7 Ways to Start Engaging the Community with Find Your Fido

One of the great things about the Find Your Fido national campaign is that it can help you engage more of your community and reach more adopters for Adopt A Shelter Dog Month.

To get you started, here are seven simple ways to attract attention for your wonderful dogs:

• Think about the most popular, high-traffic spots in your area that would be appropriate to bring one of your shelter’s dogs and snap a fun photo for your social media channels. Or set up an easy photo booth using an iPad or cell phone camera and encourage anyone passing by to snap a selfie with your dog and post it on their social media channels using the hashtag #FindYourFido.
• Ask previous adopters to post a picture of their “Fido” on their social media pages with a line or two about why their pet is so special, tagging your shelter and using the hashtag #FindYourFido 
• Be sure that the #FindYourFido hashtag is obvious in your adoption area and that you include your shelter’s social media handle/profile as well, so you can track any photos. This is a great opportunity for new adopters to snap their first photo with a Fido of their very own (cats, rabbits, etc. included)!
• Build a list of influential groups and individuals with social media profiles who might be interested in promoting the work of your shelter and raising awareness about animal adoption. For example, could a shelter dog swing by the mayor’s office or a local legislator to snap a photo to be shared on the city’s main page?
• Invite a local or state lawmaker to come take a tour of your shelter and meet your Fidos. In addition to sharing a video of the visit live on Facebook or Instagram, ask the elected official to post a photo/video of the tour on his/her social media pages, tagging the shelter and using the hashtag.
• Is there a popular restaurant, theater or store in your area with a large social media following that would be open to sharing a photo of a shelter dog visiting their establishment?
• Bring a few of your shelter’s dogs to visit your local police or fire department and capture some cute photos and videos of the officers interacting with the animals to share on the department’s social media channels. Again, ask them to tag your shelter and make sure they use the hashtag #FindYourFido.