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November 21, 2011

Help Us Spread the Word about Shelter Pets

As you may know, The Shelter Pet Project formally launched this past fall with national advertisements to promote pet adoption.

Sponsored by Maddie's Fund and The Humane Society of the United States, in partnership with the entire animal welfare community, The Shelter Pet Project is the first animal-related cause supported by the Ad Council. The campaign includes TV, radio, print, outdoor and online ads, which have been distributed to over 33,000 media outlets.
 
If you haven't seen them yet, watch the PSAs online. The clever commercials feature situations where the pet ends up in an animal shelter, by no fault of his or her own, but due to "people issues." The pets act as their own spokespeople and drive home the message that there is nothing wrong with shelter pets. The funny, upbeat approach will surely compel those looking to get a pet to adopt from a shelter or rescue group.

How you can help spread the word

Please contact your local TV station today and ask them to play the Shelter Pet Project PSAs. It's easy, here's how:
 
1. Find your local TV station's PSA director using the tips in the downloadable Media Outreach Toolkit.

2. Give them a call and ask him or her to put the Shelter Pet Project PSAs into rotation.

3. If they don't have the PSAs already, send them an email with this link cut-and-pasted: The Shelter Pet Project PSAs »

4. Use the simple email template in the Media Outreach Toolkit to follow up via email. 

Why we need your help

Public and community service directors for TV, radio, and newspaper media outlets in your area have received a kit of these ads to air or run in their publication. Media outlets typically reserve some limited space for "donated media" to support campaigns like ours that inform the public and offer solutions to problems prevalent in our communities.

Of course, PSAs can only be as effective as the number of people who view them, and unfortunately, media outlets often receive more requests than they can fill. The best way to make our campaign stand out and receive proper consideration is through personal contact.

Your call or meeting with key personnel at these media outlets could make the difference between the PSA running or just sitting on the shelf!

For more information, visit www.theshelterpetproject.org.