The storytelling project will capture and celebrate the human-animal bond
March 26, 2018 – The San Francisco SPCA is launching a new project, The Companion Chronicles, to collect stories about people and their pets – where they found each other, how they fell in love, and what makes their relationship special. Through written stories, photography, and video/audio recordings, The Companion Chronicles will capture people’s candid, unscripted memories, anecdotes, and revelations about the animals who have inspired them. The Companion Chronicles is modeled, in spirit and in practice, on StoryCorps and other oral history projects.
“For many people, the relationship they have with their pet has changed their life,” said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, SF SPCA President. “It’s our hope that this story archive project will serve as a collective tribute to the non-humans that have such a lasting impact on us. Our goal is to capture and share the timeless and special nature of the human-animal relationship.”
Storytellers can submit their tale online at sfspca.org/stories or record it via phone or text at 415-360-0202 and submit up to three photos and videos. To spread the word, advertisements throughout San Francisco will encourage pet lovers to share their stories. Keep an eye out starting in late March.
The Companion Chronicles launched on Friday, March 23, at the Macy’s Union Square Flower Show. A specially designed Companion Chronicles story pod provides visitors with a private area to record their stories on their mobile phone. The booth will remain at the flower show through Sunday, April 8; afterward, it will be at SF SPCA special events.
The stories with the most appeal will be featured online and in third-party media.
The campaign creative was provided by Most Likely To, and the Companion Chronicles voice and text line is powered by Twilio. Their work on this project has been immensely helpful.