Internet Adoptions

How can animal control post pictures when there is such a high turnover of animals?

Question from a member:

We are an animal control. We have a hard time putting animals up on Petfinder because we do have space limitations and it is really hard to maintain the pictures when things could change unexpectedly. We want to help get the animals featured and give them a chance, but it is really hard and we don't want someone coming in to look at a dog that we just had to euthanize. How do other open shelters handle this?

Response from Kim:

Animal control and shelters that can only keep animals for a limited period of time do face unique challenges while posting their pets online. However, because of your limited space, it is even more important for you to showcase the animals in your care in every possible way in an effort to increase adoptions.

Because we recognize the challenge you face, Petfinder has created an automatic upload feature. If your facility uses any type of shelter management software, from PetWhere to Chameleon to an Excel database (or others), we will set up your Petfinder account so that pets entered into your software will automatically upload to Petfinder. This way, you only have to enter your pets once! Any Petfinder.com member can use this feature at no cost.

Also, don't underestimate the value of volunteers in helping you keep your website up to date - it's a perfect job for volunteers!

Response from Kate:

I empathize with your situation. It must be very difficult to explain to people that "their pet" has been euthanized - for that is probably how they already perceive him or her. And, of course, you want to keep your pet listings as current as possible to minimize these situations. However, I believe that the only way we are ever going to win our collective fight against irresponsible pet ownership is by telling people the truth, even though it is often heartbreaking. People need to begin to see that this is an urgent situation, that the problem is immense, and that it is a problem both created by humans and fixable by humans. They need to understand their role. I would guess that many shelters would worry that this could be a P.R. nightmare, but I think that can be avoided simply by planning ahead and devising a sensitive but not sugar-coated explanation. In short, it shouldn't be a surprise to people that pets have to be euthanized in shelters; it should be a reality.

One positive note: having these potential adopters already in the shelter provides an opportunity to direct them to another pet that they may fall head over heels in love with.

Comment from Mary:

We, too, are a municipal Animal Control Agency. We post our pets on Petfinder (AL70). One of our volunteers does her best to update the pets weekly. I help if time permits. However, like Kate said, even if the pet they came in to see is not still here (whether euthanized or already adopted), we have someone who is looking for a new pet in our doors! We usually get an adoption out of that experience. Sometimes at that moment, sometimes they come back.

How to convince a board to do out of state adoptions

Question from Jennifer:

I currently do the website for our humane organization. We get lots of interest from nearby states for adoptions. We can't get our organization members and board to OK out of state, or even distant in state adoptions. Do you have any tips on changing their attitudes?

Response from Kim:

Adoption policies vary greatly from organization to organization. Some Petfinder.com members will adopt pets outside of their state or area and others choose not to. Even among those who do out of state adoptions, the way in which they do them varies. Some organizations require the adopter to travel to meet the pet prior to adoption. Some rely on a fellow animal welfare organization in the adopter's area for information, reference checks and even home visits. We receive dozens of Petfinder Happy Tails each week, many of which are long-distance adoptions with happy endings.

Part of the beauty of the Internet is the ability to expand your pet-adopting community from just those living in your town to those across the state, or the country. The decision on whether or not to do so is one that must be addressed by your own organization.

If you are interested in changing attitudes on this issue (or any other) among your members and board, I would suggest first determining what their concerns are. Once you've done that, you can explore ways to allay them. For example, if board members are concerned about ensuring that the adoption is a good match, instituting a policy that the adopter must travel to "meet-and-greet" their potential new pet, may be the first step towards meeting that concern.

Also, remember that whatever your policies are, you should use your website to let your public know about them. Best of luck to you.

Response from Kate:

This is a difficult question to answer without knowing specifically the objections that have been raised by the board. Are they worried about the impossibility of doing home checks? the transportation costs? the logistics of taking returns? the increased costs of follow-up calls? Do they have the perception that return rates will be higher than those for adoptions conducted locally?

