No More Homeless Pets Forum
March 28, 2005

Adoption Ads that Really Work

How can you find homes for more animals? Tell their story in a compelling way? Elizabeth Doyle of Best Friends Animal Society will share her writing tips and her years of experience about what works and what doesn't. Send in some of your pet adoption blurbs and Elizabeth will show you how to rewrite them in a way that will send the animals on their way to good new homes. Challenge Elizabeth by sending in some of your toughest-to-adopt pets.

Introduction from Elizabeth Doyle:

Yes! You can get that animal adopted from your website. All you need are the right words.

What if Fido isn't perfect? Learn how to describe him to bring out his best qualities.

What if Fluffy isn't pretty? Learn how to say just the right thing to get a plain-looking animal a home.

Also, we'll talk about common errors, including:
- Making all the animals sound the same. If all the dogs are "loving," "sweet" and "just wonderful," then why should I adopt Lilly instead of Amber?
- Using negatives to differentiate the animals. Instead of distinguishing them by noting that Jojo is bad with children while Sammie dislikes other pets, mention those things, but try to rely on positives to give each animal a distinctive character.
- Sounding inhospitable. The last thing you want is a reader to say, "Boy, I love that cat! But I'm scared to contact those people. Let me see whether someone else has a cat kind of like that."

I look forward to answering your questions and sharing more tips. Plus, send me the web bio of an animal who just isn't getting adopted, and let's see what we can do with it to draw more response. (One animal per group, please!)

Questions

Don't be blue...find that black pet a home, instead!
Turning a bio around to accentuate the positive
No limp attempts at home finding!
Every animal has a 'selling point!'
Going from "good" to "gotcha"!
Look into my eyes...
Are bios in the third or first person more effective?
Doesn't Jenny Craig want to adopt a bunny?
Go ahead, make them read and weep!
Underscoring the benefits of senior pets
Introducing shelter dogs with a weather-proof kennel bio

Don't be blue...find that black pet a home, instead!

Turning a bio around to accentuate the positive

Question from Deb:

This is definitely one of our toughest cases. We've had Bailey for going on 3 years now. She fosters with me 6 months and another girl 6 months in an effort to keep her out of our shelter. Aside from her other issues, she will beat on other cats if they get "in her face". She REALLY can be a nice cat, BUT.... it takes a long time to win her trust and she can be very violent until that happens. She cannot be picked up, pilled, etc without a fight. This bio, from our web site, was written by her other foster mom. It really does say it all, but could you make it better?

"Discounted adoption fee.
Bailey is a sweet kitty who needs a LOT of patience.
She reacts violently when she is scared by lashing out, growling, hissing and sometimes even swatting. Bailey MUST be left alone when she gives warning signals. She has developed close loving relations with both of her foster mothers after several months of patient care. Bailey needs a patient owner who does not have children, who will give her the time and space she needs to feel secure. Bailey's new owner will need to invest several months of time & energy before seeing any response. Once you reach that point, Bailey is a true love. She sits on her foster mom's lap and "kneads." She really is a nice kitty, you just HAVE to be patient!!!"

Response from Elizabeth:

Thank you so much for writing! Let's see what we can do for Bailey.

For starters, I have to tell you – I don't think you're going to get a lot of calls about Bailey. Not unless we give this a facelift and fast!

Here's the problem. Look at this blurb and tell me five bad things about Bailey. That's easy, right? Her bad qualities are everywhere. "Violent", "Growling", "hissing", swatting", "needs LOTS of patience". I could probably keep going!

Now tell me five of the nicest things about Bailey. Whew! Not so easy. I really have to search. If I keep reading ....I get to "close loving relations with her foster mothers" ...that sounds good, but then it's qualified with "after several months". So if I keep looking for good qualities, wade past "no children", "needs time and space", "invest several months", I eventually get down to "Once you reach that point, Bailey is a true love." Hmmm. So why do we have all the bad stuff at the top, emphasized with capital letters, while all the good stuff is hard to find and at the bottom? Shouldn't we go the other way around?

Now, the first thing we have to do is sit down and really think about Bailey... who she is as a person (err...cat). Without putting any qualifiers, what are three nice things we can say about her? Just straightforward compliments with no "buts".

I'm going to try that, using this blurb for my information.

One nice thing I would like to say about Bailey, reading this, is that she is a comedy figure of a cat! She isn't one of those wimpy cats with no personality. She's the kind of cat my ornery grandmother might like to have so that she can sic Bailey on guests who stay too long and then giggle about how they were chased away by a little lady and her cat.

I would also like to say that Bailey is somebody who loves you. Not everybody! Just you. And it feels so special to be loved by somebody who's fussy. I mean, who wants a guy to flirt with you when you know he flirts with everybody? Isn't it more special when you know you're the only one? I like that about Bailey. She's my special friend. She doesn't like just everybody.

Another thing I like about Bailey is that I really like having my own personal space, too. I hate it when people are in my face when I'm trying to write or read or daydream. Bailey sounds like a cat who can respect that. She's the same way! Maybe we would understand each other, this old girl and me.

Can you see how we're now tapping into reasons that somebody might actually want her? Turning her "negatives" into "interesting personality traits – that might be right for you."

Also, I suspect there are more things we could have said, if we'd been focusing more on the positives when we wrote the original draft. For example ...is she pretty? That would be a nice thing to say. If not, then does her fur have a nice texture when you touch it? Like lambs wool or like feathers? More good things about Bailey!

But using what we've got ...

A Blurb for Bailey:
Now, here's a comedy figure of a cat! The character who takes this one – we'll even give you a discount on your adoption fee! Don't get us wrong; she's great. But Bailey is ...Bailey. And we will be having a cake the day somebody takes this funny old lady home.

Bailey loves just one person – the person who takes her home and finds over time, that they are soul mates. To that person, Bailey will be the most devoted friend they've ever had. She will sit in their lap and knead them. She will look in their eyes and know what they're thinking, because she'll be thinking it too. There's something very special about this cat, to the person who becomes her own.

She's going to come to love one individual. But everyone else? Oh, it's safe to say that ... she pretty much hates them! It's true; she's a fluffy terror. She swats, growls, hisses – you name it. Probably best not to have children within say ...oh ...25 miles of her. What a little monster she is! And yet ...she will be your cat, once she comes to know you as a soul mate.

We know it's a long shot, but... we really have to ask... is there a character out there who wants Bailey? Or at least to learn more?

