This year there has been a preponderance of Christmas adverts asking us adopt a Snow Leopard or a Polar Bear.
The WWF recently ran an advert on UK TV saying 'adopt one of OUR animals for £3 a month'. Who's animals? They don't belong to the WWF. And who gave them permission to offer them for adoption?
This is no more than ' charitable respectability' running a huge multi-national scam.
If I do decide to 'adopt' a wild animal, I want it to be delivered HERE, and I would require the WWF to hand over part of their fund-raising dosh to pay for it's upkeep. That's how adoption works Matey.
Imagine adopting a human baby, and having someone else look after it (or not), and having to pay-up, and being given a Cabbage Patch toy to play with instead. No, no, no.
The only animals that will benefit from these so-called 'adoptions' are of the human kind!
I have no problem with the WWF; I'm sure they do very good work. But offering wild animals for adoption, or paying to name a Whale, or buying some ridiculously distant star, is simply conning the gullible.
Far better to just hand over a few quid/bucks now and again; and forget all this 'adoption' malarkey. It's just a way of getting hold of your bank details, then bombarding you with begging letters until you end up screaming.
Do you think it would be possible for me to have a few meerkats please?!
ReplyDeleteI agree, sometimes the adoption fee doesn't cover the cost of the goodies and the P&P. I give to charity because I want to give, not to buy a load of tat. Saying that, I did adopt a horse once for a year, after that I just donated. At least I could go and visit my horse, I doubt very much that they could find my polar bear.
ReplyDeleteI donate to 'look after' a few square metres of a local wildlife sancuary. I must say it makes me feel I somehow belong there, and I know there is a cost in trapping the mustelids and rats, even if it's only the eggs and salted rabbit bait. But what I give is nothing compared with the donated time of the volunteers to clear the tracks, raise the kiwi chicks and check and re-bait the traps every week...
ReplyDeleteAs you say, a scam, pure, simple and of international proportions. The next move for huge charities such as this is into tele-evangelism, with some chap in a white Jermyn Street suit ad Gucci loafers shouting "are you with me?" while a "dial this number and have your card ready" message flashes across screen.
ReplyDeleteactually, I don't object. It's a way of raising necessary funds for a laudable cause. my aged mother pays £5 a month for a snow leopard. she can well afford it but would never have responded to ordinary advertising. I set up the direct debit as her financial elf, and refused the cuddly toy which she doesn't need. She gets a newsletter a couple of times a year and has had one begging letter at Christmas. Much better than many charities. And I'm glad someone's taking an interest in threatened species.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Cro !
ReplyDeleteWhat I strongly object to with most charities. Is the high wages the ones at the top pay themselves, parasites is a word that flows into my mind.
This made me laugh even though I bought my horse-loving niece an adoption package for a Dartmoor pony for christmas. I see it as just a way of raising money for the charity - like sponsoring a third-world child. The real scam is the Naming a Star companies. 'Send us money so we can post you a pic of the sky with an arrow pointing towards a dot which is named after you'. Like buying air.
ReplyDeleteHave a great 2013.
I give to charities that I believe in and am happy that I can do so. What I hate is that my name is sold or given to other organizations and I am flooded with many requests for donations.
ReplyDeleteI want to adopt a wild Cro.
ReplyDeleteI guess people like a photo of their adopted giraffe on their refrigerator along side their "Foster" child. In Canada you can "adopt" a highway and even have a little plaque with your name on it by the gravel shoulder.
ReplyDeleteI believe you are turning intoEster Ranzen
ReplyDeleteMind you, you really should only work on the radio version of that's life.
You only have a face for radio x
Would you care to adopt a Starling, John? It costs £5 a week, and it'll write regular letters.
Deletei just want a dog or a cat to call my own...without now for a couple of years!!
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though major charities, any kind, become so bloated with salaries and advertising, they lose sight of their original intent. They create a monster that must be fed continuously and whose appetite increases. I'd rather keep my dollars at home where I can see and hear about the benefits. Mine is "Bale of Hay" for horses that have been abandoned in this county. And, Hospice for humans. ;-)
ReplyDeleteJust a different way of marketing for a decent organization. Much better than actually owning your own exotic animal....which from experience on the regulatory side I can tell you is not all it is cracked up to be.....
ReplyDeleteCertainly food for thought there and something I hadn't really considered. Great post :)
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe salaries for RSPCA are shown below. They come to £46,554,000 – plus £997,000 for temporary and agency staff.
Higher paid staff are as follows:
£60,000 - £69,000 - 9 people
£70,000 - £79,000 - 4 people
£80,000 - £89,000 - 2 people
£90,000 - £99,000 - 1 person
£100,000 - £109,000 - 1 person
Hmm. If each of the above is paid in the mid range this comes to a total of £1,255,000 per annum for only 17 staff.
Yeah, cash cow for a few.
I would love to adopt a wild animal!
ReplyDeleteI have adopted an Asian Elephant for the last ten years, bit embarrassed to tell you that annual expense. But glad it is not in my back garden.
ReplyDelete