Shelter’s Edge

- OK, folks, it doesn’t get much better than this: Cleveland Animal Control’s Kid Tested Foster Mom/Dad Approved-Dogs that are GREAT with Kids’ Facebook photo album, which includes shots like this one:

Why it rocks: A) It empowers fosters to help get animals adopted, B) shows the dog in a home setting and C) illustrates that a dog is “GREAT with Kids” in a way that words just couldn’t.

- Yeah, I’m obsessed with this photo…

Photo of Oakland Animal Services’ double-decker hammock by Jyothi V. Robertson, DVM

… but I’m featuring it again because I want to make sure you get the directions for how to make a double-decker hammock just like this one at Oakland Animal Services. Get the deets here. (And thank you again, Dr. Robertson!)

P.S. Over on Facebook, Melissa shared how to take this idea on the road (well, at least offsite): “We make a very quick and budget-friendly version by using towels and giant (3-4 inch), steel safety pins. Not as permanent as the ones above, but easily washable and can be attached to the sides of wire crates or tall cages (which we use for kitten pens). Especially nice for offsite adoption events.”

- Is your agency participating—or getting ready to participate—in a contest or campaign that involves asking your supporters to vote for you online? Read this and find out how to rock the boat to rock the vote.

- Supa-dupa Facebook status idea, courtesy of Animal Friends Humane Society: Post a photo of your staff and thank them publicly for their hard work. This great shot got lotsa likes and comments:

- Now this is how to make the new Facebook Timeline work for you…

Fans can’t miss this info about their upcoming event when positioned as their cover photo. Great use of real estate, Calgary Humane Society!

And how’re you navigating the Timeline?

Related links:
Social Media Tips: Using Supporters to Get Out The Vote
How-To: Make This Double-Decker Hammock

- Who’s switched over to the new Facebook Page?

Facebook is planning to change all pages over to the new design on March 30, and I know some of you think it, well, SUCKS. It’ll take awhile to figure out all the ways this change will impact how we use Facebook, but I do have to say…from an aesthetic and messaging standpoint, gotta love the big honkin’ cover photos. See what The Cat Network and Spokane Humane Society have done with theirs…

- And check out this instructional Facebook Timeline Guide that the Edmonton Humane Society produced in response to fans who were confused by how to navigate and interact with the new design:

- This much is true: A) For every action there is an equal and opposite..um…cat marketing strategy, and B) OMG, you guys never fail to amaze with your creative adoptions promotions. Like this one created by Lowell Humane Society street team volunteer Annette Montminy…

…or this peppy number from the Humane Society of South Mississippi:

And those are only 2 of the promos featured in the recently updated Little Black Book of Adoption Promotions, 139 pages of inspiration from shelters all around the country.

- Nothin’ says “We go together!” like this pic of Bonnie and Clyde…

Animal Rescue League of Iowa recently promoted this well-choreographed couple on Facebook as part of their Happy Cat Prescription program. “You can adopt the first cat for $110 and the 2nd for $15 more,” says ARL’s Stephanie Filer. “All of our ‘Bonded Buddies’ are required to be adopted together (like these guys), because it has been determined that they would thrive in a home together either because they came in already bonded or developed a bond in the shelter.” (And P.S., totally lovin’ the program’s tagline–”Take 2 and you won’t have to call us in the morning.”)

How do you promote  bonded pairs at your agency?

- And because this column is so, uh, timely… Facebook photo-cap of the week, courtesy of Kitsap Humane Society: “Balboa is counting down the minutes until he finds his forever home!”

Related links:
Fee-Waived Adoptions
50 Things to Do on Facebook

It’s baaaack! The Little Black Book of Adoption Promotion Ideas is hot off the presses, recently updated with 15 more campaigns and marketing strategies from shelters all across the country—including Lowell Humane’s “I’m Too Sexy for My Cage” promotion, Richmond SPCA’s National Hug Your Cat Day specials and Calgary Humane’s powerful “I’m Just a Dog” campaign. And there are videos, too, like this 41-second gem from Austin Pets Alive!

Sold?! We thought so! Click to flip through the book below for more inspiration.

P.S. Want more APA!? Coming right up! Register now to join the 2011 $100K Challenge winner for a free webinar tomorrow, March 7, at 3 PM ET. APA! executive director Ellen Jefferson, DVM, will explain how they saved more than 1,600 lives in three months and let you in on their secret weapons: planning, flexibility and trust.

- I’ve seen a lot of call-outs for foster families on Facebook lately, but none quite like this recent one posted on Kauai Humane Society‘s page: “We have a litter of newborn puppies with no mama and they cannot eat on their own,” they wrote. “If you have experience with ‘bottle babies’ OR have a mama dog that is nursing and might be willing to share (wet nurse) and you are willing to take these pups into your home, we will provide all the supplies you need.”

