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First, for P2A, get the videos and at least three stills and as much information as you can: name, age, color, gender, personality, ability to get along with others, activity level, friendly? cuddly? playful? vocal?; come up with at least three apt adjectives for the animal. For videos try to get one of the animal playing, and at least of one with you or some other person interacting with it.

*ASHLEY FERRY: As for the videos, I noticed last year that a lot of students simply sent videos from the smartphone that they had done nothing to. There were distracting conversations going on in the background and weird sections where it looked like there was an earthquake. Do you think it would be possible to require the students to do some editing to the videos? Just some simple background music and maybe an intro and closing would be great. When I took your course, it was my understanding that editing the video was required. Below are a few examples of some videos that I have edited simply using Windows Live Movie Maker:

Chatterbox: http://youtu.be/L78jbRbh7C8
Orion: http://youtu.be/EXReF4ucgJY
100%
Wesli & Walter: http://youtu.be/1a6x47hkzDo
100%

None of them are very amazing, but it helps to make the video more appealing.

 

Then, for 3B, look into the animal's eyes  and try to identify with it, consider what life would have been like if you had been born this animal rather than your self. Take notes. While doing so, try to respect the "otherness" of the animal, that is, try to avoid "projection" as defined in the Elliott workbook. You certainly want to focus on what you have in common, such as both want freedom rather than a cage, but you don't want to ascribe peculiarly human traits to the cat, such as religious feelings. In other words, try to extend your sympathetic imagination to the animal: this attempt will be the subject of the the expanded blog you post on our site, though not the bio you first write for APA. To help you remember the experience and to help the animal get adopted, make sure to take at least three photos and and at least one video of the animal (see APA instructions for photography below).

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  HERE IS THE INFORMATION THEY NEED FROM YOU:

 

The Basics

Cat Name :*

Animal ID:

Age:

Color:

Color Pattern:

Gender Male/Female: The onsite counselor is the only person who can answer the following questions. The bios do not have to cover every aspect of the cat as long as his or her personality is captured. So, some of the questions/answers can be left out of the bio. If they seem important, then the student may have to do a followup visit.

Good with other cats? 1 - not good; 2; 3; 4; 5 - great!

Details about how cat is with other cats:

Good with dogs? 1 - not good; 2; 3; 4; 5 - great!

Details about how cat is with dogs:

Good with kids? 1 - not good; 2; 3; 4; 5 - great!

Details about how cat is with kids:

Vocal? 1 - not at all; 2; 3; 4; 5 - very!

Details about how vocal cat is:

What do you know about cat's history?

 

This Cat's Characteristics

Please provide as much detail as possible. Specific behavior examples / experiences that illustrate their qualities are a big help!

3 adjectives to describe cat:

(www.thesaurus.comcan be a helpful source for adjectives.)

How cuddly is this cat? 1 - not at all; 2; 3; 4; 5 – total lap cat!

Describe cuddling behavior/affection Level:

How playful is this cat? 1 - not at all; 2; 3; 4; 5 – extremely!

Describe play behavior and favorite toys:

How active is this cat? 1 - not at all; 2; 3; 4; 5 – extremely!

Describe activity level:

What are your favorite things about this cat? Cute behaviors? What is/are your favorite physical characteristic(s) of this cat?

What would the ideal home look like for this cat?

Anything else that would make this cat stand out to an adopter?

Good litter manners? Yes/no

Notes on litter manners:

Good scratching behavior? Yes/no

Notes on scratching behavior: Medical/Behavior Issues

Any other special concerns?

Any notes you'd like to leave for the marketing team?

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos

Please put 3 of your best pictures in the email to the instructor. Suggestions for getting great photos:

1. An action shot of cat playing – these can be hard to take, but they're

worth gold!

2. A picture of the cat cuddling or interacting in some way with a person.

3. A photo to illustrate your description, ie: good with dogs, loves other cats,

great with kids, etc.

4. Put on a cute collar or ribbon/bow/bandana to help the cat stand out.

Black cats photograph well in front of windows with natural light, and on a solid background, such as a blanket.

If you need help getting pictures please e-mail cat.marketing@austinpetsalive.org.

 

Videos

There are 3 ways that you can submit a video for your pet to us:

1. For small videos, send them through email to the instructor.

2. For larger videos, send them to cat.marketing@austinpetsalive.orgby using this tool: http://www.sendspace.com . 3. This option is not preferred, but is acceptable: Upload the video toyour personal youtube account and submit the link.

 

APA Cat Bio Tips [Feel free to be creative! ]

Title

      Use three adjectives used to describe the kitty, such as Tidy – Hilarious – Companion.

      You can use a thesaurus for alternatives to commonly-used adjectives (sweet, lovable, cuddly, cute, and so on).

Body

      Use third person voice.

      Try to make it fun and entertaining, but also give basic information.

      If the kitty has a compelling story/history, include it.

      Use examples rather than adjectives. For example, instead of describing a kitty as affectionate, give an example of affection, such as, he loves to crawl into your lap and fall asleep or she rubs her back against you every time she walks by.

      If known, include whether the cat is good/not good with other cats, kids, and/or dogs.

      Each bio should include at least three full sentences. [AND BE AT LEAST 275 WORDS NOT COUNTING THE FOLLOWING REQUIRED BOILERPLATE:

Closing

      Add the pre-adopt, FIV+, and/or FeLV+ standard paragraphs, as required.

      End with the two standard closing paragraphs [SEE SAMPLE BELOW].

 

 

Sample Bio

Affectionate - Social - Playful

Ava is a gorgeous, fluffy orange and white kitty that is looking for a loving home to call her own. She gets very bonded with people and follows her foster all over the house. She just wants to be where her foster is, even if that means just sleeping at her feet. Ava loves to have her head scratched and will thank you with little love kisses, and sometimes will gently grab your hand as you pull it away to let you know she's not quite done getting attention.

Ava does great with the resident big goofy dog and would love to have a safe place to spend a little time outdoors (so probably a home on a busy street or greenbelt wouldn't be a good idea). She doesn't really care for the resident cats and would be much happier with someone that only wants one cat. Although she is fluffy, she doesn't shed a lot and is easy to care for. Ava is a very sweet kitty, but sometimes she likes to give little love bites, so kids are probably not the best option for her either. She would be perfect for someone looking for a best friend that will always be at your side.

All APA! foster kittens/cats are litter box trained, tested for FeLV/FIV, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, treated for worms/fleas, microchipped and come with a 30-day health insurance plan.

If you have additional questions about Ava, please send an email to adopt@austinpetsalive.org.

 

Boilerplate Text – placed in bio, as required

[If kitty is FIV+, place/integrate this paragraph in the appropriate place in the body of the bio] Although KITTY is FIV+, please don't let that stop you from adopting him/her! Cats with this condition can live perfectly long, happy, healthy lives. FIV is passed through blood transfusions and through serious, penetrating bite wounds; for more information, visit http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fiv.html

 

[If the kitty is available only for pre-adoption, place/integrate this paragraph before the two closing paragraphs] KITTY needs to stay in his/her foster home until he/she is 8 weeks old, but he/she can be pre-adopted – and when he/she is old enough, you can take him/her home!

[NOTE: When a kitten turns 6 weeks, the med techs will change their status to Available after they get their vaccines.]

 

[These are the two closing paragraphs] All APA! foster kittens/cats are litter box trained, tested for FeLV/FIV, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, treated for worms/fleas, microchipped and come with a 30-day health insurance plan.

If you have additional questions about KITTY, please send an email to adopt@austinpetsalive.org.