Q. But I read on the internet you accept Kangaroo donations? Nope, the people saying that are purposely not giving you the full story in order to make you think and say bad things about us. By telling you only half the story, they aim to extract your horrified response. Check the facts first. This policy is the facts.

Q. But I read on the internet you give out free Kangaroo to domestic pet owners? Nope, the people saying that are also not telling you the full story because they want you to think and say bad things about us. The majority of our donations are given to rescuers. In the event of an emergency we also support people who are struggling to feed their animals (Lismore floods is a good example) but that is a small part of our work.

Q. But I read on the internet you just don’t want to upset your vendors & get money? Nope, far simpler than that. The people saying that want you to think and say bad things about us. Most vendors don’t give us financial support. This is as simple as we have explained. 

Q. But I read on the internet (insert story here) …  Much of what you read on the internet is one sided or even false. Just like most rescuers, we have our fair share of internet characters fixated on us. This policy and these reasons are what we do and why. Speculation on social media is often just “Internet Graffiti”, designed for shock and selfies, then quickly washed off.

(Personal opinion of individuals on social media has for a long time created an unhealthy environment for charities to navigate, that’s why most of them get ignored. But that’s another story.)

Q. I run a Facebook group and someone is putting Anti ARC posts on it. What do I do? It is a very common tactic to discredit one organisation by using others they work with. It’s called “abuse by proxy”. EG, making problems and creating time wasting arguments, forcing conflict.  We aren’t entering the discussion, it’s done. Our policy is here, we know who we are and what we do. Our actions speak for themselves.

Publish whatever you like on your own page and if it is misrepresenting the truth, your call. Ask yourself “is this healthy or toxic”? Read the pages of the people sharing the information. Do they look like they are positively contributing to rescue or just attacking others online.  Have they ever contributed to your work or is this just another way of attacking another charity. Your call.

Q “Is there much Kangaroo” – No.  We have been in the past offered a large amount of mixed meats by VIP and we simply rejected it. We are aware that other groups took it, but when we know about it, it doesn’t come here.

Q. But the RSPCA said they wouldn’t put it on their shelves? If they can do it so can you? The RSPCA operates a small retail environment with a very different supply chain than us. They have paid staff managing a tiny amount of retail product which they buy and sell. We have volunteers getting random donations in the truck load all over the country which could have anything in it. We reject at point of offer, but if something has already arrived at a hub it is already here. RSPCA can simply stop buying product and it stops coming. Very different.

Q. I don’t understand, cant you just stop donations coming in? Like any rescuer, we receive large and often mixed loads of supplies including broken bags, pallets and other items. Most of the time we do not know what we have until it is being outbounded and even if we did, it is already here. Ever been donated a bag of towels only to find if has pillow cases in it? Try that times a thousand in 30+ locations in the middle of a natural disaster. 

 (also, think about it, donations are the lifeblood of rescue, it is counterproductive to shut them down so it all gets thrown out)

Q. Why do you cover over the word Kangaroo on donations? Based on the feedback of rescuers we attempted not to show Kangaroo based donations that are given to rescuers. If we show them, someone will be unhappy, if we dont show them, someone will be unhappy, if we cover them, someone will be unhappy. Cant win that discussion.  We no longer cover the donations. 

Activist “requests”

Q. This is a conflict of interest? I demand you stop helping wildlife carers! No, it is not. Legally a COI is very different. We do not accept Kangaroo based products, however the product that we find in our supply chain we donate to rescuers rather than throwing it in the bin and wasting that animals life. That is not a COI. (A COI may be if we were sourcing it actively) . We are also not going to stop helping Wildlife carers, that is counterproductive.

Q. I don’t believe you did a survey! this is BS! Just because you didnt respond, doesnt mean it didnt happen. The survey went to over 3000 Wildlife carers (twice) and was published and advertised on our page twice. It was completed by hundreds of rescuers, many who are senior leaders in the kangaroo community. You can see the questions here.  They are not loaded or rigged questions they are very straight forward to get a clear answer, and they encourage “other” responses, which were also very good with helping policy.

Q. That is 100% bullshit!. ARC should publish the names of these people! What liars!! (This was actually stated by a lawyer activist who doesn’t rescue Kangaroos). For obvious reasons (based on this reaction) we don’t publish the names of these rescuers so that they can then be bullied and attacked by extremists. As a lawyer, you should understand this, Annie.

Q I demand you boycott your vendors. That will make a statement! If you don’t I will cause trouble for you. No it will not, it will simply shut down our org and mean thousands of rescuers and animals suffer. Having ARC at the table talking to vendors on this issue makes a statement. Shutting own our organisation means we are no longer in those discussions (and nor are the activists).  It is not helping the argument at all. 

Vendors take one look at the threats and extortion we get and say “well, we will ignore those people then”. Lose the battle, lose the war. 

Q. But I posted Kangaroo torture pictures online and blamed your volunteers for them, I demand you do as I say or I will keep doing it!  This is how doors close. ARC is not the people who buy or use Kangaroo, no amount of sensationalism or trying to harm our volunteers by making people think we are linked to it will be honest or have an outcome. This is why people do not trust the activists. It is more about effect than outcome.  

Q. I demand you throw any Kangaroo you find in the bin! That is not the views of Wildlife carers we have asked about this topic, specifically “if we find Kangaroo already in our hubs from a mixed donation, what should we do with it” 9% said throw it in the bin, 73% said give it out and don’t waste it, 10% said give it out but cover reference to Kangaroo. Why waste an animals life just to be thrown in the bin. 

Q. I demand you stop helping wildlife carers! I will cause problems with them if you don’t!  No, we will not stop supporting Wildlife carers, they need all the help they can get. Think about it. If we only helped Companion animal carers do you think it would help the Kangaroo issue at all? We have our policies and they mean we can help across a broad section of rescue and emergencies to support as many animals as possible.  The fact that this is one of the activist demands says a lot about the motivation (it’s not about helping animals).

Note: There have been more demands from activists, some have been taken on board, however many are designed purely to close down our organisation and harm volunteers, rescuers, animals & partners to make their statement. or we will be smashed with hate speech and fake stories.  We have seen that for months now. Not productive. Some activists openly state it is totally fine that they shop in places that sell Kangaroo or use products made by Kangaroo manufacturers . . but they want ARC and it’s volunteers, rescuers to do what they demand (and all the work) or face constant abuse.  Selfish and counter productive.