Policy Change Log
Purpose
The Land Hermit Crab Owners Society (LHCOS) maintains a Policy Change Log to document significant updates to organizational policies that affect governance, community participation, or program standards.
This log exists to provide continuity, accountability, and historical context for policy decisions approved through LHCOS governance processes.
Scope of This Log
The Policy Change Log records:
- New policies adopted
- Substantive revisions to existing policies
- Policy consolidations or structural changes
- Platform or participation rule changes
Minor editorial edits, formatting changes, or clarifications that do not alter policy intent are not logged.
How to Read This Log
Each entry includes:
- Effective date of the change
- Policy or section name
- High-level summary of the change
- Reference to the current policy or archived notice
Entries are listed in chronological order, with the most recent changes first.
Policy Change Entries
2025
Effective Date: January 2025
Policy: Community Policies & Moderation
Summary: Established a unified Community Policies & Moderation framework governing participation and enforcement across LHCOS-managed Facebook and Reddit communities. Consolidated platform rules and moderation standards under Board oversight.
Reference: Community Policies & Moderation
Effective Date: January 2025
Policy: Business Pages & Commercial Participation (Community Policy Section)
Summary: Formalized restrictions on participation by business pages in LHCOS-managed communities. Limited participation under business accounts to LHCOS Approved Sellers and LHCOS Approved Rescues only. Clarified rules regarding self-promotion, spam, and personal account use by business owners.
Reference: Community Policies & Moderation → Business Pages & Commercial Participation
Effective Date: January 2025
Policy: Definition of LHCOS Approved Rescue
Summary: Established a formal definition of “LHCOS Approved Rescue,” requiring verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, submission of proof to the Board of Directors, and Board approval for eligibility to participate under a rescue designation.
Reference: Community Policies & Moderation → Definitions
Effective Date: January 2025
Policy: Approved Rescue Program
Summary: Created eligibility criteria and application standards for LHCOS Approved Rescue status, including documentation requirements, review process, and participation boundaries.
Reference: Approved Rescue Program
Effective Date: January 2025
Policy: Care Standards Framework
Summary: Established formal care standards covering Shell Standards, Social Housing Standards, and Molting & Growth Standards to define minimum ethical requirements for welfare-focused hermit crab care.
Reference: Care Standards
Effective Date: January 2025
Policy: Transparency Reports
Summary: Implemented a Transparency Reports framework, including an Annual Transparency Statement and Policy Change Log, to document governance oversight and policy accountability without publishing sensitive financial or internal records.
Reference: Transparency Reports
Archived Policy Notices
Formal policy change notices issued at the time of implementation are archived separately for historical reference. Archived notices reflect the context of their issuance and may not represent current policy language.
Review & Updates
This Policy Change Log is updated only when substantive policy changes occur. Historical entries are preserved and not modified.
Questions
Questions regarding policy changes or this log may be submitted through the official contact channels listed on this website.