How to Adopt out Cats and Kittens Without the Help of Your Local Shelter
July 22, 2018
Interview! Pamela Merritt, Cat Advice Columnist
August 4, 2018
Okay, I am really excited about the Pet Forum platform that the folks at Maddie’s Fund have put together. You can read more about it at maddiesfund.org. I believe that this forum could potentially be the next generation of technology that can help take us to the next level for cats. It could be more helpful than even Petfinder has been for organizations over the years.
Below are a few questions that I think folks might ask when looking at the Pet Forum:
1. Why do we need another social media type site?
As it is, we don’t have time for Facebook, Instagram, and others… My answer is that the Maddie’s Pet Forum will help streamline access to people and resources so that you can get the assistance you need to be able to help cats in your community. You will develop strong relationships as well as be able to ask critical questions — and you’ll get your answers immediately. It is worth it to take the time to focus on the forum as a place to ask your “how-to” and “how-do-I”-type questions.
2. This is only for Executive Directors of big-scale non-profits.
That is not the case. Maddie’s Pet Forum is open to anyone — you don’t even have to be part of an organization. Everyone who helps animals can participate in the forum. Barriers for communication are broken down in this space; we are all equals.
3. Why do you compare this with Petfinder?
I would say that Petfinder was created to showcase the animals in our care in order to help them find homes and it was a great technological gift to our industry. I believe Maddie’s Pet Forum is going to be a similar gift to us, only it will use technology to take care of the people involved with animal welfare. It will be a virtual place for the humans involved to get the support that we all need to be able to move the needle forward.
4. I am terrible with technology.
If you can handle Facebook, you can handle Maddie’s Pet Forum. Just take the leap and try it out!
Susan Houser’s blog Out the Front Door covered Maddie’s Pet Forum in one of her recent blogs and I thought I would share her great work here (and encourage you to sign up to receive her blog).
I am hoping to create groups within the Maddie’s Pet Forum that are focused on geographic connections so that we will also be able to solve local community issues. There is a “New England Cat Connector” group set up that you can check out at maddiespetforum.org. If you would like to participate in helping set up these groups and be part of my ambassador program, feel free to email me at stacy@communitycatspodcast.com.
