The founder of Wags to Riches is my coworker and friend, and she has allowed my husband (the techie) and I to create the website for the rescue. We are trying to tackle small issues like the logo, the color scheme, the different links, etc. And what better way to brainstorm great ideas than to reach out to my pet blogging community?!
(Photo from here)
I have a couple of questions that I would just LOVE for you all to comment on and discuss. I am forever in your debt if you give me some suggestions and tips :) Hugs all around! Here we go!
What makes a truly great rescue, in your eyes? What turns you off? (For example, I love seeing positive, happy stories and great customer service...and I don't like it when staff members don't seem to truly love the animals.)
What do you think makes an eye-catching, effective website for a rescue?
Do you prefer a foster-based or in-house rescue??
Got any great fundraising ideas?
And finally, what can WE do to make YOU want to adopt one of our animals? Is it a sweet story on a Facebook page? A professional photograph?
Any suggestions are more than welcome - we very much value your input! (And, if you'd like to donate to this worthy cause, please click here. Wags to Riches is still in need of donations for things like dog runs, cat condos, and beds. Accountability is super important to us, so you will be able to know exactly where your donation is going.) Thank you so much! <3
What makes a truly great rescue, in your eyes? What turns you off?
ReplyDeleteDogs in the best conditions possible. Them not being trapped in a tiny cage with a raggedy towel. Dogs in large cages (maybe even try having a large play space for friendly pups during the day?) with food and water, with doggie beds (if they don't chew them up, if they do at least a nice blanket) and some toys.
What do you think makes an eye-catching, effective website for a rescue?
Something fresh, modern, and user-friendly.
Do you prefer a foster-based or in-house rescue??
Depends. If it's walk-ins only, in-house rescue and some fosters (but only if the dogs have the best of the best of care! And I mean best!) If you have to make appointments, foster-based would be better. Be sure to carefully review foster parents though! Some can be great, but some can appear to be great and really be very bad.
Got any great fundraising ideas?
Getting the community involved and social media is great. We've all seen what's happened with the Ice Bucket Challenge, sharing something reaches more people.
And finally, what can WE do to make YOU want to adopt one of our animals? Is it a sweet story on a Facebook page? A professional photograph?
Sadly, we are full up. I'd love to adopt another pup, but we cannot adopt one at this time. I think having bloggers sharing about a shelter can be very influential. Sugar (sugarthegoldenretriever.com) recently fostered another golden from a nearby rescued, I checked them out and wanted to adopt every single golden. Professional photographs are a must, be sure to include lots and lots of them!
Sounds like what you're doing is great, if you need any more help feel free to contact us at txpups3(at)gmail(dot)com!
Wow! What an amazing response! Thank you so much for all your input - I love your comment about having the dog-friendly pups all playing together rather than confined in cages.
DeleteYou also make a great point about the Ice Bucket Challenge - who would've thought it would become such a huge thing?! It would be incredible to start something like that to raise money for rescue!
Thanks again for all your suggestions <3
I agree with you. If the rescuers don't show that they truly care about the animals, then it makes it all seem a little disturbing.
ReplyDeleteღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
I love when I can walk into a shelter, ask about a specific dog, and the employee can tell me their "story": how old they are, where they came from, and what their temperament is like. I understand that it is probably difficult in big cities to keep track of each animal, but it really shows that the employee CARES when they make it a point to know their animals.
DeleteThanks for reading!
What makes a truly great rescue, in your eyes? What turns you off?
ReplyDelete- Since I've personally had bad experiences with a particular rescue this may seem a little biased... Customer service, just being nice to potential adopters is very important. Like any other type of establishment where you deal with the public there needs to be a certain friendliness. Whenever I go to rescue events I see a few of them with people who seemlike they really don't want to be there. I know it's tough because they're volunteering but it makes it hard to approach someone thats just scowling. Another turn off is when you inquire about a specific animal and they say they don't know where that animal is. I know it gets messy with all the fosters, ect but at least say "ok here fill out this app" and we'll get back to you." You can lose credibility when you admit you're disorganized.
What do you think makes an eye-catching, effective website for a rescue?
