Abstract

People buy pets and use their imagination in envisioning how their pet will ideally be, not the reality of raising a pet. More and more pets are abandoned by their owners for various reasons and the stray animals often cause accidents. But people keep purchasing animals from puppy mill stores. That is the main reason why the number of animals taken into shelters is increasing, along with the rate of euthanization. These factors are of interest for people who care about animals.

To address this problem, research was focused on the reasons why people abandon their pet and the factors will influence people choosing a new pet. Additionally, special attention was paid to the relationship between gamification and persuasion. The use of color, storytelling, and digital imaging skills were applied to the final visual design.

In order to raise awareness of taking care of pets and understanding how simple actions can significantly change animals’ lives, an interactive animation game, a virtual shelter, illustrates the miserable experiences that animals endure being sent to a shelter. Users learn why pets are abandoned and how to help them in various situations. Moreover, the user can get a recommended pet based on their real situations, such as family structure, condition, housing type, and personalities.

The prototype for Adopt Me was created through motion graphics. User testing proved the application prototype to be successful. To help more people find their dream pet, Adopt Me will add more connections and functions with real shelter in the future.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Pet adoption--Interactive multimedia--Design; Animal welfare--Interactive multimedia--Design; Animal shelters--Interactive multimedia--Design; Computer games--Design

Publication Date

12-10-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Visual Communication Design (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School of Design (CAD)

Advisor

Adam Smith

Advisor/Committee Member

Chris Jackson

Advisor/Committee Member

Jason Arena

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

VISCOM-MFA

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