Thinking about doing an 'odd' side project

[Az]

I've been thinking about this on/off for a while, and had previously run it by Patch (who does a lot of rescue work) and she thought it was great idea.

It's odd because it's exactly the sort of site I dislike: free-ad type 'kittens for sale' sites.

Why?

Because currently we have no voice on them - or to the millions of visitors they get every year. Unfortunately they are the first port of call for a huge number of people looking to buy a dog or cat - the first thing most people do when looking for a cat is google 'kittens for sale'!

At least if we had a controlling interest in the 'sector' we could get our message on there - hopefully making people aware of good/bad breeders (and over time intensify that message - because to begin with we'd have to be a bit stealth). We could also use the stats, perhaps for campaigning or legislation. And at the same time there would be a big fat advert for Catsey... so people are more likely to join here where we have a large majority of ethical and responsible owners.

If we manage to kill those amoral sites who do next to nothing to help educate their site visitors, that will be worth it in itself - for all the good, sites like Catsey does, they undo - so I think it's a bit of a war and I'm beginning to learn that you need to beat them at their own game :twisted:

Additionally - rescues will be able to upload their cats that need rehoming, so will be able to get good exposure for their cats.

Just considering it

I'm only just considering it at the mo, I need to find a side project to practise on before starting that big pet site I keep going on about (the one where we try to raise £1M for pet charities) which of course this free-ads type site will also help give exposure to (due to the massive traffic they get). I am on my last programming book (which is taken a while as Rocky doesn't let me leave his side bless him).

Anyway - what do you think? Have a I gone mad or is this a good idea? The fact is soo many people are using those sites, and they go to them way before they come to us (which is usually after they've got a cat) so I can't think of any better way to reach out to them, or to have more of an impact on things.

[Az]

Hey Guys, I posted this over on Dogsey too (as there will be both a cat and dog version of the site) where I've already answered some questions, please take a quick look in case any of the questions you have in mind may have also been posted there :)

http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php?t=154945

[dandysmom]

I like the idea tremendously, Az.

[Az]

I like the idea tremendously, Az.

Thanks Eileen! It will be an international site so we will need your help in getting word out for us over the pond :-D

[Squirrel]

Mmmmm... Sounds at once like it will take a lot of work - but it's one of those things which will never be done unless people are committed to it, and it's important, so...

All looks good to me. :)

[dandysmom]

Az, it's my understanding that a site's position on Google depends on the number of hits it gets, right? So when ours is up, we all should click on it several times a day .... ???

[Velvet]

Im all for it, anything to make people think before they buy or take on a "free" pet.

[Az]

Mmmmm... Sounds at once like it will take a lot of work - but it's one of those things which will never be done unless people are committed to it, and it's important, so...

All looks good to me. :)

Yes it will be pretty tough, but I think with all of your help we can do it :)

Az, it's my understanding that a site's position on Google depends on the number of hits it gets, right? So when ours is up, we all should click on it several times a day .... ???

I'm sure hits help Eileen, but I'm not sure how much (it's one of Google's secrets I imagine :lol:) but I do know that links help a lot - so posting the link to the site on other sites will be of huge benefit. (We'll of course have a link to it here on Catsey, and one one Dogsey for the dog version) :)

Im all for it, anything to make people think before they buy or take on a "free" pet.

Great - thanks!

I'm glad so many of you are for the idea - I was kinda worried you might think I'd gone mad lol

[dandysmom]

And a link on OFF too....... most of the members know better, but you do have guests and lookers.

[Az]

Yeah definitely - the more links and exposure we get the better :)

I actually feel a bit like James Bond - as we're sort of going undercover on this one :lol:

[angieh]

I'm really for anything that helps educate people Az - I have probably a naive thought that loads of people only need to be told about something to change their attitude towards animals and give them more respect and a better chance of a happy life.

I hope that the new site will help with the "neuter/spay" message?

[Az]

I'm really for anything that helps educate people Az - I have probably a naive thought that loads of people only need to be told about something to change their attitude towards animals and give them more respect and a better chance of a happy life.

I hope that the new site will help with the "neuter/spay" message?

Yeah great idea Angie! I think we should probably start a thread to start collecting our thoughts on what advice we think we need to get up on it.

We can then think about what we put up first, as we'll want to start subtle and work our way up.

Perhaps closer the time we can create a section dedicated to it... as I don't think one thread will be enough :lol:

[Elaine]

I've always thought you were completely bonkers.

I understand where you are coming from with this idea but I do worry that it will end up being just another free site to advertise animals on and that the ethics you talk of will come to nothing.

[Az]

I've always thought you were completely bonkers.


Lol gee thanks Elaine :lol:


I understand where you are coming from with this idea but I do worry that it will end up being just another free site to advertise animals on and that the ethics you talk of will come to nothing.

Thanks, I'm glad you can see where I'm coming from :)

We will indeed have to sleep with the enemy, but with the end goal in mind - that we'll actually have a voice on such sites, which are, for many (too many?) would-be pet owners' first port of call.

I'd love to wave a magic wand and have everyone think more about pet ownership and how they purchase those pets - but that's just not happening (or not happening fast enough). So what better than to infiltrate something that's deeply embedded, and be more diligent in how we shape change.

I don't think anyone else has tried to tackle the problem in this manner before - which is scary, but also gives us some hope?

[calismum]

I have to admit to being 50:50 on this one. I fully agree it is essential we try and get an inroad to educate. I also worry that by doing that we create another opportunity for unethical/uneducated breeders to advertise.

I would hope that if we can have the 'so you think you want a kitten' messages posted in such a way that that they are educating, friendly and helpful that some people will take the advice on board.

I suppose if you sit and do nothing then how do we expect the situation to improve. Even if we can stop a small number of people breeding, not speying, or buying from the 'wrong' type of breeder it will be of benefit to each potential litter of kittens.

[angieh]

Yes, it's a bit of a tightrope isn't it?

What sort of checks and balances are you thinking about Az?

[Az]

I have to admit to being 50:50 on this one. I fully agree it is essential we try and get an inroad to educate. I also worry that by doing that we create another opportunity for unethical/uneducated breeders to advertise.

I would hope that if we can have the 'so you think you want a kitten' messages posted in such a way that that they are educating, friendly and helpful that some people will take the advice on board.

I suppose if you sit and do nothing then how do we expect the situation to improve. Even if we can stop a small number of people breeding, not speying, or buying from the 'wrong' type of breeder it will be of benefit to each potential litter of kittens.

Are you a mind-reader? I had all of those thoughts too :lol:

I was worried about the 'why should we give them a free platform' point too - but then I searched 'kittens for sale' and there are a million and one sites where they can already do this.

So we won't be creating the problem, just taking it on _but_ with the intention of trying to fix it (albeit slowly if necessary)

I suppose if you sit and do nothing then how do we expect the situation to improve. Even if we can stop a small number of people breeding, not speying, or buying from the 'wrong' type of breeder it will be of benefit to each potential litter of kittens.

Precisely my thoughts too :-D

Yes, it's a bit of a tightrope isn't it?

Sure is :lol: but as Calismum said, we've got to tackle the bull by the horns, and I don't think anyone's tried to do it this way before - which is kinda scary, but gives us hope too?

What sort of checks and balances are you thinking about Az?

We're actually not going to concentrate on the 'sellers' at this stage - to begin with we want to get our message to prospective pet owners, _before_ they get a kitten.

Later, we'll share information and stats with the RSPCA etc, and perhaps use it for campaigning/legislation etc

Can you tell I've thought long and hard about this? :lol: I've got my crafty head on :-D