Most progressive animal organizations do conduct out-of-state adoptions, many of them with great success. I would suggest contacting several of them to find out: A. what their policies are; B. how they got over any initial objections; C. what problems they have encountered; and D. what their return rate is for out-of-state adoptions. I suspect that you will find that the organizations you contact have a return rate of 10% or less on their out-of-state adoptions, which is right in line with the average return rate for all pet adoptions.

Again, without knowing precisely the objections, I can't offer up specific counter-arguments, but I believe that by gathering evidence from organizations that are successful in this area, you will have all the ammo you need to win your case.

How do we turn inquiries into actual adoptions?

Question from Carol:

We have been putting our pets online (Petfinder and our own website) for about a year now. We are pleased that we are getting views, but we just can't seem to turn these views into inquiries and finally adoptions. Is this the norm for Internet pet adopting or is there something else we can be doing to help increase the percentage of adopting? We think we have great pets, but people are just not responding for more information.

Response from Kim:

I'm glad that you are taking the time to put your adoptable pets on line - and that people are viewing them. In a survey conducted of Petfinder.com members, we learned that, on average, over one half of their adoptions result from their Petfinder postings! I can think of a few things to consider if you are getting a lot of "hits" on your pets, but those aren't translating into inquiries.

First, do the animals in your care meet the needs/desires of your community? In other words, is your community looking for small apartment sized pets but your kennels are full of large, active dogs? This is not so much an Internet issue as it is an issue of supply and demand. Some organizations are resolving this issue by transferring pets from areas where they are plentiful to areas where they are much in demand. Remember that if all of your posted pets prefer not to live with children and other pets, it will also limit the pool of homes available to them.

Next, if you do have appropriate pets for your community, you may want to re-examine your photos and pet descriptions. It is important to remember that we need to market our pets. You want Sparky's picture and bio to reach out to that potential adopter and grab them, forming an emotional connection, which they will be forced to act upon. The importance of photographs cannot be stressed enough; pets with photos are viewed over 10 times more often than those without. And clear photos, where the pet fills the frame are the goal. Descriptions, too, can grab a potential adopter. Consider a description that makes the pet an individual, highlighting something special or noteworthy about him or her. Depending upon your organization and the time available, this can be a great task for your volunteers.

Finally, keep in mind that having your pets viewed frequently is a good thing - even if it doesn't translate into an adoption for that pet right away. It means that people know that your pets are on-line. You may have regular visitors who support you and the work that you do. They visit your pets on a regular basis, although they aren't interested in adopting right now. This is an investment in your future. When they are ready to add a pet to their family, they'll know right where to go to visit your pets on-line. And sometimes, even though they thought they weren't interested in adopting at that time, the emotional connection will just happen - and all of a sudden, they will be ready!

I hope some of that will be useful. Keep up your Internet posting!

Response from Kate:

Taking good pictures

Question from a member:

Our biggest problem is getting our volunteers to take good pictures of the animals for the website. We have tried to stress the importance of taking good pictures and making the animal appealing, but they say it is hard to get the animals to sit still and pose because they are so happy to be out of their kennels or cages. In many of our pictures the dog is turning his head or the cat is really far away, etc. We don't want to upset our volunteers by criticizing their efforts, but it doesn't seem like the pictures are making the animals seem very appealing. Do you have any tips on how to take good pictures that we can share with our volunteers?

Response from Kate:

One thing that really helps is to use a quiet area that is separate from the kennel area. We encourage our groups to set up a makeshift photo studio, with different colored fabric backdrops and decent lighting. Once the animals are away from the distractions of the kennel, they are much calmer and are more likely to sit still for a picture. Have the "studio" stocked with various kinds of toys, treats, and noisemakers to catch the interest of the pets. Feather toys can work magic when trying to make a cat strike a pose. Kazoos and squeaky toys will make dogs snap to attention, with appealingly perky ears and an alert gaze.

It also helps to have at least two people on picture-taking duty at the same time. A trick for cats is to have one person hold the cat over their shoulder while they face away from the camera. This puts the cat's face in good position for a shot. Also, encourage your volunteers to take several pictures of each animal...after all, it doesn't cost anything extra when you're using a digital camera, and it increases your chances of getting a good picture.