As far as the website I'm simple. I just like a nice clean layout thats easy to navigate. I love following local rescue groups. The most compelling ones are the ones that use clear photos of their animals looking well cared for. Personal touches can go a long way in photos. There's a local rescue here that shares the actual rescue photos; they post pictures of the animals when they were rescued from kill shelters or when they were picked up as a stray. Seeing the animals being helped seems to build more compassion with the rescue itself. You really appreciate what it is they do, even if it all seems mundane. They get fanbases that root for those animals.
Do you prefer a foster-based or in-house rescue??
I actually don't have a preference; as long as whoever is the caretaker can provide good information on the animal when they get questions.
Got any great fundraising ideas?
Unfortunately I don't. I know there seems to be a lot of help when shelters post specific animals in need of medical treatment, ect. But I don't know how those compare to live events. Making an amazon wishlist seems effective since I know a lot of people don't necessarily like to donate directly. There's a rescue out here called Almost Home and they feature certain dogs that need to be spayed/neutered and if you donate the money for that you become their sponsor an dyou get a nice little shot out on their page.
And finally, what can WE do to make YOU want to adopt one of our animals?
I'm always drawn to rescues that give their animals some personality. Little anecdotes about their behavior, any known history of the animal. Anything that makes it more detailed than "Male, 3 years old" basically. Little personal touches go a long way.
These are amazing suggestions, Jen! I agree with you about the importance of customer service - I understand that animal rescue can take a huge toll on you emotionally, but it's important to put on a happy face for the public. I also never thought about including the "just rescued" photo next to a professional photo - it could really have an impact on people to see the difference between the photos!
DeleteI recently moved to a new town and discovered a shelter located only blocks away. I'm always skeptical as I've seen the worst, but during the move some dog food and supplies had surfaced that I decided to go donate. When I got to the shelter I was pleasantly surprised - mainly because it was kept immaculately clean! It didn't even smell like a shelter. The cats had large, gorgeous jungle-like set-ups to roam and play in. The dogs had multiple outdoor runs and yards to play in, complete with dog friendly playgrounds! It looked nicer than a kid's playground! Finally, the staff was extremely friendly and genuinely dedicated to helping the animals there, which gave an overall good vibe to the place. Hope this helps. :)
ReplyDeletepuppyloveny.blogspot.com
This definitely helped, Christie, thank you! It is extremely rare for a shelter to have NO smell, but it can happen and it's always a nice surprise! :) I have always loved the idea of having the cats free to roam around. Great ideas!
DeleteHi Y'all!
ReplyDeleteDog's, I'm sure, are happier in foster care...a real home...but at times it's hard to see them...especially if you want to have a chance to chose us by our fetching personality.
It all boils down to that nasty word "money". Plus the number of available people and space available.
A great photographer and user easy website make it simple to catch a human eye.
Y'all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
I agree that a dog would probably be happier in foster care, and of course the animal comes first. But I also worry that potential adopters get turned off by having to make an appointment to meet the dog. I am just split on this one; I'm not sure what we'll end up doing!
DeleteI agree; great photography is definitely key when trying to adopt out a dog! Thank you so much for your input! :)
Realistic expectations for the potential adopter.
ReplyDeleteOne rescue I looked at when I was looking for a dog demanded that adopters only feed a certain brand of food if they were allowed to adopt one of the pets the rescue had listed. They also had a long list of other demands. While many of the dogs listed on the site were very attractive and very engaging the demands were so outrageous that I didn't even bother with that rescue. They have since went out of business after ranting in the paper often that people down here were heartless because no one wanted to adopt the pets from the rescue, they never seemed to realize their excessive demands were the reason for the lack of adopters. I found Fenris at nearby Animal Shelter that listed their available pets on Petfinder. The staff was friendly and they did their best to keep their building clean and the pets in good condition with very little funds.
Wow; that rescue doesn't sound very professional at all! I understand being worried about the well-being of a dog after adopting it out, but those demands sound pretty unreasonable. What a huge turn-off for potential adopters!
DeleteA friendly staff and a clean environment are definitely two HUGE things we are going to try to maintain once we get the rescue going! Thank you for your input!
