Irish website dedicated to animals - what do you think?

johanna33

Hi all,

I am a web and graphic designer freelancing in Ireland and also a pet lover.

In the last few months, I realised that there weren't many resources online, for pets (shops, forums, directories, classifieds etc.) and I saw an opportunity to offer a great site to pet owners in Ireland.

There are good UK websites, and worldwide websites, and there is Boards.ie but I have in mind somewhere where the irish pet owners (or simply pet owners living in Ireland) could chat about anything to do with pets, but also upload their pictures, why not have a little blog about their favorite pet, a classified section and a directory with quality animals oriented services and products and all that on a NICE website (nice design/logo etc.)

But before I start working on such a thing, which is going to take me few weeks and won't bring me any revenue, I wanted to see if you would be interested in such a site, if you would move to a new site's forum to discuss your pet issues etc.

I see the forum being divided by pets (from dog and cat to reptiles etc.) and because the site will be dedicated to that subject, members will have their word and will be able to make suggestions etc. I will probably also need moderators.

Anyway, please let me know what you think, your ideas, etc.

If I go ahead with the idea, I might launch a little competition for the name also. I don't have much money to offer a great price, but I'll think about something.

Thank you!

Johanna

toadfly

Hi Johanna,

That could work, I know I would be interested. Would it be something along the lines of

http://www.ohmydog.ie/

but for all pets?

johanna33

Yes, it would be along these lines but with a nicer design!!

Basically, here is what I have in mind, considering that it might be developed by stages and more pages/modules added later.

- Forum
- Pictures and/or Blog type of thing for each member (free membership of course)
- Classified (For sale, Wanted, Used items, Meetings, etc.)
- Directory (Here I am not sure if people would have to pay to be in, or maybe it would be free without pictures and a small fee to have pictures and be on top --> I want quality for the visitors but I need to find a way to bring a small revenue (at least to pay the domain/hosting), and I don't really like ads.)
- Main Blog (If I have members interested to post articles)
- Picture of the day/week
- Shop (but that's long term view as it is a lot of work to bring a shop)

TristanPeter

Cool idea! If you get a shop going can I sell my high-quality aluminium dog-tags on it ?

You could call it Facebark...anyway

johanna33

Ah ah, if I am putting a shop there, there will be looking for suppliers and you could be the first one But that's at the end of the road, I will need to figure a good way to handle delivery, payment etc. that suits buyers, suppliers and me!

Thanks for your replies anyway, it feels a bit more real since I put it on "paper".

toadfly

Ok few questions/comments..


Yes, it would be along these lines but with a nicer design!! Thats a bit mean!

- Classified (For sale, Wanted, Used items, Meetings, etc.) What are you planning with the classifieds? Are you going to let people put up animal for sale ads like on donedeal?
- Directory (Here I am not sure if people would have to pay to be in, or maybe it would be free without pictures and a small fee to have pictures and be on top --> I want quality for the visitors but I need to find a way to bring a small revenue (at least to pay the domain/hosting), and I don't really like ads.) Could rescues advertise for free?
- Picture of the day/week really like this idea

johanna33

No, it's not really mean I am just a designer !

The link you sent me is great, but the design is dated. I think that's what is missing at the moment, a site that has a professional and fresh look dedicated for animals.

I suppose, there isn't enough money to make to actually spend money on the design/website.

For the classified, anything is possible, we just have to define categories (like donedeal) and then everybody will be able to add an ad.
Donedeal asks for 3e, and I think it helps having quality ads and avoid spams etc. but I am not sure if people (you) are ready to pay (even a small fee).
It actually helps taking sellers seriously I suppose.

For the Directory, I suppose that some categories like rescue or charity would advertise for free, yes.

ISDW

I can remember at least 2 sites like this being launched, but they've now gone and I can't remember the names of them, so I'm not sure how much of a market there is for it.

There are other sites already out there that do well though, www.petsireland.invisionzone.com and www.irishanimals.ie as well as the ones dedicated to just one animal, such as www.irishdogs.ie

Best of luck with it.

johanna33

Hi Thanks for your input!

I am willing to try and fail

I think there is room for a new site out there offering more than what are the current ones offering...

I know the hardest will be to get members (YOU!) to use the forum, the site, so it becomes interesting for new people to join in.

Irishanimals.ie seems to have the same goal, objective... but the website itself could be so much better... I will contact the owner of the website and see if we can do something together rather than competing with each other!

Cherry Blossom

I've just clicked on a lot of these links for the first time My General opinion on them - too busy, too messy, information overload, homepages full of places to click, hard to see structure (if any exists). Result - couldn't be bothered trying to find it if I was looking for something in particular.

Forums - too many sections, very hard for a first timer to figure out where to post.

One point I do like - access/viewing of certain parts of forums restricted to signed up users.

I like your idea! If set up properly (i.e. keep it simple) I might see it as a better base for next years SS thread, obviously depending on numbers of users

(Don't want to discuss the SS on this thread, will start a feedback thread when it's over)

BengaLover

I came across this:

http://www.tails.ie/other-for-sale.php?s=&limit=46

Is it the same? How would you intend on makind sure the scammers dont try selling kittens and puppies that dont exist?

johanna33

Well, the ads for sale would only be one part of the website.

