• 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.

Bad Guys!!! Colorado Reptile Humane Society!!!

SunShineReptiles said:
Ive been posting my BPs for sale and I cant even begin to tell you how many people have acted super interested only to later never email me back about buying. It saves everyone a bit of trouble. =]
Click to expand...

It would probably make a difference if you answered those emails and PMs....looking at your ad, it appears that many folks have tried to inquire about them never to receive an answer from you. Now what if THEY had paid an "application fee"? ;)
 
ambrosemurphy said:
LOL...yea right, they have nothing better to do with their time!

This whole thread is bogus...slander and libel...I believe your original post went pretty far in that area blatantly accusing the organization of financial malfeasance just because you don't want to pay an application fee...WHICH is their right to ask for and yours to decline...they ask for it up front...don't like it, walk away...

Gotta say when I originally saw this thread, I thought it would be a whole different area of contention...they do their best and kudos to them for that...there have been grumblings that some of their philosophical stances can stray toward the PETA camp at times. Other than that, they run a good, honest, needed and underappreciated organization to my knowledge...

This thread should be pulled in my opinion...welfare organizations need help, not unwarranted and untrue bad press!
Click to expand...

Actually, the only reason he even said this in the first place was because I accidentally accused him of something he was not. I then found out i was wrong. and stated so and apologized for it. This thread should now be left in peace. there is no need to keep posting on this thread. as of now. it has been resolved.
 
Barry you seem real upset!! By the way I didn't know they gave wellfare how much does a snake get? how much more for each child living with them? Do they get food stamps as well? or is it rodent stamps? How much for caging?
Randy
 
SunShineReptiles said:
Ive been posting my BPs for sale and I cant even begin to tell you how many people have acted super interested only to later never email me back about buying. It saves everyone a bit of trouble. =]
Click to expand...
Lauren Brown,
I don't know how many times you have be told that you have to post your full name in this forum before it sinks in but let's try it again. PS. there is thread on the BOI about you that you might want to respond to.
 
Being one who volunteers much of My time to the Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue, as both a transporter, and reptile rehabber, I can vouch for how quickly trying to help these animals will make you pennyless. It's not necessarily that each one takes a lot of cash, it's just that there are so many that need the help it adds weight on the shoulders of those bearing the responsibility. I've fostered burms, afrocks, RTB, BP, Prehensile tailed skinks, frilled dragons, euromastix........Though i have interviewed prospective foster parents, I never charged a fee because it just don't feel right. But I have had donations forced on me by these same adopters. LOL

That being said, NONE of us get paid a penny for our efferts. It is totally voluntary, as many rescues are, and we depend on donations and contributors for the most part. Although adoption fees are not unheard of, this "Non-refundable application fee" IMHO is unjustified. Something just don't seem right about it to me, and there are other ways to generate money.

Example; if they are legite, most vet clinics would not have a problem with a donation box being placed in their offices. I have built several of these wooden lockable boxes for this purpose. They have helped out too.

I have bought a $200 TV and a thousand stubbed raffle tickets. (check your local laws) And spent the next 4 weekends sitting front of PetsMart, all day. At 5$ a ticket, it usually generates quite a bit more than the intial costs, all of which go back to the efforts.

And besides, if they are a legitimate agency, than the IRS (as much as we don't like that word) will give most of it back at tax time. And if you know what yer doing, all the volunteer "time" can be claimed as well at a given hourly wage.

Just saying that though it is costly to run such a facility, there are programs out there and ways to get some releif from the financial burdens, without charging an application fee. What qualifies the person doing the screening to make the decision? What proof that they are even actually doing a screening? Are these fee's even being reported at the end of the year as an income? They could just as easily not mention it at tax time. I believe that our organization is required to report all donations and costs. I get one of these summations emailed to me every quarter.

Don't know, something just don't sound right here IMHO.

Rick
 
Though I cannot say that their application fee is a rip off I can state as a fact that the Co Reptile Rescue has killed many reptiles that they claimed they could not adopt out.
I am sure had they eased up on their restrictive policies they would not have to freeze so many to dispose of them.
John E Dove
 
How do you know they freeze them?

When I was volunteering there, they used veterinary euthanasia solution and did it the right way. But yes, they euthanise a TON of animals.

Sarah
 
I spoke directly to the lady running the place two years back, at the Colorado Herp Society show, about the fact that the nearly 100 reptiles they had had on their site were suddenly no longer available and she told me "We had to put them in the freezer because we could not find homes for them."
John E Dove
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top