Information in this document comes from a class taught by Elizabeth Doyle from Best Friends on writing a good biography for your pet. For the full notes and examples, see the following website:
http://www.bestfriends.org/archives/forums/032805adoptionads.html
Tips for Writing Good Animal Bios
- Find the one thing about this animal that makes them different from every other animal in the world.
- Use what you have! If they have something funny or silly looking about them, use it! Make a joke about it! If they have a hard luck story that makes you sad - use it (many physical problems, like a missing leg, are not negatives)!
- People will see something in a photo that they might not have otherwise seen if you mention it. Have a plain, black dog? But there's something cute about him? Mention his adorable button nose or big bunny ears and the person reading will think "yeah, he does!" and will be more engaged.
- What do his eyes tell you? What is he trying to communicate?
- Think about the kind of person who would want this animal. What would they say about them? You might describe this dog as "hyper", but the person who will love this dog will describe him as "fun!".
- Use words to give a visual picture. Don’t say ‘sweet’ say ‘She rubs your hand with her head asking for love.’
- Be honest about the good and the bad. Focus first on the positive and put any negatives at the end.
- 90% of the time, write in the third person, “Bailey is”. It’s hard to write in the first person and not be corny.
- Make the reader know that this animal NEEDS them! People feel good about being heroes.
- Do not describe the type of home that is needed (Large yard, patient owner, etc.)
- Sell the animal all the way, don’t say ‘we would be happy to keep her but…’.
- Keep it short or add some white space – internet readers are not patient and won’t read a lot of text.
- Stating that the pet must be the only pet in the home is the biggest negative you can cite. Do whatever you can to not state that, if possible. State that the pet doesn't like to play with other pets; doesn't have good social skills; doesn't get along with other males; or any other descriptive sentence you can think of (that is true), without ruling out homes that already have pets, if possible. Sometimes that is the only option, but that will make it incredibly hard to find a home. You can screen interested parties to ensure all pets will be safe.
- Use an honest writing voice. Don't sound like a used car salesman or computer. People can spot phoniness immediately and also get bored easily.
Structure
The first sentence needs to be short and absolutely grab your attention. The second sentence has to tell a little more but still be attention getting. Then fill in with the information they need to have and then in the last sentence, grab them again.
LOOK AT THIS!
Keep looking, please.
Now here's what I needed you to look at.
If we insert the parts, it would go....
(LOOK AT ME!) I WISH I COULD BE SOMEBODY'S DOG
(Keep looking, please.) This is Mosley, and he can't thank you enough for stopping to look at him. May we tell you a thing or two?
(This is what I needed you to look at.) Mosley is a fun-loving guy who thinks that humans are just the best thing ever! (Your text.)
Examples
The first sentence
"I wish I could be somebody's dog."
"Wait! Where ya going? We haven't even met."
"May I follow you home?"
"I love you already!"
"Sometimes I get so lonely."
Gorgeous and heartbroken!
(Elizabeth uses quotes to show that it is from the Dogs perspective when the rest of the write up is from 3rd person)
The body
(Examples from APA! Postings on Craigslist)
Sit down on the floor with her, start petting, and she just croons with pleasure, gives head butts, and cannot stop purring.
We're at the City Shelter waiting for our Angels to come help us. We deserve another chance to live and find our forever families.
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