There are, in Ireland, a lot of sites to look for used cars for sale, and some are better than others for the sellers and for the buyers, so there is always room for an other platform, especially if animals friends are visiting the site everyday.

Now, it is difficult to avoid people selling cats or dogs that don't exist, but if you make sure to see the pet before handing any money, there isn't much risk, is it?

It's like a car, are you going to send a cheque before you see and try the car?
You can take the risk to drive 3h to see a piece of junk, but that's all you risk, well, unless I am not aware of other problems?

That's why also I am thinking of putting a small fee for each "For sale" advert to avoid jokes from kids etc.

Open to suggestions though!

Whispered

Not trying to open a can of worms here as this is currently being discussed on another thread. But I would not use a site which allows the sale of animals unless it had very strict rules. I believe it encourages people to breed when they have an "easy" place of sale like donedeal etc. It's just a personal preferance of mine and in no way reflects my view on people who actually buy the pets.

Otherwise it sounds pretty good, although I do think there are a few out there already as mentioned, but if you can make yourself stand out.

If you can encourage rescues to use your site you will also encourage many more people, so perhaps a rehoming section, discounts on items for rescues, regular donation drives etc?

johanna33

I agree... This is something I didn't think about.

Well, there could be a section "Search for a home" for animals that are given for free (kittens etc.) and the rest would be used items (Aquariums? Accessories etc.)

I am only at a planning stage so any suggestions are welcome, as I said before, it has to be a website FOR the users first, not people breeding animals...

I am actually looking now into partnering with an existing site and try to "simply" make it better rather than compete with what's there already.

Zapperzy

There are so many classified ads websites at the moment that your one would have to be special to compete with them. I would also prefer to see just accessories being sold as opposed to live animals (or dead one's really ). If you do decide to sell pets on it though please view all your ads before posting them and have a strict set of rules (age of pup being sold, no ads for pups as xmas presents, limit on amount of litters per year advertised etc.). The amount of scams on some websites is worrying, also loads of people advertising pups as brilliant xmas presents and selling 6 weeks old pups and when these ads are reported they are never removed.

What about a website with different sections for cats, dogs, rodents, rabbits, reptiles, birds and equines. There are already quite a few irish websites aimed at cats and dogs but not very many aimed at less popular pets.

johanna33

Yes, the website would be dedicated to ALL pets, not only cats and dogs.

The forum would be the central point really, to give to pet owners in Ireland a nice platform where they can discuss freely and give their ideas on how to make the site better.

I totally agree with you regarding ads for sale. I wasn't aware of that.
I suppose we would keep it then to "Animals looking for a home", so no money involved in animals, but why not the objects.

Although, if people want to offer animals for sale on the Forum, would it need to be controlled and forbidden?

Thanks again for your comments!

Zapperzy

johanna33 wrote: »

Yes, the website would be dedicated to ALL pets, not only cats and dogs.

The forum would be the central point really, to give to pet owners in Ireland a nice platform where they can discuss freely and give their ideas on how to make the site better.

I totally agree with you regarding ads for sale. I wasn't aware of that.
I suppose we would keep it then to "Animals looking for a home", so no money involved in animals, but why not the objects.

Although, if people want to offer animals for sale on the Forum, would it need to be controlled and forbidden?

Thanks again for your comments!

Most forums forbid animals being sold on the forum, most have a re-homing section but obviously only donation could be asked for there.
There's no harm in having a pet's accesories classified and asking for a small fee (€2-3) to place an advert, quite handy actually when looking for second hand tanks and cages!

johanna33

Well, let's just cross the "animal for sale" from the list then.

Cherry Blossom

johanna33 wrote: »

Although, if people want to offer animals for sale on the Forum, would it need to be controlled and forbidden?

I think it would tbh!

1. The majority of people that frequent forums wouldn't source a pet from ads.

2. The majority of ads that appear in places where you don't have to pay for the advertising are scams (you only have to take a brief look at olx.ie!)

3. Where things like this are posted, some one joins up for the purpose of making a post about the animal, or whatever else it is and posts the same thing over and over in every section on the forum, if they get no reply they keep bumping up the threads.

4. Once its allowed they all cop on to it very quickly and in a short length of time there is nothing but threads about people trying to sell stuff and it's the beginning of the end for the site.

Just from what I've seen before!

Connacht

I notice there is a new site kind of like what was being discussed here.
Www.mypetdirectory.ie
Looks pretty good with lots of stuff on it.
Is it yours OP ?

Amylou26

I had a look at www.mypetdirectory.ie. It does seem to have alot of the things you are thinking of having. Think there is even a link to selling dog tags! LOL. Still competition is always a good thing!
I like it so far but I think they could make some improvements but then I think it is fairly new. The pet deals part is good but they could do with more deals on it though

greensausage

yea the my pet directory website sems to have a few interesting features and it seems easy enough to navagate through ,i think they need to fill up the directory a bit more but good luck to them anyway

Cherry Blossom

Please don't drag up old threads, this thread is from 2010.