Fall 2012

Together We Save Lives

Adoptions through PetSmart Charities® Adoption Centers

as of August 24, 2012

5,073,009

QUARTERLYNews for and about our animal-welfare partners

PetSmart Charities® hosted more than 60 Community Adoption Events this year, including a record-setting event with First Coast No More Homeless Pets, Inc. (FCNMHP) in Jacksonville, Florida.

The three-day adoption event turned out record setting adoptions for the two dozen shelter and rescue groups participating, including FCNMHP, Jacksonville Humane Society and Jacksonville Animal Care & Protective Services. In fact, a dog or cat was adopted every 90 seconds during this special adoption weekend.

FCNMHP set a goal of adopting 600 pets over the three day weekend, which was held at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds. This might seem like a lofty goal, but the end result was nothing short of a miracle. The community adoption event found homes for 946 dogs and cats – 96% of all the adoptable pets were adopted into new homes.

“PetSmart Charities has provided us with this great opportunity to find homes for hundreds of homeless pets that might not find homes otherwise,” said Rick DuCharme, founder and director of FCNMHP. “Events such as this will bring Jacksonville closer to becoming a no kill community.”

No one knows for sure whether it was the week of media excitement that preceded the event, the Facebook announcements, or the number of volunteers and sponsors that stepped forward to help, but FCNMHP estimates that 10,000 people attended the three-day event and more than 500 volunteers and team members worked it.

An estimated 8 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters in the U.S. each year, and approximately 4 million pets never find homes. PetSmart Charities’ Community Adoption Events bring attention to the availability of pets at shelters and rescue groups and to the benefits of pet adoption.

Proudly sponsored by Purina® Pro Plan® and MAXX Scoop®, the Jacksonville community adoption event will raise awareness for pets available to adopt in the local community. In every location where a community adoption event will be held, adoption agencies also receive increased adoption rewards from PetSmart Charities for every pet adopted.

“Every homeless pet deserves the opportunity to find a forever, loving home,” said Kevin Hill, shopper marketing manager, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company. “Our goal in supporting the PetSmart Charities’ community adoption events is to help improve the lives of homeless pets by providing them with super premium nutrition as well as other important pet care supplies. We hope by providing these essentials, these pets and new pet owners can now focus on other important matters like growing a bond for life.”

Jacksonville Community Adoption Event sets record adoptions

To share your adoption story, visit petsmartcharities.org

Last June, Mary Schueler’s black lab passed away and she lost her faithful companion of 14 years. Last March, Meesha’s owner passed away and with no one to care for her, the 9-year-old beagle mix found herself at the local animal control. It wouldn’t be until this past July that these two would meet at a PetSmart Charities’ Community Adoption Event with First Coast No More Homeless Pets, Inc. in Jacksonville, Fla. Schueler knew the moment their eyes met that she had to take Meesha home. “We’re two retired ladies keeping each other company,” Schueler says.

Veterinary students at Mississippi State University (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine wanted more hands-on experience in high-volume spay/neuter and pediatric spay/neuter techniques, which involves sterilizing pets under five months of age. So they got together to raise money for a second mobile surgical unit for the vet school.

Imagine their surprise when PetSmart Charities gave Mississippi State University Foundation a $250,000 grant that would allow them to not only acquire a 48 ft. mobile unit, but all the necessary equipment to provide up to three surgeries at a time. This meant the monies raised by the vet students could now be used to cover operational costs for the vehicle’s first year on the road.

“We were thrilled to receive this generous contribution from PetSmart Charities to help with our Shelter Medicine Program,” says Keith Gaskin, senior director of development, College of Veterinary Medicine, MSU Foundation. “Our students now average about 50 spay and neuter surgeries before they graduate. That’s a lot of surgery experience that other vet schools don’t offer.”

As a strong advocate for and expert in pediatric spay/neuter surgeries, Phil Bushby, DVM, Marcia P. Lane Endowed Chair in Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare at MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, oversees the University’s Shelter Medicine Program, which began in 2007. Through MSU’s mobile units, veterinary students provide free spay/neuter surgeries to under-resourced shelters in Mississippi, as well as receive the experience they need to handle high-volume spay/neuter and practice shelter medicine upon graduation.

“Without programs such as these, students might graduate from a veterinary school with only a handful of spay/neuter surgeries —often less than 10 surgeries—with none of them on patients under five months of age,” says Susanna Della Maddalena, executive director for PetSmart Charities. “Helping veterinarians gain the skills and confidence needed to do pediatric surgeries safely and efficiently is critical if our rescue and shelter partners are going to adopt out pets that won’t potentially add to the homeless pet population.”

