Stolen Picture

[dogs_4_me]

Originally posted by Amber
I might have an idea where those pictures came from.

I used to use Webshots (a picture desktop) and I always used cats pictures from their. Alot of those cat pictures look familiar to me.

Just an idea.


I think it's horrible they have to go, and use peoples pictures.

Yes, I think the orange kitty with the yarn is from webshots

[gini]

I think Frankie and Pippin are still on their site.

[carole]

I too was appalled by their response, what a cheek, no-one would have minded in the least to have their cat on their site, if they had the simple courtesy just to ask, that I am sure of.

However I think suing them would not be a great idea, mainly because if by some chance this is a genuine rescue, then what would be achieved here, but like Donna I smell a rat too.

I just wonder what would be their pay off here (as Dr Phil says lol),by doing this.

It would indeed by nice to get to the bottom of it all, and just see what they are playing at, a normal rescue would use their own cats pics, not steal them, very odd indeed, and suspicious.

[CamCamPup33]

The nerve of some people.

I also wonder why they can't use the cats/kittens from THEIR shelter to take pictures of?

Hmm.

[QueenScoopalot]

I don't think suing is the way to go, as rescues are terribly underfunded as it is! If we all bombard them with emails asking to adopt particular COTD cats featured there, I wonder if that would change things? It all smells fishy to me though. As pointed out, many of the kittens are purebreds (which makes me think 'kitten mills') and as also pointed out, professionaly photographed. Hmmmm.

[Randy_K]

Having routinely taken pictures of kittens and cats for a local rescue group here in Los Angeles that have available for adoption I can tell you that it's hard to get a good photo. You don't live with these cats and don't have a lot of great photo ops. We try hard to get a cute photo for the web site so they will get adopted sooner rather than later. No snarling or grumpy looks!

I noticed that the site doesn't say the cats pictured are of any relation to the organization and link to the available cats page. Maybe they just want to show what a happy, well loved cat looks like? Their cause is good so I'd be inclined to cut them some slack. If they were using the picture for some commercial deal I'd hammer them!

The COTD picture of Peanut is terrific! She's quite beautiful.

[green_chameleon_girl]

I just finished reading threw this thread and I looked at the website. There are still COTD pics there but what made me more upset was this:

http://members.petfinder.org/~NY413/pets.html

LAST CHANCE KITTENS!?

quote: Time is almost up for each kitten on this page. Every kitten on this page is scheduled to die on or before Wednesday - November 17, 2004 if not rescued before that date.

Thats disgusting!! Why cant they just be put with the other kittens and cats. Isent November 17 2004 THIS wednestday I think everything deserves a chance at life why cant a little kitten have a full life?

[Randy_K]

If the kitten is in control of the local animal shelter the shelter sets the rules. We have that problem here in Los Angeles. The shelters don't keep animals longer than 72 hours and then put them down. They will not turn a cat or dog over to a rescue group either so it's up to rescue groups to find a home for the animal while being under the gun on time. It is disgusting and sad but it's the way it is until each city with this kind of animal services finds a mayor without a heart of stone.

[Corinna]

Maybe they don't have a camera! I too think this wrong, they could atleast ask . I had a bad feeling about them when Kahio cross posted the transport. None of the times were filled. A rescue group with out any one volentering. Give me a breck. We see on here lots of them and usually only a couple spots needed becouse of the people in the group.
I too think petfinder needs to check out this group.

[Uabassoon]

Randy while I do agree with your point of view, I think they went about it the wrong way. They should have asked for permission first, even granting them that maybe they didn't think it was such a big deal they could have been nicer about the whole situation. Karen and T&P sent them polite emails asking that they remove the photos, and they were very rude in return. When you do something wrong, you apologize. It's a simple concept, intead they were acting as if people should be ashamed for being upset over stolen photos. I've seen other rescue sites that don't have cameras and they will say something along the lines of "the kitten looks very similar to the one in the picture"

[molucass]

It may just be my computer.... but, on mine I am still seeing all the pics that were on there to begin with.

[Randy_K]

Try refreshing the page by pressing the Refresh button. You may be seeing what your browser has stored off line.

There's a belief held by some that if a picture is on the Internet it's fair game for use in any way. I know someone who found some of his pictures published in a book. The author claimed they were not stolen but the author's own pictures. The problem was that the real owner of the pictures was in some of those pictures. Also there is a fair use policy covering academic applications although that is frequently abused by using the pictures online rather than in a teaching environment.

The developer of the website probably figured there's 20 million cats in the USA and what's the possibility of one cat's picture being found by the animal's owner. Evidently 100%

The rescue group should have asked permission even after the fact rather than being hostile. That shows no class at all!

[maerlyn]

Hi ~
I'm new here; I visited because a friend of mine comes here. With great interest, I've been reading the thread about the "stolen" pictures. I don't know if they were "stolen" - I'm not knowledgeable about such things - but I do see a lot of vindictiveness in *some* replies. Some, blessedly, have expressed reasonable opinions; someone explained *why* kittens on "death row" are pictured - because the shelter won't release the animals to a rescue until their time is up. Someone else explained about trying to get decent photos of the kittens. Now, this I do know: Barb does not get her kittens "off the street," as someone suggested. And there *are* people - plenty of them - who volunteer to do transports for her; I've done three myself, so I know whereof I speak. It's one of the most satisfying things I've ever done, and I look forward to helping again.

There was a very good reason why she was pleading for volunteers -and if you'd carefully read the entire email she sent out, you'd know that she usually deals with rescues from TN, WV, and VA - and has *no* contacts in the midwest, where these kittens are. Isn't that a logical reason for the plea?

I don't know the woman personally; I've never met her. But I do believe she's acting in the best interests of the kittens. If she had some nefarious purpose for wanting them - well, there are certainly easier ways to acquire them than to spend the time it takes to plan out a route & then beg for volunteers to help transport.

Should she have asked permission to use your photos? Frankly, I don't know. If her response was less than you desired, perhaps you should think of how she was put onto the defensive. And even if you think her use of your photos was wrong, and even if you dislike her response - can you not consider the great good she is doing & be a bit kind & compassionate? Do you know what strain she might be under? OK, it happened - but it's certainly not worth all the incriminations. Maybe she made a mistake; if so, it was an honest one. If none of you have ever made a mistake, then go ahead and cast your stones; otherwise, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

[Randy_K]

I know several people dedicated to cat rescue. They work long hours at no pay because of their dedication to these little beasts. One woman is fostering 10 adult cats in her one-bedroom apartment while trying to find other people who can foster more until homes can be found for them all. Regrettably, there's always more to rescue. And there's a lot of unrecoverable out-of-pocket costs involved in rescue too. Perhaps the use of the picture seemed too small an issue when taken in perspective.

If the picture of Peanut gets one single cat a new home then it's worth it!

[dogs_4_me]

Originally posted by Randy_K
One woman is fostering 10 adult cats in her one-bedroom apartment while trying to find other people who can foster more until homes can be found for them all.

I don't think having 10 cats in a small apartment is very fair to the cats.