2nd Annual National Animal Shelter Check-in Day helps local shelters save homeless pets' lives thru social media
KANAB, Utah - People everywhere are invited to raise awareness of adoptable pets waiting in our country's shelters to be seen and adopted during Best Friends Animal Society's 2nd annual National Animal Shelter Check-In Day.
"Join Best Friends' Facebook event page and take part by visiting your local animal shelter on Saturday, Nov.10. Use your mobile phone to check-in on Foursquare or your favorite local app, like Facebook places for instance," said Claudia Perrone, Best Friends' marketing specialist.
When supporters check in at the animal shelter, the shelter's location will be shared automatically with all of their connections via social networks such as Facebook. On Twitter people are asked to use hashtag #CheckInDay.
"When you check-in, you can help in a variety of fun, easy ways: visiting the pets, take a photo of a dog or cat and share online, sign up to volunteer, or perhaps walk a dog or brush a cat. You can help by showcasing the great variety of animals available for adoption and drive traffic into your local shelter. And we're asking people to not just ‘check-in,' but to adopt, volunteer or simply take a photo of a dog or cat, kitten or puppy available for adoption and share it with friends," Perrone said.
Partner animal rescue groups and shelters in Best Friends' No More Homeless Pets® Network are promoting their involvement** in the event:
"We are very excited to participate in the National Shelter Check-in Day sponsored by Best Friends," said Denise Deisler, Jacksonville Humane Society executive director. "It is a great way to promote our adoptable animals and showcase our organization."
Jon Dunn, Best Friends' senior manager of Online Strategy said, "The statistics show that every Facebook user averages more than 100 friends. Multiply that by more than 100 million smartphone users in the U.S., and it's staggering to think the impact and reach one simple photo taken from a smartphone can have. People often ask how they can help, and this is a really simple and tangible way for them to do so. Just go to your local shelter, hang out with some awesome animals, and take their photo."
Perrone added that the goal of National Animal Shelter Check-in Day is to support animal shelters by activating their local communities in a fun, collaborative, easy way to take action for homeless pets - with the ultimate result being shelter awareness resulting in an increase in pet adoptions.
"It's not just about people checking in at the shelter to announce their arrival to their network," Perrone said. "Many shelters don't have the resources to take photographs of each pet in their system, so November 10 is about the power of sharing a photo of a perfectly adoptable dog or cat waiting to be seen to give them the best odds at finding a home of their own."
"Every day, more than 9,000 pets are killed in America's shelters simply because they don't have a home. Each one an individual. Each one a valued life worth saving. 9,000. That number should be zero. And it can be," Perrone said.
**No More Homeless Pets® Network partners participating include:
ARK Rescue Center of Deland, Florida
AARF (Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends) of Atlanta, Georgia
Black Dog Rescue Center of Cheyenne, Wyoming
Central Vermont Humane Society of Montpelier, Vermont
Delaware Humane Association of Wilmington, Delaware
Fur and Feather Animal Assistance, Inc. of Pie Town, New Mexico
Jacksonville Humane Society of Jacksonville, Florida
Mitchell County Animal Rescue of Spruce Pine, North Carolina
PAWS Shelter and Humane Society of Kyle, Texas
Pet Refuge of Mishawaka, Indiana
Saving Grace Rescue of San Francisco, California
SPCA in Cattaraugus County of Olean, New York
Humane Society of Delaware County of Delaware, Ohio
Tranquility Trail Sanctuary of Scottsdale, Arizona
Windham County Humane Society of Brattleboro, Vermont
Animal Welfare Association of Voorhees, New Jersey
AAARF (Auburn Area Animal Rescue Foundation) of Auburn, California
Central KY Regional Humane Society of Lancaster, Kentucky
CCHS at Rockwall Animal Adoption of Rockwall, Texas
DAWG (Dog Adoption & Welfare Group) of Santa Barbara, California
HELP Humane Society of Belton, Missouri
MEOW Cat Rescue of Kirkland, Washington
Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter of East Hanover, New Jersey
Pearl River County SPCA of Picayune, Mississippi
Salem Friends of Felines of Salem, Oregon
Shelter to Home Inc. of Wyandotte, Michigan
Ten Lives Club of North Boston, New York
TLC (Tiny Loving Canines) of Simi Valley, California
West Columbia Gorge Humane Society of Washougal, Washington
About Best Friends Animal Society®
Best Friends Animal Society®, named Animal Welfare Non-Profit National Brand of the Year based on the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend® study, is a national animal welfare organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets® . The society's leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah headquarters, the country's largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of supporters and community partners across the nation.
To become a fan of Best Friends Animal Society on Facebook go to: //www.facebook.com/bestfriendsanimalsociety
Follow Best Friends on Twitter: //twitter.com/bestfriends
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