Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  Special Needs Pets

    Posted 07-07-2018 10:43 AM

    Any suggestions for finding homes for special needs pets? I am very disappointed Petfinder removed the "special needs button". Still using Petfinder, but would like to do more to find these pets a home. I currently week-end-foster two young special-needs cats (siblings) who are in danger of being euthanized by the vet clinic they belong to, because no adopter is being found. Due to their special needs they can't go to a shelter.


    #AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms


  • 2.  RE: Special Needs Pets

    Posted 07-08-2018 10:11 AM

    My reply to you disappeared, meh.

    OK.  To rewrite...

    A. Adopt A Pet and its related search engines/databases do have a special needs click box.

    B. Petfinder profiles can be directly edited so that animal's name is "SPECIAL NEEDS So-and-So" with a description of special needs given in the Animal Description.

    C. Check Facebook for special groups or pages dedicated to special needs conditions.  There are CH kitty pages, blind kitties, deaf kitties, amputee kitties...you may be able to use one of these sources for extra advertising for somebody who is already acquainted with the special needs these kitties have.

    D. Check with local rescues to see if they will 'courtesy list' these kitties.  This would mean that they 'donate' the webspace but don't take responsibility for screening applicants, caring for the kitties, or any responsibility for their outcome.

    E. If you have any local news contacts, see if they can feature your kitties on the weekend morning news sometime.  This is often slow news time and many producers in my area invite local rescues to bring in animals for brief live TV spots.  If you're lucky, you might even get the weekday morning news or midday news that, at least in my area, have higher viewership.  I did one spot with a non-special needs kitty a few months back and while he has yet to be adopted, it led people to our website and TWO of our special-needs kitties found homes thanks to it.  Newspaper stories are a little harder to come by but if you have the contacts, you may be able to get something in the local/human interest section of your local paper.

    F. (This should probably be higher on the list) PHOTO SHOOT.  Good pictures get kitties adopted!  If you are lousy with the camera (I know I am) see if a local photographer will donate some time to take pictures.  Feature them.  Write a blog about your fosters.  Share them on your Facebook and encourage friends to share. 

    G. Are there any pet stores in your area that would allow you to bring the kitties for a few hours to meet'n'greet shoppers?  The number one way animals get adopted is face-to-face contact--reaching a paw through a crate, meowing at a person...it's good socialization for the kitties and good exposure for them to get adopted.  You may not get an adopter, but a shopper may know someone who would adopt, or perhaps the shopper is not intending to adopt but falls in love anyway...

    That's all I can think of for now.  But yes, there ARE things you can do past just Petfinder.


    #AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms


  • 3.  RE: Special Needs Pets

    Posted 07-09-2018 06:07 AM

    Find someone who can take some excellent pixs or videos.  I have a friend who does that and it's amazing how well she finds great homes.  Also talk with another non profit who does special needs and ask them for suggestions


    #AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms


  • 4.  RE: Special Needs Pets

    Posted 07-09-2018 11:04 AM
      |   view attached

    I highly recommend Facebook boosting (if it's possible for you)-- you could target people in your area who like cats, or something similar. I've seen a lot of senior and special needs cats find homes through this method. Also, utilize Instagram, Craigslist and Nextdoor.com and check out this new guide on marketing foster pets (attached).


    #AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms