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COMMUNITY INSTAGRAM HANDLE INSTRUCTIONS AND CODE OF CONDUCT
INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOLDING THE HANDLE
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We currently have a waitlist to take over our community Instagram accounts. To sign up, fill out the waitlist form.
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We will email you when it's your turn to take over the Instagram handle, and will provide you with a list to our online scheduling tool to select a date for your takeover.
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Once you select a date, you'll receive a confirmation email with your assigned date and general information about how the take over will work.
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A few days before your assigned date, you'll receive another email with the login instructions and password.
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The night before your assigned date to hold the handle, you should post a photo on your own personal Instagram stating that you'll be holding the handle for @WetheDogsDC or @WetheDogsNYC the following day. To create your picture, select one of our logo images, and add it to a photo of your own dog. Logo images may be downloaded here.
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Do not login in until the person before you has posted their “sign off” image.
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On your assigned date, post your first photo no later than 10am. Your first post should include a photo of your dog, and information about your dog (name, breed, age, etc.) and where you live (city or neighborhood; no specific addresses please).
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If you need additional ideas for what to post, check out our Takeover Creative Brief, which includes tips and guidelines to make posting easy for anyone!
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Post a maximum of 4-6 photos/videos in the main feed that show your dog's favorite places and activities in the DC/NYC area. You can post as many photos/videos as you’d like in the Instagram story.
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Photos should represent your dog's ideal way to spend a day; they don't have to be taken on the day of your takeover. Feel free to use throwback photos from a recent event, a great playdate, etc.
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All posts should be written from your dog’s perspective, and your dog must be the focus/feature of all photos/videos. Share information about your pup’s habits, routines, likes/dislikes, tricks, funny action shots, and anything else that helps us get to know your pup and their life in the city.
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The purpose of the account is to highlight dog-friendly locations and activities for the community. Try to share places that aren’t as well-known, or that others may not have shared yet. Make sure to geotag your locations and use hashtags with the names of the locations you visit. Please do not post more than 1-2 photos of your dog at home.
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Do not use the handle to promote events, your personal business or organization, or to share information for commercial purposes, unless first approved by the We the Dogs team. This does not apply to sponsors of Two Paws Up.
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Post a “sign off” image when you’re finished posting for the day, which must be posted no later than 10pm.
CODE OF CONDUCT
The purpose of the community Instagram handle is to bring people together and connect over our shared love for dogs and the desire to help rescue animals. In that spirit, we want to ensure that every post maintains a positive and thoughtful message. We want everyone holding the handle to feel comfortable sharing their dog's day in an honest light. In some cases, individuals may share opinions about their pup and “pawrenting” style that others in the community may not agree with. The handle can serve as a place of friendly open dialogue, and we encourage individuals to share differing points of view, as long as they do so respectfully.
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The views and opinions expressed on the handle and in the comments are those of the individuals posting them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the We the Dogs team. While the We the Dogs team is not responsible for moderating every post and comment, we will routinely review the posts to ensure that all content is consistent with the code of conduct. We reserve the right to remove any photo or comments that we believe violates these rules, and we adhere to Instagram’s zero-toleration policy for any posts or comments that encourage violence or attack anyone based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, disabilities, or diseases. If you believe that a post or comment on the community Instagram handle violates the code of conduct, please report it to our team at info@wethedogs.org.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RULES
By posting or commenting on the We the Dogs DC and/or the We the Dogs NYC Instagram handle, you agree to be bound by all posting guidelines and the code of conduct. You agree to allow We the Dogs, Inc., We the Dogs DC, and/or We the Dogs NYC the use of all pictures posted on the handle for any purpose including, but not limited to, using the photos for all promotional and information sharing purposes. All photos uploaded on the account will be credited and belong to We the Dogs, Inc., We the Dogs DC, and/or We the Dogs NYC, but we will make every effort to ensure that each individual account is credited where possible. By posting or commenting on the We the Dogs DC and/or We the Dogs NYC Instagram handle, you acknowledge that any information you provide while operating the account is solely your personal opinion, and We the Dogs, Inc., We the Dogs DC, and/or We the Dogs NYC makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy or adequacy of the information.
By posting or commenting on the We the Dogs DC and/or We the Dogs NYC Instagram handle, you acknowledge that you understand that you are prohibited from:
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Posting anything that violates any federal and state rules/regulations.
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Posting anything that constitutes "political campaign activity." We the Dogs Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, and as a nonprofit, we are prohibited from engaging in “political campaign activity,” and if we do so, we risk losing our tax-exempt status. Here are some guidelines:
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Things we can post:
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Messages promoting voting generally, or encouraging voter registration.
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Messages that mention a political official or candidate, as long as the post is neutral to any campaign message. For example, it would be fine to mention that you work in a specific senator’s office, and that you bring your dog to work with you, etc.
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Messages that reflect political environments are permitted as long as they relate to your participation in community/civic events etc. (i.e. marches, working in a dog-friendly office for a member of Congress, etc.). But the post cannot include any message of support or opposition to any politician, political candidate, or political party.
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Support/opposition for public policy issues, as long as the message does not in any way favor or oppose a candidate. For example, it is absolutely permissible to share posts in support of Black Lives Matter, which is a policy issue, as long as the posts don’t reference any political candidate or political party.
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Things we cannot post:
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Any pictures/statements that include messages that appear to be in favor or against any political candidate currently running for office. If your post or picture includes the name or photo of a candidate, it may cause us to lose our nonprofit status, since that kind of post would be considered political activity since it relates to an individual currently running for office. Be aware that the message does not need to identify the candidate by name to be prohibited political activity. A message that shows a picture of a candidate, refers to a candidate’s political party affiliations, or other distinctive features of a candidate’s platform or biography (example: photos outside of the White House that include a message of support/opposition) may result in prohibited political activity. In order to ensure we comply with the law, all photos that violate this prohibition will be deleted.
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Posting anything containing vulgarity, profanity, nudity, pictures of minors without their permission, or any illegal activity.
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Posting photos that are manipulated or photoshopped. Filters that are used only to alter the quality/clarity of a photo are permitted.
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Posting any photos or videos that promote or encourage others to support a specific political party, politician, campaign, etc.
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Deleting direct messages, posts, and comments on posts. If you believe that a post or comment on the community Instagram handle violates the code of conduct, please report it to our team at info@wethedogs.org.
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Engaging in any way that is rude or disrespectful towards others.
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Engaging in any conduct that violates Instagram’s Community Guidelines.
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IMPORTANT: The safety and security of your pet should always come first, and we strictly prohibit any photo/video that depicts an animal being harmed or forced to participate in the photo/video.
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Violation of any of these rules will result in the immediate termination of your access to the handle. Any photos/videos posted in violation of these rules will be deleted.
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Questions? Email us at info@wethedogs.org.