A Short Guide for Shelter Staff and Volunteers
By Herb Locke, Founder of BarkLogue
The One Rule
Describe who the animal is, not what they look like.
The photo shows what they look like. Your job is to show what the photo cannot.
Before You Write: 5 Questions to Ask
Find the person who knows this animal best and ask them these.
- What is the first thing this animal does when you walk in?
- What do they do that always makes you smile?
- Do they have any habits or rituals that are uniquely theirs?
- What are they afraid of, and how do they show it?
- What kind of person do you think they are waiting for?
Write down exactly what they say. Their words are usually better than anything you will write at a desk.
The 3-Part Formula
Part 1: One specific opening detail
Not their breed. Not their age. One thing only this animal does.
Bad: “Meet Bruno, a 5-year-old Rottweiler mix available for adoption.”
Good: “Bruno carries a tennis ball everywhere he goes. Not to play with. Just to have it with him.”
That detail stops the scroll.
Part 2: Who they are in two to three sentences
Use specific behaviors instead of vague adjectives.
Not this: “Bruno is a loving and loyal dog who just needs a chance.”
This: “He pressed his forehead against a volunteer’s knee and stayed there for 20 minutes without moving. He walks around the drain cover near his water bowl every single time, without fail. He is 90 pounds of quiet, steady presence.”
Part 3: An honest invitation
Name the right person for this animal and leave the door open.
If you have a calm home and the patience to earn the trust of a dog who has been overlooked for almost a year, Bruno has been waiting for exactly you.
Before and After
Before: “Bruno. Male. Rottweiler mix. 5 years old. 90 lbs. History of anxiety. Needs experienced owner.”
11 months in the shelter. No serious inquiries.
After: “Bruno carries a tennis ball everywhere he goes. Not to play with. Just to have it with him.
He pressed his forehead against a volunteer’s knee last week and stayed there for 20 minutes without moving. He walks around the drain cover near his water bowl every single time. He lies in the sun with his whole body loose and his eyes half closed like he has nowhere else to be.
He is 90 pounds of quiet, steady loyalty waiting for someone to notice the details.
If you have a calm home and the patience to earn it, Bruno has been saving that spot for you.”
14 inquiries in two days. Adopted by Friday.
The Quick Checklist
Before publishing any profile, check these.
- Does the first sentence describe something specific only this animal does?
- Have you replaced loving, gentle, and sweet with actual behaviors?
- Does the ending invite the right person rather than plead for any person?
- Could this profile describe any other animal in your shelter?
If the answer to the last one is yes, rewrite it.
Created by BarkLogue. Helping shelters tell the stories that find animals homes. barklogue.com
