Friday, March 17, 2017

people really wrote that

**a post by the mom

The other night I was online roaming around and decided to search google for our rescue information. Of course there are reviews and I got sucked into reading them. I should know better.

A lot of them were good. Some may have had legitimate issues. Others need to get a life. After reading several and then getting frustrated and walking away from my phone, I decided something.

If a person gives a small non-profit a 1 star review for something that isn't related to the direct focus of the non-profit, that person should be required to volunteer a few hours (I vote a minimum of 5 hours) on that task to help out.

For example, one review said the place needed some "sprucing up". Great - grab a paint brush or window cleaner or a mop and make yourself useful. (in fact, the rescue has been very lucky in the last month and two groups from different companies have volunteered their time and the whole interior of the adoption center has been repainted)

Another review said that "no one returned my call promptly". OK - first please define promptly, as I am sure your definition is different from mine. Second, let me give you the access code to our voicemail system. Then you can spend several hours wading through several hundred voice mails: some demanding help we cannot or do not provide, some with information you can't understand, many demanding we pick up cats in their neighborhood (not our jobs), and so on. Then sort out the ones that are urgent, call those first and wade your way back through the rest. Oh - and remember that people will continue to call while you are working on the first batch.

I had a man confront me in one of our partner stores one day. He was upset that his elderly mother wanted to adopt a cat and we took 2 days (OMG!!) to check her application. And he is a lawyer (so?) and that seems ridiculous. I had had a long day that day and can now admit this guy got on my last nerve. I gave an apologetic look to the store manager and then let this guy have it. "We take our time to be sure the fit is right for the cat and the people. We are ALL volunteers and do this in addition to working and families and other responsibilities. And we check information since our first responsibility is to the SAFETY OF OUR CATS! I'm sorry she had to wait a couple of days but we want to be sure we are doing it right rather than doing it fast." And I walked away. (I tried to apologize to the manager later for getting into it with a customer and he laughed and said it was fine - he was glad I said something since he can't.)

There are days I seriously want to tell some people to PUT UP or SHUT UP. It is the same with trolls on the internet - it is all so very comfy and convenient to sit behind a keyboard and complain but annoying and hurtful to those of us that are actually out there and doing the work. Take THAT into consideration the next time you (*OK - not you our lovely readers, just the general you) want to complain about something.

Now that I have that out of my system, here's a gratuitous baby picture....guess who is going to be 1 year old the end of the month???

29 comments:

  1. I don't know how you do all that with the rescue stuff. You all are saints. It is so important to find out if the animal is getting a good home. Hope things turned out all right with Dandelion.

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  2. Oh, man, THIS. A hundred times this. I'm so tired of "armchair" rescuers. Put up or shut up INDEED.(It's also why I think people like Foster Dad John and Shelley of Tinykittens are saints for, not only doing the work, but doing it in such a way that everyone can see and "make suggestions". I tell anyone who will listen that I learned more in a few months of fostering than I'd learned in 30 adult years of having cats.

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  3. a-yup. I sure do like that making them volunteer idea.. oh if only that were possible.

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    1. and like you were delaying a cat adoption for some reason that would make getting a lawyer involved be a fearful thing.. some lawyers are so full of themselves..

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    2. I almost told him I WORK for lawyers but figured the point would be lost on him

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    3. MOL at that last comment, Jeanne!!!

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  4. Some people! Thank you for doing what you do and also for putting up with stuff like that.

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  5. Yippee for you! Thanks for speaking up and speaking the truth that so many people need to hear! And thank you for loving all the kitties.

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  6. I have no clue who will be a year old soon! I've had so many people walk away when I wouldn't let them take a kitten or cat in the same moment that they appeared at the adoption event! What they don't know would floor them. In the end, YOU are right, and the complainers are wrong for so many reasons, and we must dismiss them or we'll all have ulcers. Happy St. Patrick's!

