The best way to add adoptable pets to your rescue website is a live widget that pulls from your rescue software, so the website updates itself whenever a pet's status changes. PawPlacer includes free website widgets for your adoptable pets gallery and your adopter, foster, volunteer, surrender and donor forms.
Many rescues still update their website by hand. Someone uploads photos, writes a bio and adds a page for each pet, then has to remember to take it down after adoption. Adopters end up applying for animals who went home weeks ago.
This guide from the PawPlacer team covers the options for showing adoptable pets online and how PawPlacer keeps your website current at no cost.
At a Glance
- The answer: PawPlacer's adoptable pets widget, included free.
- How it works: embed a live, responsive pet gallery that reflects your PawPlacer records.
- Forms too: widgets for adopter, foster, volunteer, surrender and donor forms.
- Works with: WordPress, Shopify and most site builders that allow custom HTML.
- No website? Every organization gets a public profile with pets and forms.
Ways to Show Adoptable Pets Online
Rescues usually use one of these approaches:
- Manual pages: a page per pet, updated by hand.
- Listing site links: sending visitors to a listing site.
- A live widget: a gallery on your own site that updates from your records.
- A hosted profile: a public page from your rescue software.
A live widget keeps visitors on your website while removing the manual work.
1. A Live Adoptable Pets Gallery
PawPlacer's pet gallery widget embeds a responsive gallery of your adoptable pets on your own site. Because it reads from PawPlacer, a pet's listing changes when its record changes. When a pet is adopted, the website follows.
Each pet can have up to 24 photos and videos in PawPlacer, plus a written bio. AI pet description writing can help draft bios faster.
2. Application Forms on Your Site
Separate widgets embed your adopter, foster, volunteer, surrender and donor forms. Submissions flow straight into PawPlacer's applicant inbox, so nothing is copied from email.
3. A Full Profile Widget
A full profile widget embeds your entire PawPlacer public profile, including adoptable pets, application forms, events, flyers, donations and wishlist, in one block on your site.
4. Works With Common Website Builders
PawPlacer's widgets work in WordPress, Shopify and most site builders that allow custom HTML. Paste the embed code into a page, and the gallery or form appears.
5. A Public Profile If You Have No Website
Every PawPlacer organization gets a public profile with adoptable pets, application forms, events, flyers, donations and a wishlist. It can be shared as a link on social media, flyers and email.
6. Listings Beyond Your Website
Eligible pets also sync to Petfinder and Adopt-a-Pet, and adoptable pets are shared with GetBuddy automatically. Your website, public profile and listings all draw from the same records.
7. Flyers and Events
PawPlacer's flyer designer creates printable flyers from templates, and events with attendees and capacity appear on your public profile.
8. Free for Every Rescue
Website widgets are included with every PawPlacer feature at no cost, with no tiers or per-adoption fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a developer to add the widget?
Most site builders let you paste embed code into a custom HTML block. PawPlacer's widgets work in WordPress, Shopify and most site builders that allow custom HTML.
Does the widget update automatically?
Yes. The gallery reads from your PawPlacer records, so changes to a pet's status or details are reflected on your site.
Can visitors apply directly from my website?
Yes. Adopter form widgets embed on your site, and submissions go straight into your PawPlacer applicant inbox.
Get Started With PawPlacer
PawPlacer keeps your rescue website current with a free adoptable pets widget and application forms that feed your records directly. No more stale pet pages.
Create your free PawPlacer account today.