One of my characters gets a job in an animal shelter, I want to use the Blue Cross animal shelter, do I have to ask their permission to use the name, or can I just useit?

Katerina

I don't know. But would your story be any the worse for using an animal shelter with a made up name, ie is there something specific about Blue Cross you wanted to reference ?

No, only that it's headquarters are in the town my novel is set in, but I could make a name up. Was just curious to know if I'd have to ask permission.

Katerina

Well, I'll be interested to hear too! Good question.

It depends what you have them do, I think. If your Blue Cross worker looks after the animals in a humane and professional manner, that's fine. If you have them nipping behind the shed to kick a dog, then the Blue Cross might have grounds to object.

I had something similar taken out of my tv script, a reference to a charity worker who did something naughty.

No, the character is going to be portrayed in a very positive light. It will literally just be saying that she got a job with the Blue Cross, and maybe if asked what she does, she will say 'I work for the Blue Cross animal shelter and I love it. That sort of thig.

katerina

You should be fine, then.

I think you should go along there and ask them. I'm sure they’d be delighted, and you might possibly be able to organise a joint publicity thingy if you get the story published.

Dee

Why not approach all animal shelters and see how much they would pay to feature in the book. Product and brand placement is the future. ;-)

you might possibly be able to organise a joint publicity thingy if you get the story published.

Dee

- Good idea!

Why not approach all animal shelters and see how much they would pay to feature in the book. Product and brand placement is the future. ;-)

Most animal shelters operate on a shoestring, so would not be able – supposing they were willing – to pay for potential publicity in that form. However, any knock-on publicity would be very welcome, I assume.

Dee

Sorry, that was meant to be tongue-in-cheek but I'm emoticonally challenged.

I asked a similar question recently - perhaps someone here can help? I've set a book in a real university. There's a reason it has to be in that particular place - I mean, if I called it by a made-up name, it would be obvious by some of the other things I mention that I'm actually talking about this university. (I hope that makes sense!)

So, is this allowed, and do I have to be careful to present the place in a good light? Do the staff all have to be above board and well-behaved?

Thanks for any help!

Luisa

<Added>

I should add that I truly appreciate the help I've already had on this, but I was looking for further advice.
Thank you!

Well judging by The Oxford Murders or most of Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse books, Oxford University is a vile pit of depravity peopled by perverts and murderers while the high-up Chancellors etc. cover everything up.

I don't know but I can't imagine that Colin Dexter asked permission "can I depict your staff as rapists, murderers, abductors etc" and Oxford University said "yes of course we'd love that" ?

Just guessing, though, I'm not a lawyer...

I think he always uses made-up colleges for anything dodgy, doesn't he? Harder to do with a less federal university.

Somerville never forgave Dorothy L. Sayers for Gaudy Night, though, even though she called it Shrewsbury College. But I think just changing the name is still much better than nothing. No one doubts that David Lodge's Rummidge is Birmingham, but that doesn't stop him being pretty rude about it. To be honest, I'd change the university's name and some of the departments - they keep doing that in real life anyway - and get going. I don't suppose anyone will turn a hair. Places like 'The University of the West of England' have always sounded to me like something out of P D James anyway.

Emma