So many factors can influence why pets listed on Adopt a Pet may or may not be getting potential adopter interest. While this is more of an art than an exact science, here are some tried and true tips that have brought numerous shelters/rescues much success!
Top 4 Tips to Attract more Potential Adopters to your Pet's Profile!
1. Your Pet’s 1st (aka Main) Photo is super important!
It’s so important we dedicated an entire article to the subject: Photo Tips to get Pets Adopted. Be sure to check it out AND add a new 1st photo if you're not receiving any applications after a reasonable amount of time. To do this, you'll need to delete all your pet’s current photos, don’t worry, you can add back the photos, if you like, after adding your new 1st photo. Trust us, it’s worth it and has the potential to spark a lot of new interest!
While a good photo showcasing your pet with a person is a great way to go as well, here are some examples of some strong pet only main photos!
2. Show off their personality in Your Pet’s Name!
Add a few fun words to your pet’s name. When adopters are scrolling through numerous pets, the pet’s name is visible in their search results (as you can see from the photo above), so you want to entice them to click on your pet to learn more. You could add something to show off their personality such as:
- “Lap cat Binky”
- “Lap dog Cash”
- “Sam loves snuggles”
- “Sadie loves kids”
- "Annie loves cats"
- "Max loves running”
- "Sandy loves playtime"
- "Mercedes loves dogs"
3. Your Pet’s Story is just as important as their main photo!
Serious potential adopters try to ensure a good fit before applying to adopt a pet. Be open, honest, thorough, and compelling when writing (or re-writing) your pet's story! Think about what you would want to know as a future adopter. Here are some questions to get the creative juices flowing:
- What does your pet enjoy doing?
- What is their personality like?
- How old is your pet?
- What are you looking for in a new home for your pet?
- What adjectives would you use to describe your pet?
- Where did you acquire your pet?
- What is something unique about your pet?
- What type of special needs does your pet have (if any)?
- Would they absolutely love being in a home with another dog (or another cat)?
- Would they prefer to be the only pet in the household?
- Is your pet great with children, do they just tolerate them, or is a house without children best?
- Does your pet love getting lots of exercise? Is a daily run the highlight of their day?
- Is your pet a coach potato?
- Do they know any tricks or commands? (sit, stay, down, leave it, etc)?
- What are their favorite treats or toys?
- Do they love cuddles or prefer their own space?
- Are they use to sleeping in the bed with their human or do they prefer to sleep on their own bed?
Pro Tip: If you haven’t already, add your pet’s exact age and weight to their story. You'll notice under "Facts about me" that only an age group (puppy, young, adult, or senior), and a weight range (small, medium, large and x-large) is listed. When adding your pet's age to their story, be sure to spell out numbers, for example, “Sam is five-years-old”. Typing the actual numeric number may trigger your pet to be temporarily hidden for up to 3 days for a re-review.
4. Share you Pet's Page...Re-share, and Share some more!
Share your pet’s page on all your social media platforms, via email, and with your colleagues, friends, and family! Don’t forget to ask them to share your pet’s profile with their own network as well! You can also reach out to local businesses and ask them to share your pet as a “pet of the week”. Start by reaching out to local veterinary clinics, local pet supply stores, and animal shelters or rescue organizations. Reach out to to all types of respected businesses (they don't have to be in the pet care industry).
Making these updates to your pet's profile will increase potential adopter traffic, however you never know where you may find another loving family for your pet. For that reason, we recommend that you keep looking for an adopter or rescue elsewhere, even while your pet is listed on Adopt a Pet. Always remember, you are the best adoption ambassador for your pet!