PetSmart Charities has provided grants to eight other veterinary schools across the nation to support spay/neuter education and training for veterinary students.

(Left to right) Julie White, PetSmart Charities, Director of Grants, Susana Della Maddalena, Executive Director, PetSmart Charities, Phil Bushby, DVM, Marcia P. Lane Endowed Chair in Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare at MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Kent Hoblet, Dean of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

New vehicle gives MSU veterinary students more hands-on training

PetSmart Charities grant fully equipped the new mobile unit for MSU veterinary students to gain valuable experience sterilizing pets.

GRANT HIGHLIGHT

In May, PetSmart Charities® held a Rescue Waggin’® Program Summit for source shelters in Phoenix, Arizona, that brought together leaders and representatives from nearly 36 organizations that participate in the PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’ program. The summit offered two days of educational programming focused on improving core operations and efficiencies at source shelters, providing organizations with Rescue Waggin’ programming updates, and providing networking opportunities for participants.

One of the presentations focused on Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) projects and how to manage free-roaming cats. Afterward, 11 Rescue Waggin’ source shelters requested and received TNR grants to sterilize over 1,700 cats.

The Rescue Waggin’ program transports adoptable dogs from animal shelters in communities with severe pet overpopulation to shelters in other communities where adoptable dogs and puppies are more in demand. Currently, 56 animal shelters participate in the Rescue Waggin’ program.

Rescue Waggin’® program update Since launching the program in 2004, PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’ program has transported more than 60,000 dogs and puppies and traveled more than two million miles across the nation saving lives.

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MODEL VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMREWARDING AGENCIES FOR INNOVATIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

Getting startedThe Animal Welfare League of Alexandria wanted more from their basic volunteer program than it was delivering. There was no formal volunteer training programs at the shelter, which meant new volunteers were allowed into the shelter with little to no knowledge about pets and their required care. This not only increased stress for the pets who were being handled in inconsistent ways, but also for the staff who had to stop what they were doing to educate volunteers about behavior, proper handing, and basic care for pets.

Rather than have volunteers sign up to spend time with the animals in the shelter, they wanted volunteers to have goal-oriented tasks that would help support the enrichment of the shelter pets as well as reduce staff frustrations over having untrained volunteers in the shelter.

Developing solutionsWorking with their behavior and training department, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria created the Level One Dog Companion and Level One Cat Companion volunteer programs that educated volunteers on shelter operations and basic pet behavior.

Each basic level class provides a total of 3.5 hours of training. Upon completion, the volunteers attend ‘hands-on’ training to practice their new skills. After that, the Level One Dog Companion volunteers attend a dog “Charm School Orientation,” while the Level One Cat Companion volunteers attend “Cat Clicker Training.” Both of these more advanced classes serve as foundations for the shelter’s reward-based training program.

“We wanted to provide our volunteers with a deeper understanding of pet behavior, especially in a shelter environment,” says Mary Beth Mount, executive director for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. “We want them to understand pet body language and safety protocols to keep them safe in the shelter.”

Delivering resultsThe Animal Welfare League of Alexandria has seen a lot of positive outcomes from this new and multi-layered approach to volunteer training.

• Impactonanimals. Because volunteers have a better understanding of dog and cat body language, socialization, and training, they are not just visiting pets, but helping alleviate the mild separation issues and boredom shelters pets can sometimes experience.

• Impactonadoptions. Increased socialization and training means dogs and cats are happier and greet potential adopters in more friendly ways. This makes a great first impression and has increased overall adoptions at the agency.

• Impactonstaff. Better trained volunteers serve a vitally important, supportive role, freeing up staff to focus on their work and the advanced care of shelter pets.

• Impactonvolunteers. The volunteers learn new skills that benefit pets and which demonstrate the added value of their time in the shelter. Volunteer mentors also help oversee new volunteers and on-going training in the shelter.

“This program truly helps volunteers feel that they are making a difference for pets at the shelter,” says Mount. “The more they learn, the more they want to learn. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

LET’S HEAR WHAT YOU’RE DOING! Has your shelter maximized volunteer time and talents? Could other shelters implement your idea for their benefit as well? If so, you could be our next MVP winner! Submit your MVP application by visiting PetSmartCharities.org/mvp and complete the template as directed. We select a winning agency every quarter. The winning MVP receives a $1,000 award check and is featured in this newsletter and on our Facebook page. Good luck!

Congratulations to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria in Alexandria, VA, for their Level One Dog Companion and Level One Cat Companion volunteer programs.

