How to Help Animal Shelters on Social Media: Do's and Don'ts from Shelter Staff

If you follow your local animal shelter on social media, your engagement can help save lives—but some well-intended comments and shares make things harder for shelter staff and reduce the chance that animals find homes. In this episode, Penny Ellison shares what shelter staff say actually helps on social media—and what doesn't—drawing on feedback from people who manage shelter accounts every day and years of experience inside animal welfare organizations. In this episode, we discuss: How comments can unintentionally stall adoptions Why "cross-posting" and tagging rescues often backfires What kind of sharing reaches people who can actually help When concerns should be raised privately instead of publicly How tone, trust, and specificity affect outcomes for animals Key Takeaway: Social media is a powerful advocacy tool, but helping animals online requires intention—small changes in how we comment, share, and engage can make a meaningful difference for shelters and the animals they serve. 🔗 Full episode and resources: AnimalAdvocacyAcademy.com/podcast