Volunteer Information for Dogs

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What is this page?

The information on this page helps MLAR volunteers see which animals on the website need additional information added to their profiles. If you are interested in becoming a MLAR volunteer, please check the www.mlar.org/volunteer web page. Thanks!

Sophie photo 1
Sophie photo 2
Sophie photo 3

Meet Sophie

Sophie is a 1 year, 3 months old female Terrier/Australian Cattle Dog who weighs 35 pounds.

Hello, I'm Sophie! I came to the shelter as one of the many strays, so unfortunately nothing is known about my past. I do tend to be shy when first meeting people, and I am still figuring out that being pet is a nice thing. I am still young and have a lot to learn, and having someone to teach me the ropes would be a great help. I am open to possibly living with another dog and/or cat with proper introduction. I would also probably be ok with children, as long as they are patient and respectful of my space. I have so much love to share and just want companionship so I can feel happy and safe. I hope it can be with you! --- If you are interested in adopting, please come prepared --bring a photo ID, proof of address, and everyone in the home including resident dogs with vaccination history. We are open daily 12-5pm.

Note that many dogs do not reach full size until they are about a year and a half old. The weight listed here is Sophie's current weight.

Additional Information
  • Site: MLAR
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Photography tips

Having photos for each of our animals is a priority! It is difficult to get a prospective adopter who is sitting at home surfing the web to get enthusiastic about a new pet that they can’t even see, so we want to get photos on the website as early as possible. Sometimes, though, the photos available are photos of the animals in their prior shelter homes (lots of chain link and concrete) or from a clinic setting (lots of hands wearing blue gloves). We want to replace these with happy photos of the animals as quickly as we can!

The following is some guidance about how to create the best photos

  • No photos of dogs in their runs. Preferably, no photos of dogs indoors at all. We want green grass and blue skies! When outside, think about background objects (trash cans, etc) and frame your photo to keep the distractions to a minimum.
  • Photos you submit do not have to be square, however the photo will appear square (cropped, not stretched) in many places on the website(s). Therefore, make sure that if your photo isn’t square that the animal is centered in the photo so that important details aren’t lost if the photo is shown cropped.
  • We can put three photos on the website for each animal*. At least one of those photos should be a “full-body” photo so that prospective adopters can get an idea of the size and shape of the animal.
  • Preferably, the animal is off-leash for the photo, but if that’s not possible, at least ensure that the leash is slack. Think about the prospective adopter, who has no idea how the animal is being treated, and make sure that the photos do not give them the wrong impression that a particular animal is difficult to control or that they are not being treated gently.
  • Get low! You’ll get a better photo if you’re down at the animal’s level than if you’re shooting down on them from five feet above.
  • It is better to have the sun behind you than behind the animal. Your color fidelity will be better if you can avoid shadows or shaded areas.

* PetFinder supports six photos (or five photos and a video), so we can post additional photos there.