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.
By From the Heart Rescue November 10, 2009 - 11:29 PM
Thanks for sharing this. I was curious why I started getting calls about my FREE pets. Then I found out that Petfinder was posting (without our knowledge or forwarning us) on Kijiji classified…what’s next, Craig’s List. In any event, when they post, they mark the price as $0!!!! When I contacted Petfinder, I was told you have to opt-out, not opt-in and it was an all or nothing proposition!
Thank you RescueGroups for letting each group choose the sites they do/don’t want to have their pets listed. At least you don’t hold us captive hostages!
By Debra Long November 15, 2009 - 11:47 AM
I checked out petfinder and on the edit shelter info tab, under the public information, there is a pre-checked box that says Allow pet list export to partner sites? Yes. then there is a more info link. I checked it out and it clearly is listing on classified sites, so we unchecked ours.
By Priscilla February 17, 2010 - 1:20 PM
I too was confused when I started to get questions about our posted pets on Kijiji… now I know! Also noticed that Adopt-A-Pet lists all the dogs as purebred! I was getting rude emails from people about how not purebred my Bichon x JRT puppies were!
By We're serious about giving you control of your data exports - RescueGroups.org February 28, 2013 - 4:41 PM
[…] already talked about how classifieds websites are often used to make money for everyone other than your organization and […]
By You decide – you’re responsible for your own exports | RescueGroups.org April 6, 2014 - 10:09 AM
[…] > Settings. That way, certain exports can be disabled from the start (like websites with Classified listings, or pets for sale, […]