn more Australian animal lovers can find their new family member via the PetRescue site."

2

https://www.petrescue.com.au/library/articles/the-power-of-teamwork-creating-happiness-and-saving-lives

 

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"Our rescue family continues to grow"

https://www.petrescue.com.au/library/articles/our-rescue-family-continues-to-grow
 

Everything is fine. Nothing to see here.

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Announcing a “record breaking” donation haul for 2018. And they don’t need to spend, or even work hard, generating donation leads, because they just skim contacts generated by rescue groups...

 

... and tell donors giving to PetRescue is the same as - or even superior to - a donation to the rescue group.

 

$10 (the amount they say it costs them to “save” a pet) x 36,000 = $360,000.

 

PetRescue: separating rescue groups from their donations more efficiently than ever before.

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1 hour ago, shel said:

Announcing a “record breaking” donation haul for 2018. And they don’t need to spend, or even work hard, generating donation leads, because they just skim contacts generated by rescue groups...

 

... and tell donors giving to PetRescue is the same as - or even superior to - a donation to the rescue group.

 

$10 (the amount they say it costs them to “save” a pet) x 36,000 = $360,000.

 

PetRescue: separating rescue groups from their donations more efficiently than ever before.

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:mad They have alienated almost the entire rescue community.
As Rescue Network gets bigger and bigger, with firm promises NEVER to behave as unethically as PetRescue has become in its corporate greed, they are digging their own grave. No wonder they are grabbing everything they can while it lasts!  :banghead:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Wow. Just wow.

 

General Manager
Company Name PetRescue Ltd

Company Location Perth, Australia

 

Job description
PetRescue is seeking a strong people manager to lead the team, drive the organisation and execute on our mission to ensure every pet is safe, respected and loved.


Your job will be to MAKE IT HAPPEN... For the most successful rescue pet adoption platform in Australia... For Australia's most visited charity website... For thousands of rescue pets in need, every day... And for our 900+ member rescue groups, shelters and pounds who care for those pets.


So, if you’re the type that's passionate about social impact and innovation, then this would be an incredible fit for you.


You will be expected to provide or contribute to the following:

  • Overarching strategic plan for the whole amazing company!
  • Networking - proactively meet with people and organisations that can help PetRescue grow, build relationships with peers and potential sponsors and people that we think can have a positive impact on PetRescue
  • Champion PetRescue - purpose-driven championing of PetRescue

Tasks are likely to include:

 

  • Team building and development of the awesome positive and giving culture in our business
  • Day to day people management
  • Work closely and positively with the PetRescue founders
  • Hiring new team members
  • Induction of key staff
  • Training for culture and roles
  • HR management for our team of 15 and particularly your 4 direct reports
  • Reviews of staff throughout the business
  • KPIs to achieve financial and operational goals

About the business


PetRescue is a national animal welfare charity with a vision of a future where every pet is safe, respected and loved. We run a raft of innovative programs and provide the most successful rescue pet adoption platform in Australia - and we reckon, the world!


PetRescue is Australia’s most highly trafficked charity website, connecting more than 8,000 rescue pets with over 20,000 potential adopters every single day. For the geek in you, that's over 600,000 unique visitors and more than 8.3 million page views each month!


We are funded by our corporate and philanthropic partners, supported by millions of pet adopters, and valued by hundreds of rescue groups, shelters and pounds for the innovative free adoption services and programs we provide.


We're also some of the nicest, most talented, dynamic, cool, good looking and humble people you're ever likely to meet!


Essential skills and experience

  • Several years working in a people and project management role
  • Great communication and customer service skills
  • Excellent written English
  • Good problem solving skills and attention to detail
  • Good team player who’s also able to work autonomously
  • Owning a rescue pet is not a prerequisite, but you may well acquire one as part of the job!

Benefits

  • Work for Australia's most visited charity website
  • Create positive change for homeless pets
  • Work with a supportive, friendly and uber-cool team
  • Competitive rates for the nonprofit sector
  • Based in a funky office in the heart of Northbridge
  • You get to look at cute pets as part of your job!

Apply with CV and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

 

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Because the current CEO now has enough money to retire on, but he will probably keep taking a salary from PR and just let the new General Manager do the work...

And people are still hoodwinked into donating,honestly thinking that they are helping animals:banghead: 

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On 28/10/2018 at 10:10 AM, stellnme said:

How can this possibly be a charity?

PetRescue takes your rescue group's animal care donations and turns them into.... whatever this is.

 

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"Meet the world’s first AI that understands dogs. It’s here to help more of them get adopted by recognizing faces, breeds and characteristics of any pup images on Instagram to find a similar type available for adoption."

https://www.petme.org.au

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46 minutes ago, stellnme said:

@shel  Because we all know how easy it is to identify what breeds are in a particular dog!  I would say a lot more research does and should go into finding the right pet for a household, rather than a guess at a mix of breeds.  

 

The whole premise of having no breed searching on the site is that - as rescues know - breed is a poor predictor of behaviour, and has little to do with an individual dog's suitability to join any individual family. Now they're claiming dogs that look sorta the same, they're THE SAME YOU GUYS.
 

PetRescue claims that it's working to help rescue groups, but quietly behind the scenes they're cementing a relationship with your supporters, current donors, adoption applicants and adopters, that you're likely struggling to match. PetRescue is an enemy to the healthy functioning of the rescue movement. It is time for rescues to pull the plug.
 

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SAVINGPETS.COM.AU
 
Every enquiry and adoption application made through the website formed the mailing list PetRescue uses to solicit donations for themselves. PetRescue claims that it's working to help rescue groups, but quietly behind the scenes they're cementing a relationship with your supporters, current donors, a...
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17 hours ago, mita said:

We google both 'Tibetan Spaniel PetRescue' and 'Tibetan Spaniel x PetRescue' to find profiles of out breed for Tibetan Spaniel Rescue Australia FB page.  Not perfect, but picks up most.

Just to add, I would add an extra step and not link to the PetRescue listing, but track down the listing on the rescue group's own website (if they have one) or social media page and use that link. Applications made via the PetRescue website go into the PetRescue bucket for soliciting donations and the rescue group caring for the pet misses out on support.

This is good advice for all groups really. If you can't quite bring yourself to leave the site and establish your own networks like many groups are already doing, at least don't share PetRescue links. Use links to your own site, or social media and then any adoption leads you generate remain your own and aren't co-opted by PetRescue's (now fifteen strong!) fundraising team capturing all enquiries for their own use.

 

Or just stop feeding the beast entirely and run - don't walk - away before the silly season gets into full swing and you lose supporters to PetRescue over the christmas giving season.

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  • 3 months later...

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