Hmmmm . . . it looks like I don't need to do that research I've always meant to do on cameras to be used in lost dog searches. Danielle Robertson has done some great research and posted it to her blog. at http://www.lostpetresearch.com/. So for now, I'm just going to refer you to that great article:
Online Resources for Selecting and Using a Trail Camera
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Offering Help to Strangers
As people like me know, Craigslist is a great source if you are looking for people to help find their lost dog. It's probably THE best online source, and lots of people know it and advise people to use it. So, huge numbers of lost dogs are advertised on Craigslist.
But I, and many others I know, have experienced countless times that we offer help to strangers on Craigslist, and we don't hear back. This is always been true. I've come to understand it from doing my best to place myself in the shoes of people that post their lost dogs on Craigslist, but may otherwise have no experience with Craigslist and/or the dog loving community. I get that people get a LOT of emails with advice from well intended strangers -- so much that it's overwhelming, and in some cases, may actually interfere with the search. Or is perceived to do so.
The other day I departed from my normal procedure, and I DID send a brief email offering help. As is normal, I got no response. A couple of days later I was forwarded an email from one of my close friends that is involved with one of the many local homeless animal rescue organizations, which she always does since she knows I do lost dog recovery. It was from a friend of that dog's family, reaching out to rescue organizations asking if they've taken in a dog that looks like the friend's lost dog. So I emailed that family friend, let her know that I'd offered help to the family (or to whoever posted to Craigslist), and would she be so kind as to make sure the family knows that help is available if they want it.
I think that her response captured the essence of what people go through so well that I want to share it here. While it was all stuff that I already understood, I thought she put it well, and I figure there are lessons for others to learn here about approaching people that post their lost dogs on Craigslist:
Now, as for advising how to approach strangers so they will accept your offer of help -- that I still haven't figured out! I mostly get referred to by people that know what I do, and tell others. Without those referrals, I wouldn't be helping many people find their lost dogs.
But I, and many others I know, have experienced countless times that we offer help to strangers on Craigslist, and we don't hear back. This is always been true. I've come to understand it from doing my best to place myself in the shoes of people that post their lost dogs on Craigslist, but may otherwise have no experience with Craigslist and/or the dog loving community. I get that people get a LOT of emails with advice from well intended strangers -- so much that it's overwhelming, and in some cases, may actually interfere with the search. Or is perceived to do so.
The other day I departed from my normal procedure, and I DID send a brief email offering help. As is normal, I got no response. A couple of days later I was forwarded an email from one of my close friends that is involved with one of the many local homeless animal rescue organizations, which she always does since she knows I do lost dog recovery. It was from a friend of that dog's family, reaching out to rescue organizations asking if they've taken in a dog that looks like the friend's lost dog. So I emailed that family friend, let her know that I'd offered help to the family (or to whoever posted to Craigslist), and would she be so kind as to make sure the family knows that help is available if they want it.
I think that her response captured the essence of what people go through so well that I want to share it here. While it was all stuff that I already understood, I thought she put it well, and I figure there are lessons for others to learn here about approaching people that post their lost dogs on Craigslist:
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| Click the image for a larger view |
Now, as for advising how to approach strangers so they will accept your offer of help -- that I still haven't figured out! I mostly get referred to by people that know what I do, and tell others. Without those referrals, I wouldn't be helping many people find their lost dogs.
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