Welfare For Animals

Countdown with us to March 13 for the launch of the “What is this Animal Smile Africa dog telling you?” campaign! From March 13 onwards, Animal Smile Africa and WFA will post photos of the dogs that Animal Smile Africa helps in Tanzania twice a month. In these photos, WFA will break down the dog's behaviour so everyone can see what this Animal Smile Africa dog is telling us! Along with dog behaviour, you’ll also get to know the beautiful stories about the people, dogs, and a phenomenal animal welfare organization. Such as in this photo where the little girl asked her dad to escort her to the Animal Smile Africa veterinary clinic so that her beloved puppy could receive free veterinary services, a check-up and vaccines. Follow both WFA and Animal Smile Africa to learn more about the people and animals in Tanzania- starting March 13! #WelfareForAnimals #AnimalSmileAfrica #AnimalWelfare

February is #SpayAndNeuterAwarenessMonth! How to use marketing to create exciting and community-based spay and neuter outreach? Here’s 5 ways how! 🗣️Ask people- Use social media to get the word out that you, vet teams, and volunteers will be in certain areas or communities to ask people face-to-face what they need before you begin. 🏷️ Use a voucher that looks like a dollar bill- Send out vouchers to specific areas that resemble money and have a monetary amount for the free or reduced spay and neuter. Include the date, time and address as a reminder on the voucher. 🩺 Include free veterinary services- Such as vaccinations, flea and worm treatment to increase the value of the spay and neuter, especially for people with pets in remote or underserved areas. ❤️ Create incentive-based programs- Incentives or gifts for bringing their dogs and cats in, like a leash, cat litter, or a social worker, to encourage people to bring their pets. 🚙 Increase access and reduce barriers by having a volunteer program that will organize the transportation of pets from their homes to the clinic and back. What works well in your communities? #WelfareForAnimals #MarketingMonday #AnimalWelfare #SpayAndNeuter

If you cue your dog to sit and they don’t- STOP- and assess: 🚗 Is the environment to stimulating or triggering? Like loud cars, trucks, construction, or other dogs? 🐇 Are there prey animals like rabbits in the area and your dog is overaroused? 😖Is your dog in pain? Is the environment too cold or hot? 📝 Had your dog not been proofed for both verbal and hand signals? 🤔 Are you expecting too much from your dog? If your dog doesn’t do a sit- that’s ok! Dogs are not robots!! Dogs are sentient beings that have the ability to make choices and should be presented with choices. And the more you give them choices, the more confident you’ll make your dog. Also, using your hand to force your dog into any cue shows a lack of learning on your behalf- as that’s NOT training, it’s abuse.

Yesterday was #NationalLoveYourPetDay! It’s a day to celebrate your pets and the profound impact of the human-animal bond- especially at moments at our lives when we’re at our most vulnerable. 🛟 For unhoused and vulnerable individuals, their pets can be a lifeline that keeps them afloat, as pets provide emotional support, structure, a sense of responsibility and motivation. However, pets can also be barriers to accessing critical services such as healthcare, food, and especially housing. But for those human shelters that accept pets or have systems in place for unhoused and vulnerable people with pets to be housed, studies have shown significant benefits to the owner, animal- and other residents. Why? Because a pet isn’t just a pet- they’re family. #WelfareForAnimals #KeepingPeopleAndPetsTogether #HumanAnimalBond

If you’re an animal rescue or shelter, love themed marketing doesn’t end on February 14! ❤️🐈🐕 BUT- not all dogs or cats want or consent to a cuddle and yoga with rescue animals can cause them severe stress as there’s no escape and they’re meeting loads of strangers, which is flooding and cause them to be fearful of strangers in the future. Don’t worry! There are lots of ways that you can still celebrate your dogs using ❤️ themed events that DO NOT cause your rescues dogs or cats unnecessary stress. Such as: 🍽️ Asking your supporters on social media and in your newsletter to hold a pet food drive so your dogs and cats can have a nice “romantic” dinner such as a heart-themed runner under their bowls. 👩🏻🍳Send out safe DIY recipes that your dog and cats can eat via your newsletter as part of a “treat our pets” campaign that your volunteers can give to your rescued animals- dogs and cats eating treats are always engaging reels! 📸 “Rescued by Tinder”- ask on social media for local photographers to volunteer their time to take great adoption photos so that potential adopters can swipe right. ❤️ Check out Toronto Humane Society “Goldie Gram” where people donate towards the needs of a Goldie oldie and get a personalized gram! 🛌 And arrange “Date Nights”- sleepovers for rescued dogs and cats with foster parents or for those animals who struggle with shelter life. What love 💝 themed campaigns has your shelter done that hasn’t caused your animals unnecessary stress? #WelfareForAnimals #MarketingMonday #RescueAnimals

