The email PetRescue sent your supporters this morning...

June 24, 2018

Actually there was two. The first "Make sure PetRescue is here for everyone who needs us"

This went out to your rescue group supporters and it implies directly that 90% of rescue group enquiries are generated by the website. This point is made using a quote from a rescue group that (no disrespect to them) has two pets available for adoption today, and has adopted a couple of dozen pets total.

And while there's no issue necessarily with using stock photos to illustrate a point, when that point is that they have a vital and symbiotic relationship with rescue, and their website is literally a library of photos of dogs... what's with the free stock image?

The second email - sent to your rescue group supporters - is more direct about the role PetRescue asserts it plays in the rescue movement;

You see, when pet owners and carers are in crisis, PetRescue is often their lifeline.

In the last 12 months, more than 600 of the 9,900 emails we’ve answered have been calls for help from pet owners, including one very distraught lady from NSW. She’d been diagnosed with cancer and couldn’t find anyone to care for her much-loved dog when she needed hospital treatment.

Our amazing team got on the case, networked amongst our contacts, and found two wonderful foster carers for her little dog.
.....
Your compassion today ensures that pets and people can continue to count on us when they need it most. 

(Highlighting mine)

So when it comes to communicating with the public, rescue groups are "contacts" and foster carers are just part of PetRescue's "amazing team". This blurring of the role of rescue groups, vs the PetRescue website further confusing the public, rather than respecting the role of rescue groups.

And the pet featured in this email? Another stock photo.

This email went out to your rescue group supporters, enquirers and adopters.

Rescue groups often still maintain that PetRescue is free to use, however nothing about losing donors to PetRescue's fundraising is "free" to the groups using the website. This email solicitation aims to raise $150k matched by Woolworths dollar for dollar ($300k?)

Rescue groups need to look at the long term impact of their donors and supporters thinking they're working for PetRescue. Because PetRescue is doing nothing to help the public understand the difference, and everything to encourage them to think a donation to them helps pets in crisis.

Also, Baby and Johnny are still available.

Find this post interesting? Share it around.