This blurb will not appeal to everyone. But then again, we don't want everyone to adopt Bailey. But the person who will find this appealing is someone with a lot of sense of humor, and who wants to be called a "character" and wants a "character" for a cat. And that's probably a very good person to adopt Bailey.

Good luck! And thank you for giving us such a great cat for a demonstration challenge.

Comment from Louise:

I have really enjoyed this forum! Our goal when writing about an animal is to always "Accentuate the positive and downplay the negative". That doesn't mean not to disclose the animal's faults (which of us is perfect anyway?), but to not spotlight those problem areas.

Also when writing about an animal, I always try to find something to grab someone's attention and make them think they can't live without this animal, and then let them know about the areas that need attention. Sometimes we disclose too much in a bio. Keep in short and sweet and then when we grab them and they are interested in the animal, we can give more details.

Comment from Varda:

I now have a name and a face to the reason why I love Best Friends so much: Elizabeth Doyle.
After being attacked by stories from other animal organizations, "...and then Fluffy had an eyeball gouged out before being set on fire...", after a truly horrific day at work, after a miserable rush hour, I turn to Best Friends to turn around my day. You reaffirm my faith in goodness. Thanks so much for being a haven in a world of injustice!

No limp attempts at home finding!

Question from Gayle:

Little Girl is a dog whom we have just about decided will need to be here forever.

She spent 5 years tied to a garage until someone took her to a pound where she was taken into the local prison program. She was rescued out of the prison program where she was being abused. At the home of the humane officer she snapped at the 24 yr old son when he physically pushed her off a bed. The humane officer was going to take her to the pound to be killed as a result of that. That is where we were contacted and took her.

Strangely after everything she has experienced, she still wants to be with people and is very gratefully affectionate. After the initial period of fearfulness here, she became aggressive with other dogs, even smaller and elderly ones. (It seems almost a jealousy reaction to fear of being "ousted".) She seems to simply ignore cats, although if ever considered for adoption I think being an only pet in the household would be wisest. She panics on a leash and is desperate to get back inside.

She so deserves a quiet peaceful sense of home where she can have gentleness and affection filling her life. We are willing to have her remain here, but think she would be happier with a home of her own.

Little Girl is a smallish tri-color smooth coated Collie mix. Her picture can be viewed at http://www.allcreaturessanctuary.org/little_girl.htm.

Response from Elizabeth:

Thanks for your question!

My first suggestion, and this is an important one for lots of folks, is that whatever you say, don't say, "We're willing to have her remain here, but she'd be happier in a home of her own."

That's not for you! I'm just using this as a springboard for a general remark I wanted to make anyway. To remember: We can't halfway ask for a home. Either we really want one and we mean it, or we're not sure we do... in which case our limp attempts to reach out are going to be ineffective.

Here are some of the types of phrases I have seen other folks use (not you) that would make me as an adopter not want to reply.

"Dolores can go only to a very prepared home – otherwise, she's happy to stay here."

"This is really Davey's home, but if somebody really, desperately wanted him, we would consider an outstanding adoption candidate."

People who want to adopt an animal want to save an animal. They don't want to steal a dog away from someone who sounds like she wants to keep her.

That doesn't mean adopters won't be screened to make sure they have a good home and are prepared.

That just means that when we go fishing, we have to throw the whole line in... if we don't like what comes up, we can throw it back. But we don't just barely dip the bait into the surface of the water, because then we don't catch anything, either good or bad. OK?

So whatever we do, we don't anywhere in this mention that we'd be happy for her to stay right here!

Next – what you've really got going here in your favor is a terrific background story. So let's use that for our first sentence.

After five years tied up in a garage, the first time Little Girl was taken off her chain, it wasn't to come inside. It was to go off to the pound.

Now, you didn't tell me that. But by putting myself in Little Girl's place, I was able to surmise this detail from the human's version of the story – she's tied up; somebody finally comes to untie her – yippee! And then what? Not inside with the family ....off to the pound. Heartbreaking, isn't it? By putting ourselves in Little Girl's place for a moment, we can make the story even more grabbing, and realize details that were previously unspoken.

Also, let's remember, this background story is serving two purposes. One, it's compelling and makes people remember and feel sympathy for Little Girl. And two, it's going to explain some of the negatives we have to mention before we can finish. We have to make sure that by the time we say that she's bad with other dogs etc, people are prepared to say, "Well, no wonder! The poor baby!" In some ways, this is all a buildup for that. Ready?

So let's finish the blurb:
After five years tied up in a garage, the first time Little Girl was taken off her chain, it wasn't to come inside. It was to go off to the pound. In a new program, prisoners were in charge of taking care of her, but when someone caught Little Girl being abused, the trembling girl was pulled from that program. A traumatized Little Girl behaved badly at her new foster home and got expelled. (Since this is a he said/she said story, let's wait till someone calls to go into exactly what happened.)

Today, she's with us, where this sad girl doesn't want any dogs to come near her ever. She tells them to just go away! When you put a leash on her, she panics and doesn't want to come. But there's a sweetness to her, too. She may warn away the other dogs, but the slightest pet from a person – any person – and she melts into affection, like she wants to tell someone her story. Won't you come meet her?

That should help! Keep up the great work, good luck in all you're doing, and blessings to that darling dog.

Every animal has a 'selling point!'

Question from Donna:

I manage a feral colony. One of my females gave birth to 4 kittens last year before she was trapped. I've socialized them and need to find homes (or a home) for the last two.

I have posted on www.petfinder.org and distributed posters to local veterinarian offices. The phone calls I get are for "cuddly" kittens. Most of the callers want a "friendly" cat.

My landlord will not let me keep these kittens and I'm afraid of losing my apartment.

They are both female tabbies. Neither one likes to be picked up much and they are definitely going to have to go to a home where patience exists. No small children or dogs either.

As you can see I'm in the negative and that may be why I'm not adopting them out.

They love each other and other "nice" cats. They're both very pretty and will sleep on the bed with us. They're Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and FIV negative.

They're approximately 8 months old. They've been taken off www.petfinder.org at this point until I come up with a better ad. What advice can you give me?

Response from Elizabeth:

Have you considered posting a flyer right near your landlord's house? One with an adorable picture that reads, "Help! These precious cats have been evicted from their home. The landlord is a wonderful, beautiful man, but he says these lonely little orphans have to go. Please – if you're reading this – save their furry little lives and call... before it's too late!"

You might put a second copy someplace his wife is sure to see it. Just kidding! Don't do that. Definitely don't. I just couldn't resist. It's out of my system now, I promise. So ....

