Cooper literally stole the show or should we say social media in just a few hours.
The six-month-old Australian Shepherd mix with its hazel colored eyes and its one ear that liked to stand up straight, quickly got adopted after being featured for a few hours on the Brownsville Animal Regulation Care Center’s Facebook page.
“The ears,” replied one person to Cooper’s photo of Facebook. “He’s so adorable” wrote another.
Cooper received almost 300 likes on his photo. He had been at the shelter for about a month before he made his debut on the shelter’s Facebook page on Aug. 31.
The power of social media has turned out to be a good thing for the Brownsville animal shelter because it is helping more dogs and cats get adopted since the animals are being featured daily on its Facebook Page.
“The social media is what is really helping us out,” said Sarah Santos, adoption specialist at BARCC.
The Facebook likes on the shelter’s homepage has gone up to 13,000 from 10,000 in just the matter of six months. Santos’ goal is to reach 15,000 likes on the page by the end of the year.
“We have blowing up on social media. I came into this not knowing anything. I knew nothing about taking photos and paperwork. I knew clean kennels and then go home. That was my mentality. This experience has been really well for me and it has helped out the animals. I am testing out different ways to reach out to the people and taking photos,” Santos said.
Art Rodriguez, the city of Brownsville public health director, oversees the animal shelter and its $900,000 budget, which he believes should be more.
“Because the shelter is located where it’s at we have an additional expense since we are not with BPUB, so we are actually paying utilities,” he said. Had the shelter been located inside the city limits the utilities would not be a problem. “We’ve got a lot more going against us in the sense of expenses.”
Rodriguez said the mission at the shelter is to “try and get as many animals out there adopted out, spay and neutered, microchipped and help lost dogs find their owners through the microchipping.”
Rodriguez was able to get more money allocated for the shelter in the upcoming budget will pay for additional runs outside the shelter. The shelter is trying to get some upgrades to its electrical system by adding permanent generators.
“I am very proud of the staff (at the shelter), they are very authentic and I think that is what is coming across. You have a lot of good people that are trying to help us and really believe in the process of adoption,” Rodriguez said.
“One of our big values is that not only are we operating to adopt them out but to make sure we are not putting them in the hands that are not going to care for them.”
Rodriguez is looking at having an executive position at the shelter to help improve the shelter’s adoptions rates.
The shelter started its social media campaign right after the pandemic hit. “We realized people were going to have more time and we were told that people were going to get lonely and we thought a good win, win situation would be to offer people companionship, especially the older people. Companionship and having a pet is good way to beat depression,” he said.
Santos believes that had the shelter chosen not to use social media, there would be less dog adoptions.
“Social media is where it’s at right now for us and it seems to be working for us. It’s the best,” she said.
The shelter averages about 15 to 30 animals per day being dropped off at the shelter by animal control officers.
Although the shelter is short staffed, the hearts and hard work of its dedicated staff is what is helping these pets find their “furever” homes.
“When you walk into this place you feel the aura that they are here to help, they are not here to hurt. We try our best every day,” she said.
“We are getting a lot more help and a lot more positive feedback in what we are doing,” said Santos who will mark three years as a shelter employee come March.
Employees are extra proud that they have been able to get the animals adopted considering we are still in an ongoing pandemic. What they are also proud of is that the shelter received a high rating from Texas Department of State Health Services on its shelter inspection. “We passed it with flying colors…We were really happy to hear that,” Santos said.
When the pandemic first arrived in Brownsville back in 2020 the shelter immediately closed the doors to the public and staff was left to come up with a plan that would allow the continuing adoption of the pets even though the shelter was closed. Many of the rescue groups assisted with removing the animals from the shelters to other locations.
The photos of shelter pets were on petharbor.com, but shelter officials wanted to do something more to draw attention to their furry friend.
Santos began taking pictures of the dogs and cats herself trying to find just the right angle that would show their smile, their puppy dog eyes or their beautiful snouts that would hopefully make the public want to adopt them.
Adoptions at the shelter are now done by appointment only which provides both the animals and the pets with about 30 minutes of individual binding time.
“The fear when the animal leaves here is how are they going to do,” said Santos, who handles most of the adoptions to make sure they are going to a right home.”
“Our goal automatically is to make sure they stay out of here, that they are living in a good home, that they have a good life, that they have food, water, the necessities, treats, toys you name it,” Santos said.
The shelter continues to accept the donations of food, treats, dog food, cat food, newspapers and towels. It also has an Amazon wish list at: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/PB0I3ZJMM4AJ/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex
