Long-Term Support: Tips on How the Pet Industry Can Partner with Animal Welfare Groups

All over the United States, more and more people are choosing not to adopt pets for a variety of reasons. The American Pet Products Association (APPA) found in a recent study that this is most likely due to economic issues, such as increased prices in pet food and other products.

Overall pet spending increased last year, but the numbers of pets in homes did not. In California, animal welfare leaders report their shelters are full and it’s becoming a critical situation. With those challenges, it’s no secret that nonprofits need assistance from the pet business community. 

Long-Term Partnerships 

Sarah Bhimani, strategic communications manager at Animal Humane Society just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota has worked on partnerships with pet retailers and brands in her work promoting the nonprofit’s three animal shelters and low-cost veterinary clinics. She’s a big fan of longer-term partnerships with businesses and organizations that want to help their animals and community outreach programs.  

“Longer-term relationships are always appreciated,” Bhimani said. “This increases the value of the partnership, both for the company making the contributions and the shelter. With a longer-term relationship, there are potentially more opportunities to promote the partnership in different ways. We’re always looking for ways to make our budget go further, and longer-term relationships make it easier to plan budgets and anticipate costs.”   

Monetary Support 

When you talk to animal welfare leaders, all donations are appreciated, but money is what is needed most. For any animal organization, veterinary bills to care for sick animals can easily deplete the budget, especially if it’s a small organization. Often, a rescue may have to make a difficult decision if it can’t afford to support the medical needs of a sick animal. There are other operational needs that cost money as well. Nonprofits are often criticized for paying people too much, but it’s important to remember that without people you can’t save animals. Many rescue workers suffer from severe compassion fatigue and burnout. Financial donations can help staff and volunteers feel appreciated, like providing an appreciation lunch for those who give tirelessly to animals. 

Pet Product Donations 

If you do give product donations, know that shelters and rescues are different in what they need. They all have unique protocols. Some rescues only give their animals raw food, while others prefer a variety of diets, depending on the individual animal’s needs.  

“Check the shelter’s website to see if they have a wish list of items they need and/or a list of items they don’t need or don’t accept,” said Bhimani, adding that shelters are also very different than rescues. “We’re cautious about spreading disease and are diligent about managing the health of the animals in our care. At my shelter, we don’t accept homemade treats, used litter boxes or open bags of food or treats, etc.”   

It’s also important to know that some of the country’s largest animal shelters have long-term partnerships with some very large pet brands through their foundations. All the shelter’s food is donated by one company, but in exchange the shelter is not allowed to feed their shelter animals food from other brands. However, they may still be able to accept other food brand donations to donate to community members or to use in other ways. You can often check their social media or website to see if an animal shelter is already sponsored.  

Many mid-size companies also have philanthropic programs where giving is a key goal. Boss Dog and Boss Cat Brands, a prebiotics and probiotics gut nutrition company, has a program called Boss Nation Cares. Known for its raw goat milk and frozen yogurt, the company throws froyo parties at municipal shelters like Pima Animal Care and Control in Pima, Arizona. During the event, Boss Nation Cares pays for the adoption fees of the animals adopted that day.  

“Giving back to the communities we serve helps us achieve our mission of treating all pets like a boss and giving them premium nutrition. It’s also a great feeling to know we’re helping the neediest of animals,” said Boss Nation Brands founder Vasili Nassar. 

Promote Your Business 

When making donations, most nonprofits know you need to get something out of it too. Bhimani believes there are ways to promote both businesses and nonprofits so it’s a win-win for all.  

“What’s possible will depend on the size of the shelter, and if it’s a private nonprofit organization or a local government organization,” she said. “One idea is to offer a coupon for items or services from your store or company that shelters can include in their adoption packets. This provides a benefit to the shelter by increasing the value of what people get when they adopt, and it’s a way to advertise your company.”  

Bhimani has other ideas as well: “Offer a discount code for a certain product that the shelter can promote in a website or blog article or on social media. For example, if the shelter has a blog post about National Pet Dental Health Month, you could offer a 10 percent discount code for something related to dental health that the shelter adds to the blog post.”  

Verifying Credibility 

With thousands of rescues across the country, it’s important to make sure the nonprofit meets the vision and values of your pet store or company. Use tools such as the Charities Review Council or Charity Navigator to help you determine if the nonprofit is a good fit, but keep in mind that sometimes the information is out of date. Bhimani says charities should post their financial information, 990 tax forms and audited financial statements, on their website for transparency. She also suggests visiting the shelter and evaluating if it’s a place you want to support. 

Finally, don’t forget about working with open admission shelters. They often get disparaged as “kill shelters,” which does nothing but demoralize those that work there. These shelters take any animal that comes in, unlike private rescues. In many communities, local rescue groups may pull animals from these shelters, which eases the burden. Know that one type of animal welfare group can’t change the world by itself, so no matter who you choose to support, any donation you make is making your community better for animals. 

Mary Tan is a freelance writer focused on the pet and animal welfare industries. A former television journalist, she also runs Whisker Media, a public relations agency also focused on the pet industry. She gives public relations advice for animal welfare nonprofits and for profit pet companies in her podcast, The Whisker Report.