Level One Dog Companion volunteers learn skills that help them train dogs right in their kennels. When the dog touches the ball at the end of this target stick, he earns a reward. This is a great way for volunteers to get used to working with dogs and dogs learn to come to the front of the kennels when people approach.

This Model Volunteer Program earns top marks for introducing a goal-oriented basic volunteer program that delivers results on several fronts.

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MODEL VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMREWARDING AGENCIES FOR INNOVATIVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

Susana Della Maddalena / Executive Director sdellamaddalena@petsmartcharities.org

Julie White / Director of Grants juwhite@petsmartcharities.org

For free-roaming cat spay/neuter grants:Bryan Kortis / Program Manager bkortis@petsmartcharities.org

For targeted spay/neuter grants & Rescue Waggin’® program:Ronda Steciuk / Program Manager rsteciuk@petsmartcharities.org

For spay/neuter capacity-building grants U.S.:Monica Neal / Program Manager mneal@petsmartcharities.org

For Canadian grants:Kit Jenkins / Program Manager kjenkins@petsmartcharities.org

For grants administration:Karen Froehlich / Senior Program Manager kfroehlich@petsmartcharities.org

Brenda Najera / Grants Specialist bnajera@petsmartcharities.org

For emergency relief:Wanda Merling / Emergency Relief Manager wmerling@petsmartcharities.org

For webinar information:Suzy Hayton / Program Facilitator shayton@petsmartcharities.org

For the in-store adoption program:Larry Johnson / Senior Program Manager ljohnson@petsmartcharities.org

Barbara Fought / Adoptions Partner Manager bafought@petsmartcharities.org

Derinda Lewis / Adoption Relations Specialist dlewis@petsmartcharities.org

For adoption rewards:Patricia Lerma / Adoption Rewards Facilitator plerma@petsmartcharities.org

For newsletter information:Steve Pawlowski / Communications Manager spawlowski@petsmartcharities.org

This Newsletter is Available Online Download digital issues at petsmartcharities.org/quarterly

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is an independent, 501(c)(3) organization, and PetSmart Charities of Canada, Inc. is a registered charity of Canada. Your donations to both organizations are deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

For nonprofits to make the most of social media, you need to understand your audience and determine your goals. If you consistently offer engaging, relevant content to your readers, you will achieve better social media results.

Here are four steps to keep your audience engaged.

1. Listen—Take time to get familiar with the conversations that are already happening on the Internet. Set up “Google Alerts” to find stories and comments on your agency. Look on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for topics that you’re interested in talking about on your sites. Ask your audience what they would like to learn more about and deliver content they will want to read.

2. Engage—Social media is storytelling at its best. Decide what your stories should be and how you should tell them. Determine your social media goals and then experiment with different types of content to see what accomplishes these goals. For example, if you want to bring more attention to your shelter’s adoptable pets, post more photos that highlight a pet’s unique qualities. If you want to recruit more volunteers, post notices on Facebook and stay engaged with them through social media venues.

3. Monitor—Once you’ve launched social media, keep up with your accounts. The last thing you want is for prospective donors or volunteers to visit your page, only to find content that’s old or not relevant. Even worse—you don’t want negative comments about your organization hanging around in the cybersphere that go unaddressed.

Luckily, there are free tools that can help you manage all of your social media accounts together, including HootSuite, TweetDeck and Seesmic. These tools enable you to track, post live and schedule posts to multiple accounts from one place. In addition, you can track search keywords. They also all offer mobile apps for people on the go.

4. Measure—Track your results to see if your social media goals measure up.

• Is your goal to increase interest in adoptable pets? Then compare your adoptable pet posts with the number of visitors asking about a particular pet.

• Do you want your Facebook page to bring in more volunteers? Post volunteer opportunities and track where volunteers are hearing about your organization.

• Are your followers or fans consistently “liking” or “sharing” your content? Are you gaining more followers? Then you are delivering content that people like to see and read.

Don’t be afraid to ask your fan base for feedback on how you’re doing or what they’d like to see more of on your social media pages. Social media can be a very powerful tool for nonprofits. It can help you get pets adopted, gather new volunteers and increase donations. Stay engaged with your supporters and donors.

SOCIAL MEDIA Set goals and measure results

Set up “Google Alerts” to find stories and comments on your agency.

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In August, 62 spay/neuter clinics participated in the second phase of PetSmart Charities® spay/neuter blitz campaigns with “Primp Your Pit.” Participating spay/neuter clinics utilized marketing funds and materials to promote the campaign and encourage pet parents to make an appointment for a $20 spay or neuter and a nail trim for their pit bull terrier and pit bull mix dogs. Collectively, the 62 clinics sterilized 6,300 dogs.