Response from Kim:

Taking pictures of pets can be a very frustrating task. And yet, you are absolutely right that good pictures can really help a pet find that fur-ever home.

The most important thing you can do when posting pictures of pets is to fill the frame of the picture with the pet. Adopters don't want to see shots of the kennel run, the cage or the yard. They want to see the pet. Zoom in - or crop after the fact.

If you don't have a digital camera, I strongly suggest that you invest in one. They have come down in price to the point that you can get a digital camera which is perfectly adequate for posting pictures on your website for $50.00 or less. And, as someone who photographs (or attempts to photograph) adoptable dogs, I feel strongly that a digital camera is well worth the investment! This way, you know when what you've really captured is only the dog's tail - and you can delete and try again... and again...

What I find most helpful is to have two people working together to take the photos. One can hold or position the animal while the other snaps the photo. When at all possible, take dogs out of their runs and cats out of their cages. Pictures taken outside in natural light, or in a well-lit room, will feature your pets as more appealing.

Try some props. A simple colored sheet hung over a fence is a great backdrop for dogs. One group we know uses a black sheet for light colored dogs and a white sheet for the darker dogs. Similarly, a sheet or blanket in a sink provides a cozy place for a cat to snuggle in while making his photo debut. Use squeaky toys to get dogs' attention; cat dancer-type toys do the same for cats.

Consider a photo-contest among your volunteers. Perhaps you can choose the best photo taken each month and feature it in a special place in your facility or off-site adoption location. Make a GREAT PHOTOGRAPHER certificate; people appreciate having their efforts recognized. And stress to volunteers how much you value their efforts to help you find great homes for the pets!!

Comment from Celeste:

One other point is to demonstrate the endearing behaviors described in the pet's bio. For example, if the bio for a cat says, "Great with dogs", then SHOW the cat with a dog. The same goes for great with other cats, great with kids, loves to sit on laps, very playful fellow, loves his catnip mouse, wraps his paws around your neck and gives hugs, etc. - maybe not "Always uses his letterbox, though!" ;^)

For example, I fostered a cat who'd sat in a shelter cage for over a year, too crabby and anti-feline to even leave her small enclosure, so generally upset with her situation that she'd swat and growl at any HUMAN who approached, as well. Once she was in my home, it turned out that she really liked my dog - a lot! She never scratched us, instantly started to lose weight, and seemed ready for a new home almost immediately.

I took a not-that-great photo of her hanging out with my dog, the 2nd day she was at my place, and my fellow volunteer slapped it up on the web with a bio I pounded out.

As a direct result, within a week of coming to visit she had a permanent home, with a very nice lady who was specifically looking for a cat who'd get along with her poodle. I'm sure there were lots of other cats out there whose bios stated, "good with dogs," but she chose the one who had the picture to prove it.

Media campaign that encourages people to visit the website

Question from Jesse:

We have been thinking about doing a campaign where we have billboards and flyers up trying to drive people to our website to see our adoptable animals. We are also doing a media campaign where at the end we don't give out a phone number because we don't have the manpower to staff it, but give out our website address instead. Have either of you ever done or heard of a campaign to encourage traffic to your site and if so, was it successful? We'd love any tips on what to do or what not to do!

Response from Kate:

A billboard and flyer campaign could be very effective in driving traffic to your site. Just be sure you keep your message simple and make the graphics appealing and professional. Also, is your web address an easy one to remember? The best web addresses are relatively short and not too complicated. One caveat on the flyers: don't print them before you know who's going to distribute them and where they're going to be placed. Distribution can be time-consuming and frustrating, and we've made the mistake in the past of printing thousands of flyers that ended up gathering dust because we didn't have a solid distribution plan.

Incidentally, we put our web address on everything - T-shirts, flyers, posters, stickers, yellow pages ads, classified ads, banners, postcards, etc. Studies show that people need to see a message 7 to 9 times before they remember it, so you need to get your web address out in as many ways and places as you can.

