Pet or Rescue Photography is a necessary action that many shelters do not take priority in. Suggestions are on the rise that shelter staff and volunteers take the time to learn how to do pet photography to increase adoptions.
65% of people who adopt look online and compare photos before going into the shelter to find their next pet. Heartspeaks.org collected this data via a survey that the majority of the audience views and shares photos of the animals before adopting. The most common findings of the photos were Facebook, PetFinder and the shelter’s website. For dogs, a happy appearance is more likely to be considered for adoption than dogs that appear sad.
The animals’ initial photos are usually taken when they are first found, or as soon as they are placed inside the shelter. When the dog is first found they go into survival mode. They go from a domestic pet to reverting back to their primal instinct. If a dog is alone for too long they become suspicious of humans. The suspicion will affect the animal’s body language and actions towards the individuals who find them.
The initial photo is usually taken with bad quality, a disrupted background, an aggressive, anxious, or scared body language from the animals. The atmosphere of the shelters is already stressful for the animals. The incoming animals are exposed to unfamiliar and intense stressors. It includes confinement, social isolation, loud noises and more. First impressions apply to many things, even adopting animals. A photo of the animal in the shelter doesn’t reflect their personality and appeal to the buyers.
In the past years dog and cat euthanization have been on the rise. In 2023, 359,000 were dogs and 330,000 were cats. That is the highest number it has been in the past 5 years. Around 6.3 million animals enter the U.S. animal shelters alone each year. 3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats enter shelters in early 2019. From post-pandemic, 81% of the 4.4 million cats and dogs that entered the shelter were saved.
Good photos promote shelters in a competitive environment, are easily shareable on social media, and obtain more attention to the animals. The quality matters. It brings in a potential target audience that is willing to give an animal a forever home.
There are many considerations an adopter must take. The most important were pet health, compatibility with kids and other animals as well as calm temperament. For many people, the intent of adoption is more favorable, but only 43% of the 85% that considered adoptions actually adopted their most recent pet and only 1 ⁄ 2 of them actually planned it.
Some may wonder why the huge difference is due to the unfamiliarity of the adoption process. There are many misconceptions about the process being low cost, strict requirements, delays, breeds, and far locations and those reasons are only a few. Adoption may sometimes be a lengthy process, but it is just as rewarding.
The photos that show an animal’s personality and get the audience’s attention will save an animal in need and boost many non-profit shelters. It can help invite more individuals onto the websites, increase adoption percentages, and volunteers, and create fewer animals in need.
Share adoption photos online or grab a camera and help directly. Remember, quality matters.
Animal Shelters Near You
Woodhaven & Trenton Animal Shelter
