A bespoke charity website designed around adoption, fostering and donations, with functionality to manage dogs looking for homes.
WordPress · Charity · UX/CRO · Bespoke Functionality
The Challenge
Dogs in Distress needed more than a standard charity website.
With dogs regularly entering foster care and looking for permanent homes, the website needed to provide clear, up-to-date information while helping different audiences quickly find the right way to get involved.
Someone looking to adopt has very different needs from someone considering fostering, making a donation or simply wanting to support the charity.
The website therefore needed to simplify these different journeys while also making the day-to-day management of dogs, applications and content easier for the Dogs in Distress team.
Our Approach
We started by looking at the different reasons people visit the Dogs in Distress website and designed the structure around those journeys.
Rather than expecting visitors to search through large amounts of information, we created clear routes for the charity’s most important actions: adopt, foster, donate and support.
Particular attention was given to the dog listings and adoption journey. The website needed to make it easy for visitors to see which dogs were currently looking for homes, learn more about them and understand what was involved before applying.
Behind the scenes, we also considered how the Dogs in Distress team would manage the website after launch, creating a solution that could be updated as dogs entered foster care, became available for adoption or found their new homes.
What We Delivered
WordPress Website Development
A bespoke WordPress website designed around the specific requirements of a busy animal rescue charity rather than forcing its processes into a standard website template.
Adoption & Foster Journeys
Clear user journeys help people explore dogs looking for homes, understand the adoption or fostering process and take the appropriate next step.
Live Dog Database
A structured system for managing and displaying dogs available for adoption and foster care, allowing information to be updated as each dog’s status changes.
Donations & Support
Clear donation and support options make it easier for visitors to understand how they can contribute to the charity, including opportunities for ongoing support.
UX & Website Structure
Navigation and content were reorganised around the actions visitors are most likely to take, helping reduce confusion and making important information easier to find.
Training & Handover
The website was built to be manageable by the Dogs in Distress team, with a bespoke handover and guidance provided so the charity could confidently manage day-to-day updates.
The Finished Website
The finished website gives Dogs in Distress a digital platform built around the way the charity actually operates.
People interested in adopting or fostering can find the information they need and explore dogs currently looking for homes, while supporters have clearer ways to donate and get involved.
Behind the scenes, the charity has a more practical way to manage changing dog information and keep the website up to date.
Most importantly, the website brings the charity’s key journeys together in one place — helping connect more people with the dogs that need them while making life easier for the team managing everything behind the scenes.
Project Details
Client: Dogs in Distress
Industry: Charity & Animal Welfare
Location: Ireland
Platform: WordPress
Services: WordPress Website Design · UX/CRO · Bespoke Development · Adoption & Foster Database · Donation Functionality