Kim Saunders response:

Kudos to you for undertaking a media campaign. It is so important to get the spotlight on your organization, what you do, and most importantly, on your pets! And directing folks to your website is a great way to do just that.

I wear two hats at Petfinder.com - one in Shelter Outreach and one in Public Relations. While wearing my PR hat, my only goal is to drive traffic to the Petfinder website and specifically, to the over 130,000 pets waiting there for adoption. As I noted in a previous answer, we have been very successful in these efforts, with our site traffic ranked at 1,500th out of all Internet sites! So I feel confident saying that campaigns to drive the public to your website - and to your adoptable pets - can be very successful.

Billboards and flyers which advertise your website are great ways to encourage traffic to your website. Be sure that the address is printed in large, clear print - and in colors, which are easily read. Also, consider whether your web address is easy to remember.

Best of luck to you.

Turning people down without upsetting them?

Question from Joan:

Many of the Internet inquiries we get are from people to whom we would never adopt an animal. What is a good method for dealing with these inquiries without being offensive? And, if someone tries to adopt from you that you know is a bad adoption (like they have been charged with animal cruelty) is there a way to let other organizations know over the Internet, so that they don't adopt to them? It seems so easy in this computer age to have people go from place to place or state to state.

Response from Kim:

I consider the Internet as simply a tool (although a very powerful one) to reach potential adopters with information about the pets in your care. Once they've searched the Internet and found what they believe could be the right pet for them, you still need to have the same conversations, and build the same relationship that you would have if they simply drove up to your shelter or adoption event.

Every organization is going to set its own policies and criteria for adoption. Many progressive groups are re-thinking current policies to allow for a more open adoption style. Rather than a multiple page written form with "right" and "wrong" answers, a more open interview style can allow you to find out more about a person and his lifestyle. This may lead to your learning that he would be an appropriate home for one of your pets. And if not, it may provide you with an opportunity to offer him information, education or resources which will help him provide a better home for his current pets - and any new ones he gets. Because, let's face it, if someone wants a pet, they will get one!

In a society where only about 20% of pets are coming from animal shelters and rescue groups, we need to do everything possible to encourage the public to come to us when they want to add a pet to their family. Customer service is really important. We want the public to think of shelters and adoption events as warm, inviting places that serve as community resource centers - not someplace where they will be harshly judged and poorly treated. Some of the saddest e-mails I receive are complaints from members of the public that begin by telling me how rudely they were treated by staff or volunteers at a shelter or rescue group and end by telling me that they then chose to go purchase a (puppy-mill) puppy from a pet store! What a tragic ending for everyone involved.

This is not to say that groups should not have standards, or that they should not look out for the best interest of the pet. The Internet does allow for easy communication between animal welfare professionals, whether in the same town or across the country. The Members-only message boards on Petfinder.com allow members to communicate with each other about issues that you may not want to discuss with members of the public. And various other e-mail groups and list-serves exist for sharing ideas and information about this and many other topics.

Response from Kate:

I'm guessing that you have a well-established procedure for turning down people who apply in person. The same tactics should be used for people who apply online. I'm not sure it's possible to deny someone without giving offense on some level. What it boils down to is you having decided that they are not worthy. There's just no getting around it. That said, the best approach is one that is not personal and not derisive...one that focuses on the facts. Also, you may want to consider directing people to an adoption agency (be it another rescue group or an animal control shelter) that may consider adopting to them. Of course this would not apply in the case of a person with a history of animal cruelty or hoarding.

I don't know of any national database of people who have been turned down for pet adoptions. I'm not sure how effective such a database would be, in any case, because adoption criteria differ so widely from organization to organization and because it would be difficult to distinguish one "Frank Jones" from another.

Comment from Ivette:

I have not always been aware of the number of homeless dogs out there (that is why my first three dogs are purchased dogs - 2 tiny toy poodles and 1 yorkie). But since I have been made aware, I have become a strong supporter of adopting older dogs.