First thing's first. It's very unlikely anyone is going to call you and ask specifically for "a cat who can't be picked up and held". So we can't use that as their primary selling point. Yet, that's the thing you're describing which stands out most about them. If there's something else about him/her someone might actively be seeking, we have to think of what it is. Does nothing come to mind? Not a pure breed this or that? Not little tiny baby kittens? Not more astoundingly gorgeous than any cat we could ever conjure in our imaginations? Never saved any babies from burning buildings? OK, then.

There is one selling point beyond all others buried in your message. Can you guess what that is?

Need. That's their strongest argument for a home right now... Need!!!

There is a segment of the adopting population out there that specifically wants ...the animal in the most need. Your best bet may be to plead their case as being the perfect cat for such a person.

That means ... talk about the eviction. Argue his/her position as "the cat who needs you most".

Example:
Help! We're just babies, and we've been evicted! We've got nobody and nowhere to go. Please help. We know we're not the prettiest cats you've ever seen before, and we know we're not little baby kittens. But we're only 8 months old! And we're scared. All we have is each other and our excellent health. And the hope that somebody might read this and call!

We're tabbies, disease tested, spayed, a little skittish, scared of dogs and kids. But we love cats and grown-ups, and we promise to love you too once we get over our shyness! Please help us find someplace to call home.

Mom asks only a tiny adoption fee, and to be able to meet you first for our safety. She hopes so much someone will call.

(Notice I slip in the part about being skittish and wanting no dogs or kids at the very end ...after we've already got their attention.)

This plea may sound desperate. But then again, you're about to lose your apartment!

What you must never do, no matter how desperate, of course, is threaten. (And I know you wouldn't.) But just as a general reminder to the world: Never say, "If somebody doesn't come, such-and-such terrible, specific, gory thing will happen to these animals" or whatnot. That makes people feel like you're blackmailing them.

But to say the situation is desperate, "They've been evicted, and they've got nowhere else to go." That's just telling folks the truth about the predicament. We can do that without going into gory specifics of exactly what might happen to these gals if nobody comes... which starts to sound like extortion. And we never want to engage in that!

So rewrite this any way you like. But for these particular cats, the strongest message they have it seems to me is, "Are you looking for a cat who really, really needs you? Here we are!"

Now, as for being "in the negative", as you say – don't worry about that. Sometimes a little sadness on behalf of an animal is exactly what we need in order to really effectively bring them some help.

Comment from Erin:

It's nice to remember that adopters don't always think like we do. For example, although I am not in the market for any more cats, I would love a cat that is independent and doesn't want to be picked up. I already have two cats who want constant affection and time. An independent cat personality may very well appeal to the population who would love to have a pet (or another pet), but doesn't necessarily want the cuddling.

I just had a foster dog who drove me nuts trying to get adopted. Then I remembered Elizabeth's points in the article in the Best Friends resource library: (http://www.bestfriends.com/nomorehomelesspets/pdf/adoptionblurbs.pdf).

I said to myself that the very thing that was making me insane could really be a selling point. Just because I am not crazy about 'Velcro' dogs doesn't mean that there aren't people out there who are. She didn't get a lot of hits, but the point is that of the few hits she did get, we got a relatively large ratio of inquiries. I'd rather have a dog get ten hits with one good fit than 1000 hits with poor quality inquiries. That Lab's new family absolutely adores her.

Best Friend's Sherry Woodard says that there is someone for every pet. That has helped me when I am dealing with an animal I find difficult to market. Hats off to Elizabeth's fantastic marketing style!

Going from "good" to "gotcha"!

Question from Jana:

I write the pet bios for our dogs and cats at our no-kill shelter that also provides a low-cost vet clinic and spay/neuter clinic for the public. In order to serve the people and pets who need our clinic services most, we're located in a poorer section of our metro area. We have a lovely facility but our location does pose a problem in bringing qualified adopters to our shelter and getting our animals into good homes. (Hopefully someday we'll be able to afford moving our adoption center to another location.)

Also, because we are no-kill and we network with many wonderful rescue groups who are able to take many of our "more adoptable" pets into their foster homes and find them good homes, we are left with many dogs at our shelter who are a bit more challenging to place. A good share of the dogs who take a long time for us to place are the large active dogs. Our most difficult are those larger dogs who are dog aggressive but love people. Another difficulty is those who are initially timid with strangers, whom we work hard to further socialize, but they do need a more patient person to adopt them.

Petfinder has been our #1 tool to finding good homes for our shelter pets so I'm looking forward to any advice you have this week towards writing more successful bios. Below is a bio for Mosley who is currently on our web site. He's a very active dog, who absolutely loves people, but we don't trust him with cats and he can be dog aggressive, depending on the dog. After reading your article today on the Best Friends web site I rewrote his bio and have also included it.

This is what is currently on our web site:

Mosley
Visit our web site at www.hsgkc.org and click on Furry Films to see a short video of Mosley in action! (Flash plug-in is required and can be downloaded for free.)

1/23/05: Mosley is a 2-year old Australian Cattle Dog mix male. He's very friendly, silly, playful and one-of-kind as far as looks go! He loves attention and being with people, and he is housetrained. Mosley has a gorgeous shorthair tri-color coat with some very unique markings and he has a very cute face. He's medium-large at 45 lbs and he's been vaccinated, neutered, microchipped and tested for heartworms. Mosley needs to be in a home without cats because he plays too rough with them.

Australian Cattle Dogs are herding dogs and therefore have lots of energy and are very bright. Mosley will need someone to provide him with playtime and exercise and he'd do very well with obedience training. He's eager to please and already knows some commands. He likes some, but not all dogs, so if you have another dog we'd ask you to bring him or her in to meet him.

We'd like to find Mosley his wonderful new home as soon as possible. He began acting depressed after we'd had him for awhile. Some dogs have a hard time living in a kennel situation and Mosley is one of them. We moved him out of the kennels and he's been living in a meeting room, which is also a staff member's work area. He's been much peppier and happier there. He gets playtime out in the yard, but what he really needs is a home. So if Mosley sounds like the dog for you, please come out and meet him! He'll be a wonderful dog for someone who wants a loving, playful and very smart companion!

Here's my attempt at a rewrite:
Mosley is a fun-loving guy who thinks that humans are just the best thing ever! He's super affectionate and just lights up whenever someone comes in the room. He greets everyone with a big hug (Ok, we probably shouldn't allow that, but it's so hard to refuse!). Mosley is a 2-year old Australian Cattle Dog mix male. He's medium-large at 45 lbs, and he's been vaccinated, neutered, microchipped and tested for heartworms. Mosley's very silly and playful and one-of-kind as far as looks go. He has a gorgeous shorthair tri-color coat and such an expressive face. And he's already housetrained.

