11 years, 3 months ago-
Posts
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Locally, we’re boycotting a pet store who has started selling puppies and kittens from hobby breeders (not reputable ones, but people who think – you have a cute dog, I have a cute dog, let’s make puppies).
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Today, I realized that the rescue group posted a response to my article on their Facebook page saying that Natural Balance supports selling puppies for proft and insinuating that they support puppy mills by not pulling their products from Bridges Pets.
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I emailed them this…
I implore you to take down the post accusing NB of being into selling puppies. I understand that this is a hot issue with you, but by attacking NB, you’re making it difficult for other brands to sponsor Scrub-a-Mutt, because you’re putting the message out there that if they don’t fall in line with your beliefs, you’ll burn them on social networking sites.
My goal in writing that letter was to show something from both sides. I actually believed that NB would think twice and come back and clarify their stance and still support your summer event. This online attack just eliminated that possibility.
I understand that this is a very emotional issue for you, but it’s important to take a step back and look at it from a business stand point, which is cold. If they don’t want to support your event, then at least you had some great years with them and you can now move on to find bigger, better sponsors.
Of course it’s your cause, your Facebook, and your event. But I hope that you give this a second thought. My concern is that you’re treading very closely to slander/libel with this post. I’ve seen a blogger attack a big brand and lose a lot in the end. They have endless resources.
They took down their post, but now I’m so freaked out, because I really support this group, but I’m worried about their emotional reaction to pet brands.
I imagine that you have a lot more experience working with brands + rescue and I would love to hear your your thoughts?
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I don’t have the experience you are looking for, but i do have plenty of experience in being at the cool, calm end of an emotional debate, and it nevers ends well… for me.
Is there anyone with Scrub-a-Mutt that you can talk to in private and maybe reach? That would be my best advice. Take the conversation offline. It’s tougher, especially these days, to reason in a public forum. A private setting is best.
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Stop Killing Health Pets! Vinny the Pug’s Final, yet Most Important Quest Ever! 100% NO-KILL by 2020. from Vinny The Pug on Vimeo.
Hi Kimberly,
As a long time proponent of pet rescue and animal welfare, I too have been witnessing a turn to more militant tactics by some. It is my feeling that such actions are a distraction and does great harm to the causes these people really care about. I believe they do so because they are frustrated that their programs are yielding so few tangible results. Ironically, we’re all about getting substantial money into the hands of those at the grass-root level. Even more important, about teaching then how to fund raise in the 21st Century. “Donation” based fundraisers is a model of the past.
In my quest to help move the U.S. and Canada toward 100% NO-KILL, I’m all about winning friends and influencing people to my cause. I have not time nor inclination to resort to confrontation or negative tactics.
In one week, 7 days, we will kickoff our 1st Annual 100-Day Pet Rescue Fundraiser marathon. At its completion, 100% of the monies raised will be divided among the participants. We’re inviting 1,000 pet rescues and animal welfare groups to become registered participants and receive equal shares when the contest ends.
As for us, we only have 9 1/2 years to reach out objective or somewhere very close to it. We have no time for negativity as too many healthy pets lives are at stake. Please help spread the word and direct everyone to the fundraiser website.
http://igg.me/p/311313/x/975147
Vincent Thomas Pug
aka Vinny the Pug
New Orleans & Phoenix
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It’s bad PR for you, as well. Unfortunately, when people get this way, they don’t realize how much they can hurt. By doing that, they may have alienated more than people than just you. What activists rarely understand is you won’t get the regular joe to your cause if you pick on reasonable people.
It also is a great cautionary tale, and one you may want to write and hold in reserve… should they fail.
Kimberly Gauthier said:
That’s what I was afraid of; what freaked me out and had me running to BlogPaws is that they mentioned me in their slam and linked to my blog. Talk about a heart stopping moment.
It’s their cause and if they want to burn that bridge, it’s their choice; but to bring me along felt awful. When they first announced that Natural Balance pulled their sponsorship, I would never have thought that a week later I would be pulling mine.
I’m trying to keep from making a rash decision; but I think your suggestion is right. It’s time to just stay away and not make anything public. It would make such a great article though. LOL
christie zizo said:
If there is no one there you can reason with right now, the best answer is to stay away. Don’t make it public, don’t do anything. Just back off and leave it. Let them come to you. Unfortunately, they may give themselves enough rope to hang their cause, but there isn’t much you can do.
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Kim, I too follow your blog. I suggest you let the dust settle and keep posting for pro rescue and adoption.
The twin path of reducing masses of puppies flooding the market until their “product” puppies end up in animal shelters needs to be talked up. This is the main thrust of my blog this year, discussing the huge knowledge and dedication gap between breeders.
