Why list with the FBRL?
Service. The FBRL is my
full-time job, so I can devote all my working time to its
care and maintenance. Part of what you pay for with your
$59.99 a year for basic service (that's only $5 a month) is my
undivided attention. I update listings regularly, add pictures
several times a week, and can respond to problems quickly.
There are free services out there, but expect a longer turn-around
time. I try to get to know my customers, and learn from
them how I should improve service.
Knowledge and enthusiasm.
I have bred Somali cats under the CFA cattery name Tarantara
since 1991, although I had to give up breeding in 2003 due
to allergies. I have shown cats extensively in several breeds,
including Somalis, Javanese, Norwegian Forest Cats, Turkish
Vans, and Scottish Folds. I talk to breeders constantly
about what they need and what they are looking for. I understand
the problems breeders face when presenting a public face
to a world that includes animal rights activists and people
who do not understand the realities of breeding and the
good that cat breeders have done for cats in general. For
several years I was a regular feature writer for CATS Magazine;
many of my articles are reprinted in the Articles section.
I'm a cheerleader around for the world of responsible pedigreed
cat breeding and showing.
Respect for breeders and the breeds.
I constantly rely on breeders as my main source of information
about their breeds. Although I have worked with several
breeds, I am not an expert on all cat breeds and what is
going on with them. All of the breed descriptions, original
to the FBRL, were written with considerable input from breeders
who work with, love, and live with their chosen breed daily.
I am happy to edit breed descriptions if there are changes
that need to be reflected. Each photograph for the breeds
has been selected carefully to represent the breed accurately
and shine that breed in its most positive and beautiful
light. Not only do I welcome input from breeders, I thrive
on it and actively seek it out.
Privacy. You don't have
to advertise any more information than you feel comfortable
giving out. The only required contact information is your
cattery name, your general location (state, province, or
country if not US or Canada), and your e-mail address. Although
I strongly prefer your name and last name, I have even left
off this information for people who felt a need, due to
life circumstances, to remove this data. You may list a
telephone or fax number, but I do not allow listing home
addresses, even if requested. Most people are not comfortable
publishing this information, so in deference to them I prefer
not to open up that "can of worms". The non-published
information you give to me, such as billing data, will remain
private and will never be given to anyone for ANY reason.
Read the Privacy Statement linked to the end of every page
for more information.
An excellent reputation. Since
1994, it has been my goal to provide the best information
about the best catteries in the business. While I cannot
police breeders, I do remove breeders for various reasons,
including being suspended from cat registries, being convicted
of animal cruelty, having had animals seized with cause
from local animal control agencies, or having had repeated
complaints about sick kittens. I also disallow breeders
who purposely breed mixed breed cats, sell to pet stores,
sell on online auctions, and sell exotic mammals for pet
purposes. As a result, the FBRL has a reputation for being
the best source for responsible breeders.
Proven results. More than
half of all new catteries list as a result of a recommendation
from a listed breeder. More than 95% of all catteries who
join continue their subscription for multiple years. Many
of my subscribers tell me that they have discontinued expensive
magazine advertising, much of which costs for a month's
listing what a year costs with the FBRL, because they get
more and better quality queries from their FBRL listing.
Some have even left the FBRL and tried free services, only
to come back because they didn't get the results they got
with the FBRL.
The Retired Friends service has been directly
responsible for placing retired show cats in forever homes
since 1996 and has helped raise awareness about
the availability of retired show cats as a pet option. (In
fact, the term "retired friend" to describe a
retired show cat was coined by the FBRL and has entered
popular terminology -- look around at cattery websites and
you will see what I mean).
Longevity. The FBRL was
founded in November 1994 and has been in continual operation
ever since by the same owner. During that time I have seen
more than twenty cat breeder referral services come and
go, including the two that were in operation at the time
the FBRL started (one folded altogether and the other converted
to a popular cat community now owned by Petsmart, which
unfortunately was discontinued in late 2003). The FBRL is
not going away; it will be here for many years to come to
serve the cat breeder population.
Focus. I am the ONLY successful
long-standing service dedicated solely to cat breeders;
I am not a general pet site and have no immediate plans
to spread out, mostly because I do not know these communities
as well as I know the cat breeders. I feel I can serve the
cat breeders so well because I am part of this community.
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