By the end of August, PetSmart Charities spay/neuter blitz campaigns, both Beat the Heat in February and Primp Your Pit in August, resulted in nearly 24,000 sterilizations nationwide.

To join these spay/neuter campaigns in 2013 and receive grant funding for surgeries and marketing efforts, visit www.cybergrants.com/petsmartcharities/USGrant/app. The grants are available only to nonprofit agencies that operate their own spay/neuter clinics. Clinics may apply for this grant in addition to the Targeted Spay/Neuter grant program.

Doug Comet took his girl Brandy, a 3-year-old pit bull, to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida, to get her sterilized during the Primp Your Pit campaign. She was among 60 pit bulls and pit bull mixes sterilized in Tampa in August.

Primp Your Pit Campaign sterilizes 6,300 pit bull terriers/mixes in August

Make Your Opinion Count

Here are some of the 72 dogs sterilized during PetFix Northeast Ohio’s Primp Your Pit spay/neuter blitz funded by Petsmart Charities.

PetSmart Charities values the relationships we have with our animal welfare partners. For that reason, we are inviting you to take part in a short survey about how to improve this newsletter, the PetSmart Charities Quarterly.

Your answers to the five questions will help ensure that this newsletter gives you the information and insights you need to achieve your organization’s mission and to help end pet homelessness. We look forward to reading your responses and learning how we can better meet your needs. Thank you in advance for your participation.

To take the survey online, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PCquarterly. Alternatively, contact mediacontact@petsmartcharities.org with the subject line “PC Quarterly” to receive questions by email.

“ Having campaigns like “Primp Your Pit” are vital to getting the word out to help these dogs, since they are the most common dogs seen in shelters. Getting them fixed is a great way to help keep them in their homes and prevent unwanted litters that end up in shelters.”

Sheryl Blancato Executive Director, Second Chance Animal Shelter

East Broofkfield, Mass.

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Fall 2012

QUARTERLYNews for and about our animal-welfare partners

19601 North 27th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85027

CONFERENCESPetSmart Charities® believes in professionalizing the field of animal welfare. In the next few months, we’re sponsoring training events at:

INSIDETHIS ISSUE

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1 Jacksonville Community Adoption Event sets record adoptions

2 New vehicle gives MSU veterinary students more hands-on training

2 Rescue Waggin’® program update

3 Model volunteer program

4 Social media: set goals and measure results

5 “ Primp Your Pit” campaign sterilizes 6,300 pit bull terriers/mixes in August

5 Make your opinion count

Colorado Animal Welfare Conference10/4-5 • Black Hawk, COcfawa.org/annual-conference

Wisconsin Federated Humane Societies Badger State Conference

10/10-11 • Stevens Point, WIwisconsinfederatedhs.org

Virginia Animal Control Conference (VACA)10/17-19 • Virginia Beach, VAvwacaonline.net

Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Conference

10/25-28 • Las Vegas, NVnomorehomelesspetsconference.com

SAWA annual conference (Society of Animal Welfare Administrators)

11/4-6 • St. Petersburg, FLsawanetwork.org

Texas Animal Control Conference (TACA)11/11-14 • Nassau Bay, TXwww.taca.org

Michigan Partnership for Animal Welfare Conference

11/29-30 • Troy, MIwww.mpaw.org

Gearing up for Santa Claws®It’s time to think about the holidays and raising funds during the season of giving. The PetSmart® Santa Claws® fundraising promotion offers animal-welfare groups a way to leverage their in-store presence to raise funds for their agency.

How It Works.PetSmart® customers and their pets are invited to pose for a holiday photo with Santa Claws® for $9.95, when they use their PetPerks® savings card. Pet parents will receive one 4” x 6” digital photograph in a holiday collector frame and $5 from every photo package will be donated to the local animal-welfare organization participating that day. Last year, Adoption Partners sold more than 179,000 picture packages.

How to Participate.The opportunity to participate in this promotion is extended to all in-store adoption partners. Time slots are limited so please contact the store manager where you do adoptions before October 28 to sign up. To participate, your organization must provide a minimum of three volunteers: one Santa (18 years or older), one photographer and one individual to print the photographs.

Contract photographers are not allowed. PetSmart® provides the Santa suit, the camera and digital accessories, and the backdrop. PetSmart® stores also will feature the Santa Claws® promotion in its November and December in-store signage, website and public relations campaigns.

Dates for the 2012 Santa Claws® promotion

December 1-2

December 8-9

December 15-16

Animal-welfare groups participating that day will receive $5 for every photo package.

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