Sometimes it's hard to walk into a crowded shelter and make a connection with a dog when you want to adopt a new pet. Shelters are crowded, noisy, dogs are jumping, barking, and not much fun for dogs or people. The Humane Society of Utah decided to give each dog a chance to shine in front of the camera.
Each dog was given an opportunity to show his or her personality to staff photographer, Guinnever Shuster.
Separating each dog from the others allowed their personalities to shine, captured on film. This gives potential adopters a chance to get to know the dogs by looking at their pictures before they meet them. Potential dog owners are now lined up to meet the dogs who have captured their fancy. Each dog now has a much better chance to find a forever home.
7 comments:
Thank you for sharing this wonderful blog, Darlene and, what a great idea this is. As you say, it is so stressful for both the dogs and the potential owner to walk around the usual shelters, not to mention the feeling of guilt should you choose one dog and leave the others disappointed.
When we got Midge, the shelter took your details......what size and type of dog you were looking for, plus details of your property and who lived there. They were very thorough. They would then bring one dog to you, hoping that you were made for each other. We were lucky in that Midge was the second dog that they brought out and the feelings between us were mutual.
Thank you for sharing that, Gordon. What an interesting idea for the shelter workers to try to fit the dog to the person and lifestyle!
Most shelters are very upsetting for dogs and people (and cats, too!). I wish more would do something like this or like the shelter on your side of the pond. And I wish all of them would teach volunteers clicker training to make life more interesting for the dogs and cats as well as make them more adoptable!
Thanks, Darlene. Here in Newnan, GA, the local city-county shelter has a daily TV program sponsored by the local cable carrier, NU-Link. Folks from the shelter appear with some ten dogs and cats, individually, talk about them and allow them to "be themselves" while they are being televised.
It has to be very hard work, but worthwhile if it encourages better adoption information, like the Utah example.
Ooooooooo what a wonderful idea the Utah shelter has "adopted". Thank you Darlene Arden for sharing this great blog. I have spent numerous hours in shelters and to say they are stressful for animals and humans is putting it mildly. I think it would be good to have a follow up with this shelter to see what the increase in adoptions is. I'm sure using this method it has to be considerably higher. We can only hope more and more shelters follow the Utah shelter's example.
Thank you, James Stagg, for your comment. I enjoyed reading about what they are doing in Newnan, GA I think that's terrific! It's well worth the effort. :-)
Great idea! Anything to get individual attention to these sweethearts and get them a home.
Thank you, Chris. I agree whole heartedly!!
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