PetSmart Charities® of Canada Launches #PicMe Social Media Campaign to Encourage Pet Lovers to Adopt a Pet If They Can and Inspire Others If They Can't
Leading Funder of Animal Welfare Plans to Harness the Power of Social Media to Help Find Homes for 25,000 Shelter Pets Across North America During National Adoption Weekend Sept. 14-16
BURLINGTON, ON, Sept. 4, 2018 /CNW/ - PetSmart Charities of Canada has always partnered with pet rescues and shelters across the nation to bring adoptable pets into PetSmart® stores to help them find a forever home. Now, in preparation for its upcoming September National Adoption Weekend, the leading funder of animal welfare isn't just reaching out to potential pet adopters. Instead, PetSmart Charities of Canada is harnessing the power of millions of pet-loving social media users with its new #PicMe campaign.
#PicMe is a campaign designed to use social media for good by helping to find loving homes for 25,000 shelter pets in just a few days. The hashtag anchoring the campaign has a clever double meaning: It combines the call to action of snapping a photo or "pic" of an adoptable pet to share on social media with an appeal in the voice of those featured pets for potential adopters to "pick me!" when they visit a local PetSmart store during National Adoption Weekend in search of a new four-legged friend. Whether you are expanding your family with a furry friend or just want to help a pet find a home, #PicMe allows all animal lovers to pay it forward.
North America boasts one of the largest social media footprints in the world. Here in Canada, it's estimated that 64 per cent of the population has at least one social media profile, meaning there were 22.7 million social media users in Canada in 2017. A recent survey by Mars Petcare revealed social media users tend to post about their pets an average of twice a week, demonstrating that people love to like, share and post pet-related content.
"We know people are passionate about helping to end pet homelessness. But historically, unless you were ready to adopt a pet into your home, there was no other way for millions of pet-lovers to take part in National Adoption Weekend," says David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D. and president of PetSmart Charities of Canada. "Now, by sharing a photo, video or Boomerang of an adorable, adoptable pet on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and using the hashtag #PicMe, everyone has the ability to help by inspiring their community of followers to consider adopting a pet."
Learn how to take part in this social media for good campaign
Watch the video to learn how swapping out your Sunday brunch selfie in favour of an adoptable pet portrait could help more than 25,000 pets get adopted in a single weekend across the continent. Here in Canada alone, PetSmart Charities hopes to help almost 1,600 pets find forever homes.
Follow PetSmart Charities' 3-Day Adopt-a-Thon on Twitter and Instagram
PetSmart Charities will also host a three-day adopt-a-thon kicking off at 4 p.m. EST on Friday, Sept. 14. Beginning Saturday and Sunday between the hours of 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. EST, PetSmart Charities will be showcasing one adoptable pet every hour. Follow the cuteness at www.twitter.com/PetSmartChariTs or www.instagram.com/PetSmartCharities.
Ready to Bring Love Home this National Adoption Weekend?
The primary goal of PetSmart Charities' National Adoption Weekend and the #PicMe campaign remains to reduce pet homelessness by finding lifelong, loving homes for as many shelter pets as possible. From Sept. 14 – 16, more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations will bring adoptable pets into nearly all of PetSmart's 1,600-plus stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit your local PetSmart store to meet adoptable dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, rabbits, guinea pigs and the occasional reptile, all looking for their forever homes and families.
National Adoption Weekend Details:
| Date: |
Fri., Sept. 14 – Sun., Sept. 16, 2018 |
| Time: |
Fri. and Sat.: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sun.: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. local time |
| Location: |
Your local PetSmart store. Visit www.petsmart.ca to find a store near you. |
About PetSmart Charities® of Canada
PetSmart® Charities of Canada is committed to finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across Canada, PetSmart Charities of Canada helps to find forever homes and families for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year. PetSmart Charities of Canada also provides grant funding to registered Canadian charities aligned with its mission under four key areas of support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets and Providing Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, more than 500,000 generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities of Canada efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, granting more than $14 million since its inception in 1999. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity, a member of Imagine Canada and is independent from the PetSmart business in Canada. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.ca
Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/PetSmartCanada
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc
SOURCE PetSmart Charities of Canada
Stephan Petar, Golin for PetSmart Charities of Canada, [email protected], 416.483.6225 ext. 3441
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