A dog behind bars in a concrete kennel. Sad eyes, cowering posture, tail tucked in. We see these photos all the time, and they definitely tuck at our heartstrings. But would you adopt this dog?
I believe that a good photo of an adoptable pet can make all the difference. Photos that show a miserable looking dog in a shelter make us feel pity, and maybe cause us to bring out that check book, but as much as we might want to help, we subconsciously feel that this dog is “damaged goods”.
But a good photo – one that shows Bella looking confident and happy, smiling at the camera; or Jake chasing a ball, tongue out and ears flapping in the wind – will make us think that this dog could be part of our family. We can imagine him playing with the kids in the backyard, or snuggling with us on the couch on a lazy Sunday morning.
Working with homeless pets, especially in a hectic and stressful shelter environment, is tricky, but it is also very rewarding and it has taught me how to work with all kinds of dogs – how to coax a grin out of a shy dog, and how to calm down a boisterous one.
Organisations that I have worked with include:
Know a shelter or rescue that could use some help getting great photos of their available pets?
Please get in touch – I’d love to help!