Some time after my Chow-Chow died of a brain tumor, I tried many times to adopt an older dog through the Internet with Pet Finder and other organizations but never succeeded. The response was always the same - I was to far away from the area where the dog is located. I make a very good living and have a home of my own with a large fenced back yard, but have never been considered.

Maybe that is part of the problem of why people go out and purchase a pet instead of adopting one. It's because they don't get any support. They mean well but I guess that's not enough.

After trying to adopt for a long period of time, I found a local lady who rescues German Shepherds and my family and I adopted a beautiful 4-year-old German Shepherd named Jack. He is the center of our lives and we have him spoiled.

I understand that the rescue organizations have the animals' best interests in mind, but if good families are not considered because of how far away they live, the number of homeless animals will keep rising instead of diminishing.

Just my thought of the subject - it's not that people don't try but rather the negative response many people receive.

Comment from Linda:

Please don't ever judge a person who is trying to adopt long distance. Two years ago I was on my computer and didn't know anything of petfinder.com but received an email advertising it. I checked it out, looking at Cocker Spaniels as I had a Cocker. I saw a gorgeous face of a Cocker, rough looking but he just grabbed at my heart. I emailed the rescue that had him and didn't get a response. I felt like I had already met this dog, I was so attached to just seeing his picture. He had a history of nipping and I was worried but there was something about this baby. I couldn't stop thinking about him. I emailed again and no response. I finally called them and explained I had been emailing interested in little "Mickey" and could they please consider me.

I had vet references and anything else they wanted. She said they hadn't answered because I was out of the adoption area and they weren't sure if I was truly interested. I gave her my info, my vet and begged her to call right away I wanted to drive there that day to get him as I had waited for replies from emails for a couple weeks.

We drove down to get him and he met us with a stiff attitude and a growl but I squatted down and put my hand out in hopes he wouldn't nip me. He started kissing me and jumped all over me and it was love!! He can't be trusted with strangers but from that day until now he is the most wonderful loving baby in the world. We make sure there is a controlled environment as far as strangers and we don't put him in the position to be able to nip a stranger (as that is why he was at the rescue for nipping a salesperson). I e-mail her and send pictures, thanking her to this day for giving me a chance and sending us our heaven sent little "Mickey". So please don't always turn away a long distance adoption as it could be the person to save a little fur-baby. It may be the greatest gift in that person's life.

Should descriptions be heartbreaking or does that turn people off?

Question from Ann:

We like to let our fosters post their own descriptions on the website. Some of the stories are just too heartbreaking, and some are just too long. We don't want to discourage our fosters, but we are not sure how to convince them that the public will lose interest if all of the stories on our site are tragic tales of abuse and neglect. How do you achieve a balance between getting people's attention and appealing to their emotions without turning the public off with stories that are just too tragic? And how do you communicate that to the people who are posting the adoptable pets?

Response from Kate:

I think you are right about trying to avoid too much "doom and gloom" in your bios. This isn't to say that you shouldn't mention the pets' histories, just that you shouldn't dwell on them.

Consistency of messaging is important, and you will never achieve it if you allow fosters to post bios directly themselves. I would suggest designating one person in your organization to edit (and/or write) and post the bios to the website. Fosters could still contribute by sending their bios to this person, who would edit them to make them fit the desired tone before posting them to the site. Alternatively, you could have fosters simply provide the person responsible for posting with details about the pet (likes, dislikes, temperament, etc.), which could then be incorporated in the bio. This would recognize the fosters' importance and their relationship with the pet, but would allow you to better control the messaging.

Response from Kim:

It's great to allow foster homes to post their own foster pets on the website. They usually do know the pets in their care better than anyone else - and posting pets is a great way to use volunteer time in a way that is helpful and keeps them feeling involved and useful.

Your organization will have to decide how much you want to manage how those descriptions are written. You might consider addressing the issue at a regularly scheduled volunteer meeting, planning a meeting for foster homes to discuss internet postings or even creating a simple "Pet Posting Guidelines" document for them. I encourage organizations to spend as much time as possible writing compelling Pet Notes, which are the pet descriptions that appear for every pet posted on petfinder.com. It is important that the volunteers posting pets for you understand how important it is to market your pets to the public.