All breeders should or could take responsibility for healthy puppies, tracking their puppies with buy back policies and microchips so that dogs are not dumped at animal shelters or rescues.
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Hi Kim – just caught up with this thread and I agree whole-heartedly with Ms French. In my time, I’ve been right in the middle of some very heated, emotional issues when I ran that retired greyhound organization and one VERY important lesson I learned was the value of silence. Let it speak for you now especially because you’ve already written a very even-handed blog post (I read your first one earlier today) about a highly charged emotional issue. That you were able to then write a second email to that rescue group says so much about who you are, your ethical sense of right and wrong and your clear understanding of how a business might look at this volatile issue.
You did, very dispassionately, show both sides. If it spins out-of-control, it won’t be your fault. In fact, if it does spin out of control, make silence work for you. Wait until someone comes back to you directly and then really think hard before you commit to whatever step might come next.
I am SO very proud of you.
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Yes, Kim – Kathy Porter said what I forgot, you have been tender, thoughtful and kind. You are showing true strength and calm. The only way to bring peace to this world is by being peace. Your fairness and respectful treatment of others, may not come back to you right away, but it will return and support you when you least expect.
Well done. Bravo!
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Hi Kim,
Kudos to you for making the brave attempt to be the voice of reason. Sadly, that can result in being attacked from both sides.
I love Vinny’s approach, because the most tragic thing I see here is the likelihood that everyone involved loves animals and wants to promote pet welfare and contribute to ending the horror of puppy mills. I don’t know anything about Bridges Pets except from your post dissecting their FB statements, but as an outsider, I could see some good intentions mixed in with their defensiveness and lack of understanding.
I wonder what might have happened if leaders in the local rescue community had taken a more private and positive approach, perhaps a series of meetings and communications leading toward the pet store hosting not only adoption days, but events in which the store personnel could be seen as educational resources on pet welfare topics, including responsible breeding.
At this point, I think the advice to let the dust settle seems both unanimous and sound. You may draw some comfort and perspective from Pam Webster’s wonderful post on Something Wagging this Way Comes: Lessons in Grace – The Idealists vs. the Realists (as I did during the controversy she wrote about; btw, we did emerge a stronger community, I believe).
Oh, and thank you as well for the link in your post to A Mastiff Blog’s post, The Backyard Breeder vs. The Responsible Hobby Breeder – I’m guessing many people might quibble with some of the details in a few places, but it’s the best attempt I’ve seen at putting some clear definitions to terms that usually get thrown around loosely.
I’m happy that you felt safe to raise these issues here and that our community has responded so constructively!
Thanks to everyone,
Tom
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Kimberly,
It’s too bad they didn’t take your post in the way it was meant. I guess they just aren’t ready to listen to anyone who isn’t thinking like they do.
I love the Internet, but I think it makes people much more reactionary. They can rally supporters in no time by just posting to FB or their blog or Twitter. These are great tools when people are thinking rationally about what they want to accomplish, but when they’re angry it just makes things worse.
Since I have plans to work with rescues and pet businesses in my community, I’ve been thinking more and more about how I can handle those issues that can spark controversy between groups. I know there’s no way to prevent it 100%, but I’d like to keep it to a minimum.
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You’ve very right about it making people reactionary. The recent Applebee’s fiasco is a perfect example. I think social media got really big really fast and no one is really teaching people how to properly deal with that. And it is way too easy to just type the first thought that pops in your head sometimes. i can’t tell you how many posts I’ve deleted over the years because I was hot to trot and had a keyboard at my finger tips.
Dawn Miklich said:
Kimberly,
It’s too bad they didn’t take your post in the way it was meant. I guess they just aren’t ready to listen to anyone who isn’t thinking like they do.
I love the Internet, but I think it makes people much more reactionary. They can rally supporters in no time by just posting to FB or their blog or Twitter. These are great tools when people are thinking rationally about what they want to accomplish, but when they’re angry it just makes things worse.
Since I have plans to work with rescues and pet businesses in my community, I’ve been thinking more and more about how I can handle those issues that can spark controversy between groups. I know there’s no way to prevent it 100%, but I’d like to keep it to a minimum.
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I just heard about the Applebee’s thing today. People don’t take the time for things to get worked out through normal channels anymore and it’s causing more problems than it needs to. Losing a job would not be worth the attention you get.
I am a big one for writing posts and then deleting them. I used to be big at writing letters to the editor and never sending them. At least it gets it out of my system.
