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Marketing Shelter Cats

Marketing Cat Adoption: 'Pick Your Price,' '6/60' and 'Project Purrrfect'

The following is from the Summer 2010 issue of Protecting Animals, American Humane's quarterly journal for animal welfare professionals. Used by permission. To learn more, visit www.AmericanHumane.org.

'Pick Your Price' and '6/60' Programs

By Nikki Harris, Executive Director of the Nebraska Humane Society, Omaha, NE

With the Pick Your Price program, adopters can adopt an adult cat (6 months of age and up) and choose their price for an adoption fee. The program was advertised on radio, TV and the shelter's website. In 2009, we adopted out 1,084 cats through the program, bringing in more than $47,000. The average price paid per cat was $43.50, with a range from one cent to $100; the most popular price was $80, with 219 adoptions at that price. Because of its success, the program is being repeated this year.

We also have a 6/60 program, where people age 60 and up can adopt a cat 6 years and up for free, and 67 of those cats found homes in 2009.

'Project Purrfect' Program/'C-A-T-S! We've Got Cats!'

By Susan Malcomb, President of the Lexington Humane Society, Lexington, KY Our Project Purrfect program is a full-spectrum program focusing on all things feline, including improving the care and treatment of cats pre-adoption and post adoption, encouraging cat adoptions through education and marketing, free educational workshops for cat owners to encourage them to "keep your cat," a focus on spay/neuter, and increased veterinary appointments for cats. The foundation of the program is detailed training of all staff members on cat health and welfare.

Our local university happens to be the University of Kentucky, where the Wildcats are currently the #2 basketball team in the country. Building on the popular team cheer, we partnered with a local collegiate shop to create some fun and excitement with our "C-A-T-S! We've Got Cats!" promotion. We have information tables and volunteers at games providing cat information, along with digital frames featuring current cats up for adoption (we do not adopt off-site) and a "spokescat" to draw attention. The cat adoption packet new adopters receive on-site will include a coupon for a free "Cat Mania" T-shirt specially designed for cat adopters. The collegiate shop is also providing T-shirts for our staff with the "C-A-T-S! We've Got Cats!" logo.

Next in For Shelters: Marketing Shelter Cats:
Marketing Cat Adoption: Adopting Out Cats at Pet Shops and 35th Anniversary