• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Attn: Virginia Reptile owners, The DAI will hold a public meeting on Oct. 24th

David_Means

David_Means

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Greetings all,

Thank you for your continued interest in the Virginia Dangerous Animal Initiative (DAI). Last week, members of the DAI Workgroup met on September 19th for the first time in Richmond, VA. The group will continue its efforts at the next DAI Workgroup meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 3rd from 10 AM – 4 PM at the Virginia Science Museum in the Discovery Room. Members of the public are welcome to participate as observers during the session. Lunch will be on your own as a member of the public.

Information about parking and directions may be found at these websites: http://www.smv.org/sites/default/files/parkingmap.pdf & http://www.smv.org/contact-us

If you will be attending the Oct. 3 meeting as a member of the public, please RSVP at this website so we may plan for seating: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NGZSL7Y

A Dangerous Animal Initiative public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 24th from 4 PM – 6 PM at the VHDA Virginia Housing Center following the 3rd Workgroup meeting, which will be held from 10 am – 3 pm. We will send out additional details and will update the DAI website with additional information in the near future: www.virginiaanimals.net.

Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments at [email protected], and thank you for your continued interest in the Initiative.

Best regards,

David Whitehurst, on behalf of the Coordinating Team
Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries

Christine Gyovai, on behalf of the IEN Team
UVa Institute for Environmental Negotiation
 
The Dangerous Animal Initiative will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 24th from 4 pm – 6 pm at the VHDA Virginia Housing Center, 4224 Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060. It is very important that anyone in Virginia that owns a reptile and wishes to continue owning any reptile be at that meeting. The workgroup is looking at what factors may make exotic/wild animals "dangerous", and not just to humans, but to Virginia. They will be looking at how these animals can harm humans directly (bite, crush, constrict, other) but also indirectly (disease, parasites, other). They will also be looking at how these animals can harm the ecosystem and agriculture in Virginia directly (invasive, other) and indirectly (disease, parasites, other). What will this mean to reptile keepers? All reptiles will be considered, not just venomous and large constrictors. What will this mean to other exotic/wild animal keepers? Any non-domesticated animal may be considered (non-domesticated: any animal other than domesticated dogs, cats, and agricultural animals). This could mean some birds, aquarium fish, invertebrates, amphibians, small and large mammals could be restricted or banned. I've already heard though some of my contacts that the animal rights groups will have a great number of people attending the public meeting, we need to be sure that our numbers are far greater. We have a chance to stop this before it gets to the next legislative session.
I'm hoping to find volunteers all over Virginia to help with carpooling, so that people without rides or don't want to make the drive alone will more easily be able to attend the public meeting. I'm also looking for volunteers to be liaisons, speakers and leaders, as well as volunteers to assist with origination, coming up with talking points, and spreading the word. If you would like to help, need more information, or want email updates, please email me at: [email protected]

Thanks, David Means
 
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