An important rule of thumb: Be positive - but be honest! I believe we have a responsibility to be honest with adopters about the pets they are considering adopting. This means being honest regarding breed, age, activity level, health and behavior. Foster homes have a vested interest in helping pets find the right home for them. The best way to do that is to be completely honest about the pet so that a good match can be made. But this does not mean that they cannot be positive. One example I like to use is a description written by one of our members about a dog in their program. They had a great picture of "Pepper" complete with a birthday hat and wrote:

"Pepper has on her party hat and dancing shoes. Don't you want to come party with her? This beautiful 2-year-old spayed pit bull mix really knows how to have a good time. She'll share her party favors with other dogs and children but prefers that cats stay home!!!"

In this way, important information about Pepper was made available, but she still sounded like a great pet for the right home. The family that found her on Petfinder.com thought so and Pepper fit in perfectly with their (non-cat) family.

I believe that you are right in wanting to strike a balance between appealing to the public's emotions and leaving them too depressed to function. It's also important to note that different styles appeal to different people. There are some who are a sucker for a sad tale - so that the tragic story that a certain pet may carry can be just the right tool for finding her a perfect home. On the other hand, painting the picture of a loving, well adjusted pet who has fit in beautifully in his foster home and is looking for a new family to enrich with his presence appeals to others.

Finally, encourage your foster homes who post their pets to monitor the number of potential adopters who are viewing them. The Petfinder.com pet stats browser lets you log in and see those numbers for the day, week or month. If you find a lot of people are viewing the pet, but not making further inquiry, you might consider updating and changing the description.

Tips for placing special needs pets

Question from Liz:

Do you have any tips for finding homes for special needs animals via the Internet? We have a very difficult time finding homes for our FeLV/FIV kitties and other special needs animals.

Response from Kim:

There are some wonderfully special people out there who actually seek out special needs pets. For that reason, the Advanced Search feature on Petfinder.com allows adopters to search specifically for those pets who have the Special Needs icon. So when adding your special needs pets, be sure to check the box for special needs. I know of one special family who just added Special Needs Cat #14 (FeLV+) to their family after doing such a search.

Unfortunately, there always seems to be more FeLV and FIV cats than there are homes for them. In addition to using the Special Needs icon, you might want to feature a special needs pet on your home page. This is especially true when there is a financial burden. I know of more than one orthopedic surgery made possible by donations made after reading of the need on the website.

Other options to consider involve using the Internet to network. Post on the message boards - petfinder's public message boards have many active members. Word of mouth could help you reach someone you might not have otherwise. And search for other e-mail groups or list serves specific to the type of special need your pet is dealing with.

Response from Kate:

While finding homes for special needs animals is very challenging, there are a few things you can try that may make it a little easier...

If possible, place a "clickable" icon/button on your website next to the photos of your cats with FeLV or FIV. The button or icon should read something like "Cats with FIV need love too...click here to learn more about my condition", and would take people to a page that tells them all about FIV. People tend to be frightened of these conditions without knowing the details, and their fears can often be assuaged with facts.

Another trick is to keep good records of people who have adopted FeLV or FIV cats in the past from your group. Stay in contact with these people and let them know about the cats you have available. Even if they themselves can't adopt, they can be good advocates for FeLV/FIV cats and may network with friends and family to find the cats homes.

You could also hold a special-needs only mall adoption. Promote it well, and try to get media coverage a day or two BEFORE the event happens. Stage a special needs photo-op with a cute theme, and invite the press to come out for a sneak preview of the adoption.

How to create your own website and find volunteers to manage it

Question from Cindy:

We don't even have a website for our foster group and none of us are technologically savvy. Do either of you have thoughts on how to find someone to help design a website, as a volunteer, or how we can get one done ourselves? And also, how do you get pictures taken of your foster home animals? Not all of our fosters show regularly, and we have some who don't have a digital camera to take pictures. So we don't have pictures of some of our animals.

