Education/Outreach
Helping rescues and shelters succeed and grow, community by community: we work with animal welfare groups across the Midwest to help them reach out to their communities to generate support.
Founders Emily Anderson and Natalie Nelson have both volunteered in animal welfare for many years. Emily volunteered extensively with local animal rescues, and went on to found two no-kill rescues in the Fox Valley area. Emily also has 15+ years of experience in marketing, advertising and public relations, with special emphasis in marketing strategy, e-marketing and writing.
Natalie has also volunteered with various animal welfare organizations, served as the Director of a local animal shelter and was a founder of two no-kill animal rescues. Natalie also has an MBA in Marketing and extensive experience in business planning and development, marketing, social media and photography.
Using our combined experience, we hope to reach out to animal welfare groups to help them grow and flourish in their communities. Please review the resources links below to learn more about the necessary steps needed to go through when starting a new rescue or enhancing an existing shelter or rescue.
We offer business and marketing consulting services for any nonprofit animal shelter or rescue group. Some of the ways we help include:
• Help with setting up your 501(c)(3) and writing your business plan
• Setting up animal care protocols and medical supply ordering
• Advising on processes and procedures for animal intake, fostering, socialization and adoption
• Establishing veterinary and community partnerships; getting donated supplies
• Developing or enhancing your Web site
• Public relations: writing and distributing news releases and media relations
• Setting up Facebook, YouTube, Blogs, Twitter & other social media and advising on how to best use these tools
• Help setting up and training volunteers on how to post pets to petfinder.com and rescuegroups.org: taking photos and videos, writing compelling bios
• Help recruiting volunteers and engaging communities to increase adoptions & garner support
• Help with overall marketing strategy, branding, communications materials (brochures, flyers, adoption packets, etc) and more
• Help setting up TNR programs
Since we are rescuers ourselves, we have experienced many of the challenges and situations fellow animal rescuers are faced with every day. We recognize the opportunities–and obstacles–many organizations deal with, and can help you put measures and programs into place to strengthen your organization and help you save more lives.
Our availability is based on demand, and we try to help shelters and rescues within a month or two of them requesting our services. Most of our clients are smaller rescues who have limited resources.
Are you ready to start your own rescue?
If you are thinking about starting your own animal rescue or sanctuary, please visit our resource section below prior to contacting us for additional support. Whether you are considering creating a new rescue or enhancing your existing, the below documents will guide you and your organization to create a strong foundation essential for the creation of a successful animal rescue/shelter. Thank you to the ASPCA, Best Friends and Petfinder for the wonderful resources and information.
Getting Started – Starting a Non-Profit Animal Rescue
Five Steps to Starting a Nonprofit
How to Start an Animal Sanctuary
Some of the rescues and shelters we have worked with include:
- The Lost Companion Rescue – Wild Rose, WI
- Eastshore Humane Association – Chilton, WI
- K&R Small Animal Sanctuary – Fox Valley, WI
- Lincoln County Humane Society – Merrill, WI
- Catkins Animal Rescue - Fifield, WI
- Neenah Animal Shelter, Neenah, WI
- Humane Society of Waupaca County, Waupaca, WI
- Humane Society of Vilas County, Eagle River, WI
- Saving Paws Animal Rescue, Appleton, WI
- Fetch Wisconsin Rescue, Madison, WI
- Angel’s Hope - Sumter, SC
- Woof Connections – West Memphis, AR
- Grace Rescue for Southern Paws, Holly Springs, MS
If you would like to inquire more about our no-charge animal welfare marketing and business consulting services, please e-mail info@wishuponapaw.org.
Together, we will increase the positive impact we have on reducing the homeless pet population!
Wish Upon a Paw is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, volunteer-run, no-kill animal welfare organization. All donations go directly to help our efforts to decrease the homeless pet population. All donations are tax deductible.
