Effective pet profiles take many forms, however all have some elements in common. These include:
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factual, or objective information (can be found on kennel card)
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opinion, or more subjective information (can be found on pet behavior notes or observation sheets)
The goal of the profile is to find the right home for the pet. To this end, the post must be positive, yet honest.
The two most common formats that we see are
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first person narrative, or speaking from the animal's point of view
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second person narrative, describing the pet as yourself
All profiles should include:
Words to avoid, when possible, include any negatives, as well as
Example for a first person narrative:
Hello, my name is Junior Samples. I,m a three year old German Shepard. I have a thick, shiny black coat a bit of gold mixed in. My favorite things are catching the ball and playing chase with other dogs. I also enjoy laying in the sun on a hot day. I very much enjoy being with people (even kids) and am working on learning some new tricks right now. I can already sit and heel and walk on a leash better than almost all of the others!
I would do best at a house with a big yard and free of cats and other small pets as we do not always get along very well. I hope to be able to meet you soon and maybe become your new friend.
Example for a second person narrative
Bart is a two month old domestic short hair kitten currently living in a foster home. His coat is a mix of white, brown and gold. He is a friendly, personable bundle of energy who always has a lot to say. His favorite hobbies are playing chase with a little dog (they are best buddies), climbing stuff and exploring his environment.
Bart will sit on your lap, or your shoulder just quietly watching the world go by, then take off for play time. We have yet to find a person that he does not like.
Additionally, Bart is in our Cat Pawsitive training program and can currently give a high five and jump through the hoop, sometimes. He is looking forward to meeting his new people.
If you know that the animal does not like something, such as other pets or children, that needs to be in the profile. This type of information can be labelled as preferences, such as the highlighted portion of the first person narrative. Other preferences to mention might be reactions to load noises, baths and other animals.
These profiles can only be displayed on our website as we no longer have the ability to send them to Pet Finder and Adopt a Pet due to the automated uploads that they receive from our shelter software.
Finally, do not worry about the profile being perfect, as all profiles will help get an animal adopted.
