You have probably already heard about the infamous Facebook event called “Storm Area 51; They Can’t Stop All of Us.” Scheduled for September 20th, 2019, the event drew almost two million online responses according to the 2019 report, not two million physical attendees even attracting the attention of U.S. military. An Air Force spokeswoman already “discouraged” people from trying to come into that area. Nevertheless, what happens on the Internet usually stays there, which means that the event was created only as a joke. This joke, however, inspired one animal welfare center in Oklahoma City to find a brilliant way of attracting potential adopters.
The center included some space-themed photographs of animals listed for adoption at the time of the campaign. They’ve also dressed up dogs wearing small tin foil hats with an antenna. Their post quickly received numerous likes and comments from people.
The 2019 report said two of the three pictured dogs had been adopted while Lady had not; this is a historical status, not a current availability listing. The kitty in the picture has also found a loving home, but, unfortunately, not the other fur babies. The report described the shelter’s preparation for adoption as including spaying or neutering, vaccinations, worm treatment and microchips. Current procedures should be checked with the shelter.
The archive listed adoption hours as noon to 5:30 pm daily; these should not be used as today’s opening hours. Furthermore, you can find all of the animals that are up for adoption by clicking here. The 2019 account listed a $60 adoption fee with possible reductions; current fees are not confirmed here.
More info: Facebook | Oklahoma City Animal Welfare
Image credits: OKCanimalwelfare
Here’s how people online reacted:
Turning a passing meme into a concrete invitation
The campaign borrowed the recognizable language of an internet joke and redirected attention toward actual animals. The space-themed photographs supplied the hook; the useful next step was an adoption listing where someone could learn about a particular pet.
Online event responses should not be confused with people physically attending Area 51. Likewise, the adoption outcomes, fees and opening hours in this archive describe the 2019 report, not today's shelter information. A reader interested in adopting should follow the shelter's own listings for current details. The enduring communication lesson is the connection between a playful image and a specific, practical action, rather than the size of a viral reaction alone.
Continue with a related feature: Dogs With Jobs: Working Roles and Playful Workplace Portraits.
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