The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) in Canada got creative with funny drawings of pets up for adoption. Changing the pace from their usual professional photos caught people off-guard and got their attention. It was a human touch that people loved.
Translation: the fun “bad drawings” led to more pet adoptions! And people wanted more of the drawings because they were so much fun. Some even offered to donate money for a similar drawing of their pet (more on that later). Plus, the story got picked up by Yahoo! and *cough* Cole and Marmalade!
First, the shelter staff found a funny excuse to post the drawings: their “camera broke.” (not really). The real reason was to post a hilarious drawing of Addison the pug-mix.
Ottawa Humane Posts Funny Drawings of Adoptable Pets
The first adoptable pet they posted was Addison, a one-of-a-kind dog whose drawing stopped everyone in their tracks.
“Our camera broke, so we’ve resorted to drawing our adoptable animals. Meet Addison, a *beautiful* two-year-old pug mix. If this picture intrigues you, just wait until you meet her!” they posted.
Images via Facebook/Ottawa Humane Society
Well, who wouldn’t want to adopt Addison after seeing that illustration? Needless to say, the post went viral on Facebook and Twitter. People found it really funny and couldn’t get enough, and then when they clicked on the link, it got even funnier because Addison really does look like the odd drawing. It’s not an exaggeration.
“OMG, it gets better when you open the link! I was already laughing my head off at the post and thought wow, they really nailed the pug face but what’s with the giraffe legs and neck? And then I opened the link and just about died laughing. Nailed it! I hope Addison finds a forever home soon!” wrote one person.
Addison the adorable pug mix was up for adoption at Ottawa Humane Society.
“Part of me wants to buy you a camera, but a bigger part of me wants more drawings,” said another person.
It’s no surprise that Addison found a forever home just two days after OHS posted that hilarious drawing.
“Addison is off to her forever home! Congratulations, Addison, and a huge thank you to her new family!”
Family who adopted Addison via Facebook/Ottawa Humane Society
Drawing of Espresso and Annie the Rabbits
After such a resounding success with Addison, OHS posted cute drawings of two bunnies ready to hop into homes. First, they posted a picture of Expresso. Then, they posted a picture of a bunny named Annie.
“Need a rabbit who will love you a latte? If you can’t tell, Espresso is a fluffy lionhead rabbit. She’s looking for a loving family as unique as she is!”
“We’re doing our best. Meet Annie, a one-year-old American rabbit who is not as round as shown here.”
Currently, the bunnies’ profiles are still on the OHS website, so if you live in the area, they may be looking for hoppy homes.
Pumpkin the Poet Cat
Next, they posted a line drawing of Pumpkin, the sweet calico cat.
“The third dimension is overrated. Pumpkin is a six-year-old cat who can be frightened of new people and situations, but she’s even sweeter than her name.”
In her online profile, they shared a creative description of the “poetic” soul who needs time to adjust to new people and situations.
“The staff at the OHS call me a Poet! Did you know that Poets thrive in calm, stable environments? When things are a little too new and different, these kitties have a hard time showing their true personalities. Because Poets find change so hard, they usually like lots of safe places to hide and high perches to rest on. While each Poet is a little different, things that usually bring them out of their shell include playing with their favourite toys, eating some of their favourite treats, and seeking attention from their favourite people. During periods of change, Poets need a safe refuge where they be surrounded by these favourite things,” they wrote.
We love how they used creativity to describe this cat’s sensitive purrsonality.
Mojo the Long-Toed Cat
Most recently, they posted an adorable and uncanny drawing of Mojo, the “long-toed boy” cat. Not long after posting the drawing, Mojo found a home.
Then, they posted an update about all the drawing fun. It was fun but time to get back to using the camera again.
“*UPDATE* it turns out we just left the lens cap on. That’s a relief; we weren’t sure how much longer we could keep this up.”
For more, you can follow the Ottawa Humane Society on Facebook and Instagram.
Bad Pet Drawings and Artistic Portraits
We’ve seen rescuers from the Kansas SPCA do something similar with their annual “Bad Pet Drawing Fundraiser.” During the fundraiser, the rescue staff tries their hand at drawing pets which supporters post on their social media along with a small donation.
“The catch? Our team is way better at caring for animals than drawing them. Whether your drawing ends up being a masterpiece or a truly bad drawing, it’s always FUN & helps us raise money for our shelter pets!” they write.
Images via Facebook/ Great Plains SPCA
In other cases, professional artists in Pennsylvania paint pet portraits of animals up for adoption in shelters. The artwork really does the trick, leading to as much as a 70% adoption rate for the depicted animals. Imagine adopting a wonderful pet and getting their portrait at the same time!
Image via Facebook/ Cheddar Paws Dog Art
Rescues and shelters get incredibly creative in finding pets’ homes. We see it daily with quirky pet names that make you laugh while making you want to know more about the pet. Rescuers also get ameowzingly creative when writing funny descriptions of pets or by using pro writing skills.
Rescuers have a million ways to help cats and other pets find homes, and it’s inspurrational to see.
