The Sebastian County Humane Society put an article out today that hit a perfect score. Check this out for ideas for your next media release!
Cute shot with kids - families are who buy pets!
Fort Smith shelter desperate for people to adopt pets
Then they focus on the efforts of the rescue.
FORT SMITH – Dozen of dogs may have to be put down in the coming months as the Sebastian County Humane Society struggles to save these abandoned animals.
5NEWS looks at what they need and how you can help make sure they survive and find a home.
Pointing out the situation in a factual, non-blaming manner (remember if you blame the public you’re speaking to for the problem, the won’t feel inspired to help you fix it)
The Sebastian County Humane Society is overwhelmed. The past few months they’ve had 150 more dogs each month than the average. Without a place to put them, this group whose mission is to rescue animals is being forced to euthanize some in order to save others.
“He is such a part of the family.”
Meet Dudley, or “Dud the Stud” as his owner Mary Cogbill likes to call him. He’s just one of the shelter’s many success stories. The tiny little bright-eyed guy is the alpha male in a house with two other 90 plus pound puppies.
A sweet story about a happy pet that’s available for adoption. A focus on the good, the love and the benefits of rescuing (you get to save a life – you get to be the hero!)
“We have this soft spot for these poor little animals that are in these cages and all they want is a home and they’ll give you lots of love,” Cogbill said as Dudley licked her face.
And that only took one take…Â Anyway, the shelter is busting at the seams and is being forced to use temporary housing.
“We normally have four to 500 animals here all the time but in recent months that number has risen to 650 every month,”
Again, rather than blaming a uncaring and irresponsible public, they’re promoting that they’re a service that is needed more and more. And that’s why we all need to help them! Just check out the breath of the service they provide. Everyone wants to be part of this amazing solution to pet killings!
From dogs and cats to a rabbit and a pair of doves, the Sebastian County Humane Society has a pet for you. But even if you can’t take another animal in, there’s a way to still be part of the solution.
Instead of waxing lyrical about pet overpopulation, irresponsible owners or hateful impluse buys, they’ve simply acknowledged the service they provide costs more and more each year. Genius!
“Where its hurting us is that people who donate are still donating but if we see a 20 percent increase in the animals and we’re not seeing a 20% increase in donations then we start getting in bad shape financially,” executive director JoAnn Barton told 5NEWS.
And finally, there’s Keota a playful pit bull with special needs. You see, he doesn’t have but about a year to live because of an untreatable disease. The staff simply hopes that someone will give him a happy home to live out the rest of his life being loved.
Oh Keota – if you were in Australia, you’d now be living at all of our places! They’ve chosen a special needs pet to highlight, but it’s not the psycho dog or the one who needs 24hr care. Its the simple-to-own, wouldn’t-even-know-he’s-there pet who just captures your heart. Oh, and he’s a pibble. Bless
The small dog’s adoption fee is eighty dollars currently. But right now the humane society is offering a special on the big dogs cutting the fee from eighty to fifty.
In case anyone is turned off by cost, they’re also showing they’re really, really flexible and want their pets to go into great homes. They’re saying; “If you’re a great owner but on a limited budget, please visit us and we’ll see what we can arrange”
And finally, a simple, and easy way to get involves as a final signoff’; even if you can’t adopt here’s a way you can help the pets.
Happy Tails in Fort Smith is asking their customers to buy an extra bag of dog food to donate to the humane society as they come through.
Article: http://www.kfsm.com/Global/story.asp?S=9414799
What a brilliant, engaging and positive way to speak to your public.
