Author Topic: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?  (Read 2315 times)

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Offline Middle Child

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The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« on: October 24, 2014, 04:25:32 PM »
The Paw Project is running a t-shirt designing contest

http://www1.pawproject.org/tshirtcontest/

As you can see, they are offering $1000 in prizes for this contest.  This has deeply upset me.  Do you know I was planning to make a stack of my self warming beds this fall and sell them at work (I've been told there would be a big market for them) donating the proceeds to The paw Project.  I was going to make it known that anyone who bought a bed would be donating to The Paw Project, and I intended to include one of The Paw Projects information cards (I have a stack) with each bed.

Then I saw this contest.  I am....really bothered by this.  Why should I bloody my fingers (each bed is hand sewn) for The Paw Project to give away $1000?  They are always begging for money to help this or that cat with reconstructive surgery, and yet they can afford to give away $1000?

It has really made me feel discouraged as I was very excited about this way of gently getting the word out there about The Paw Project and the evils of declawing in general.  I know at least one cat owner in the building has declawed cats and another rescued a cat, had her declawed and then didn't end up keeping her anyway.

My area is desperately in need of educating on this.

I'm so bummed out.


Offline Middle Child

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2014, 04:51:39 PM »
Apparently the money was donated specifically to run this contest.  It doesn't change the fact that I cannot ask people to give to this organization when they are giving away $1000.  It just feels too hypocritical to me.  I am very depressed about this.

Offline FurMonster Mom

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2014, 05:41:31 PM »
Contests are a very good way to raise awareness, which is the entire objective of the Paw Project, isn't it?

If the money was donated specifically for this purpose, then they have an obligation to respect the donor's wishes.  Look at it from the other side... How would you feel if you donated to a rescue organization, specifying that the money went to blankets, and they spent it on cheap food (that you might be entirely against) instead?  You might be able to accept the justification, but I'd guess that it would still leave you feeling disappointed.
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Offline Lola

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2014, 05:44:35 PM »
My first thought was the same as yours.  Scratching my head...looking for the positive... 

They sell t-shirts.  So the potential is there to make money.  http://www.redbubble.com/people/pawproject/works/10199099-the-paw-project-logo?p=t-shirt

Someone donated the money specifically for this contest.  If that same person had donated an antique piece of furniture to be auctioned off (the proceeds going to them)... you would feel good about that.

Maybe a better option would have been... Have people send in their t-shirt ideas, with a 10 dollar donation.  The "win" would be knowing Paw Project will be using their design.  Something like that could be against the 501c non-profit rules though. 
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2014, 06:38:43 PM »
Thanks for your view points you guys.  FMM The Paw Project does more than raise awareness.  They are responsible for getting many of these suffering cats the repair surgeries they need to free them from so much pain and suffering. They are always asking for donations for one cat or another.

I never said, once I knew the money was donated for a specific purpose, that I felt the money should be used some other way.  I am simply feeling discouraged because their contest timing interferes with what I had hoped to do this Christmas season.  This community is in desperate desperate need of being educated about declawing.  The problem is there is a very prominent vet here who makes most of her living chopping the toes off cats.  She actively pushes declawing, I know because that was the reason I left her practice, after having declawing pushed at me for my Mazy cat.  In addition to her thriving business of cutting off cats toes, she runs a monthly low cost spay neuter clinic and does a huge amount of rescue work. 

You see what I am up against here.  I need to start very slowly and gently with this. If I worked in private sector I wouldn't be quite so...cautious, but I work for the government of this city. At least two of the people I work with have declawed cats. I have to be careful how I step on toes. I bought a stack of Paw Project videos and sent them to all the vet clinics in this and the surrounding area, and to the two shelters, also.  That was my start.

People here are starting to know that I am all about the animals, as I let it be known shortly after starting that I drive out to the shelter every few months and anyone wanting to donate old blankets or towels could give them to me and I would drop them off. But the declawing thing....

Last year I made a bed for a friend's elderly little dog, and several people asked if they could buy one from me "next Christmas".  I've never wanted to make money off these beds, I've never wanted to make them "to order" they are a hobby and I want to keep it that way.  But then one woman who is determined to have one suggested, at the time, that if I didn't want to take money for myself, I could seel them and donate the money.  That idea has been percolating all this time and I decided rather than donate to the shelter I would use this as a chance to start people learning about The Paw Project and the awfulness of declawing.

Then I saw this contest and I was so outraged, because I felt it was going to interfere with MY plan.  Selfish me, you see.

Lola, I thought the same as you, that they should be charging an entry fee to this contest, not giving money away, but, I don't believe there is any charge for entering the contest.

