Lost Dogs of America / Lost Cats of America / Pet FBI Code of Conduct – Rev. February 7, 2023
This code of conduct is required because you will not just be representing yourself now in person and on social media, but Lost Dogs/Cats of America and PetFBI all organizations that set high standards for behavior.
I understand that safety is always first and foremost! I will never jeopardize the safety of myself, another person or an animal with my words or actions.
I will not put flyers into U.S. mail boxes or advise anyone else to do so. I understand that this is a federal offense.
I will not put flyers on utility poles or light poles. These are private property and doing so may endanger the lives of the workers who have to climb the poles. I will not advise anyone else to do so.
I will always respect personal and private property and ask permission to access property and to post signs on property. I will always advise owners or finders of the same.
I will always maintain a positive outlook with the owners and finders of lost pets. I will serve the interests of the pet from a neutral position of authority that comes from the platform of the organization. I will not criticize, use harsh language or shame individuals who I encounter in person or who post on our social media platforms.
I will never express doubt about a pet’s ability to survive.
I understand that we are always obligated to return the pet to the owner. If at any time, this is not in the best interest of the pet, I will direct the finder to contact the correct authorities.
Working Relationships
I understand that establishing and maintaining good working relationships with the other volunteers is essential to the successful operation of our pages. I will treat all other volunteers with respect in both my words and actions. I understand that we are all volunteers and I will not criticize others for mistakes made or micromanage their work. I will respect the time of all volunteers and understand that not all volunteers can commit the same number of hours but it does not make them any less valuable.
I understand that establishing and maintaining good working relationships with humane societies, animal control facilities, police departments and other government agencies can save the lives of many animals. I will never jeopardize those relationships with my words or actions.
I understand that I am the public face of the organization. When interacting on public groups, forums and other social media sites, I will always act and speak in a professional manner. I understand that my actions affect not just my group but the organization as a whole.
I will not recommend paid services including listing sites, psychics, trackers, pet detectives or volunteer groups which solicit a fee for their services. If I find myself in a conflict of interest or am unclear if a post is allowed, I will not respond publicly and will contact a director of the organization for direction.
I will conduct myself with respect for all and will not discriminate on the basis of race/ethnicity, color, religion, gender, marital status, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status.
I understand that we rely on social media to spread the word about missing pets, and that as a volunteer I should maintain a social media profile that reflects the mission and values of our organization. I understand that posts that are racist, lewd, or encourage abuse or violence may disqualify me from being a volunteer.
As a partner with Pet FBI, I agree to protect the personal information provided by an owner or finder as outlined in the Pet FBI Privacy Policy (https://petfbi.org/privacy-policy/). This includes:
• Only posting information the report owner has selected to be made public
.• Promptly removing personal information when the report owner updates the status of their report, or when the report owner requests it by notifying the volunteer group via text, email, or other means.
• Notifying Pet FBI at help@petfbi.org if a report owner requests to have their user account deleted.