It comes as no surprise that with the current housing crisis here on the Suncoast, shelters in the area are at critical capacity! They need our help more than ever before! For this reason, DoodyCalls on the Suncoast will celebrate our expansion by answering the call of “doody” and partnering with the Humane Society of Sarasota County.
Not only have we entered into a yearlong sponsorship to provide long-term support, but we are also kicking off our Sarasota Grand Opening with a Pet Extravaganza with all the proceeds benefiting the Humane Society! Our partners have provided some paw-sitively awesome raffle items that you will not want to miss, including a very generous prize from Shore Thing Tiki Cruises for a tiki cruise for 6!
This event is based around the idea of breaking down the barriers to pet adoption. With the shelters operating at maximum capacity, this could not be more important, and the Humane Society of Sarasota County does an amazing job at providing extra layers of support for their adopters. Below are some of the programs that they have in place to help break down these barriers:
- TLC Program: Animals that have ongoing medical needs are flagged by the HSSC medical team as “TLC Animals.” These conditions are not life-threatening, but they are usually lifelong. Examples include thyroid conditions, arthritis, diabetes…all things that can be managed. The “TLC” designation means that all expenses related to managing those ongoing conditions are covered by HSSC during their stay and after adoption for as long as the animal lives. All the adopter must do is keep up with their new pet’s wellness care, and HSSC takes care of the rest. The TLC program levels the playing field, ensuring that animals with medical needs are not overlooked.
- Personalized Training Program: HSSC strives to make an animal’s time with them as productive as possible. That means assessing and addressing any behavioral challenges the animal may have. Walking nicely on leash, reacting to other animals or people, jumpiness, mouthiness, socialization—their staff and volunteers work with animals on their specific challenges to make them more adoptable and to learn more about the animal so that we can pass that information on to the adopter for them to continue working with them at home.
- Long-Term Task Force: Once an animal has been at HSSC for more than 30 days, they are eligible for their long-term task force. They ramp up their marketing for those particular animals and encourage staff and volunteers to advocate for animals of their choosing. Advocating can be as simple as a staff member keeping a long-term dog in their office during the day for a change of scenery, or heading to the cat room to interact with their chosen cat for a bit; or taking an animal home with them on the weekend for a staycation. These activities add up, and often the staffer or volunteer will have stories, details, and photos that we can include in the animal’s profile—all great information for potential adopters or to share on social media.
Even with all these great programs in place, the idea of pet ownership can be a little overwhelming if you do not have a current “support system” in place. We believe that pet ownership, much like raising children, takes a village, and at our upcoming event, we want to introduce you to our village and help resource you with everything you need to be the BEST pet owner you can possibly be! We are going to have local experts to guide you every step of the way. Our “village” will be offering training demonstrations, pet first aid lessons, a free month of poop scooping to all adopters, holistic pet care approaches, doggy chiropractic services, daycare, and boarding services, and top-quality toys, food, and treats.
We also think it is super important to have FUN with your pets so DoodyCalls on the Suncoast will be sponsoring a Dog Painting Station and a Doggy Pie Eating Contest during the event!
Here is a full list of all our participating partners:
- Vet Care Express Animal Ambulance
- DOGPerfect
- Bayside Pet Resort
- Trilogy Chiropractic
- Touched by a Paw
- Carousels
- Tater & Tots Barkuterie
- Smokin Momma Lora’s BBQ
- TP3 Creations
- Three Dog Bakery
Registration for this event is not mandatory, however, the first 100 guests that register will receive a “Wag Bag” with goodies from us and our partners! REGISTER HERE!
