Section Eight: Promoting your pets

The most important part of getting your pets adopted is getting them seen.  Trying to do pet rescue with no outlet for the public to see your pets will take years to find a home for a single one.  Petfinder is easily the most common and well known of them.  There is also Adopt A Pet, Pets 911, and hundreds of other sites.  While Petfinder is the primary account used by most rescues, it's also the most difficult to get set up with.  And that might be why it's the most popular.  While they really can't confirm every single rescue, they do their best and it means there are fewer puppy flippers and breeders on there.

After a few rescues and shelter I've set up, I've got it pretty down pat for you though.  First, you need your vet.  Make sure the one you choose knows you're a rescue.  They will require a letter on his letter head stating that their office does all medical care for every one of the animals in your rescue, including mandatory spay and neuter of every single animal with no exception.  That is the big thing with them; all animals, no exceptions, all medical care.  Make sure he includes spay / neuter!

You need to start here:  http://www.petfinder.com/register/index.html

Here is what you'll need:

If you are a 501(c)3 or state tax-exempt non-profit or Canada charitable organization:

• A copy of the first page of your IRS determination letter, state tax certificate, or Canadian charitable status; AND

• A letter of reference signed by your primary veterinarian (on his/her letterhead) confirming that he/she provides medical care for the pets in your rescue and adoption program.

• A copy of your ADOPTION CONTRACT (not the application); AND

• A letter of reference signed by your primary veterinarian (on his/her letterhead) confirming that he/she provides medical care for the pets in your rescue and adoption program.

If you are an organization without official non-profit status:

• A copy of your ADOPTION CONTRACT (not the application); AND
• A letter of reference signed by your primary veterinarian (on his/her letterhead) confirming that he/she provides medical care for the pets in your rescue and adoption program.

Most likely you're going to fall under the second section as it takes forever to get your determination letter from the IRS.  So it's really honestly, pretty easy.  Just make sure your vet does that letter with those words!!!  Then include your adoption contract making sure it includes that all pets that are adopting must be returned to the rescue if the adoption does not work out, that all pets are spayed / neutered without any exceptions, and your rules for how the pet must be treated.  Again, after this course, see the blog entry on adoption contracts and feel free to edit it to your liking.

Because there are so many websites that you can list your pet on and updating everyone would take so much time, there is a great site that I highly recommend.  Once you've been set up through Petfinder and set up through Adopt A Pet, log in here and simply your life.  The beauty is that you enter information and photos and videos, etc in one place and the website does all the work of updating all of your sites for you!

https://www.rescuegroups.org/

After you're set up on those sites, set up social media sites.  Facebook is the most common.  Once you've set it up, start liking animal welfare pages; Pet Pardons, The Good the Bad, the Unforgivable of Pet Rescue, various pet food company sites, etc.  Post on their pages and share their postings.  By being active on the larger sites, you're getting exposure for your rescue with large numbers of people.  If you take in a really bad case, or if you get a really great adoption, post the story on those pages.  Give people a reason to follow you!  

Twitter would be a secondary account to set up with probably Pinterest being a third.  I believe there are sites that are similar to RescueGroups, where you post one update and it sends it to all of your social media pages.  Juggling multiple social media outlets was too much for me - I must be getting old - so I only use Facebook.  If you're a social media guru, or if you pick up a volunteer that is, go with it!

Last, use the news media when you can.  If you're in a small area, contact the local newspaper and see if they'll run a Pet of the Week for you on a Sunday or something.  It can fill space for them and get you some local attention.  Also, see if they'll do a story on a new rescue in the area.  This is a great time to bring up all those statistics on euthanasia and the number of homeless pets we have in the country!  If you work a big hoarding case at some point or if you get your 501c3 and receive a grant to spay / neuter, etc., call the local news media and see if they'll do a story.  Anything to get your name out there in a positive way!