Community-focused animal sheltering means engaging the entire community in caring for our pets and supporting families with safety net services that keep companion animals in homes. This approach is shaping the future of companion animal welfare, helping families stay together while leaving space in shelters for the pets who truly need to be there.

Getting the word out about the evolving needs of programs to support a community-focused approach might feel a bit intimidating if you’re not sure where to begin. With that in mind, the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) project and HeARTs Speak have come together to create a series of marketing and communications packages that make talking about new, community-focused programs and opportunities easier to implement, regardless of your organization’s resources or budget.

 

In this first kit, you’ll gain access to a broad collection of customizable tools, editable graphic templates, and hand-picked resources that are built to help you introduce and spread the word about your community-focused programs and services. Each package is broken into three main components:

• Learn About It: What is community-focused animal sheltering? and other core concepts
• Talk About It: Completely customize marketing and communications collateral
  • Press release template
  • Media pitch template
  • Talking points
  • 6 editable graphics, including 2 social media carousels
• Dive Deeper: Resources to take your communications to the next level
  • Real-world samples and ideas from other shelters
  • Tips for rolling out communications
  • Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
  • Resources for learning more

 

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in!

Download

 

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Some templates in the toolkit use Canva, a graphic design platform that allows users to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, and other visual content. Most excitingly, it can be used for free or with a paid account (free for nonprofits!). Download this Quick-Read Instructional Guide to get started.