This is Fred.
Back in August 2017, Fred needed help.
His plight was seen by a rescue group. They worked to get him to safety, arranging the process of transporting him to one of their waiting volunteers.
Fred was given shelter, and a safe place to stay for as long as he needed it.
He was given vet treatments and care.
After a time, he was desexed and microchipped ready for adoption. He had his photo taken and the rescue group wrote up a kind and funny profile for him.
He was safe and cared for while he waited to be adopted.
Fred stayed in foster care with the rescue group volunteers until he was ready for adoption. He was then placed in a carefully screened new home.
The rescue group continue, to this day, to support Fred's new owner - even more than two years on, they keep in touch.
All of this has come at great financial expense and volunteer-man-hours investment by the rescue group.
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Fred also had an online, one-page, profile on PetRescue.
PetRescue are now using Fred as a Christmas ambassador to fundraise for themselves.
PetRescue sent a professional photographer to his new owner's house to take photos of him.
They wrote a story about how PetRescue saved his life - even though the staff at PetRescue have never met him.
https://bit.ly/2RyMTs5
PetRescue didn't consult the rescue group about this campaign. They rescue group wasn't even named or mentioned at all - their work was completely deleted from the story of saving Fred.
PetRescue yesterday emailed their fundraising solicitation to hundreds of thousands of pet lovers.
PetRescue will make hundreds of thousands of dollars by convincing people that THEY saved Fred.
But they didn't. A rescue group did.
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If you would like to give feedback to the ACNC about PetRescue's Christmas fundraising campaign - they can be contacted here.
https://www.acnc.gov.au/raise-concern/concerns-about-charities/how-raise-concern
You can also report this national campaign to Fair Trading in your state.
PetRescue using dogs they've never met - never spent a dime to help - to fundraise for themselves when rescue's desperately need these funds to keep rescuing, is harming rescue. It has to stop.
Further reading;
PetRescue's financials 2018/19; $1 million to own employees, $108 to rescue groups - https://bit.ly/349pkZs
Update 12.12.19
If you ever needed evidence that rescue groups are run by some of the most generous and gracious souls on the earth, it is this response. Happy Tails Animal Rescue Inc is pure class.
Do better PetRescue. Rescue groups deserve it.