A couple days later, KHS posted this photo:

“We found a mama to help with the orphaned puppies, but they are needing a foster home ASAP!” they wrote. “The mama is acting as a ‘wet nurse’ but she is struggling to make enough milk so the puppies are getting bottles, too. Fostering saves lives and we need your help!” KHS’ shout-out is so effective here because the agency is very specific about what they need—they have a real-life example and clearly explain the urgency. And it’s all accompanied by a photo like this one, no less. Have you put out a similar call to action? (And KHS, please give us an update!)

- And the Oscar goes to… Nebraska Humane Society for this short (as in 32 seconds) film promoting Mushu, a cat who’s been at the shelter since December. Bonus points for their smart Facebook marketing: “Since he’s been here for just over 70 days we’re wondering if we can get 70 people to share his video to help spread the word!!” P.S. They got 119 shares.

What are you doing at your agency to get longer-term residents adopted?

- Come on and safari with Tyson, the first kitty to check out one of the incredible new Fantasy Forest cat trees at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center.

A generous donor purchased one for each of their shelters—and, adds the NJ agency, “They are made to meet our strident cleaning and disinfecting protocols—really important in the shelter environment!”

And the cats are going wild at Sanctuary One in Jacksonville, OR, too… “We did something similar in our cat cottage using logs that run from floor to ceiling and shelves,” they told us.

- Shelters, how do you thank those awesome volunteers? New Hampshire SPCA said it in a song (and this beautiful video)!

A Special Thank You for our Volunteers! from New Hampshire SPCA on Vimeo.

- Way to start your weekend, courtesy of Washington Animal Rescue League:

This newborn kitten was recently dropped off at the DC agency by a man who found her in his basement. “Despite her less than auspicious beginning,” they wrote on their Facebook page, “this tiny feline has taken well to bottle feeding and is receiving round-the-clock care by our dedicated medical staff.” (And P.S., this is the kind of photo and story that conveys to the public in a positive, uplifting way what animal sheltering is really all about!)

Related links:
“The Hidden Life of Shelter Cats”
“Slammin’ Shelter Video Roundup”

- Did you ever think that the term “kitten season” might actually sound like something fun and/or cute to the public? The Louisiana SPCA recently tackled this tough messaging with this very powerful visual representation of data to spur the community into action:

Along with the image, they offered a way to help tackle the problem: “It’s almost kitten season! Now is the time to get your neighborhood feral cats fixed! Our Community Clinic offers low cost spay/neuter for ferals, and it’s FREE for cats trapped in zip codes 70114 and 70131.”

- More slammin’ shelter signage: Check how Calgary Humane Society keeps it simple, sisters, with this beautiful Facebook treatment of their available animals. Love the anniversary logo also. Has your agency created a special logo or campaign to celebrate a milestone?

- Lights, camera, click-tion! Wanted to share this idea proposed and developed by a volunteer at Happy Paws Rescue. The goal of their A-cat-emy Awards program, which features online voting on folks’ favorite kitty nominee for Best Cat in a Leading Role, is to increase cat adoptions using social media.

Check out the complete deets here—and what’s especially brilliant: they encourage folks to share the page with others to help get these kitties adopted, and they ask folks to “Like” the post on Facebook as well as fill out an online form on their website as part of the entry process. Smart cross-channel promotion there and way to introduce folks to both your Facebook and blog, guys!

- You’ve heard us talk about fee-waived cats—but fee-waived rats? Mainely Rat Rescue decided to, ahem, take a leap and try it out. Says MRR’s Kimberly Wales Jackson Zacharias, “We are having a flash promo on Facebook to celebrate the extra day we have this month, and also because we are in dire need of freeing up some foster space.” From 8 on Sunday evening through 8 pm on Wednesday, February 29, when folks send an email to the rescue with the words “Leap Year” in the subject line, they can adopt any rat already spayed or neutered for only $10–and intact rats are free.

And the icing on the cake—props to the Falmouth, ME, group for the best Facebook profile pic ever:

And speaking of cutest pics ever… I can’t tell you how many times I looked at this next photo from Austin Humane Society’s Facebook Wall of a new adopter over the past week and just smiled. This is what it’s all about, folks. (And P.S. That’s the kind of adoptions policy I like—must look/dress like pet!)

P.S. This post (and really, every single word I write about the ways that you guys are working to save animals’ lives) is dedicated to Bing, 1996-2012.

Related links:
Beat the Heat Spay/Neuter Promotion
“Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Breediful”
Wrapping up February 29: ASV Shelter Guidelines Webinar Series