Additional Features Added to Management Service (in beta)

Written November 20, 2009 by
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Hello all,

We can't thank you enough for your feedback, ideas, comments and concerns. We're considering all of the ideas and comments we receive from our users.

In response to your comments we have added a few new features to the Management Service, which is currently in beta testing.

  • The animal list now has a "thumbnails" button so you can turn on animal picture thumbnails for any animal list
  • The Options drop down now has an option to "show max" which will show 250 items in the list

We also have completed the following features:

  • Campaigns (now able to send email campaigns)
  • Messaging Center
  • View the questions/answers of Completed Forms (more->Online Forms->Completed Forms)
  • Site Menus (can now be reset)
  • Clone an animal from the animal's page
  • Several reports are now available

Thank you again for your comments and suggestions for the new management service.  We greatly appreciate it.

Here's the URL again for the management service. Please remember that the new management service is currently being beta tested, so if you are not accustomed to using software that has not been completely tested, please continue to use your current interface (Pet Adoption Portal, Data Management, etc).

https://manage.rescuegroups.org

Thank you!

RescueGroups.org

Update: New Tool for Updating Your Petfinder Pet List

Written November 16, 2009 by
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1 Comment »

Several hundred organizations have asked for information concerning downloading the new tool that will synchronize your RescueGroups.org/Pet Adoption Portal pet list with your Petfinder pet list. We're expecting more than 1,500 organizations to download and start using the application in the next couple months. We apologize if there is a brief delay in our response -- we promise to respond to you personally as quickly as possible.

Although RescueGroups.org does not support the application that updates Petfinder, we will do everything we can to help you get started with this new tool.

Update: If you'd like to start using the Sync App, please visit your Animals > Exports page and look for the Petfinder item for information on how to setup your account to support the Sync App, where to download the Sync App.

If you're not already using the tool, the first step is to email us and provide your name and organization name. Please CLICK HERE to email us. We'll then check to be sure you were affected by Petfinder's recent refusal to work with RescueGroups.org. If you were affected we will provide the link to download and install the application.

If you already have installed the tool, please contact the developer directly if you have any questions, concerns or issues. Their email address is on the web page where you downloaded the program.

We'd greatly appreciate it if you would let us know how the program works for you. If you have time, please post a reply on this blog so everyone can see that the application is working for various people.

Thank you!

RescueGroups.org

Beta Test our New Management Interface!

Written November 14, 2009 by
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Hello,

We're pleased to announce that we are officially starting to beta test our new management interface!

This new interface is a combination of our Pet Adoption Portal, Data Management, Web Site and email/domain services. The main goal for us is to be able to provide a consolidated interface for our clients to use, while reducing the overhead we experience to add and update our features. The management interface is the first step toward providing dozens of new features and new services by the end of 2009 and in 2010.

Slowly, over the next several months, we'll be phasing out the Pet Adoption Portal and Data Management/Voice Mail interfaces, and removing the administrative functions from the public web site service. All management of the RescueGroups.org services will happen through this new interface. We'll be providing additional information regarding that transition soon.

Although we have not added any significant features with this new interface, you will find new and easier ways to do things.

Please keep in mind that you may come across issues or questions while using the beta management web site. Please contact us regarding anything that is not clear or doesn't work in the way you were expecting. You can always go back to your existing web site (Pet Adoption Portal, Web Site, etc) to manage your account until we are able to resolve the issue for you.

There are some features that we are still working to integrate into the new management interface. As we complete this integrations we will mark them off.

Incomplete features: Reporting (all animal reports, kennel cards, permissions report, print summary, web site stats), Campaign send, Messaging Center, Portal Setup Wizard, Pet Adoption Toolkit, lost pet search, Domains service, Calls email grab, Service Upgrades, View Completed Forms, Mass Animal Attendance updates, and Site Menu reset.

We'd appreciate your help with testing the site. Please email us your thoughts, comments and ideas!

Please login with the same user name and password that you use for your current RescueGroups.org services.

Here's the URL for the new Management interface:

https://manage.rescuegroups.org

You can also download the RescueGroups.org Management Service User Guide here:

https://support.rescuegroups.org/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=viewdownload&downloaditemid=11&nav=0

Thank you,

RescueGroups.org

New Way to Keep your Petfinder Pets Updated!