Mosley 's very bright and a real people pleaser. He's an energetic guy who loves to go for walks and play fetch. He'd enjoy just about anything that included some activity and spending time with his new person. He plays a bit too rough with the feline species so needs to be in a home without cats. And he likes some but not all dogs, so if you have another dog we'd ask you to bring him or her in with you for a visit, to see if they're compatible.

We've had Mosley for over a year and would like to find him his wonderful new home soon. He was brought to us by a Chihuahua rescue person who found him and thought he was a wonderful dog, but definitely not a Chihuahua! Our happy boy began feeling depressed in the kennels several months ago so we moved him into our meeting room where he has lots of interaction with staff and volunteers. He's been much peppier and happier there. But what he really needs is a home. We can't even imagine how devoted and appreciative he'll be to the person who takes him home and gives him the companionship he craves!

I'd love to get your feedback on his bios and on the above mentioned types of dogs.

Thanks for this opportunity, Elizabeth!

Response from Elizabeth:

First of all, you have a natural talent for this. So you're going to give me the chance to make some nice, nitpicky points. Because what we're starting with is basically good. You write conversationally, you're welcoming, and you describe his flaws in an easygoing way that doesn't make them the center of attention.

So how do we go from "good" to "gotcha"?

It's all about the first sentence. Your text is good, so our goal is to get people's attention so they really read it! The first sentence is what will make them decide to read. You made a serious improvement from the first draft to the second. "Mosley is a 2-year old Australian Cattle Dog mix male." is just terrible <smile>, and you realized it. "Mosley is a fun-loving guy who thinks that humans are just the best thing ever!" is much closer. A big difference!

But let's go a step further. Here's a safe bet for any good first sentence, whenever you can't think of a better one. Look at the photo. From the expression on this dog's face, what do you think he is saying to us? I can't see the photo, so I'm going to make some up. Look at the photo yourself, and see whether any of these apply.

"I wish I could be somebody's dog."
"Wait! Where ya going? We haven't even met."
"May I follow you home?"
"I love you already!"
"Sometimes I get so lonely."

Find your own sentence, and make sure it matches the expression on Mosley's face so people halfway believe he's saying it. Then put it right at the top, all by itself with a space after it to separate it from the rest of the text.

Next, you need a transition. We need to go from the attention getter of Mosley's phrase, to your voice, explaining that you're about to tell us some intricate details about a dog. We're switching from broad brush strokes to careful drawing. Think of the blurb as a triangle that goes:

LOOK AT THIS!
Keep looking, please.
Now here's what I needed you to look at.

If we insert the parts, it would go....

(LOOK AT ME!) I WISH I COULD BE SOMEBODY'S DOG

(Keep looking, please.) This is Mosley, and he can't thank you enough for stopping to look at him. May we tell you a thing or two?

(This is what I needed you to look at.) Mosley is a fun-loving guy who thinks that humans are just the best thing ever! (Your text.)

To show you one more time, without the comments:

I WISH I COULD BE SOMEBODY'S DOG

This is Mosley, and we can't thank you enough for stopping to look at him. May we tell you a thing or two?

Mosley is a fun-loving guy who thinks that humans are just the best thing ever! Etc, etc ...

Do you see how we gave this a "grab"? So we took a perfectly well written description of him, and gave it the one thing extra it needed, which was the "LOOK AT ME AND READ THIS!"

But remember that capital letters alone won't do the trick. The opening grabs us because it matches the expression on the dog's face... and it's a heart-touching sentiment right up front.

Cool?

Good job. And thanks for writing in!

P.S. Regarding your questions on describing shy dogs. Try "scared". People want to comfort someone who's "scared". Whereas, sometimes they think someone's who's "shy" secretly doesn't like them. So try "scared".

Look into my eyes...

Question from Paula:

Ok... here's a tough one! We have had Scotch for at least a year and a half! He is in desperate need of finding a permanent home.

His photos, etc. can be viewed at http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi?action=2&pet=3381289&adTarget=468doggeneral&SessionID=4246f06f1a2b4317-app3&display=&preview=0&row=25&tmpl=&stat=

Dog
Shar Pei, Husky Mix

Size: Medium
Age: Adult
Sex: Male
I.D:

Notes: SCOTCH--Approx. 3 year old Shar-pei/Husky Mix PLEASE GIVE THIS BIG LUG A CHANCE TO WIN YOUR HEART!! Poor Scotch has been in foster care for OVER a YEAR! He is confused as to why all his little playmates have gotten adopted and he hasn't :( Everyone loves Scotch! Look at this big ham on the couch. Scotch is very friendly and fun loving. He gets along with all dogs and even cats. Scotch is house trained and crate trained, he is smart and knows simple commands. Scotch was originally saved by a good Samaritan in Cass County who said Scotch was "living" in a highway ditch, apparently after being dumped. Scotch is full grown at 65 lbs. He does need a high fence or wooden privacy fence as he has been know to jump at 4 ft. fence, when his foster parents are in the front yard. He's not a runner but desires the attention and affection of humans. If you would like more information on Scotch PLEASE call his foster mom, Paula, at 816-455-8803 or BETTER YET e-mail her at: K9ResqAngels@kc.rr.com. Scotch is fully vetted, neutered, heartworm negative and is on monthly heartworm preventative. His adoption fee is negotiable. AND HE IS READY TO WIN YOUR HEART!

Response from Elizabeth:

Thank you for sending us Scotch! OK, let's start with his photo. You see how he's not looking at us? Eye contact is very important for stealing hearts. When you're at a party, and someone avoids your eyes during a handshake, there's a tendency not to like him. He seems suspicious, (Does he think he's too good to look right at me?). On other hand, when he looks right at you, you feel like you've made a friend.

We humans value eye contact more than we realize! So let's get a photo, if possible, where Scotch is making an expression right at the camera. But animals can be adopted off the web, even without any photo at all. So we can still work with what we have!

There are a lot of nice things about your blurb. But let's look at the over all structure of it. Do you see how all the sentences are squooshed together? It looks at first glance like it will take a long time to read all those words. Without more paragraph breaks, a reader is inclined to skim. Let me demonstrate:

Sentences all together:
Today, I was walking to the store when the most incredible thing occurred! A giant asteroid fell from the sky, and I was nearly squashed. Can you believe that? Thank goodness it did, too, because one of the items I needed to buy at the store was Altoids, and I hadn't written it on my list. Fortunately, the word "asteroid" is similar enough to the word "Altoid" that this most unusual circumstance reminded me take paper from purse and add this most essential item. Talk about providence!

