Texas Pawprints - www.texaspawprints.org

I would like to register a complaint against a volunteer that works for your organization. I believe her name is Justine. She has on more than one occasion contacted me via myspace.com harassing me about a third party person named Brandon Hershey who has adopted from your agency.

Let me start by saying that Brandon Hershey is my brother-in-law, and he has adopted a cat from your organization. Justine also informs me that Brandon has not paid some sort of fee for the adoption or his check bounced. She has also attempted to get me to contact Brandon via myspace (which I have). I also informed her that this was not an appropriate way to collect and she needs to STOP contacting me.

Once I told her not to do so, she continued saying that is was not illegal to do so. And in her last communication with me she apparently has done some searching in my own past and calls out the fact that I have been charged with 'hot checks'. I don't think I need to explain that MY past has NOTHING to do with Mr. Hershey and for her to do so is not only very immature but also illegal. I'm sure that Texas Paw Prints does not want to have someone on their staff (volunteer or otherwise) portraying them in such a light. Also in this last communication she says that I need to loose weight and I have spelling issues. Again this speaks to the quality of person this woman is. I sincerely hope you will contact me letting me know how this has been resolved. I never asked her to contact me and on more than one occasion I have asked her to stop. I will be contacting a lawyer if this matter is not resolved. My info is on the bottom. I have also included copies of our conversations.

Daniel Shoemaker

Daniel.shoemaker AT yahoo.com

FIRST CONTACT:

Hi, sorry if it seems I'm stalking you but I have been trying to contact Brandon Hershey for quite a while and had no luck.

I am a volunteer with an animal rescue group based in Dallas called Texas Pawprints. Brandon adopted a cat from us in April and I am trying to check in with him to see how the cat's doing. Plus, we can't get his credit card to run and we really need the $$ for vet bills.

The cat's name is/was Tristan.

If you can somehow get a message to him, the group (texas pawprints) has a voicemail system at 214-912-2573 and our email is hairball AT texaspawprints.org.

Sorry again to pester you, esp. since it isn't your cat, but I wouldn't have done this if I hadn't been completely out of options.

MY RESPONSE:

Thank you for contacting me. If i may say this is a very poor way to collect funds, and I sincerely hope this is NOT an attempt to collect as it is against the Federal Dept Collection Acts of 1994. I can tell you that Brandon and his cross eyed cat are doing very well. If you need to collect funds from Mr. Hershy you need to do it another way.

SECOND CONTACT:

I think you need to read my original message again.

I only contacted you because Mr. Hershey gave us a non-working phone number on his adoption contract. He's not in the White Pages either. Like I previously said, I was running out of options.

My only option now is to contact him via the address on his driver's license. Since his family members will probably see any correspondence I send him, I won't be able to spare him any potential embarrassment (which is the other reason why I contacted you). We don't adopt to people we don't like, that's why we cut them so much slack.

Plus, the person who rescued the cat is a 13-year old kid who was/is very worried about the cat's fate. The cat somehow got locked into his elementary school during spring break.

If you think I'm a debt collector, you need to actually read the Debt Collection Act of 1994. Rescue groups don't extend credit, which is what the Debt Collection Act covers.

Our adoption fees don't begin to cover the cost of the veterinary bills for every animal we rescue. If you think it's okay for adoptors to screw non-profits, you have a weird sense of ethics.

Currently we owe our vet $5,000, so I had to get creative to attempt to get her some $ so she can make payroll. Unless you think she deserves to be shortchanged, too.

J.

MY RESPONSE:

I will be plain in my responce. Despite the sadness you are trying to portray with the situation, this was a very poor attempt to try and collect. And yes, you are subject to the FDCPA, even though you are a "charity". Brandon has been told of both of your communications, and if he contacts you thats great, if not then i have no sympathy. You should have had better criteria when choosing adoption canidates.

and although i am an animal lover, i hate cats. so i do not really care. please do not respond back to me, or others via this means. an attempt to do so will be very foolish on your part.

Very sincerely,

Daniel

HER LAST COMMUNICATION:

Sat in jail for a hot check, eh? No wonder you don't think people should pay their bills.

And to describe a "friend" as a lousy adoption candidate is not exactly the actions of a friend.

Learn how to spell and lose some weight.

J.

BTW, e-mail threats are the sign of a serious wuss. Talk is cheap.