Today marks the last day of the year 2014. Celebrations are planned this evening as we usher in 2015!
It also marks that time of year when my email account is inundated with requests from any and all major animal organizations asking me to help meet their year-end goals.
While I see the validity of appeals made from those who are helping animals, I have a problem with an organization trying to shame me to donate my money to them.
I received the following email this morning :
Dear Tina,
“As the clock ticks on toward midnight, someone out there wants you to ignore this message.
Puppy millers, factory farmers, poachers, sealers and others who benefit from the exploitation of helpless animals hope 2015 will go on business as usual.
We need your help to make sure that doesn’t happen. Make your tax-deductible gift of $20.15 today, and every dollar you give goes toward a special $1 million matching gift challenge.
Tina, it’s easy to turn a blind eye on this night of celebration, but I hope you won’t forget neglected animals in their time of need. Our $1 million matching gift challenge is in its final hours: Please act now to ensure that your tax-deductible gift is included!
Tina, so far you have contributed $0.00 in 2014. The animals are counting on you to step up and make a special donation today. And your gift of $20.15 — or whatever you can afford — couldn’t come at a better time: we’re gearing up for some big battles in the coming months and every gift big or small is one step closer to a better future for animals.”
Is this an attempt to shame me because I haven’t made any donations to this organization in 2014 as they “cleverly” had written in their email to me?
” Tina, so far you have contributed $0.00 in 2014. The animals are counting on you to step up and make a special donation today.”
Plus, I guess I don’t care about animals since” I’m turning a blind eye on this night of celebration”, according to this email.
Does shaming people really work? For me, the answer is a simple no. In fact, I have received several emails asking for my year-end contribution from this group. I’ve ignored all of them except for one.
Since they “need” my money, I wanted to know where my money would go. I wrote to the president and asked how much money goes towards their specific programs and how much goes to their salaries. I wanted a full accounting of their finances since they are a non-profit organization.
As you guessed, I didn’t receive any answers to my questions. I was not only ignored but still asked to give them money.
If you give money to a large-scale animal organization, it is your business; however, when an email suggests I’m basically ignoring animals- ” As the clock ticks on toward midnight, someone out there wants you to ignore this message”- I have to take them to task.
Please don’t attempt to shame me with your tactics. It doesn’t and will never work with me.
I have helped numerous animal organizations and individuals during this past year whether it’s donating much-needed items, contributing money or help in the search of a missing pet, etc. Through my television show on animal welfare issues or these articles, my goal has always been and will always be to help animals. But, it’s not enough according to one large animal organization.
I choose to give to local and/or grassroots organizations. I know exactly where my money or donations are going. I know the people and trust them. In today’s world, anyone can create an organization on Facebook and call themselves animal rescuers and scam people out of their hard-earned money. Sadly, it happens all too often. In fact, my last tv show dealt with this very issue.
Do I expect one of the largest animal organizations know that I have done this? No. Does it matter to them? NO.
Ironically, I have received many emails from other organizations as I stated earlier and not one of those have resorted to the tactic of shaming me. In fact, most were gracious.
As we greet the New Year in several hours, people will be making their New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps, the president of this group could create one by donating a portion of his large salary to the organization in which he shames people into donating their hard-earned money.
Shame on me? NO.
SHAME ON THEM? YES!
Wishing everyone and their furry, scaly, feathery, slimy, and hairy animals a very Happy and Healthy New Year!!
It doesn’t work on me either. I will not give to any organization that is primarily paid staff and only a few (or no) volunteers. Many of them do good work, but frankly I am tired of trying to sort through them. If I was a rich person Fairchild Feral Friends Foundation would be my primary designation of charitable monies. It is volunteer based and they are doing something to make a dent in the animals getting into the shelters in the first place. Stopping the animals from breeding has to be primary. It is utterly ridiculous how much money is spend propping up shelters. The breeding has to stop. Support groups who are Spaying and Neutering animals and that will cost much less than supporting those animals in shelters later!
Shame on them!! Rip offs! There’s a sucker born every minute and they will get their money.
I don’t give to those groups. They use too much money to pay themselves very nice salaries. They are crooked. People need to know this. I ignore these emails. I volunteer my time since I don’t have the money.
The organizations you are talking about want your money but aren’t rescuing and fostering animals like much, much smaller organizations. The small rescues run on a shoestring budget and barely make ends meet. The large groups keep tapping everyone more and more money when something hits the news about animals or for any reason. They are greedy! Before I knew better, I did give to one. No more. I also don’t like what they stand for. Some are even creepy.
Outstanding post. This is how I feel about these organizations. Ignore the ones who are constantly seeking money no matter what. The small ones are the ones who need the money the most. They are barely making it.
I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s
to be exactly I’m looking for. I don’t open emails like this. They already have too much money, then they play on your sympathy to get your money.