This is an interesting article. http://alegalknot.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/face-crooks-on-face-book-is-this-what-rescue-has-become/
Face Crooks on Face Book, is this what Rescue has become ?
What once was a new and innovative way to save animals from a Shelter, a hoarder or an abusive situation has now become an open playground for those to do more harm than good to these helpless animals.
One has to wonder why is it taking Paypal and the IRS so long to stop this fraudulent activity?
( Send any complaint issues with Paypal to compliance@paypal.com )
I hope before anyone donates to a Chip In or even thru PayPal they ask a few hard-hitting questions. Ask who is actually receiving the animals, their name and address, what Vet will this animal be taken to once removed or pulled from a Shelter, their contact info and I would suggest calling the Vet to verify they do in fact have that animal in their care. How is the animal getting from point A to point B? Is there a long distance transport involved, if so what is their name, who is the driver and what is their USDA APHIS License Number.
It’s your right to ask questions, along with to ask to view any receipts that you give a cause where they are asking the general public to contribute.
Know your rights as a donator and do not allow them to simply block you on Face Book when you ask these hard-hitting questions. After all if they are legit why would they mind giving you this information?
Food for thought, if you donate thru Paypal for any Animal Rescue cause you have the right to dispute the donation thru the Paypal links and they will follow-up with a full investigation of what took place. Paypal will ask the receiver of the finds to produce receipts and documentation of this event, if they can’t, then your money will be refunded to you. Never feel as if it’s not your right to ask where your money is going and if indeed it actually went to the cause you intended to send it to.
If you feel you have been taken advantage of and can not get Paypal to assist you then follow-up with an email to the IRS with any and all documentation that you can supply them. You can email them ateoclass@irs.gov
Cruise any of the Facebook pages for the Devore "activists", see all the chip in's they are asking for and most of these are dogs still sitting in the shelter. How many other "rescues" are collecting chip in's on the same dogs? I saw one dog had $1500 in chip in's and still was sitting in Devore. Is this scam easy to follow or what?
Here is a question that I have always had. If someone donated money for a dog and it gets adopted to a family versus going to a rescue, where does the money go? So of these fund drives I have seen get hundreds of dollars. Who actually gets the money?
ReplyDeleteAnd if all of this money is given, who is tracking it? Does it have to be reported to the IRS on a non-profits 990? Is it taxable if you are not a non-profit?
And what if the animal is put to sleep? Again I ask, where does the money go?????
Maybe instead of the press looking for the dirt on Devore (which they have and there is none to report)they should be following the money????
Just a thought....
If they are legitimate, they offer the money back to the donators if the rescue you donated to for a specific animal goes to another rescue, is privately adopted or pts.
DeleteJust what I have always thought, the activists (and I know they read this blog) don't want to respond. what are they afraid of???? The truth???? How many of them are just lining their pockets on the backs of the shelter pets; not caring truly about the animals, just how can we make a quick buck.
ReplyDeleteI know one of the main chihuahua pushers is recently unemployed and I can only imagine how much extra income (beside unemployment) she is generating off of the pets. Or the 'realtor' that is now focusing on transports (for a profit I am sure and she is under investigation for animal cruelty for the way she transports her animals). How could a realtor be selling anything when they are never around or have the 'rescuers smell' on them constantly?
They have found a niche to make a buck at the animals expense, and found a way to do it with no traceability.
I know I would never donate to anyone like those involved I know of.