Potential TikTok ban jeopardizes local fundraising efforts

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Popular social media platform TikTok could be banned by the end of the year in the United States, leaving one local organization concerned about the potential effects it could have on its fundraising efforts funds to help animals find their forever homes. .

Sweet Buffalo is an organization that partners with various nonprofits to help share information about events, community efforts and fundraisers.

“We all enjoy TikTok,” said Kimberly LaRussa, founder of Sweet Buffalo. “We probably work on it too much and scroll too much because it feels good. I see a lot more good than bad.

The good that LaRussa sees in TikTok includes its ability to help local animal rescues like Ten Lives Club and Buddy’s Second Chance Rescue, as it relies on social media to promote the organizations.

“The work you do is what you get out of it,” she said. “So you work really hard, you share that content, you get a lot of followers and in return those followers support you and your organization.”

LaRussa began using the social media platform during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was really hard to raise awareness about animals at that time because people weren’t coming together,” she said. “We had restrictions on the number of people who could stay in the shelter. When TikTok came along, I was like, “Let me try this, let me see if these animals are getting adopted through videos, since people at home can see them.” »

Her videos on TikTok generate between thousands and millions of views, which she says helps save animals.

“We’ve had so many dogs adopted,” LaRussa said. “And years later, I decided to create my own TikTok, “Sweet Buffalo to the Rescue,” and I help all the rescues in WNY release their animals and adopt them out. It was really a great success. »

She raised $20,000 just by making and posting the videos.

“When it goes viral, the organizations usually benefit financially or the animal gets adopted, so that’s crucial,” LaRussa said. “There are so many people on social media that they choose to follow these organizations. Removing that takes away a lot of their supporters.

TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

Citing national security concerns, President Joe Biden signed a bill last month that would force ByteDance to sell the app to a U.S. company within a year or face a nationwide ban.

“If I lose this, then funding will be lost for the animals, and we don’t want to see that,” LaRussa said.