Response from Kim:

Can you be sued by those who adopt long-distance over the Internet?

Question from Teresa:

Are you aware of anyone who has adopted over the Internet trying to sue the humane group? Our board is afraid of using the Internet to post our pets because they are afraid that if we do long distance adoptions and the person is not screened in person, that we are opening ourselves up for liability issues with them later on. Basically we are looking for arguments we can present to the Board on how successful long distance adoptions can be and success stories.

Response from Kim:

Fear of being sued is certainly understandable, but I don't think you are at any greater risk of it by using the Internet. Shelters and rescue groups are at risk of being sued and I encourage any group that is not incorporated with their 501(c)(3) status to do so - and to acquire liability insurance.

Remember that you can post pets on the Internet even if you decide NOT to allow long distance adoptions. It's a free resource available to you that can help increase your adoptions.

Whether or not to allow long distance adoptions is another issue, one that we addressed in response to an earlier question. I can tell you that at Petfinder we receive dozens of Petfinder Happy Tails each week, many of which are long-distance adoptions with happy endings. As an example, I will share "Corky's" story with you:

Corky's owners passed away, leaving her depressed and unwilling to eat in a shelter in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. About the same time, in Baltimore, MD, Galia Berry logged onto Petfinder.com and read about Corky's situation. "I drove over four hours to get her, and what a sad sack she was," Galia says. Corky responded well to her new family. "Two months later she is a different dog and was the 'valedictorian' of her obedience class." Corky is starting Therapy Dog Certification, so she can visit hospitals and nursing homes. For a dog that has been through so much, Corky has much to offer others with her gentle nature. "She is a great family dog, simply a delightful addition to our family," Galia says.

Response from Kate:

I am unaware of any precedent that would make an organization more liable because they screened over the phone instead of in person. In any case, if your group doesn't already have it, I would suggest getting liability insurance.

Keep in mind, too, that just because you post pets on the Internet does not mean that you have to allow long distance adoptions. You can set your policies however you'd like. And by not posting your pets online, you're probably missing out on lots of potential adopters in your area.

Combating long website addresses and creating a Frequently Asked Questions page

Question from a member:

Being a municipal shelter, we have one website that is maintained through our City. We give the City Webmaster all the information, but we are limited as to what information we can put on the site. It does not have a mechanism for posting photos, so we set up a Petfinder page where people can view our adoptable animals. I have two questions. Which page do I send them to? ALL our info about the shelter is on our City page, MOST of our info is on the Petfinder page. The problem is that both have long website addresses.

Second, do you have any tips on getting people to read the information about your pets and shelter before just emailing you questions? It seems like all the information is contained on the sites but no one reads it and just emails us. This types up a lot of our time to answer all these emails.

Kate Schnepel's response:

I would be inclined to send people directly to your Petfinder page - maybe that's just because I'd rather believe that they all want to adopt, not turn over their pets. If you include a link to your city site, everyone should be able to find what he/she needs. To combat the long address problem, you could buy another website address (for about $20/year) and set it up to redirect to your Petfinder page. In other words, someone would type in, for example, www.tulsapets.com but they would be automatically taken to your Petfinder page. This allows you to keep your sites as they are but to use a simple web address.

As for the annoying e-mails, one fix would be to set up an automatic response that provides potential adopters with answers to frequently asked questions. At the end of the e-mail, you could say something like "if your question has not been answered by the above information, please feel free to e-mail us at the following address:xxxx@xxx.com". To target the process, you could set up an e-mail address that is only posted on your Petfinder page - whenever an e-mail is sent to that particular address, the automatic F.A.Q. reply would be generated. Then, the e-mail address you provide at the bottom of the automatic response would be a different one...one that went directly to a person, so that people who still have questions could get the answers they need. (I hope that wasn't too confusing)

Good luck with everything!

Kim Saunders' response:

You can have a manageable Petfinder.com web address by simply requesting a unique name. As I mentioned in an earlier post, you have the ability to choose your address in this format http://YOURNAME.petfinder.com. That can help the public remember where to find you.