Congrats on being our pet parades featured favorite this week!
ReplyDeleteღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Thank you all so much; I was so excited to see this! :D
DeleteThis is the web-site for the mainly foster-based rescue for which I volunteer: www.barncatbuddies.org. Maybe you will see something there that can help you out. Wishing you the very best of luck with this endeavor. Hugs, Janet and XO, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
ReplyDeleteAw, I love how they showcase each kitty as they get adopted! It's always nice to see happy stories on a rescue website :) Thanks for sharing!
DeleteConcats on your new venture. Wow we concur with what so many have already commented on. We volunteer and know how hard it is with time issues and other behind the scenes stuff. But friendly helpful people on the front lines is essential. A easy to navigate website is hands down the best idea. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I agree that a user-friendly website is pretty much a necessity these days - it is a pretty big turn-off when rescues don't have any websites at all OR have so many tabs and buttons you can barely navigate the site! Thanks for reading :)
DeleteFirst and foremost yous gotta get wid of da turquoise. Weez can't read it and it hurts ow eyes. Seems there might be sum purrtant stuff in da turk but weez not suwe. Second, a clean and cawing place is pawsum. Also yous need to make suwe peeps can reach you. Either answer da fone, or purromptly weturn calls. Peeps wespond to 2 diffewent kinds of please fur adiption, either heart wrenchin' or funny. Anyways, glad fings awe goin' so well.
ReplyDeleteLuv ya'
Dezi
I am SO EXCITED about this! I am itching for the opportunity to start my own rescue. I know I'm far away, but if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know! Starting a rescue is quite an undertaking and definitely something that not everyone can do. This is so fantastic of you.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes a truly great rescue, in your eyes? What turns you off?
A positive outlook and a polite demeanor go a long way. Also, simply being reasonable in your demands. There are some rescues that won't allow you to schedule a meet and greet with current pets. Like people, dogs won't always get along with each other and that's okay. I truly believe that there is a perfect animal for every situation, but it's not necessarily the first one you fall in love with. Everyone's happiness in the long run should be the most important. I also get frustrated when I deal with rescue individuals that just don't seem to have the time for me. I understand that everything is volunteer, but you would think finding a furever home would be the most important thing. A potential adopter has to see how much the volunteers care for the animals in their rescue. That creates a bond that makes the adoption so much more special. It's also great when the rescue is available after the adoption of the animal. One rescue I volunteer with provides life-long support when you adopt an animal through them. They are always willing to help with behavior and health problems and support you in any times of need.
What do you think makes an eye-catching, effective website for a rescue?
I think the website has to have a modern, user-friendly feel. Anything too cluttered tends to get confusing. It should be easy to access the animals available and basic information about the rescue. I can't tell you how many times I've had to dig just to find out what state a rescue was located in!
Do you prefer a foster-based or in-house rescue??
I definitely prefer foster, but I understand that isn't always possible. When animals are in foster, you can get a better feel for their personality and quirks. There is also much less stress on the animal in a home environment. It's not uncommon for a wonderful animal to be constantly looked over because of kennel frustration behaviors. The benefit of in-house is that people can easily get face time with all of the animals. This can make adopters more eager and excited about adding a new fur baby.
Got any great fundraising ideas?
Oye, fundraising. This is a difficult one. An easy, but typically profitable one, seems to be the restaurant fundraising where a place will donate a percentage of their profits to you. I'm a big fan of coming up with specific events for the rescue. That could be a fundraiser walk, a picnic, or some other event to get the community excited about what you're doing.
And finally, what can WE do to make YOU want to adopt one of our animals? Is it a sweet story on a Facebook page? A professional photograph?
Professional photographs definitely help. Even if 'professional' just means having someone with a nice camera shoot pictures in a grassy area outside. The pictures through kennel doors never do an animal justice. Like a said before, great customer service goes a long way. I know it's not possible to keep up with every question, but people love to know that they matter. Whenever I bond with rescue worker, I'm much more likely to promote their cause and donate whenever I can.
Good luck with your new adventure! I'm sure I'll think of more later ;)