Adopt-a-Pet.com

Adopt-a-Pet.com is a North America’s largest non-profit pet-adoption web service that advocates pet adoption, gathering information from over 12,000 pet shelters in the U.S. and Canada, and presenting adoptable pet data in a searchable data base to facilitate pet adoption.[1][2] Adopt-a-pet.com is registered in Redondo Beach, California, as Humane America Animal Foundation.[3] The web site allows people to sign up to receive an email when a pet that satisfies their criteria appears in a local shelter. Adopt-a-Pet.com also contains information on pet care for first-time pet owners and publishes a newsletter. The web site also lists volunteer opportunities and promotes spaying and neutering of the pets.

In addition, Adopt-a-Pet.com promotes pet adoption through conventional and social media presence, public service announcements, and interactions with local governments. Currently, Adopt-a-Pet.com is sponsored by Nestlé Purina and Bayer Animal Health. Martha Stewart features Adopt-a-pet.com search engine on her blog.[4]

History

Adopt-a-Pet.com was founded in 2000 by David Meyer, Amy Luwis, Luke Montgomery and Steve Abbey as 1-800-Save-a-Pet.com. Initially, 1-800-Save-a-Pet.com was a program designed to end the overpopulation of companion animals in shelters in Los Angeles, California. The program was based on a year of research about the probled and proposed scientifically based solutions and projections.[5][6]

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, 1-800-Save-a-Pet.com participated in the pet rescue effort by helping reunite pets with their owners and helping the pets that could not be reunited find either foster or new homes.[7][8]

In September 2008, the company changed its name to Adopt-a-Pet.com. In October 2008, Adopt-a-Pet.com partnered with Care2 to launch America's Favorite Animal Shelter contest. The winning shelters were awarded a total of $20000 worth of prices on December 4, 2008.[9][10] The contest took place again in 2009.[11][12]

In January 2009, Adopt-a-Pet.com launched a national ADOPT campaign accompanied by a poster created by Shepard Fairey using a photo by Clay Myers to raise awareness about adoption at the time President Obama was looking for a dog for his family.[13] This poster was on the cover of the Spring 2009 issue of Dog's Life Magazine and was fashioned after Fairey's Obama Hope poster.[14]

In April 2009, Adopt-a-Pet.com expanded its search to include, in addition to cats and dogs, rabbits, birds, small animals (such as hamsters and guinea pigs), farm-type animals, horses, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. In May the same year, it launched a social media campaign, "Social Petworking," introducing the capability to share a photo of an adoptable pet on a Facebook page or to attach it to an e-mail.[15]

In June 2010, Adopt-a-Pet.com paid tribute to Rue McClanahan, who was known as an actress and a supporter of pet adoption.[16]

In 2011, White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle and his wife Jamie partnered with Adopt-a-Pet.com to create a public service billboard campaign to promote pet adoption.[17]

Management

References

  1. ↑ "Adopt-a-Pet.com Encourages Department of Homeland Security to Consider Recruiting Shelter Dogs for Sniffer Duty, Offers Help". Prweb. July 2010. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  2. ↑ Kirkwood, Kyra (Spring 2009). "ADOPTION IS THE NEW BLACK The Evolution of the Adoption Movement". Dog's Life Magazine (7). Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  3. ↑ Guidestar. "Charity Check".
  4. ↑ "Adopt-A-Pet Month and Mother's Day Celebration". Marthastewart.com. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  5. ↑ Doug McKee. An Analysis of the City of Los Angeles Pet Population and Attitudes Towards Pet Adoption and Spay/Neuter (PDF).
  6. ↑ Waters, Jennifer (March 27, 2008). "Foreclosing on Fido. Financially overwhelmed owners abandon homes, with pets still inside". The Wall Street Journal (Market Watch). Retrieved 11/5/2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ↑ "More homes needed for Katrina animals". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. February 5, 2006.
  8. ↑ Esparza, Araceli (September 9, 2005). "Rescued animals look for owners". Whittier Daily News.
  9. ↑ Royster, Aaron (11/5/2008). "HALT voted as top Arizona shelter". The Daily Miner. Retrieved 11/5/2012. Check date values in: |date=, |accessdate= (help)
  10. ↑ "Independent Animal Rescue Wins Care2 America’s Favorite Animal Shelter Contest". WebWire. December 4, 2008. Retrieved 11/5/2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  11. ↑ "Low cost spay/neuter clinic likely in 2010". The Newnan Times-Herald. November 24, 2009. Retrieved 11/5/2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ↑ "McKamey Calls On Community Votes In Efforts To Win $10K From Care2". TheChattanoogan.com. November 9, 2009. Retrieved 11/5/2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ↑ Smith-Miles, Charmaine (April 10, 2009). "Art for animals: Fairey creates poster for Adopt-a-Pet.com". IndependentMail.com. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  14. ↑ "Front Cover". Dog's Life Magazine (7). Spring 2009. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  15. ↑ "Adopt-a-Pet.com Launches Social Petworking Campaign". Pet Product News. May 29, 2009. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  16. ↑ "Adopt-a-Pet.com Pays Tribute to Friend and Supporter Rue McClanahan". PRWeb. 2010-06-03. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  17. ↑ "White Sox Pitcher Mark Buehrle Has A Message For Arizona: Adopt A Shelter Pet". The Street. 2011-03-14. Retrieved 11/5/2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  18. ↑ "Charity Navigator".

External links