My suggestion would be that you use this feature and advertise the web address which will be easier to remember. Plus, potential adopters will be going directly to the site where they can see your adoptable pets. From your Petfinder website, you can provide a link to your City website - and vice versa. That way you can drive traffic from one site to the other.

Your second question is a common one and a source of frustration for many shelters and rescues. Having your information in a clear, concise format on your website will encourage people to read it. Consider a FAQ - or list of Frequently Asked Questions with the answers. However, to some extent I believe that there will always be those people who don't read the info, and instead, write in with questions you've already answered.

Some groups have an auto-reply e-mail that goes out to every person who e-mails them. It may tell them how long they can expect to wait for a reply to their individual message, and it may provide a short list of the information you've found to be the most common requests, i.e., your location, your hours, your application procedure.

Along the same lines, you can draft "standard form replies" that you use to answer e-mails. So instead of having to start each reply from scratch, you can call up your "Adoption Procedure" reply, which includes a link to your adoption questionnaire. Keep in mind that these are potential adopters with whom you hope to build a relationship, so be sure that your form mail actually answers their questions. Sometimes you may need to edit it or add additional information, and it's always nice to personalize the reply. But it can still be a huge time-saver.

Finding networks to help with adoptions between states and Mexico

Question from Jeannie:

We are a small upstart animal welfare organization in Mexico. Our aim is to publicize adoptable dogs on petfinder.com and our own website, to get them adopted in the states or locally here in Mexico. What suggestions do you have for establishing working relationships with shelter groups in the US (before or after we get a firm adopter)? We've already managed to transport almost 100 dogs to places in CA, AZ, TX, and we're interested in expanding to other southern states.

We are looking for help transporting to destinations once our animals are adopted. We are also looking for shelters that keep a "Wish List" of animals they are looking for - specific animal breeds. (We get many pure breeds mixes here due to the non-existence of spay/neuter laws.)

I know many would be opposed to bringing Mexico's dogs to the US, but a homeless animal is still an animal looking for a home. The fact that there are some many more here who are so much worse off due to the culture of abuse here is an incentive for us to try and make this happen. Any help on this would be appreciated!

Kim Saunders response:

This takes the issue of adopting out of state one more step, although in some ways, it really is no different at all, since Mexico is a closer neighbor to some US states/areas than other states are. Of course, you need to be sure that you are in compliance with any relevant regulations or laws.

Using the Internet to network with other animal welfare professionals in your field, both in Mexico and the United States, is a great idea. Using the Petfinder.com message boards and other internet groups and list-serves can help you to get to know organizations and people who might be interested in working with you.

Transporting pets from area to area is a hot topic these days. As with most issues, some are huge supporters while others are vehemently opposed. Networking is the best way to identify who shares your views, so you can work on forging a relationship with them. It sounds to me like you're off to a good start in that area. You can continue to reach out to the groups you've worked with in the past and see if they are aware of other groups who might be willing to work with you.

Anytime you are transporting animals to another organization, I think it is critically important that you have first hand knowledge of their resources, facilities, policies and practices. As with anything else in life, you cannot simply believe everything you read or see on the Internet. There is no sense wasting time and energy sending a pet from one bad situation to another. If you have a good working relationship with several groups already, you may want to consider further cultivating those relationships while also working to improve conditions in the areas from which the animals come.

Petfinder.com will be holding two Adoption Options seminars in Texas in February of 2004. These are one-day educational programs which we put on in conjunction with the ASPCA. Our goal is to bring top-notch speakers on issues which affect adoptions to areas that may not usually have access to such training or educational programs. We held 12 such successful events this year, all of which were well received and well attended. Thanks to sponsorship by the PETCO Foundation, we are able to keep the costs extremely low so that a full day of seminars complete with lunch and a t-shirt costs only $10 for Petfinder members. If you are able to make the trip, Adoption Options seminars and other training opportunities provide a great opportunity to network.