How PetRescue uses adopter applications to redirect rescue's donations to themselves (redux)

April 18, 2018

"Enquiring about a pet may involve submitting your Personal Information via the Website to a third party group with whom the pet is located. In doing so you will also be submitting your Personal Information to us. 
~ PetRescue's new Privacy Policy

Recently, PetRescue changed some of its communications processes. One of the changes was updating the way the details of people applying for pets are captured.

What does PetRescue then do with these hundreds of enquiries daily from potential adopters it is now capturing automatically? It throws them into an intensive, automated donation solicitation process. Each individual who makes an application to adopt a pet via their PetRescue listing, receives these emails within a couple of days;

Solicitation email #1 - 1 day after enquiry
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PetRescue are not a charity distributing food or medical aid, they do no on ground stuff, they distribute no grants or resources.

They run a website.

Operating a website and its associated publicity is what they spend their money on. All they have are operational costs. But somehow they're maintaining less than half-one-percent is spent on running their organisation.

But I digress.

Solicitation email #2 - 5 days after enquiry

Two emails asking for financial support before a week has passed.

No wonder PetRescue are keen for "third party groups with whom the pet is located" to answer their emails promptly. And also why complaints about same have hit record levels - people are getting two solicitation emails before most rescue groups have had time to compile applicants.

Last month, PetRescue sent all their rescue group members a criticism charged email alleging rescues have a lack of responsivity and this is to blame for the public turning to pet shops. However, PetRescue communications sets the expectation of the public as to how long the adoption process takes; and with this new strategy, in their enthusiasm to capture donors are setting up rescue groups to fail to meet these unreasonable and unrealistic demands in almost every instance.

They clearly didn’t look at their *own* processes and how they might be effecting the feelings of the public, before deciding rescues were the “problem” and needed a spanking.

These emails could be used to more thoroughly explain the challenges rescue groups face, their need for resources and set realistic expectations for the adoption communications process. Instead they immediately start trying to diddle rescue groups out of donations by painting them as a barely necessary third party.

Stills from the PetRescue fundraising video
Donate (monthly) screen
Zoom in on detail
What programs? They add some detail...
(Comments in red mine)

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