Adoption Enhancement

[+Puppy Dawg]

So when we try to adopt a cache, and the CO makes no response for a considerable amount of time (eg, a few moths) the local reviewer or a lackey or someone of high honor like that makes the decision. If the CO isn't validated, the admin just makes the decision. How 'bout this??

[+Kit Fox]

I think it is time for you to take a break from posting, and start reading everything you can find on the geocaching website before posting more threads.

 

Adopting or Transferring a Cache

 

Solution

In some rare situations, a geocache is no longer able to be maintained by the owner. A geocache adoption can be processed using the Geocaching Adoption Service without intervention from Groundspeak.

 

Steps for transferring ownership of a geocache:

 

The current cache owner logs in and visits:

http://www.geocaching.com/adopt/

Enter the waypoint (GCXXX) and click 'Lookup.'

Enter the username of the new owner and click 'Go.'

Click on 'Send Adoption Request.'

The new cache owner will receive an email. They should log in to the site and follow the adoption instructions provided.

If the original geocache owner is inactive on our site and/or will not use the Geocaching Adoption Service, the interested new party must ask the original cache owner to give Groundspeak written permission. The owner should inform us at contact@geocaching.com from their Geocaching email account that this cache can be adopted to the new party with their permission. If the cache owner is unresponsive and the cache needs attention, you may write a Needs Maintenance log or a Needs Archived log to the cache page, as appropriate.

Groundspeak will not process a geocache transfer without written permission from the geocache owner. Individual geocaches are owned by the person(s) who physically placed the geocache and/or submitted the geocache listing to geocaching.com.

 

Grandfathered cache types cannot be transferred to a new owner. Neither the adoption tool on the website nor Groundspeak will be able to make the transfer for Virtual, Webcam or Locationless caches. Archived caches cannot be transferred, either.

[+luckycharmer]

I don't think I would want to adopt someone else's cache unless they asked me. If the cache is not being maintained then I would post a "Needs Maintenance". If no response after a reasonable amount of time then maybe a note to the reviewer. They can decide if it need archived or not. Once it's archived there's an opening for a new cache that's never been found and is entirely my own.

 

Since I know that the site might be opening up, I would scout out a new location and be prepared to place my own cache.

[+Puppy Dawg]

What about historical signifigance?

[Motorcycle_Mama]

It's not going to happen.

 

If the area warrants another cache and you want to honor the cache with historical significance, then you can reference that cache on your new cache page.

[GOF and Bacall]

The simple truth is that they do not have the right to transfer ownership of my property to you.

[+swizzle]

A buddy of mine found a cache once that was under the name Samuel T. Wilson. He saw that it got archived and wanted to adopt it but the owner wasn't responding to any emails. So he simply placed a cache in the same spot and named it The Ghost of Samuel T. Wilson. If it needs maintance or archiving then do it up with a note and if you really liked the cache then try to do it justice by duplicating it. Name it the same or add something like "The Ghost of" to it. That's about the best you can do. Swizzle

[+Tequila]

A buddy of mine found a cache once that was under the name Samuel T. Wilson. He saw that it got archived and wanted to adopt it but the owner wasn't responding to any emails. So he simply placed a cache in the same spot and named it The Ghost of Samuel T. Wilson. If it needs maintance or archiving then do it up with a note and if you really liked the cache then try to do it justice by duplicating it. Name it the same or add something like "The Ghost of" to it. That's about the best you can do. Swizzle

 

I like that. I can see the birth of a new series of caches....."The Ghost of.........."

 

Thanks for the suggestion..

[+Don_J]

The simple truth is that they do not have the right to transfer ownership of my property to you.

 

I forcibly adopted a cache before the policy changed. Two years later, the original hider posted a find on the cache, apologized for abandoning it and thanked me for taking it over. That said, I can imagine plenty of situations that do not have such a happy ending.

[+gof1]

The simple truth is that they do not have the right to transfer ownership of my property to you.

 

I forcibly adopted a cache before the policy changed. Two years later, the original hider posted a find on the cache, apologized for abandoning it and thanked me for taking it over. That said, I can imagine plenty of situations that do not have such a happy ending.

And I am sure that such situations are exactly why they will not do that again. That and if they assert that they do have the right to transfer ownership it could be said that they have at least part ownership themselves. If that is the case then they can be held responsible for any liability issues arising from a cache placement.

[+Prime Suspect]

So when we try to adopt a cache, and the CO makes no response for a considerable amount of time (eg, a few moths) the local reviewer or a lackey or someone of high honor like that makes the decision. If the CO isn't validated, the admin just makes the decision. How 'bout this??

We already tried it that way. I guess you weren't paying attention. Bottom line - caches belong to their owner, not Groundspeak. Groundspeak doesn't have the authority to assign ownership of someone else's property to a third party.

[+paleolith]

What about historical signifigance?

Ain't gonna happen, and I say this as someone who owns a "history" challenge and has thus looked hard at a lot of "historically significant" caches. Despite some frustration, I agree with the policy.

 

I started attempts to do a "non-consensual adoption" before the policy changed. For various reasons, it got delayed, and the policy changed. I kept trying to email the owner. Eventually he responded and turned the cache over to me. Won't happen every time, but it's a better solution when it does. I've adopted four other old caches via the same method -- never a response from the owner on first contact, always multiple diplomatically worded emails.

 

I have also replaced the containers on several historical caches whose owners could not be contacted, though this doesn't help when the cache page itself needs maintenance. I've probably saved more old caches this way than through adoption. I also helped to get a reviewer to update the coordinates on a very old cache which was in fine shape except for the coordinates being misleading.

 

In the year and a half since my history challenge was published, only one of the 64 caches on the list has been archived. And it belonged to someone who is still connected to gc.com, though AFAIK not actively caching. She was the one who found the cache missing and disabled it, though it was the reviewer who eventually archived it. If I'd had time, I probably could have adopted it. If someone else interested in old caches and with the time and location had been watching, perhaps it could have been saved.

 

Edward

Edited August 11, 2009 by paleolith

[GOF and Bacall]

I think way too many caches are adopted. Most times I'd rather see the listing archived. That way someone else can take a shot at being creative. If there isn't something special about it let it go.

[+mtn-man]

This isn't a feature request, it is a request for a policy change. I don't see this one happening. The site is pretty clear and firm on their policy regarding this for many reasons you can read about based on Post #2.

 

I am going to close this topic.