FREE
(Click here to download a PDF copy of this article if you would like to share or distribute this article with fellow rescuers.)

9 EZ Ways to Market Rescue Pets

Let’s face it, it seems hard at first to market rescue pets. Why so many misconceptions about from “pets are in rescue because something is wrong with them” to “it’s easier to bond with a pet purchased from a breeder when its young.” But we all know these misconceptions aren’t true. So, below are my 9 easy tips for marketing shelter pets.

1. Go above and beyond with service. This is so basic it’s a shame it’s often overlooked. People generally tell others when someone goes above and beyond for them. Like, “The Save the Lassies adoption coordinator felt a border collie wasn’t right for our family so she connected us with a wonderful Labrador she knew was at the local humane society. And she even called the shelter director to recommend us.”

2. Have an Online Presence. Even if it’s through Petfinder, an online presence helps adopters from all walks of life connect with the animals.

3. Use good quality photo shots. This doesn’t mean purchasing a $300 camera but it does mean making sure the animal is in focus, primarily focusing on the head and eyes. Consider a more compatible surrounding for dark or white animals; these animals tend to not look as good in cage shots. And take more than one picture of animal.

4. Zap up your bios. The days of making shelter animals look sad and abandoned is over. Some groups have gone so far as to write bios that resemble personal ads or first person bios of the animal.

5. Network through your previous adopters. If your previous adopters are happy and you’re being a good rescue by following up with them, encourage them to spread the word. Word-of-Mouth accounts from friends and neighbors are usually more effective ads than flyers or newspaper classifieds.

6. But don’t preach to the choir. A lot of groups leave business cards and literature in places where animal lovers congregate like pet supply shops and vet offices. Why not utilize the bulletin board at your local coffee or sandwich shop? What about the supermarket bulletin board? Will your dentist or doctor let you leave literature on the waiting room table? The possibilities are endless.

7. Brand your group on adoption days. In an ideal world every rescue group member would wear a T-shirt with the group’s name and logo on adoption days at the local PetSmart. If that’s out of your budget now, try to at least wear shirts with the same color. This makes your group look united and provides branding in a sense. Plus, it distinguishes you from the regular staff at the store.

8. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. I’m referring to those lovely portmanteau names for “hybrids” churned out by unscrupulous breeders like “Labradoodle” and “Puggle.” As much as we know these are fancy names for mutts, it is good marketing. I actually recommend using these names and going one step further: create your own names. An Australian Shepherd-Rottweiler-Collie mix could be an “Austrollier.” A shelter in Florida used the name “Canardlytel” for regular Heinz 57 mixes, meaning “Can Hardly Tell.”

9. And finally, be creative. The same shelter in Florida that came up with Canardlytel also created registry “papers” for each animal from a “pre-owned pet club” as a dig at the AKC. If you’re creative, you can come up with a brilliant marketing plan without spending a lot of money.