Compared to:
Today, I was walking to the store when the most incredible thing occurred!

A giant asteroid fell from the sky, and I was nearly squashed. Can you believe that?

Thank goodness it did, too, because one of the items I needed to buy at the store was Altoids, and I hadn't written it on my list. Fortunately, the word "asteroid" is similar enough to the word "Altoid" that this most unusual circumstance reminded me to take paper from purse and add this most essential item.

Talk about providence!

Do you see how, by separating the sentences, the entire appearance of the blurb looks more inviting and easier to read?

Next – let's get rid of abbreviations, and anything else that makes his biography look technical. Remember to write the way you speak! That way people can "hear" you in their heads as they read.

So no "Approx". OK? <smile>

If you can 'hear' my voice when I write, then I have your attention. You think I'm talking to you, and you feel like you should respond. And response is what we're going for!

So let's take the wonderful information you've given us here, and write it as we would say it out loud, carefully giving paragraph breaks to make it easier on the reader's eyes.

Example:
He's our unwanted teddy bear!

Nobody ever seems to pick Scotch. But please, let us tell you about him. He's a snuggly couch potato when you want him to be, and full of fun when you're ready to play. He promises to love your other dogs, be nice to your cats, and smart? Oh, he's like a little doggie version of Einstein! Honestly. He's housetrained (No problem!); he knows "sit" and "shake" (Oh, please – not even a challenge!)

This mocha snuggle-bear started life in a ditch, all alone on a highway. We took him in to our foster program, and promised that from now on, there will always be somebody who cares about him and knows where he is. But the clock has really been ticking, and we're afraid he's getting discouraged! Please come meet our friendly "big nose".

He's in perfect health, three years old, neutered, and great with every living creature on the face of the earth as far as we can tell! We're even willing to negotiate his adoption fee at this point. Just please have a high fence and time to give him lots of love, then call his foster mom Paula at 816-455-8803 or K9ResqAngels@kc.rr.com. She will be so happy to talk to you.

Don't you feel like calling yourself right now? Put something like that with a photo where he's looking at us, and you're golden!

Good luck to Scotch! And please let us know if it works.

Are bios in the third or first person more effective?

Question from Teresa:

Can you give me some input on this write up? Thanks!

I was left in the woods to fend for myself. I'm enjoying the nice safe inside now and I'm ready for my forever home. I've been to the vet and I'm about 3 years young and have a good life ahead of me. I hope it's with you. If you think you might want to snuggle up with me write my foster mom at sassycat261@alltel.net. Adoption fee 50.00 to help cover my vetting so this rescue can help the next abandoned kitty. Purrs, Leo

Response from Elizabeth:

Ah, animals writing about themselves in the first person. It can be so good, and it can be so bad! And the difference is so subtle.

It's worth tackling this topic.

The tricky thing about this is we have to keep two contradictory ideas in mind:
1. What would the animal really say?
2. Let's not get carried away in pretending the animal's talking.

Kind of a challenge! Let me demonstrate what I mean by each.

The first mistake is easy to make. It's simply to tell the human version of the story, but replace all the "he's with "Is. When we do this, we have cats saying things like, "I was born in 1986 with a chronic upper respiratory infection, a disease which is generally non-contagious, yet caused me to be determined unadoptable so that I was sent to a group called XYZ Rescue in Portland, Oregon, a registered non-profit agency which will appreciate any donations. Etc, etc, etc...." In a case like this, we aren't really seeing the story through the cat's eyes. Therefore, the greatest appeal of telling the story in the first person is lost.

Yet, on the other extreme, we can become silly. We might then have a cat say, "I'm looking for something called a home! I don't know what that is, but it sure sounds nice." Which makes you wonder why he understood all the other words, but not the word "home". Which then leads you to say, "Oh, for heaven sake, we know the cat isn't talking, so can you please just get to the point and tell us about the cat! This is just silly."

So we want to take the good part of telling our tale in the first person. We can imagine what the animal's perspective is. Without pretending that the animal has comprehension problems, speech impediments, or anything else that might come out embarrassingly, or that it just doesn't make sense for him to have ...given that he's remarkable enough to be a talking cat.

So let's take a look at yours. Your first sentence: "I was left in the woods to fend for myself."

OK, that's pretty good. You allow our 'fictionally talking cat character' to comprehend and clearly explain basic facts about his situation. Which is critical, because we simply need to communicate those things to the audience. And I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that if a cat really were telling a story, he would not even tell it chronologically. I have no way of knowing for sure, but my guess is that a cat doesn't think on a linear time line, and wouldn't explain things in relation to where they fell in time. Imagine how confusing that would be to a reader! So unless we want to try the Faulkner version (Hmmm...now that might actually be appealing to the truly literate adopter), let's have our imaginary talking cat basically think and speak like a human. That's good.

But let's also remember that the points of most concern to our cat character is not what was going on with the humans, but what was happening to him. That's the strength of the first person narrative.

So when he was left in the woods, I would say that if he were attached to the person leaving him, his focus would be "Where are you going?" And that if he barely knew the person leaving him, his focus would be, "I guess I live in the woods now." What would never to occur to him, I don't think is "The person was an irresponsible loser who had no respect for cats' lives and probably also beats his girlfriend ..." So when we're doing first person from the cat, we don't dwell on what the humans might dwell on. Or else we lose the convincingness of the narrative, and therefore the cat's voice.

Let's push your narrative a little bit more into the cat's perspective if we may. Your next sentence is: "I'm enjoying the nice safe inside now and I'm ready for my forever home."

But I'm not sure that's how the cat sees it. Let me imagine I'm he for a moment, and think of a few things I might be thinking on this topic, in his situation (granted that we're pretending I have human speech and thought patterns.)

As the cat, I'm thinking that I used to be so hungry – it feels so good to have food! But I'm not my mom's "real" cat. It's like she's just playing hostess, like she wants me to go. There's a distance between us. I wish someone would hold me and say, "I'll never let you go! I love you; wherever we're together is home." She won't say that; I can feel that she won't say that. I'm an extra cat. I don't want to be an extra cat. I want to be like that one, Charlie over there who isn't her foster – but is the one she keeps forever as all the fosters come and go. I can tell the difference between how she looks at him and how she looks at me. I want to be that cat. I want to belong.

