How to Make Posters for Stopping Puppy Mills

Puppy mills involve the intensive farming of dogs with little regard for their welfare. The mothers often develop serious health problems after being forced to have litter after litter, far beyond what is healthy. Puppies are often born with genetic defects. Conditions in puppy mills are usually poor and sometimes appalling, with the dogs living in cramped, unsanitary conditions and lacking necessary exercise, socialization and veterinary treatment. Puppy mills continue to be profitable because people buy the puppies, not usually realizing how they were bred. One of the main ways to stop people buying puppy mill puppies and to gain support for legislation banning the practice is raising awareness. Posters are an effective tool for this purpose.

Things You'll Need

  • Printer
  • A4 paper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine who the audience for your poster is likely to be before designing it. Will it be seen mostly by families, young adults, workers, students, the elderly or another group?

    • 2

      Select an appropriate image and insert it in a Microsoft Word document. Use your own photographs or ask permission from an animal welfare group to use its.

    • 3

      Write the caption. Keep it to less than 10 words. The Humane Society uses the caption "The Cruelty Behind the Cuteness" on some of its puppy mill material. Posters need to be readable at a distance, which requires a very large typeface, normally 26-point or larger, and few words. Position the caption above or below the picture, or use both areas. You can include more details in a smaller typeface underneath. It is advisable to include practical advice with the details, such as "do not buy puppies from a pet store."

    • 4

      Print copies of the poster on a home printer if you only require A4 size. If you prefer, a local printing firm will print much larger ones for you at a reasonable cost based on either an A4 printout or the electronic file.