16 December 2011
by Angela Beck
The difference between what NetPosse does versus Facebook’s limitations with the recovery and search for stolen and missing horses ...
I admit I am a Facebook addict … but there are some things Facebook just can’t do that every day people can.
NetPosse.com is powerful because it is a central website where all of the info about a stolen or missing horse case filed on the site is kept in one place. Owners can directly update their listings and volunteers can quickly get info to the public. We know when to update the flyer, notify the public of leads/info, or issue a new alert almost instantly through our system.
Facebook is an awesome tool, but it's only a tool ... it has limitations ... It doesn’t have a central group of people with years of experience in these situations manning it and getting the right info out to the right people.
NetPosse has law enforcement and industry professionals who often disseminate info behind the scenes to vast membership groups of their own, while the NetPosse network of everyday horse lovers who are linked in does the same in many venues other than just this one. These volunteers form the extensive NetPosse network and are involved in every facet of life, including non-horse-related areas. These people are the eyes and ears on the ground – at auctions, in communities, in remote areas – who physically post flyers, search rescues, peruse auctions, attend events, and the like … all in the hopes of locating stolen/missing horses.
While social media has become huge in public awareness and is really great for victims, people forget something ... Working in broadband I can attest to the fact that many people in rural areas and those involved in ranching, farming, etc. either do not have Internet, do not have time to be on the Internet very often, have such slow & limited speeds that they mainly check email or keep in touch with only things absolutely necessary, or (yes, it's unbelievable to me) have no desire to be on Facebook... Well, guess what ... These are the very people who are critical to reach when we have stolen or missing horses. There are some things Facebook just cannot do.
Many a horse has been recovered – and oftentimes after being missing for many days or weeks (or even years) – sometimes within hours or a few days of being reported to NetPosse because of a NetPosse flyer a volunteer has posted in the most unexpected place such as a convenience store or fast-food restaurant; because of an official NetPosse flyer that the owner or law enforcement used to identify the animal; because of a phone call placed by a volunteer to the right person; because of a volunteer spotting the horse they saw on a NetPosse alert or Web site; because of a person in possession of a missing/stolen horse finding the listing on NetPosse.com and notifying us.
I hope now that you have read this, you will do two things to help the victims who come to NetPosse for help … keeping in mind that you could be one of them as horse theft knows no breed or discipline … (1) invite each of your friends to join either the NetPosse group or the page (less discussion, mostly admins posting) and let’s truly build up this Facebook presence and utilize this tool the best way we can; and (2) direct people to the site and ask them to join the NetPosse.com Alerts list, which drops only official emails in from NetPosse (great for those who are seldom on the Internet or don’t have Facebook. (links below).
Thank you for being a part of NetPosse.com – this amazing organization works because of the efforts of each person who is part of this all-volunteer, one-of-a-kind, non-profit. There is truly no other like it. Stolen Horse International was founded in 1998 because of the theft and recovery of one horse! Thirteen years later, it still exists and continues to grow and expand in its original mission of helping recover stolen/missing horses and providing public education and awareness.
It is not a massive non-profit operating out of a commercial building with a million-dollar budget. It is what it has always been … down-to-earth, family-oriented, horse-loving people, living life on a small, rural farm who cared enough to dedicate every hour of the day (and I mean that literally) to help total strangers in their most desperate time of need. The founders, Debi and Harold Metcalfe have become part of my own family. I cannot say enough about their dedication, integrity, and true desire to continue NetPosse’s missions.