Now, you know that when I make these remarks, I'm not in any way criticizing you as a foster mom! I'm sure you're the best foster mom a cat ever had, and that you love every critter who comes to you. But by thinking how it would feel to be a foster cat, I felt like I might notice a difference between how my foster mom – any foster mom – feels about me versus how she feels about her permanent cats.

So do you see how by putting ourselves in the cat's place, we're able to think of details that might not have occurred to us before? At the same time, we don't have to get hung up on what he could really know versus what he probably doesn't really know. (I mean, surely he doesn't exactly know he's looking for a home! But we have to pretend he does or nobody will understand what on earth we're talking about.)

So let's try to use some more details about the cat's view – the story as it relates only to himself – to make the first person narrative more compelling.

Original Draft:
I was left in the woods to fend for myself. I'm enjoying the nice safe inside now and I'm ready for my forever home. I've been to the vet and I'm about 3 years young and have a good life ahead of me. I hope it's with you. If you think you might want to snuggle up with me write my foster mom at sassycat261@alltel.net. Adoption fee 50.00 to help cover my vetting so this rescue can help the next abandoned kitty. Purrs, Leo

An Alternative Version:
I used to be so hungry! I lived in the woods all by myself and I didn't know how to find any food. It's the worst feeling when your belly's all hollow and no matter how far you walk, you can't find anybody.

I can't believe I got saved! Somebody stumbled on me in those woods – at last! I'm full and warm now, but I'm lonely. It's like I'm a visitor. And I want to be somebody's real cat – like the one they hold at night and promise never to let go. The lady who saved me said I can't be that to her – she already has so many special cats. I look at them and think that will never be me. Everybody in the world already has a cat. Nobody needs an "extra". I wish I weren't an extra.

I love to snuggle, I'm a beautiful Siamese, and I'm three years old. My mom asks $50 so she can save the lives of any more kitties who are lost in the woods, or just have nowhere to go.

Please call.

There we go. I hope that helps! And thanks for giving me an excuse to talk about first person narrative from an animal's perspective. Blessings!

Doesn't Jenny Craig want to adopt a bunny?

Question from Michelle:

Bio for Elizabeth Doyle from San Diego House Rabbit Society (HRS):

Luke is a young New Zealand male, just under 2 years old. He is shy, but loves attention, and will snuggle into your neck when held. Before coming to HRS, he was kept in a cage for over a year, where the only attention he got was having food shoved at him. Consequently he is overweight and needs to slim down.

This boy needs a patient, loving home where he can have a gentle bunny girl friend, and lots of time to run and play. Given the room to run, he is quite the dancer! Do you have room in your heart and your home for Luke?

A photo of Luke can be seen half way down the page at: http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/adoption/adoption_photos.html.

Response from Elizabeth:

Oh, I'm so glad somebody sent in a bunny rabbit! I love bunnies.

And for folks who don't know this – the hardest color of rabbit to find a home for (I'm told by the Best Friends Bunny manager) is white. That's right; for some reason, it seems people like cats to be white, but not bunnies. How silly is that! So for all those worried about finding homes for black dogs and cats, remember – if he were a rabbit, it's white you'd be worried about. Which says to me, at least, that these color preferences must not be very deep if they change so easily from species to species – and that should encourage us that they can be overcome with a little finesse.

OK – on to Luke the bunny! (He's white, I notice.)

First thing I see as I look at the page. Luke's out of focus in his photo! I can see the teddy bear better than I can see him. Also, his eyes are red from the flash, and he doesn't look like a "somebody" (Eyes help us be a somebody). He has space alien eyes!

He's competing with all those other adorable rabbits on the same page, so if I were going to take an interest in one of those white rabbits, I think I would ask about Angel. She looks just like him, but is easier to see, and her first words are "Poor Angel", which really grabs my attention! (Of course, with that adorable Vito on the page, I'm not sure how anyone else has a prayer! <smile>)

The point being only – and this is just a general point – that when an animal is sharing his "big opportunity" moment with several others on the same page, which is very common, then it's important that he doesn't lose out by comparison.

And getting a better photo won't completely solve the problem! After all, no matter how good the photo is, the fact will remain that you have more than one bunny available who looks kind of like Luke. There's no getting around that! So we need not only to make them equal by making sure they're all equally in focus in their pictures. But we need to give each of those bunnies a fair shot as an individual by making their bios completely individual.

So let's look at the bio. After looking at gazillions of these this week, I would have to say that if I could impress upon people one thing – it would be not to start bios off with the animal's statistics. New Zealand male, just under two years old is not a grabbing first sentence. Important information, yes! But not very personal. So let's save the statistics (ones he shares with so many other rabbits around the world) for later.

What's personal? The interesting story of how he became a chubby-wubbs is personal – and quite endearing! It's a great image. He's locked in a cage. The only time anybody ever notices him is when they toss some food at him. So what happens? He associates food with love and becomes a chub monster! Very personal, very endearing, and if we do it right ...kind of cute.

Now, this is the kind of thing that will separate him from the other white rabbits on the page. They will have their personal things to tell (whether it's a history or very sensitive details about their personality), and he will have his personal things to tell. And so they'll get an equal shot, because there's no more direct comparison, as in "They're a lot alike, but one is cuter". Instead, they're each individuals. And there's no way to compare individuals.

You can compare two New Zealand males – and determine which seems "better". But you can't compare two individuals who have had different lives and are different people, and who are each one of a kind in the universe.

So instead of having the most impersonal facts at the top (age, rank and serial number) which make him feel less individual – we start with what's most personal. And put the boring but necessary facts at the bottom.

Let's try it:
Oh no! It's a chubby-wubby pudge monster rabbit! Oh no, Luke! You're gonna squoosh the poor teddy bear – watch out!

How did Luke get to be such a butterball? It's very interesting. He lived in a little tiny cage all by himself where the only time he ever saw anybody was when somebody gave him food. So now he thinks food is the only way anyone will ever say, "I love you" to him. You take what you can get when you're living in a little cage!

How he'd love to hear "I love you" in a different way! To have a hug or a snuggle – somebody who says "I'll keep you forever" and gives him a bunny friend, room to stretch his legs, and a healthy bunny diet. To know that love means more than having a snack thrown in your cage.

Please give a butterball a chance. Luke is a two year old New Zealand rabbit.

You see how terribly uninteresting that last sentence is, compared to the rest? That's why we want to tell the things that make him an individual first. And the stats can wait.

Good luck to all of your adorable bunnies! The rabbits on your page are just cute as buttons. Thank you so much for giving us one for demonstration.

