The Shelter Pet Project

DRAFTFCB
The Problem
Approximately 3 million healthy and 
treatable homeless dogs and cats 
will be euthanized in shelters this 
year.
•Only 20% of pet‐owning Americans adopt 
from shelters or rescue groups. 
•We anticipate that 17 million swing voters 
will obtain pets next year. 
•We need 3 million more to adopt to save all 
of the healthy and treatable shelter pets. 
 Historic Ad Council Campaigns: 
• “Loose Lips Sink Ships”
• “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” 
(Smokey the Bear)
• This is their first animal 
• “A Mind is a Terrible Thing To 
welfare campaign ever. 
Waste”
• Ad Council campaigns have 
• “We Can Do It!” (Rosie the Riveter)
made a measurable difference 
in society.
• From the executive level 
down, the Ad Council is 
enthusiastic about this cause 
and sees it as a slam dunk 
campaign. 
 DRAFTFCB Draftfcb staff are very 
excited about this 
• One of the world’s largest  campaign! They all love 
marketing communication  their pets, many of 
agencies whom are adopted.

• Portfolio includes clients such 
as Lexus, KFC, Oreo, Starbucks They have even 
• Providing their services on this  implemented pets in the 
campaign pro bono – upwards  workplace since the 
of $22 million! inception of this 
campaign!
 The Methodology/Background

To fully understand the 
problem and to strategize 
wisely on the solution, the 
Ad Council and Draftfcb:

• conducted in-depth research

• ran surveys and focus groups

• met with The HSUS and

Maddie’s Fund at length

• …and visited shelters.

 4,000 animal shelters in the U.S

4 MM pets are adopted every year
= 2‐3 pets per shelter per day 

To save 3 MM pets being euthanized every year:
= additional 2 pets per shelter per day

By 2012, the goal is to achieve pet adoption rate of:
= 5 pets per shelter per day

Sources: 
1) Ad Council application: The Humane Society of the United States & Maddie’s Fund
2) APPMA National Pet Owners Study
3) Maddie’s Fund 2007 Shelter Statistics
Who Will Help Us Get There?
Convincing 25% of the people
in this group to adopt will
achieve our goal

Non-Pet Lapsed Pro-Breeder Swing Voter Pro-Adoption

25% 20% 7% 36% 12%

29 MM 23 MM 8 MM 41 MM 14 MM

Plan to acquire a pet in the next year:

NA NA 1.5 MM 17 MM 5 MM
How pet(s) obtained:
NA NA From a breeder Multiple sources From a shelter
Why Aren't Swing Voters Adopting?

Fear and Uncertainty
Many people mistakenly fear that shelter 
pets are “damaged goods” and did 
something wrong to wind up in the 
shelter.   

Others are uncertain of what to expect 
when they visit a shelter.

It is our job to attack fear and uncertainty 
at all levels; changing perceptions and 
knocking down the barriers.
The stereotypes aren’t true. In fact…
• Estimates show that 25% of pets in shelters
are purebred.

• Many animals are brought to shelters for

issues not relating to their behavior, such as
the death of an owner, lack of time,
allergies, divorce, bankruptcy, etc.

• Many shelter pets come with all their shots,

spayed and neutered, and in many shelters,
micro-chipped.

• There are 14 million people out there who

quietly believe that this is the best way to
get a pet. They are our best support. We
need to find a way to get them activated
and attached to our cause.
Changing the conversation…
It’s Time to Hand Out the
Megaphones
Adopted pet owners love their pets. They realize
that the pet ownership experience goes far beyond
the shelter, and can speak from an emotional
perspective.

Currently, though, they have nothing to say and

nowhere to say it. Their experiences have been
positive, but no one asks them about pet adoption.
And without prompting, they don’t see a reason to
bring it up.

We have the opportunity to provide a platform

for those who have adopted a shelter pet; a
platform for them to tell their stories and act as
teachers and cheerleaders for prospective
adopters.
How will we achieve our goal?
Give shelter adoption social 
capital.  
Our job is to amplify adoption.
We’ll do it by SMASHING 
STEROTYPES. 
And our proposition: there’s 
nothing wrong with shelter pets.
What is the New 
“Face” of Shelter 
Adoption? 
The Campaign
• Ads will tell the stories of how the pets 
ended up in shelters and will show that most 
pets end up in shelters because of “people 
issues,” challenging the popular belief that 
there is something wrong with all shelter 
pets. 
• The advertising is honest and humorous but 
most importantly, it gives the pets a 
personality. 
• The pets in the advertisements will 
be the type of pets that everyone 
would want to get to know. 
• This will go a long way in helping to 
eliminate the fear and uncertainty 
that our swing voter group currently 
feels.
A sneak peek…
Ad Council  Television
Distribution
Internet Radio

33,000 
Media 
Outlets
New Media Print

Outdoor
Spreading the Word Online
 The Shelter Pet Project 
is a Partnership
Together we can make a difference…
• Shelters, rescues, and other 
adoption organizations
• National animal 
organizations such as 
Petfinder 
• Support from Disney and 
other corporations
Shelters and Rescues…
Ready?... Set?... GO!

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for

our field, and for millions of animals.

We must make every effort to make the

adoption experience as people-friendly as
we can.

Prepare your own organization, or your

next-door neighbor shelter to ensure that
adoption processes are friendly not
frightening.
 Media Toolkit Coming Soon!
• Tips for PSA Director Outreach
• Tips for Reporter Outreach
• Campaign Talking Points
• Campaign Fact Sheet
• Instructions for Ordering Campaign Materials

Sign up TODAY to stay informed: 
www.TheShelterPetProject.org 
 How YOU Can Get Involved!
• Visit www.TheShelterPetProject.org
and sign up to stay informed. 

• Sign up for The Scoop e‐newsletter and 
tips from www.animalsheltering.org. 

• Reach out to your local media outlets 
to request that they donate advertising 
time and space. 
www.TheShelterPetProject.org

DRAFTFCB