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  7. I agree with you 100%. Instead of talking the talk, walk the walk. I'm not able to foster due to living in a 641 sq ft house with 2 dogs and 2 cats. However, I have decided to get off my butt and volunteer for Kitten Rescue which does amazing things here in LA. Actually reading this blog and watching the kitten came at explore.org inspired me to get involved instead of just thinking about being involved. Thank you again for the inspiration and all that you do for the kitties. You are an amazing person and the people that complain, post negative comments, etc need to WALK the WALK! Have an awesome weekend and don't let the naysayers get to you.

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    1. Thanks for the support of us and you local rescue. I wish more people would realize it takes more effort to complain then to help a little.

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  8. There's no such thing as gratuitous pictures of that family! I can't get enough - they are too cute. I hope Marilyn and her kittens are all doing well in their respective homes ... especially my little crush, Dandelion :)
    It seems like people feel entitled to complain and don't think through what they're really expecting of others. I get caught up in that sometimes and then I put myself in the other person's shoes and I see that my initial expectations were unfair. It really comes down to selfishness and an inability to see things from any other perspective. It's sad and even more regrettable for a not-for-profit. You do amazing things for so many cats ... I'm sorry that there are people who make your volunteer job even harder!

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    1. Thanks (and that's Amaryllis but they do look alike). Maybe more people just need to take a breath before hitting "post". Perspective is everything

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  9. I know what you mean. I handle the telephone calls for our rescue-group and most of them are from nice people. Even when we can't help them, they are grateful that we returned their calls. Some, though, are obnoxious; some give us grief because it is being deflected from those with whom they are really angry.

    The people who annoy me the most are those who see or even rescue a cat and then demand that we do something: "It's your responsibility!" Yes, it is - it is everyone's responsibility. But to pick a cat up off the road and call a rescue-group expecting not to have to do any more is like seeing a drowning man, calling for an ambulance and then complaining that they may not arrive in time to save him; is not the caller able to help? Many people like the idea of rescuing animals, but rescue involves taking it right through to finding a home for the animal, not just plucking it from danger. When St George rescued the lady from the dragon, he didn't just leave her in the wilderness by the dragon's corpse and hope she could fend for herself - and he didn't just call a rescue-group to help her.

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  10. I love the term "armchair rescuers" that someone else said in a comment above - and you gave that guy at the pet store exactly what he deserved!

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  11. Preach it, sister! So glad the rescue has folks like you :)

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  12. guys... cranbereez... two bad her dinna get like an autograff ore sum biznezz cardz frum him ....sew her coulda placed em ina neer bye litter tray while de bass terd looked on...oh well, may bee next time

    happee week oh end & lá sona st patrick le sláinte do gach ♣♣♣

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  13. Look at those cute lil babies. And you're right, of course, people can be thoughtless jerks.

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  14. You get a big "AMEN" from our mom. And then a lot of squee-ing over that picture.
    Cammie!

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  15. So cute!!! Humans- who can figure them out?? Happy St. Patrick's Day! hairballsandhissyfits.com

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  16. People complain about the stupidest stuff. But you are so right...stop complaining and do something useful instead. I'm glad you told that guy off. He really deserved it. ~Island Cat Mom

    Pee ess..Go Green!

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  17. Well said! I hope Mr. Lawyer got the point, as well as the others who complain without offering assistance. Actually that is a good reminder to me as well, the next time I think "they should do this or that" I'll try to remember to insert "I should do this or that".

    OMG, I'm pretty sure that's baby Daiquiri and her fursibs (and mom). Simply adorable!

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    1. That's actually Amaryllis and the flower kittens. :)

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  18. I'd estimate that about 90% of the general public with whom I deal in rescue are super. The other 10%, though ... hoo boy. The people who come in and want to "buy" a cat (and take it home on the spot, of course), the people who let their kids poke their fingers into the enclosures, the people who resent the application process ... *sigh*

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  19. Good for you! And you refrained from sticking your tongue out at him at the end, which I would have been tempted to do and would have ruined the whole thing, but sheesh! Some people just need a smack upside the head.

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