Go ahead, make them read and weep!

Question from Kim:

Help! We've had this guy for almost a year now and we have no takers. He's a black DSH male, about 18 months old, neutered... we can't get any interest in him...

"Frankie":
Frankie doesn't sing like his namesake, or have blue eyes, but he is talkative! Make his dream come true and adopt him today. He's very playful and friendly and is great with everyone. Already neutered, he is just a real charmer.

Response from Elizabeth:

Thank you for sending this about Frankie! First thing's first. Don't feel despair. You might not, but let me use your wonderfully honest plea to make the general point that often when an animal just can't seem to find any takers, we start to believe he's a 'long shot' for a home, and forget that he's a brand new face to each person who walks through the shelter door.

It's a little like gambling, if I may make an irreverent analogy! Despite our best efforts to be rational, we start to believe the cat is having "a losing streak". When in reality, each roll of the die (each new adopter coming through the door) is a brand new fresh chance, completely unrelated to however the last rolls came out for him.

The reason it's important to remember that Frankie might meet his family today – in an hour – in five minutes – is that we have to write his description with the attitude that "This is going to work. Someone is going to read this and call. I know it." So we have to believe it ourselves.

Now, let's get down to tactics. A good note for everyone is not to use any terms like DSH. In the rescue world, we know this means domestic short hair. In the average American family, we think he might have a condition called "DSH", and we hope it isn't contagious. <smile>

Also, when mentioning gender, let's not make him a "male" – let's make him a boy. "Boys" are what I call the male pets I love. "Males" are pet statistics – as in "the number of male cats put down at shelters each year is ..." (If it's an old pet, we might say "old man", rather than "boy". But he still feels more alive that way.)

Next, I can tell you what Frankie's biggest obstacle is, just by looking at what you've written. He's all black. I didn't know before I entered the rescue world that black is an unpopular color for animals. I always thought black had that sort of majestic, knightly quality, like Darth Vader commanding attention as he walks through the door. But it turns out, all-black animals get adopted less frequently than other colors. So we'll be aware of that as an obstacle for Frankie as we write.

Next, what's his greatest selling point? He has two. One is that there's nothing wrong with him... he's healthy etc. And the other may surprise you. It's that nobody else wants him. Surprised that's a selling point? Among people certain folks who want to adopt a needy animal, it is! There's a type of person who comes into a shelter asking, "Which are the ones that are going to be put down?" They're adopting because they want to be heroes. (Which is wonderful!) So since Frankie's having such a hard time finding anyone, we can make it clear that anyone who adopts him can have that special feeling of being a hero.

Now, let's give it a try. Because Frankie is a little bit of emergency, I'm going to be a little heavy handed in my approach. Please take this and rewrite it to suit your level of comfort and style. But let's make a comparison.

Yours:
Frankie doesn't sing like his namesake, or have blue eyes, but he is talkative! Make his dream come true and adopt him today. He's very playful and friendly and is great with everyone. Already neutered, he is just a real charmer.

A possible rewrite:
Won't you give Frankie a second look? He knows he doesn't stand out among the other cats. His color is plain and he's not a kitten – he knows. Every day he sees other cats go home while he's happy to settle for a scratch behind the ears. If only we could tell him that homes aren't just for other cats! That he could get picked too.

Frankie is a year and a half, completely healthy, adoring of every single person he meets, and already neutered for his new home. Please give us a call and ask about Frankie. You would make his day! No one's ever called for him before.

Kind of makes you want to cry, right? And yet it's truthful. As I envision it, this is what's going on. He's been in the shelter for a year, great with everyone who comes in ...and then they pick other cats. Very heart wrenching when you look at it that way! Please take it as a draft suggestion, and play with it as you will. But in terms of effectiveness... well, I'm hoping this will get him a phone call. That's my bet.

Good luck. And send my love to that wonderful cat!

Underscoring the benefits of senior pets

Question from Sue:

First let me say, I am totally immersed in this particular forum. It is one all rescuers could benefit from. I am fascinated with how you are able to create such interesting descriptions from fairly negative sounding animals. It really has me looking at some of the fosters in a different frame of mind.

My forum question is more of a general nature rather than about presenting a specific animal. Being a Pomeranian and Pekingese rescue, we tend to get a lot of seniors into rescue, as these little guys can be quite long-lived. As it is more difficult to adopt out older dogs, would you have any suggestions on how to present them so they have more appeal to a greater variety of people?

Response from Elizabeth:

Well then, first of all let me say that I've had a wonderful time! And thank you for your positive feedback.

Now, older animals, this is a good one.
This is an arena where I often think I'd like to see less "salesmanship", and more heartfelt truth.
I see a lot of adoption ads for older animals where they're described as "young at heart", "may be older, but you wouldn't know it", and "7,000 years young" and that sort of thing. The problem with these is... you're not going to fool someone who wants a puppy. Somebody whose mind is set on a baby is not going to switch to a 26 year-old because you said he was "young at heart".

Yet, to someone who is open-minded about having an older pet and who might really adopt him, you're running the risk of sounding like a used car salesperson. "This baby might look old, but her engine's still going strong!" It makes the dog sound like a "slightly worse" version of a puppy. But an older dog actually has lots of advantages over a puppy... actual, real benefits! For example, older dogs often make better couch companions, and often have less nervous energy. They can make better pets for people who are less active and want more cuddle time.

And there's something else, too. I hate to say it, but you know what it is, don't you? I know, it's a very sad reality. But you said yourself that Pekingese live a very, very long time. So what's the advantage of getting an older one? A shorter commitment. I know, it's a very sad thing to say! Yet, it's very true that for some people, a promise of four of five years should be easier and more comfortable than a promise of 26!

Sometimes, by being completely truthful, we can be more effective with people than by being sort of salesman-like. Consider a rescue web site (I'm making this up, but I like the idea!) that had an article about the realistic benefits of older dogs, followed by a link that read "Convinced? Click here to see some of the animals who need you." You click the link, and at the top, there is a heading:

"These dogs ask only that you make their last years their best."
The heading is just a tad melancholy, but so very truthful. It appeals to the piece of me that wants to reach out in the most honest way. And it alludes to one of the sad, but truthful, benefits of an older dog – the shorter commitment.

Compare that to a heading that read:
"These dogs are young-at-heart and all of them are going to have long, long lives ahead of them still!"
That doesn't feel quite as honest on a gut level, does it? Plus, if "young" and "long lives ahead" is what I really care about... then I'm not going to choose them anyway. So why make them sound like somebody they're not? What they are is wonderful – older, calmer, easier pets.

