Promoting Adoptions
May 13, 2016
With the warmer weather finally arriving, now is the perfect time to get focused on adoption events and promoting adoption of the animals in your animal rescue or shelter. Animal adoption events are typically the best way to promote adoptions from your shelter or rescue. These types of events paired with a social media marketing campaign and presence are extremely powerful in reaching a broader base of individuals.
Organizing an Adoption Event
The first steps in any successful adoption event are to schedule a goal, date, time, and location. With this information you can then recruit volunteers and develop committees to focus on the most important aspect of events, including schedule of events, care of the animals involved, marketing, and volunteer schedule. Each committee and its members can the focus on their section/responsibility to make it the best it can be.
Setting Goals
What is your goal for your non-profit animal shelter or rescue? What is your long-term and short-term goal? Do you have an influx of animals that you need to have adopted out? Do you need to raise funds for new equipment or a new building? Having this information set it the beginning, gives you a numerical goal to promote and track throughout the event planning and event day.
Date, Time, Location
It may seem like easy information to decide on but often times there is more to consider than what days or times are available on your personal calendar. It is best to start with two possible dates and times. Once you have this information, check with local community organizations to see if there are any other events happening that you may be in competition with to decide on a date that offers the best opportunity for participants. If you have a physical building, you can host your event at home. If you do not have a building, check with local parks or businesses for an opportunity to set up your event in an easy to reach venue.
Committees
Committees help to keep any event running smoothly and are comprised of volunteers from animal shelter or rescue. Committees allow volunteers to focus on one area of the event and keep the planning organized and efficient.
Promotion
There are multiple ways to advertise your event. You can contact a local radio station for some broadcasting, hang posters, or place an advertisement in the newspaper. The most cost-effective method is usually on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even Snapchat, depending on who your target audience is. To promote via facebook, you would first start by creating an event on your shelter or rescue page. From the event you can then invite those that follow your page and encourage them to share and invite their family and friends. Be sure to create a daily post plan to keep potential attendees engaged and excited about what you are offering and promoting at the event.
Promoting Adoptions with No Event
If your animal shelter or rescue is unable to organize or host an event, there is still a great opportunity for you to promote adoptions online.
1. Create a Facebook or Instagram Page. If you do not currently have a page, be sure to create one now.
2. Post pictures of Animals. You can post pictures of animals available for adoption in their current habitat. Catch them playing, snoozing or cuddling with volunteers. Be sure to include a summary of the animal’s background and best type of forever home when you post the pictures.
3. Post Videos. Do you have certain animals that are just made for videos? You know the ones that are always playing around. Catch them live in these moments and share them with your followers who are sure to fall in love as they watch them.
Promoting and increasing adoptions can be accomplished through organized events as well as well as on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Once you have decided the path to take, be sure to follow these steps to help increase adoptions in your community.
Ways Exercise Helps Your Animals
June 15, 2015
While it is common knowledge that you need to exercise in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, most people overlook the fact that their pets need to stay fit as well. Pets that don’t get enough exercise can become obese and become susceptible to serious health conditions such as, cancer and diabetes. For this reason, it is important to make physical fitness a part of your pet’s everyday routine. Here is a list of health benefits that prove exercise helps your animals:
- By engaging your pets in physical activity, their overall health will improve. It will reduce their chances of developing diseases and help them to live a longer, healthier life.
- Hyperactive cats and dogs can benefit from exercise because it will alleviate extra energy and restlessness.
- Regular physical activity is very helpful when it comes to improving your pet’s digestive health. A simple walk has proven to be extremely beneficial in relieving constipation in animals.
- If your pet excessively chews, digs, or scratches, exercise can help reduce or eliminate this destructive behavior.
- Your dog or cat will develop stronger muscles and increased flexibility. Their improved strength and nimbleness can reduce their risk of being injured.
- It is a no brainer that spending time with your pet is extremely important. Playing sports and games with your pet not only strengthen their body but your bond as well.
Ways to Bond With Your Animal
June 12, 2015
Forming a good animal connection is essential for health and happiness for both the animal owner and the animal. So how do you do that?
The easiest way is to think about the way people connect with their babies and even with other people.
Bonding with an animal is natural for any animal lover. Most people love cats or dogs or both. Some ideas to help the animal connection develop deeper and faster are:
1 – Spend time. There is no substitute for time in a relationship. This goes for people but also for animals. Animals are often nervous at first but over time, they warm up and bond with their new owner. Dogs and cats tend to “grow” on people over time.
