January 24th is Change a Pet's Life Day! This wonderful day is all about bringing awareness and encouraging people to adopt a pet from their local shelters and rescue agencies. On this day we consider all the ways in which we as pet parents and pet lovers can contribute to the positive change of the lives of the pets in our homes and communities.
The two biggest ways in which a pet's life can be forever changed are through Adoption and Nutrition. Sharing The Love supports both!
About 6.5 million pets enter animal shelters each year in the United States, and only about 3.2 million are adopted out. There are so many loving animals waiting to be adopted, but many are euthanized or stay in animal shelters for years on end. Giving a pet a forever home is the ultimate improvement to their life. Consider adoption before you go to a breeder.
Relationships forged between pet parents and their adopted pets are some of the strongest bonds known between humans and animals. Many pet parents even believe that their adopted pets are able to express gratitude to their rescuer.
Diet is key to health and longevity. The idioms "you are what you eat", and "let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food", demonstrate that proper nutrition is an investment in good health.
The positive impact that a proper species-appropriate diet can have on a pet's life can be astounding. High-quality ingredients can make your pet’s coat shinier, boost their immune system which results in fewer sick visits to the vet, reduce or even eliminate allergies, and improve cognitive ability so learning that new trick becomes easy-peasy. Healthy adjustments to diet have even been shown to lessen anxiety! If you feel your pet isn't living their best life there's no need to feel discouraged, you have the power to proactively improve their reality.
Our pets rely on us when it comes to their nutrition. It's not like they can hook up with a pack of dogs or pride of cats and start stalking their prey through the forest or tundra. (The greatest hunt my cats have ever been on was that time a herd of ladybugs invaded our apartment 🐞🐈🐈)
Taking the time to educate oneself on species-appropriate diets and beneficial supplements, then committing to a higher level of nutritional care for your newly adopted pet (or for your old and loyal pet!) is the best way that you can continue to make a positive impact on their life. This is especially true for animals coming out of shelters, as they may not have received personalized nutritional care or one-on-one attention in a long time.
Your Neighborhood Pet Shop will be your most valuable resource when it comes time to design the nutritional regiment that best suits the personal needs of your pet. Their staff is educated and able to answer your questions. The shop owners are dedicated to ensuring that the products they carry are transparent in their sourcing and contain only healthy ingredients. Most of these shops guarantee the products they carry and will gladly help you until you find the perfect fit for your pet.
Sharing The Love is a program that connects new pet parents, local neighborhood pet shops, and natural pet food and supply brands. Even local pet shelters can get on board!
If you've just adopted a pet, you can look up participating pet retailers near you to get a free welcome home bundle of food, treats, and other pet supplies.
If you're a neighborhood pet shop that's enrolled in this program, you get the opportunity to participate in something bigger by helping to change the lives of newly adopted pets!
That's not all - Sharing The Love connects the neighborhood pet shop with new pet owners so they can work together to ensure that the lives of adopted pets continue to improve on a daily basis.
They say it takes a community to raise a child. Well, I believe the same goes for our pets!
It's easy to see how a program like Sharing The Love helps pets. In one fell swoop, an adopted pet is able to immediately get started on high-quality and nutritious foods and products that help improve and maintain excellent health. (Granted pets don't know that their new owners got those products for free, they'd surely be happy about that too!)
We know our new companions will be happy, now how about everyone else involved?
POV: You just adopted a very special pet from your local shelter. Their big brown eyes were what stopped you in your tracks. When you sat down beside them to say hello they snuggled up in your lap. One of the volunteers explained that they were recently rescued from a life as a stray. At that moment you told yourself that you were meant for each other and you swore that you would do everything you could to protect them and show them that they are loved. As you carry them to your car to head home you notice that you can feel their ribs and there are patches of fur missing from their coat. Now what? Where to begin? For all your good intentions you need some help!
Never fear! Your Neighborhood Pet Shop is here and they are actively participating in Sharing The Love! This means that your newly adopted pet is eligible to redeem a Welcome Home Care Package containing healthy foods, treats, supplements, and supplies that will help you get them started on their journey to lasting health.
These helpful contributions not only help you save money after deciding to change a pet's life, but it gives you the perfect opportunity to visit your local neighborhood pet shop and see how much more they can provide for you and your pet. "More" doesn't just mean more product for less money (but that is part of it thanks to Frequent Buyer loyalty programs) - it means higher quality, a more caring environment, and better, knowledge-based recommendations.
Adoption starts a pet on the path to a new and better life, improvements to their diet can ensure that they remain on that path for many many years to come!
As a smaller, independent pet food and supply retailer, you have a lot to offer. Participating in Sharing The Love not only contributes to the cause of changing pets' lives for the better, but it also gives potential new customers the opportunity to discover what makes your store special and worthwhile.
As freshly made pet parents come into your store, they get to experience your unparalleled customer service, marvel at your product quality and find relief in your animal care advice that they surely won't find online or in big-box pet stores.
Once a pet owner visits a local store with personable staff who introduces them to pet foods that, in a pinch, they could eat themselves, it's a lot harder for that pet parent to settle for second-rate stores and products. I will always be loyal to my favorite neighborhood pet shop because the services they provide me and my furry family are invaluable. I trust them implicitly.
Committing to a higher level of nutritional care is one of the best things we as pet owners can do for our pets. Sharing The Love makes it easy for neighborhood pet shops to provide new pet owners with free, high-quality, and healthy supplies for their adoptees. Everyone benefits from this program, including local businesses, adopted pets, and their saviors.
This year on Change a Pet's Life Day, learn about adoption and proper pet nutrition. Check out Sharing The Love to enroll as a retailer or find participating locations near you. Pets change our lives every day, and it's time to return the favor!