Kimberly- It sounds like they are finally starting to get their head about them. Glad this has turned out for the better.
christie zizo said:
You’ve very right about it making people reactionary. The recent Applebee’s fiasco is a perfect example. I think social media got really big really fast and no one is really teaching people how to properly deal with that. And it is way too easy to just type the first thought that pops in your head sometimes. i can’t tell you how many posts I’ve deleted over the years because I was hot to trot and had a keyboard at my finger tips.
Dawn Miklich said:
Kimberly,
It’s too bad they didn’t take your post in the way it was meant. I guess they just aren’t ready to listen to anyone who isn’t thinking like they do.
I love the Internet, but I think it makes people much more reactionary. They can rally supporters in no time by just posting to FB or their blog or Twitter. These are great tools when people are thinking rationally about what they want to accomplish, but when they’re angry it just makes things worse.
Since I have plans to work with rescues and pet businesses in my community, I’ve been thinking more and more about how I can handle those issues that can spark controversy between groups. I know there’s no way to prevent it 100%, but I’d like to keep it to a minimum.
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I always arrive late to these chats. VERY deep breath and wrap that silence around you. Tightly. Your safe place to rant and rave is here, and even when you’re doing that, you have always managed to be “grace under fire.”
Email exchanges are almost always inadequate when arguments flair up – heck! Even humorous emails can turn around to bite the sender in the butt. If you are being attacked in emails, just put them in a file and don’t answer them. If they’ve run “everything” through an attorney, you are better at distancing yourself from any further email exchanges.
We love you and will always have your back!
Kimberly Gauthier said:
And now it’s gotten nasty. Bummer. I just don’t understand, but I’m certain that people see this when dealing with emotionally charged issues.
I’m being attacked via email for trying to understand everyone’s POV other than the rescue group. I’ve been told that I “couldn’t be more wrong.” How can seeking to understand be wrong? I just don’t understand.
They say that they’ve run everything through an attorney who told them they were right. What attorney told them that they should state that Natural Balance supports puppy mills? And even if someone did say they were in the right, that doesn’t make it the right thing to do.
Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath.
Idealists vs Realists?
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So, at some point in the future, could be in 24 hours, 2 weeks or 6 months from now, something else will happen that will connect you back to this incident and you’ll suddenly realize why this “thing” happened. The lesson learned always shows itself when you need to apply it to another situation.
Kimberly Gauthier said:
LOL and now I’ve been forgiven again. Emotions run really hot and cold in dog rescue. I’m going to take care in which causes I join, doing a little intel on the groups first. I still support this group, because these are my neighbors (not physically, but same town), but I’ll have to tread carefully with them in the future.
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Idealists vs. Realists is exactly the problem. That and people who are part of causes but have no idea how things work outside of their myopic view of things.
This sort of thing literally ended several friendships for me several years ago. I hate that you’re going through that. People who can’t see what you are trying to do at this point are so stuck in their passion that they can’t see past it.
As for this rescue group’s leader… no offense, but they seem either nuts or immature. Or both. Backing off still seems like the best option.
Kimberly Gauthier said:
And now it’s gotten nasty. Bummer. I just don’t understand, but I’m certain that people see this when dealing with emotionally charged issues.
I’m being attacked via email for trying to understand everyone’s POV other than the rescue group. I’ve been told that I “couldn’t be more wrong.” How can seeking to understand be wrong? I just don’t understand.
They say that they’ve run everything through an attorney who told them they were right. What attorney told them that they should state that Natural Balance supports puppy mills? And even if someone did say they were in the right, that doesn’t make it the right thing to do.
Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath.
Idealists vs Realists?
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Actually, an ethical attorney would not encourage them to slander a company. Even if a company does wrong, they can still burn you in court. Just the cost of three lawyers all billing for the same face to face legal hearings, and pressing on week after week with legal advisers = HUGE bills an potential court fines. I do not believe they are idealists, they are expressing anger, and you have been a scapegoat.
I am sorry about her cutting your friendship. I think it is her loss. Kim, you are doing the right thing by being calm and understanding.
“Keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you” from a poem entitled “If”
Deborah
Kimberly Gauthier said:
And now it’s gotten nasty. Bummer. I just don’t understand, but I’m certain that people see this when dealing with emotionally charged issues.
I’m being attacked via email for trying to understand everyone’s POV other than the rescue group. I’ve been told that I “couldn’t be more wrong.” How can seeking to understand be wrong? I just don’t understand.
They say that they’ve run everything through an attorney who told them they were right. What attorney told them that they should state that Natural Balance supports puppy mills? And even if someone did say they were in the right, that doesn’t make it the right thing to do.
Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath.
Idealists vs Realists?
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