Written November 10, 2009 by
Categories: Uncategorized
49 comments

Dear Supporters:

We know it's been very difficult the past 2 months since RescueGroups.org was forced by Petfinder to stop updating pets on your behalf on their web site. For more information on that issue, please read this blog post.

We wanted to let you know that we have come across a new option that is easy to use and very powerful that will keep your pets updated on that site, with almost no work on your part. It's completely unrelated to RescueGroups.org, and is not supported by us.

Update: If you'd like to start using the Sync App, please visit your Animals > Exports page and look for the Petfinder item for information on how to setup your account to support the Sync App, where to download the Sync App.

If you're interested, please contact us and we'll pass the information on to you.

Thank you for your continued support. We are dedicated to helping you work more effectively!

RescueGroups.org

The Classless Side of Adoption Listings?

Written November 9, 2009 by
Categories: Random Thoughts and Ideas
5 comments

We have to be honest -- we're not extremely knowledgeable concerning licensing agreements, corporate sponsorships, exclusivity agreements or revenue sharing. Thankfully, those things just aren't part of our lives here at RescueGroups.org.

That's probably why we've never really understood why adoptable pets would show up on various web sites that don't have a mission or desire to help save pets, or to see an end to the homeless pet epidemic (like classifieds and beer web sites).

Recently, we've seen more "revenue sharing" agreements between the adoption listing web sites and classifieds or product/branding web sites -- web sites that are almost exclusively unrelated to animals or animal welfare.

With revenue sharing agreements, when the adoption listing company gives your adoptable pet information to a 3rd party, they make money each time someone views your pets on that web site, and even more if the visitor clicks an advertisement on that page. So, the more places they can send your pet data, the more money in their corporate pockets, with no regard to where the pets are actually being posted.

The animal welfare community is not united concerning posting their adoptable pets on classifieds web sites. Some people say, "the more exposure the better;" however, most don't want to have their homeless pets show-up on a web site along side backyard-breeders and puppy stores.

The point is, when we give our adoptable pet data to an adoption listing web site we assume they have the best interests of the staff and pets in mind, but each organization has to make that decision. In the least, each organization should be given advanced notice if pets will be appear on a new web site, and each organization should have the ability to prevent the data sharing with each individual web site, at their own discretion. Each organization has it's own policies, and should receive this level of control and respect.

We think this is another example where ethics, mission and animal welfare have often been ignored in favor of corporate profits.

RescueGroups.org

PS. If you are having trouble tracking down how your pets showed up on a classifieds web site, please contact us. We may be able to help you.

Save a Cat Officially Launches

Written October 28, 2009 by
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DogTime has officially released their Save a Cat application on Facebook.

Find out about it here:

http://dogtime.com/save-a-cat-launch.html

Sneak Preview of the Save a Cat Facebook Application!

Written October 15, 2009 by
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Dear Partners:

Soon, DogTime will be officially launching their new Facebook application, Save a Cat! DogTime would like to give you a sneak preview of the application before the official announcement.

Save a Cat is very similar to the wildly popular Save a Dog Facebook application also developed by DogTime. Both applications provide unique ways to increase exposure for adoptable cats and dogs, as well as raise money to help rescues and shelters!

Save a Dog and Save a Cat are the only Facebook applications that leverage social media to help real dogs in need of homes. The way it works is simple. Once you install the application in your Facebook profile, you earn points by simply selecting one of the actions presented (for example, "foster a cat" or "scratch your cat's ears"). You can foster and share your own organization's cats, or any cat!

For every 2500 points you earn, Dogtime donates the financial equivalent of a cup of food to RescueGroups.org so that we can continue providing our free and low cost services to animal welfare organizations. We'll be announcing new free services soon as a direct result of the donations! Thank you DogTime!

If your organization has adoptable cats, and you have your DogTime export enabled, your cats will automatically appear on the Facebook application. If you're not sure if your export is enabled, check your Exports page, or contact us. We're always more than happy to make sure you are receiving as much exposure for your adoptable pets as possible, on DogTime, Facebook, and all of the other web sites!

You can access the Facebook application directly here:

http://apps.facebook.com/save-a-cat/

Be sure to add the application to your Facebook profile, and become a fan of DogTime and RescueGroups.org!