So don't turn older pets into used cars! We don't have to make them sound like puppies just to make them sound good. It's OK to be honest, even when it's a little sad. Put it right out there.

Ruff-Ruff knows that he's old, and that's not what everyone wants. But is there someone out there who might just like a gentle, kind couch potato, mellow with age, who'll snuggle with them till the end of his days? He wants his latter years to be the ones where he finally learned about love. Be honest and you'll touch them! Sound like a salesperson, and their hearts will tune out as they read.

And I really do think older pets have a lot to recommend them! Thanks so much for writing!

Comment from Deborah:

As the director of The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks for your answer about describing older pets. People often tell me that I should "play down" their age. One person went so far as to tell me that I should remove the word "senior" from our name because "no one wants an older pet." But, as you say, that is far from the truth.

To describe older pets as "young at heart" or to use other phrases that emphasize youth over reality, simply buys into a culture that does not respect age. We handle dogs over 7, and we have a very healthy adoption rate. The people that want to give a home to older dogs are among the greatest animal lovers on earth; they do not need euphemisms or empty claims. They know that there is nothing like the love and gratitude of an old dog in a loving retirement home.

Introducing shelter dogs with a weather-proof kennel bio

Question from Jonna:

Hi, I am a volunteer at "the Haven" (a no-kill animal shelter in Lubbock, TX). We currently have over 200 dogs and 100 cats. All dogs are housed outside, with exception of some special needs dogs. The cages that house the dogs are marked only with the animal's name, no description, nothing. This leads to a lot of potential adopters walking around looking at dogs and becoming overwhelmed, because they know nothing about them. They subsequently leave empty-handed and feeling overwhelmed. I want to help with writing descriptions for the animals, but I do not know where to begin. Most of these dogs came as strays, so we know very little about them other than how they are in the shelter environment (and I know this is different from how they would be otherwise).

Also, what is the best way to display the descriptions, since the animals are outside? They must be placed in a weatherproof/ windproof container. The only option I have found for this is real estate boxes with the cheapest I have come across being $15 per box. Any suggestions would be so appreciated! Thank you very much for your time!

Response from Elizabeth:

Send my love to Texas!

In your case, the descriptions of these animals are going to serve a double purpose. One, they will tell something about the dogs and make them sound good. But just as importantly, they will make the adopter feel welcomed and greeted in a situation where it sounds like there's a lot of commotion.

So warmth and friendliness are extra important here.

Let's start with Welcome!

Next: Thank you for looking at Augustus!

That way, I feel like somebody is glad I'm here. That even though they're busy, they really do care.

Next, we write Augustus' blurb just as we would do for the web. Remember not to start with his age and vaccination status, but to start with who he is as a dog. You don't want people walking along the rows of dogs, comparing "stats". You want them looking at the dogs as individual people.

So we start with Augustus is a majestic German shepherd with a sense of a honor and dignity. Yet, he doesn't have anyone to love and protect! Etc, etc.

Leave all the most uninteresting facts for the bottom... "He's a five year old stray."

And what might be very important in your situation is to finish with "If you are interested in Augustus, please (ring the bell, come to the front desk, or whatever you'd like them to do!)" Just in case people are sometimes leaving because they wanted to learn more but didn't know how to get someone's attention. Just in case!

If there is more than one dog in a run, and you need to let us know which one is Joey and which one is Mikey, remember to give each his own separate page. And let us know, in each blurb, whom we're talking about. Say, "Joey is the black one who looks like a panther" or "Mikey is the one with long, wavy fur." But don't say, "Joey is the Pointer/Labrador mix" and "Mikey is the cattle dog/Border Collie cross". Because folks might not know breeds! It's easy to forget that in the rescue world, where we hear those breed names all the time. The average family coming in might have absolutely no idea which one looks like a cattle dog mix, so say what's most obvious... "The one with the stick-up ears!"

(Plus, aren't you more drawn to "the one with the stick-up ears" than the one who's a shepherd/lab/pit bull/Australian cattle dog cross? "Stick-up ears" is easier and cuter!)

Now, don't go spending $15 per dog on real estate boxes! You'll put yourself into debt! Just print out each page on your computer, and have the pages laminated to protect them from the rain. Make a hole in each one and tie it to the dog's gate with a garbage tie or something. Voila!

It sounds like a very important project. You volunteer at a no-kill, I see. But this would also be a great project for people volunteering at "trying to become no-kill, but not there yet" shelters.

Note from Forum Moderator:

Thank you to the many members who sent in questions for this week's Forum! Transcripts from this and all other forum weeks are archived for easy reference, and are made available to all at http://www.bestfriends.com/nomorehomelesspets/weeklyforum/forumarchives.cfm.

Meanwhile, those of you who joined the forum midweek can view the complete transcripts right away at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NMHP/.

For more information and advice related to this past week's topic, please visit the No More Homeless Pets Forum Archives. (See link above.) The section on Adoption may be of particular interest. In addition, Elizabeth has written a resource called "How to Write Pet Profiles to Find Good Homes for Your Adoptables," found in the No More Homeless Pets resource library at http://www.bestfriends.com/nomorehomelesspets/resourcelibrary/adoptionsindex.cfm

As always, thank you for being part of the forum, and for all you do for the animals!

Adoption Ads that Really Work

Introduction from Elizabeth Doyle:

Questions

Don't be blue...find that black pet a home, instead!

Question from Rachelle:

Response from Elizabeth:

Comment from Mickey:

Turning a bio around to accentuate the positive

Question from Deb:

Response from Elizabeth:

Comment from Louise:

Comment from Varda:

No limp attempts at home finding!

Question from Gayle:

Response from Elizabeth:

Every animal has a 'selling point!'

Question from Donna:

Response from Elizabeth:

Comment from Erin:

Going from "good" to "gotcha"!

Question from Jana:

Response from Elizabeth:

Look into my eyes...

Question from Paula:

Response from Elizabeth:

Are bios in the third or first person more effective?

Question from Teresa:

Response from Elizabeth:

Doesn't Jenny Craig want to adopt a bunny?

Question from Michelle:

Response from Elizabeth:

Go ahead, make them read and weep!

Question from Kim:

Response from Elizabeth:

Underscoring the benefits of senior pets

Question from Sue:

Response from Elizabeth:

Comment from Deborah:

Introducing shelter dogs with a weather-proof kennel bio

Question from Jonna:

Response from Elizabeth:

Note from Forum Moderator: