World Animal Day: Pedigree® partners with Blue Cross to give shelter animals online visibility
Read this story in French: Journée mondiale des animaux : Pedigree® s’associe à la Croix Bleue pour donner de la visibilité en ligne aux animaux de refuge(Opens a new window)
Read this story in Dutch: Werelddierendag: Pedigree® en Het Blauwe Kruis zetten asieldieren online in de kijker(Opens a new window)
Max (Misouv Photography - Charlotte Courtin)
According to figures from the Blue Cross, many shelter animals are still struggling to find a new home. However, studies reveal that two-thirds of future pet owners are considering adoption. On the occasion of World Animal Day, Pedigree®, a brand from Mars, is supporting the Blue Cross this year through a digital campaign aimed at increasing the visibility of shelter animals and thus improving their chances of adoption.
Significant potential to increase adoptions
The figures speak for themselves: in 2023, the three branches of the Blue Cross in Floriffoux, Forest and Wommelgem took care of more than 4,000 animals. However, less than half of them (1,743) were put up for adoption and only 271 were reunited with their original owners.
A study conducted by Mars and iVOX1 (2022) reveals considerable potential to increase adoptions. Although two-thirds of future owners consider adopting a dog from a shelter, less than a third actually do so. This paradox highlights a real gap between intentions and reality, which can be explained by various obstacles such as preconceived ideas about the availability of young dogs or specific breeds, concerns about the history and health of animals, as well as too little visibility of dogs and cats in shelters.
Digital campaign
In order to bridge this gap and give shelter animals a maximum chance of adoption, Pedigree®, a brand from Mars, is supporting the Blue Cross of Wommelgem this year through a digital campaign. Indeed, many potential dog owners are looking for an animal online or via social networks, but shelters, which rely heavily on volunteers, are often less present on these platforms. This campaign therefore aims to increase the visibility of shelter animals on social networks, by sharing photos and information so that future owners can more easily find an animal that suits them. This campaign is fully in line with Mars' purpose: A Better World For PetsTM, that every animal deserves a loving and healthy home.
Radja (Misouv Photography - Charlotte Courtin)
Annemie Huenaerts, Market Director of Mars Pet Nutrition Belgium, underlines the importance of this partnership: “Our mission is to offer all pets the chance to lead a happy life. Through the Pedigree® brand, we have been supporting adoption for many years and hope to help even more animals find a loving home by increasing their digital visibility within shelters.”
Elke Boeve, manager of the Blue Cross shelter in Wommelgem, adds: “With this campaign, we hope to dispel the misconceptions that can sometimes hinder adoption. We also encourage future shelter animal owners to think carefully about the breed they plan to take in. People can't expect to bring a dog home the way they want. It is first necessary to submit an application, followed by an initial meeting after which we choose the most suitable dog for the person. Adoption is a painstaking process.”
On the occasion of World Animal Day, Mars Pet Nutrition encourages everyone to consider animal shelters when looking for a little companion and to promote responsible adoption. “Adoption is not only an opportunity to give a new and warm home to a shelter animal, but it can also be the ideal solution for those who want to find a loyal companion,” concludes Annemie Huenaerts.
Food Donations and Volunteering
In parallel with the digital campaign, Mars continues to provide direct support for animal welfare. Every year, the company donates more than 300,000 meals to shelters in Belgium through its Whiskas® and Pedigree® brands through the in-store campaign "1 product bought = 2 meals served". In addition, employees are actively involved with Blue Cross shelters as part of the Mars Volunteer Program.
1 Online survey carried out by the research firm iVOX on behalf of Mars Belgium between 11 and 20 July 2022 among 500 Belgian dog owners (current or past), representative in terms of gender, region, age and qualification. The maximum margin of error among 500 Belgians is 4%.
