UPDATE: San Antonio Pets Alive! has issued an urgent warning regarding an unauthorized GoFundMe page that misled potential donors. The local nonprofit discovered the page created without their consent, raising concerns over a potential scam.
Executive Director Bob Citrullo expressed his alarm, stating, “Every dollar is vital to take care of these animals that we’re saving their lives.” He emphasized the seriousness of the situation, saying it could erode trust among future donors.
When Citrullo first encountered the unauthorized page, he was shocked. “When you see something like this and then people donate to it, and then they find out it’s a scam… we didn’t do it, but if I was a donor, I’d be very curious,” he said. The page had already raised over $1,300, but Citrullo revealed they cannot access these funds.
This troubling revelation comes amid GoFundMe’s recent launch of over 1.4 million donation pages for U.S. registered nonprofits. Citrullo criticized the platform’s approach, stating, “It was supposed to raise awareness to donors about these organizations, but the problem is that it has to be approved through the organization to do that, and so it’s very misleading.”
In response to the outcry, GoFundMe confirmed that they have removed the San Antonio Pets Alive! page from their site. A spokesperson stated that all donations intended for the nonprofit have been transferred directly via the PayPal Giving Fund, ensuring funds reach their rightful destination.
Citrullo urges potential donors to exercise caution: “Anybody wanting to make a donation, just be very careful, really look at where you’re donating and honestly go to the organization’s website.” San Antonio Pets Alive! only accepts donations through their official site at SanAntonioPetsAlive.org.
GoFundMe has also implemented changes to their nonprofit page policy. Nonprofits must now opt-in for a public, searchable page, addressing community concerns about unauthorized fundraising efforts.
Citrullo and San Antonio Pets Alive! are committed to transparency and the welfare of the animals they serve. The nonprofit is actively working to inform the public about legitimate donation channels while urging GoFundMe to improve their verification processes.
As this story develops, the nonprofit community is watching closely. Trust in online fundraising platforms is critical, and incidents like this highlight the need for vigilance among donors.
For more updates on this situation and to support San Antonio Pets Alive!, visit their website.