2 – Play with them. Both people and animals love to play. Play is enjoyment. For a cat, chasing a laser pointer or a ball of yarn works great. For dogs, nothing beats a good game of fetch. For most people, one of the reasons they get the pet is for play. Animals are cute when they play or as some people (who like puns) say “they are more fetching”. Animals appreciate and bond to the person who they see as their play/fun mate.
3 – Groom them. People bond with animals if they groom them. This can be simple petting through to brushing them. And who does not want a better groomed pet. Animals and people both respond to touch.
4 – Walk them. This mostly applies to dogs. Dogs love to go for walks and hikes. And it is healthy for them and their owners. Pet owners live longer according to Dr. Oz. Pet owners have less stress, lower cholesterol, and higher immunity. Likely a good part of this is the added exercise pet owners get.
Animal connection is natural. Follow your instincts and you will bond easily. After all, dogs and cats are people too. OK – so they are not really but they will seem like it after there is a good bond formed.
5 Tips for Keeping Your Animals Cool In The Heat
June 7, 2015
As the hot sunny days of summer approach, it’s inevitable that we spend more time outdoors – pets included. Summer activities are a great source of enjoyment and exercise, but it’s important to ensure your animals stay cool in the heat of the summer. Here are a five tips from experts to keep your pets cool and happy. Animal Care Tip 1: Stay in the shade Have you ever noticed your dog or cat lying on a cool surface? They’re trying to cool themselves down. When you’re playing outside and your dog finds a shady spot, let him. Animals naturally gravitate to the shade when they’re hot. And remember, they don’t wear shoes – so imagine how hot the concrete or asphalt is when it’s been baking in the sun all afternoon. A walk in a shaded forest is a much better choice than a walk through the city. Animal Care Tip 2: Play outside at the right time Try to avoid taking your pets outdoors during the hottest time of day. The scorching mid afternoon sun can cause health issues very quickly. Try to plan your outdoor activities in the early morning or in the evening once the sun has gone down. Animal Care Tip 3: Hydrate frequently Pets can dehydrate quickly – especially on a hot day.
- Make sure they have plenty of fresh water available. If you’re thirsty on a hot day, chances are your pets are too.
- Ice cubes or frozen broth make a great hydrating treat for dogs.
Animal Care Tip 4: Visit the groomer You wouldn’t go outside on a summer day wearing your winter parka! Imagine how your dog feels. Depending on the breed, some dogs benefit from a summer haircut. Even frequent brushing can help eliminate loose fur and prevent your pet from overheating. Animal Care Tip 5: Be mindful of your pet’s health Animal health experts encourage all pet owners to be mindful of their pet’s health, especially in the summer. Some breeds with flat-shaped faces like pugs, bulldogs, and terriers can’t pant as well as other breeds. These dogs should be expect inside on extremely hot days. Pets that are overweight, elderly, or have other medical conditions should also be kept indoors.
Fundraising Techniques
June 4, 2015
The Need to Master Fundraising Techniques
Nonprofits such as animal welfare organizations need to have a constant stream of funds coming in to keep their operations running. There are numerous methods that can be used to secure said funding, with fundraising being the most useful out of the lot. As a result, animal welfare organizations determined to achieve their objectives must be diligent in mastering fundraising techniques.
Fundraising Techniques For Animal Welfare Organizations
Here are time-tested fundraising techniques that animal welfare organizations can put to good use:
- A lot of nonprofits like to solicit small sums from a large number of interested individuals. In main, this is because the small sums make it that much easier to convince potential supporters, though it also means that more of them will have to be convinced to keep the nonprofits running. As a result, said nonprofits have to focus on getting their messages out to a bigger audience using traditional methods such as direct mail and newsletters as well as digital counterparts such as social media marketing.
- In contrast, other nonprofits focus on soliciting much more sizable sums from interested individuals with the motive as well as the means. This calls for a significant investment of both time and other resources from the nonprofit in each relationship, since convincing even the most like-minded of potential supporters to part with such sums is a much more challenging prospect.
- Long-established nonprofits also have the option of convincing potential supporters to leave something in their wills. Soliciting this kind of support need not be blatant since it can be as simple as printing a reminder of the option in a newsletter from time to time.
- Bear in mind that incentives can provide a useful boost when it comes to convincing potential supporters. For soliciting small sums, said incentives need not be expensive, particularly when it is being used to convince someone to subscribe to a newsletter rather than provide material support. In contrast, the attempt to solicit more significant support might have to involve incentives ranging from galas and house parties to tours and trips.
- With that said, information sessions that tell potential supporters about the causes that their contributions will promote can be as useful as a fundraiser, not least because nonprofits can use them to build trust in their operations.