Maybe if I wait on the beds until the contest is over, but I don't want to wait too long, want them to sell for Christmas, you know?

I still want to do it, I NEED to be doing something, this community is so BLIND about declawing, but I am not a crusader in real life, I can only go with the subtle approach, and everyone thinks that vet is "so wonderful".

Offline Lola

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #5 on: October 24, 2014, 07:26:08 PM »
I have been thinking ... uh oh.  ;)
I wouldn't have given it a second thought, had the donation been non-monetary,  And the money was donated for a specific reason.  And (again) there is potential in making money with a new t-shirt design. 
I'm okay with it. 
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Offline DeeDee

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #6 on: October 24, 2014, 08:58:48 PM »
FMM The Paw Project does more than raise awareness.  They are responsible for getting many of these suffering cats the repair surgeries they need to free them from so much pain and suffering. They are always asking for donations for one cat or another.


http://www.pawproject.org/about
The Paw Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 59-3782436, CA Corp ID: 26040)


http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/59-3782436/paw-project-animal-general-hospital.aspx

I guess they get a whole lot that doesn't have to be spent when they ask for money for a specific animal that needs repair/surgery. Or they sure had it in 2012.

On the financial's tab:
Total Revenue
 $1,014,129
Total Expenses
 $301,069

A lot can't be found there though because there are a lot of, "... information has not been provided by the nonprofit," given for specific sections.

Weird that both sites give me info for 2012 though:

http://501c3lookup.org/paw_project_-_animal_general_hospital/

Maybe someone else wants to go through all those "EXTERNAL LINKS FOR 'PAW PROJECT - ANIMAL GENERAL HOSPITAL'" links down at the bottom of that page? I'm kind of done with numbers for the night.
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2014, 09:23:28 PM »
Yes Lola I have been thinking too.  My main goal is to make people locally aware of the horror that declawing really is.  That is why I thought the best way to do that would be to announce in my note about the beds that proceeds would go to The Paw Project, and include one of their informational cards with every bed.  It is less about the money than getting the word out.  Then, when I saw the contest my initial reaction was, what the HECK, why am I going to give them any more of my money, if they can throw away $1000. 

And on that thought came It seems hypocritical.  Of course after asking, they told me the prize money was donated specifically for that use of it.  Well that explains that.  But it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. But if I don't use the sales of the beds for The Paw Project, how do I bring the Paw Project into it, you see my dilemma?

I'm thinking...maybe I could split it.  "Proceeds to benefit our shelter (which most people already know I am interested in) and the Paw Project.  In which case I could see if the shelter has cards they give out, too. Include both cards?  Maybe then I won't feel like a hypocrite and can still get the word out about declawing.  Because THAT is what I am mainly trying to do.

My problem is, I can't speak about it reasonably to people. I get so filled with rage and anger over it (and over that vet I mentioned) that I just cannot have a reasonable conversation about it, and anyone talking to me who has declawed a cat is going to feel judged by me.  I don't seem to have any control over it. This is why I want to do it THIS way.  Let The Paw Project Documentary tell them about it, you know?

Dee, thank you for your investigations.  Gawd I don't want to know that this organization are crooks too. Whatever they are, they ARE spreading the word and FMM and Lola are right, that is the main point.  But I need to get the word started in my community too, and I don't know how else to do it.


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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2014, 09:12:02 AM »
I'm late to this, and don't really have too much to add, other than the option you mentioned of selling the beds and donating the proceeds to the shelter, and including the note about The Pet Project.  Is there another organization that also tries to educate people about declawing?  Maybe you could donate the money to them instead?  grouphug
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Offline FurMonster Mom

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2014, 03:24:28 PM »
I honestly don't see how the contest "interferes" with your own efforts.   :-\
The contest is a little something to raise awareness, but ultimately the contestants themselves are already "in the know".
Your beds are finished products targeted to consumers who may not be aware of the issue.

The Paw Project has expanded, growing out of its grassroots phase, as it should if they want the message to reach a larger audience.  They are doing an amazing job on several fronts, but growth requires funds; personally, I don't begrudge them that, and I think they should use every trick in the book.

Your efforts, though on a smaller scale, are no less important.  Even just pointing people to the Paw Project with your beds is a positive step.  Whether you decide to make it a financial contribution as well is certainly your prerogative, but I don't see how the contest itself actually interferes with your efforts.   I'd say, do your thing regardless.  thumbsup1
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Offline Lola

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Re: The Paw Project's contest- your opinion please?
« Reply #10 on: October 28, 2014, 09:01:42 AM »
I vote for going ahead with your original plan.   2cents
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