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SHELTER SPOTLIGHT!

marketing our shelter pets

El Paso Animal Services - Marketing & Public Engagement

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SHELTER PET PHOTOS

Intake vs. Marketing

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SHELTER PET PHOTOS

Intake vs. Marketing

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DSLR CAMERA

PHONE

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  • More flexibility + control
  • Allows for use in studio with strobe lights
  • High-resolution photos

DSLR Camera

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Aperture

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Too Dark

Too Light

Just right!

(sometimes)

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The Best Places to Take a Photo

  • Outdoors, in shade
  • Indoors, with natural light from large window
  • Outdoors on a cloudy day
  • Indoors, with lighting kits

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Portrait Mode (iPhone) + Selective Focus (Samsung)

Simulates Depth of Field

HDR Mode

Helps in tricky lighting situations

Burst Mode

Takes lots of photos quickly and allows you to choose from the best

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Tips for Phone Photos:

  • Avoid direct sunlight outdoors

  • Find natural window light indoors

  • Try Portrait Mode + Selective Focus

  • Ensure your focus crisp and clear

  • Resist the zoom function

  • Wipe off your camera lens!!!

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Editing

  • Cropping
  • Color
  • Boost or reduce exposure as needed
  • Less is more

Editing Programs

  • Snapseed (phone)
  • iPhone Editing

Credit: LifeLine Animal Project

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  • Eye Contact

  • Eyes in clear focus

  • Clutter-free background

  • Smart cropping + breathing room around animals

  • Personality!

Careful of your surroundings!

What photo qualities showcase adoptables the best?

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What do you need for

a dog photoshoot?

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  • First… potty break!

  • Introduce treats before bringing camera out

  • Ask dog to sit if dog knows commands

  • Hold treats directly above camera lens, make noise if necessary

  • Reward with treats often

  • Make the experience as fun as possible for the dog

  • Feel free to use props, only if the dog is comfortable

Tips for a stress-free dog photo session

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When to stop with

a nervous dog

  • Ears flat, tail tucked
  • Avoiding you, hiding
  • Heavy side eye
  • Stiff body, high + stiff wagging tail, hard stare
  • Overstimulation, biting at clothes or at risk of injuring you or breaking equipment
  • If the dog is not enjoying the photo session, end quickly.

Credit: LifeLine Animal Project

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  • Keep a nervous cat in their kennel

  • If taking a cat to a new area, give them plenty of time to get used to their surroundings.

  • Use a feather toy to entice a cat to look at the camera

  • Use very soft noise, but only if absolutely necessary

Tips for a stress-free cat photo session

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Credit: LifeLine Animal Project

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VIDEO

Show off their personality:

Some of the most magical moments in life are best captured in video. For pets, there’s some data to suggest that potential adopters feel they learn more and get to know a pet better via video. And shooting an effective video can be even easier than getting a great photo. Scroll through to see some very basic things to keep in mind.

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Video

  • Phone or DSLR
  • Keep is short and simple (less than a minute)
  • Boomerangs
  • Showcase their personality

Credit: LifeLine Animal Project

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What works

  • Laid back, calm
  • Cuddling
  • Focusing on silly expression
  • Unique quirk
  • Extra wiggly
  • Show the human-animal bond

Credit: LifeLine Animal Project

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Editing

  • Keep it simple
  • Remove extraneous footage
  • Avoid transitions between cuts
  • Keep text short and to the point

Editing Programs

  • iMovie + Windows Movie Maker
  • Splice App
  • Quik App
  • Adobe Spark

Credit: LifeLine Animal Project

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Where does it all go?

  • Adoption listings

  • Social media

  • Flyers

  • Rescue partners

  • Media or other promotional videos

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GET CANDIDS!

You have an upperhand getting amazing photos and videos by being a foster...you can show an adopter how your foster pet TRULY does in a home environment!!!

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BIO WRITING

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Adoption Counseling vs. Adoption Marketing

Butterbeer is high energy and requires an experienced owner with a fenced yard. This handsome boy still needs to focus on his manners. He loves to jump and give people hugs when he sees them. Although he's usually sweet, he has some resource guarding issues and probably shouldn't be in a home with other dogs. If you can commit to training Butterbeer and meet the requirements, come by and meet him!

Butterbeer is the town gossip! He loves to know what everyone is doing and wants everyone to know what he's doing. He gets right up in your business and wants to sit on your lap and give you slobbery kisses. When he's not being nosy, he adores going walks - the longer the better. He likes it even more if he has a running partner. Want to have Butterbeer tell you everything that's going on at the shelter? Come and say hello to him!

Source: Animal Farm Foundation

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Adoption Counseling vs. Adoption Marketing

Butterbeer is high energy and requires an experienced owner with a fenced yard. This handsome boy still needs to focus on his manners. He loves to jump and give people hugs when he sees them. Although he's usually sweet, he has some resource guarding issues and probably shouldn't be in a home with other dogs. If you can commit to training Butterbeer and meet the requirements, come by and meet him!

Butterbeer is the town gossip! He loves to know what everyone is doing and wants everyone to know what he's doing. He gets right up in your business and wants to sit on your lap and give you slobbery kisses. When he's not being nosy, he adores going walks - the longer the better. He likes it even more if he has a running partner. Want to have Butterbeer tell you everything that's going on at the shelter? Come and say hello to him!

Source: Animal Farm Foundation

X

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Start with an Attention-Grabbing First Sentence

Look into their eyes and say something true about them!

  • “Howdy, ma’am. Samuel, at your service!”
  • “Amber loves you already, and you’ve only just met through a photo.”

Focus on the positives!

  • “Richie is a great dog, but he is leash-reactive”

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“Andy is an empathic snuggle-bear! He’s that rare sort of pooch who is so thoughtful, and cares so much about how others feel, that he could easily become one of the most important 'people' in your life. He’ll come thump-thump-thumping over to you with his big Chewbacca paws and then sit his soft, scruffy self in your lap – oomph! That’s a lot to hold in your lap! And then he’ll look in your eyes like he knows exactly what kind of day you’ve had. This dog loves absolutely everyone. Well, except other dogs when he’s out on a walk. You should see him when you turn on the TV! The way he races to get to his favorite spot on the couch. But don’t worry — all it takes is the gentlest nudge to scoot him.”

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Shelter Pet Bio Tips

More Marketing Tips

www.ElPasoAnimalServices.org/Foster

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Flyers

PRE-MADE: Follow directions to make your own.

bit.ly/EPASFlyers

DIY: Canva.com

*Hang flyers at your local vet office, pet food store, coffee shop, etc.*

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Your personal social media

networks are strong!

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PROMOTE YOUR PET!

Make them a social media account!

-Instagram�-Tinder�-Facebook�-TikTok

You can also share them on

-Nextdoor�-Facebook Groups

DON’T FORGET TO TAG US!

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Send your content to the

EPAS marketing team!

epascontent@elpasotexas.gov

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FOLLOW US!

ElPasoAnimalServices

@elpasoanimalsvc

@epanimalsvc

@epaspets

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TAG US!

@ElPasoAnimalServices

@elpasoanimalsvc

@epanimalsvc

#epaspets #adopteptx #iamelpaso

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Questions?

Michele Anderson | Public Affairs Coordinator

(915) 494-3252

andersonms@elpasotexas.gov

epascontent@elpasotexas.gov