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A shelter made online dating profiles for 22 animals. The results are adorable.
01.10.18
Anyone who's ever been on Tinder knows having a cute animal in the photo is usually a big hit.
But what if Tinder profile photos only featured that cute animal? And what if, instead of a millennial would-be hooker-upper, it was the adorable dog or cat itself looking for true love?
That's an idea some animal shelters are toying with.
<p>"We are always trying to come up with ... creative new ways to get our shelter dogs out in front of potential adopters," says Karen Hirsch, public relations director at <a href="https://lifelineanimal.org/" target="_blank">LifeLine Animal Project</a> in Georgia. </p><h2>And experimenting with online dating for dogs and cats might just be working.</h2><p>The harsh world of pet adoption is extremely competitive: About <a href="https://www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics" target="_blank">6.5 million dogs and cats</a> enter U.S. shelters every year, each seeking a good forever home. It's too big a need for shelter operators to just sit back and hope they all get adopted. </p><p>That's why you see adorable dogs on display outside the grocery store, <a href="https://www.uber.com/info/sg-uberpuppies/" target="_blank">partnerships with Uber</a> that will bring puppies directly to you for playtime, and aww-inspiring social media campaigns like <a href="http://blog.theanimalrescuesite.com/dog-pajamas/" target="_blank">dogs in pajamas</a>.</p><h2>An estimated 50 million people worldwide use Tinder. So LifeLine and <a href="https://www.today.com/pets/animal-shelter-puts-dog-tinder-help-him-find-true-love-t120854" target="_blank">other shelters and rescues</a> figure why not give it a shot?</h2><p>After all, people using online dating apps are already looking for love and companionship — just maybe a slightly different kind. </p><p>Hirsch says they recently created profiles for 22 of their dogs and cats.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjEwOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MjU0MTU0N30.dnwABxcope5rRb91v4h1faiagYRGyjMLFl10Nv9J2bE/img.jpg?width=980" id="b4d20" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1340410b0ea3687a12dac27d2f387ea6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by LifeLine Animal Project, used with permission.</small></p><h2>Animal profiles are also showing up on Bumble, which is home to another 20 million users or so.</h2><p>Like sweet Penelope here.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjExMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Mjc2OTQwN30.cGfJ80eAPXv4RBUOfOyWr4vKPWoqQXCAhQDkp7igFE4/img.jpg?width=980" id="688d2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3dd1545f255d0d78fe2b8b56182f263f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by LifeLine Animal Project, used with permission.</small></p><h2>Each pet is assigned to a volunteer who creates the profile and handles the conversations after a match. </h2><p>"In a crowded shelter, pets often get overlooked, but on a dating app, the animal becomes an individual," Hirsch says. "People learn about them and form a 'virtual' attachment."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjExMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwMjc5MjMzNn0.Qwhg2gvxh8OxpxObfgyxhToj6wY7emfsTxlsC76HUSk/img.jpg?width=980" id="58207" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="74b6b048accb83b475a4e7cc8aed4c55" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by LifeLine Animal Project, used with permission.</small></p><p><strong>Plus the witty banter is oodles of fun.</strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTUzMjExMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTExMzE4NH0.TMVrMmBwC7RCdihEDSyDF3f74n9cAVYw1h4QdZn4JsE/img.jpg?width=980" id="95ef6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f49f46ec85da6371575e8d486bcb6baa" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image"><small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">Photo by LifeLine Animal Project, used with permission.</small></p><h2>For LifeLine, the experiment is still new. But Hirsch says people are responding to it incredibly well so far.</h2><p>At the very least, Tinder and Bumble have proven to be great for word-of-mouth awareness-building on the importance of adopting shelter pets. The animals are getting dozens of matches. Hirsch says there have been more than a few online adoption inquiries, as well as people coming into the shelter to meet their "match" in person.</p><p>She also notes that one of the matches even became a regular volunteer at LifeLine.</p><h2>This new animal dating idea has another upside for apps — and the people using them, too.</h2><p>Dating experts are finding that <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soloish/wp/2017/01/05/tinder-is-so-last-year-in-2017-dating-apps-are-getting-more-selective/?utm_term=.cacd89720e18" target="_blank">people are getting burned out by online dating</a>. Between "ghosting," "cushioning," "the slow fade," and a bunch more of those <a href="http://junkee.com/online-dating-terminology-bluffers-guide/120770" target="_blank">annoying slang terms</a>, humans out there are wondering if dating apps are even worth the effort.</p><p>For romantic love, who knows? </p><p>But now that you might just meet the dog or cat of your dreams, that's not a bad reason to keep on swiping.</p>
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