DogTime on Facebook
RescueGroups.org on Facebook

Thank you to DogTime and the sponsors for providing this support for homeless cats and organizations that are saving them!

Beta Testing of Major Upgrade Starting Soon

Written October 9, 2009 by
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2 comments

We promised a couple of weeks ago that we would have some really big announcements coming up over the next few months.

Our first announcement is that we have been working on a very significant update to the way you use your RescueGroups.org services.

Right now, we have three significantly different services: the Pet Adoption Portal, Data Management Service and Web Site Service. We have to manage each of those services independently, which means it takes longer to add new features or services and troubleshoot issues. In addition, the look and feel of each service is completely different, making documentation and training more difficult.

The new management web site will be very consistent across all of the services and features, and it will take less time for our partners to get up-to-speed on the capabilities of the services. We’ll be able to add new capabilities very quickly so we can stay on top of your needs and demands.

We’ll also be announcing new services within the next few months. These new services are going to have a huge impact on the animal welfare community, especially those with limited budgets and no technical support staff.

Look for information from us in the next few weeks concerning the start of beta testing for the new administrative interface. You’ll be able to try out the new management web site but still be able to go back to your current admin pages (like the Portal web site, etc).

We think this is just the first step of many to providing even more value to our non-profit partners, the rescues, shelters and animal management organizations. We are focused on helping you be more effective, and we thank you for your patience and support while we make these crucial updates.

RescueGroups.org Newsletter 9/20/2009

Written September 20, 2009 by
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We have a few quick updates for you. We've been really busy the past few months, and we're going to have a few really big announcements in the near future. Not only are you going to get even more exposure for your adoptable pets, but we're going to give you some incredible new tools to help you work more effectively. Stay tuned!

Use the Toolkit for More Pet Views

Did you know that using the Pet Adoption Toolkit on your web site brings in more views per pet than the adoption listing web sites? It's true, and it's a great way to provide an attractive and powerful pet listing feature on any web page.

The Toolkit is completely customizable, with different colors, and layouts. You can even select which fields you want to show, and which pets (by species, size, age, color, etc). The best part is that it will look good in your web site, and keep visitors on your web site!

Here are just a few of the hundreds of web sites that are currently using the Toolkit:

http://carolinapoodlerescue.org/OurAdoptables.shtml
http://www.thelastresortrescue.com/ouravailablepets.htm

You can start using the Toolkit by going to the Toolkit page in the Pet Adoption Portal. You'll be able to easily copy & paste the Toolkit HTML into any web page. Contact us if you need help!

New Feature! Coordinate All of Your Updates

We've added a new feature that will help you coordinate your pet updates on the few web sites that aren't working with RescueGroups.org. We call the feature "Manual Updates" and you'll find it on the menu (for Data Management and Web Site clients look under Animals > Exports).

Put simply, you set the date and time for when you updated a web site last, and the page will tell you all of the changes on your pet list that have happened since that time.

The first step is to go to the Manual Updates page and add an "account" (if there isn't one there for you already). Fill in the fields and set the date and time that you last updated that web site.

Then, click on the account you created. You'll be taken to a web page that shows you all of the animals that have been updated since the date and time you entered. You can go pet-by-pet and make the same changes on the external web site, including copying & pasting the animal description.

When you've completed the updates, click the link at the bottom of the page saying that you have updated the external web site. We'll remember the last time updates were done on that site (or you can change it at any time).

This feature really means you can make any necessary changes on your RescueGroups.org service without keeping track of every change. It also means you could have a volunteer that logs in and just syncs the changes to the other web sites. You can create as many accounts as you'd like, maybe for your organization's web site, and other adoption listing web sites.

Copy & Paste Your Pet Descriptions

When you copy & paste your pet descriptions from your RescueGroups.org service you not only save typing the description again, but you also gain the benefits of the header/footer, automatic contact information, and the Pet Adoption Tracker!

We make it easy by providing the Manual Updates page mentioned above, as well as the HTML popup on the pet list (HTML button currently on the Pet Adoption Portal only). Be sure to select the correct account at the top of the page before you click the Copy to Clipboard button since each web site has different terms of service.

Thank you for your time and support!

RescueGroups.org