Let’s protect your dog’s paws from ice melt, road salt, anti-freeze and the cold 🐾❄️🥶. Ice melt can cause irritations, injuries, and lacerations to your dog’s paws and can be toxic if ingested. Dog booties act like a barrier from these elements but not many dogs enjoy wearing their booties. You can change this! ⭐️ By using our 5-week simple training plan, with 3 worksheets, you will be able to easily train your dog how to love their booties and protect their paws for only $3.50! Go to the link 🔗 below to download the ebook. #WelfareForAnimals #Resource #EBook #PetSafety https://lnkd.in/g-HYFUn8

Do you have your #ValentinesDay plate ready? ❤️ If not, here’s 4 great examples and templates that you can use! 🌹Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) of Alberta - has great “Will You Be My Valentine’s?” adoption posters for their dogs. 💫 Chewy Health - has “Find Your Pet Soulmate” and “Are you going to match their freak?” posts. 💅🏼 ASPCA - has sassy “To: From:” posts that highlight their adoptable animals using fun. ✂️ Heaven Can Wait Haven - has a “Neuter Your Ex” spay and neuter campaign! What are you doing for social media for your nonprofit or animal business to raise awareness for animals up for adoption or campaigns? Tell us 👇! #WelfareForAnimals #AdoptionMarketing #ValentinesDayIdeas #AnimalWelfare

Our Friday Feature is WIN House- WIN House (Edmonton Women's Shelter Ltd.)! 🙌🏼 WIN House helps all women and non-binary people with and without children and their pets fleeing from violence at 3 shelters in Edmonton. WIN House works with a local Pet Safekeeping Program to ensure these individuals can have the peace of mind that their beloved furry family members are safe while they’re accessing services and supports. All of their services are coordinated through their location at: 📍 Edmonton, Alberta- connect with them through the number on their website if you need help. Every other Friday, WFA’s Feature Fridays will feature the following across Canada: 🍴 A pet food bank 🏡 Shelters that accept pets 🧡 Domestic violence shelters that accept pets 🐕🐈 Low-cost spay and neuter clinics DM us if you want to be featured. #WelfareForAnimals #PeopleAndPets #WINHouse #DomesticViolence #GenderBasedViolence

Introducing a rescue dog to new animals- the power of parallel walks. In Part 2 of our #TrainingARescueDog series- here’s why parallel walls are critical to helping rescue dogs gain confidence when meeting other dogs. HOW do parallel walks help? 🐕 They provide the distance for your dog to feel comfortable with another dog being near them without a FORCED interaction. 💪 They provide your dog with confidence by seeing what another confident dog does when faced with triggers. 🏡 They help you, as the dog guardian or even a dog walker at a shelter, have the space and time to react and manage the situation if the new rescue dog becomes uncomfortable or reactive on the walk. 🌲 It helps your dog learn feel safe enough in the presence with another dog to express natural behaviours on a walk like sniffing, or investigating the environment. 🧡 It helps YOU have the time to listen to what your dog is communicating on a walk, therefore increasing your bond with your new rescue dog. Next week we will talk about what to avoid during interactions with other dogs! Does your animal rescue use parallel walks? If not, DM us for a free resource on parallel walks!! #WelfareForAnimals #TrainingARescueDog #RescueDogs #Dogs

#DidYouKnow what the social media days are for February? 🤔 Have you thought about scheduling your social media days for the month⁉️ Here are a few awareness social media animal days, weeks, and months to help you plan and design the #ContentCreation for your social media! ❤️Valentines Day can be used together with #SpayAndNeuterAwarenesMonth for calls-to-action and fun fundraising activities to help your shelter or campaigns like the following. 🐈 “Name the feral neutered cat for your ex for $X in support of our upcoming trap-and-neuter campaign”. 📦 “Leaving a crappy relationship? Name new litter boxes for your ex in support of our rescue cats.” ⚽️ “Time to get some balls- for our rescue dogs! Get some enrichment and revenge by buying some real balls for our rescue pups in shelters and foster homes.” At the beginning of every month, we will post a few of the many dog and cat awareness days of the month with corresponding marketing and fundraising ideas. Tag us with your content creation for February! #WelfareForAnimals #MarketingMonday #MarketingForRescues