Once shunned, no-fee pet adoptions have really come into their own. It was once conventional wisdom in the animal shelter world that pets adopted for free would suffer at the hands of diabolical people lurking in the shadows just waiting to abuse them. Surely, we thought, people who get animals for free don’t value them,… Learn More

As pet adoption increases in popularity and social cachet, and national campaigns like our funded Shelter Pet Project continue to drive new adopters to shelters and rescue groups, embracing a culture of great customer service has never been more important. A decade ago, the experience many adopters had when trying to work with shelters and… Learn More

You’ve adopted a new kitten. How will your adult cat accept the new family member? Maybe things will go well between the little fluffbutt and your adult cat. Maybe not. But the odds would dramatically improve if your older cat could tell the youngster how it is. Share some feline wisdom. Explain how the world… Learn More

What if there was a resource that would allow pets in need of a new home find adopters without ever going into a shelter? Increasingly, there is! When faced with life-altering circumstances,  families can find keeping their pets impossible. Although no one who loves their pet wants them to enter a shelter, alternatives can be… Learn More

Is making a video of a dog in your shelter or rescue group worth the trouble? Absolutely, says a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare. In the study, which was conducted in the UK, 735 people viewed video and photos of four shelter dogs: Two were Staffordshire Terriers, representing dogs who… Learn More

The whole premise of our funded Shelter Pet Project is that adoption is fun and rewarding as well as lifesaving. So what better topic to include on #FeelGoodFriday? This public service ad, created pro bono for the Ad Council’s campaign promoting pet adoption, is one of the most popular PSAs in the campaign’s history. After… Learn More

Need a little self-esteem boost? Have doubts about your life choices, wardrobe or looks?  Wish you could see yourself through the eyes of love? Los Angeles Animal Services recommends adopting a dog. Traffic officers everywhere agree, in this purely genius pet adoption promotion from 2007. So get out there and adopt, and have a #FeelGoodFriday… Learn More

What can reduce a pet’s length of stay in your shelter or rescue from 43 days to 14 days? A great adoption photo. Maddie’s Fund® has just launched Maddie Talks, a series of short (less than 10 minutes) motivational “Ted Talk” like videos created by animal welfare professionals and meant to provide inspiration and equip… Learn More

People are seven times more likely to adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue group if they know someone who has. Here’s how you can be that someone! Thursday, December 1, 2016, is the Seventh Annual Celebrate Shelter Pets Day, an event started by our funded Shelter Pet Project to get the friends and… Learn More

There’s renewed interest in identifying shelter dogs not by breed but by their physical and personality traits. What’s prompted that, and is it an idea whose time has come? The idea itself isn’t new. Some adoption organizations did away with breed labels long ago, with some simply calling them “All American Shelter Dogs.” In fact,… Learn More