Role: Graphic Designer / Web Designer / Web Developer
CT Pet Guide is a website that features information about pet-related businesses, animal rescues, and adoptable pets throughout Connecticut. It helps Connecticut residents shop locally and find nearby animal rescues.
It was first launched in 2006 with a password-protected members area where people could update their shelter or featured business pages themselves. Animal rescues could also post details and photos of their available animals. However, this setup was prone to user-error and outdated information.
Brown Bear Creative revamped the website by updating the logo and design as well as streamlining the user experience.
Instead of having shelter volunteers post their animals directly on CT Pet Guide, Brown Bear used data from Petfinder’s vast database of homeless pets. This eliminated the need for rescue workers to duplicate their posts and ensured the information stayed current and comprehensive.
Similar to the previous design, Brown Bear randomly showcased a Connecticut animal rescue on the site’s homepage. To make the organizations easier to find, Brown Bear added a function to narrow down the rescues by the type of animal they take in.
Brown Bear also improved the business directory. Listings can by filtered by category as well as by keyword. Each entry can display contact information, social media links, a photo/logo, a description, and a map of their location. Submissions to the directory are free.