Reunite L.A.- Campaign Overview
In response to the Los Angeles wildfires, this campaign is designed for PetSmart to help lost pets that were displaced due to the fires return home to their families. PetSmart would open their 10 Los Angeles storefronts for free microchipping and relocation services Feb. 15 to Feb 28. PetSmart would partner with START Rescue, an L.A. based nonprofit that specializes in pet relocation, for this initiative. People in the area bring in lost pets that would get microchipped and temporarily housed by PetSmart, then relocated back home by START Rescue. The goal of this campaign is to help rebuild the community and drive home the mission statement of PetSmart, "We love pets, and we believe pets make us better people."
*For educational purposes only. All phone numbers, email address, and links are not real*
Campaign Press Release
News Release
DRAFT FOR APPROVAL
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Alyssa Stevenson
Communications Consultant
817-XXX-XXXX
PetSmart helps lost pets find their homes after Los Angeles wildfires
(PHOENIX – Feb. 5, 2025) PetSmart hosts Reunite L.A., an event to help pets who lost their homes due to the California wildfires. The company will open ten of its locations in Los Angeles to provide free chip readings and pet relocation services from Feb. 15 to Feb. 28.
Starting Feb. 15, lost pets found in the Los Angeles area can be brought into a PetSmart location to check forchips. If the pet is chipped, the owner will be contacted and reunited. If the pet is not chipped, the pet’s information will be put into the PetSmart Database, where owners can search for their furry best friend The company believes this event will provide relief to local animal shelters through this event, and hope to get the community involved.
START Rescue, a L.A. based animal transportation nonprofit, is partnering with PetSmart to transport the lost pets. The nonprofit plans to use “Beastie,” a 36-foot motorhome designed to carry up to 120 pets, to reconnect pet owners to their furry companions.
“There is nothing more special than being able to bring families back together,” said Steve Spiro, President of START Rescue. “I think the pets are very grateful knowing that there are people all over the city that want to help them get back home.”
PetSmart will host a kickoff of the event on Feb. 15 at the Los Angeles Midtown location at 4550 W Pico Blvd. to welcome the first lost pets. Beastie will also appear with START Rescue to take the first lost pets back to their homes.
“Sometimes we feel like our pets need us more than we need them, but it’s actually the opposite,” said Ken Hicks, President and CEO of PetSmart. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose a pet and I think it’s important for the community to come together to help their fellow pet parents.”
PetSmart will post updates on their Instagram, Facebook and X platforms with the hashtag #PetSmartreuniteLA to spread awareness about the event and what others can do to help bring these pets home.
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About PetSmart
PetSmart is a pet retailer offering all products and services needed to fulfill a pet’s life. Since 1987, PetSmart has been committed to building the relationships between pets and their parents. PetSmart believes that pets make us better people, and this vision influences what we do for our customers and how we support our communities. To learn more, visit www.petsmart.com.
Campaign Visuals
Campaign Logo
Campaign Fact Sheet
Campaign Social Media Posts
Caption: PetSmart and START Rescue are coming together to help lost pets that have been displaced due to the California Wildfires. #PetSmart will offer free chip readings Feb. 15-28. START will transport found pets back to their families in the Los Angeles area.
If you have a lost pet or are looking for a lost pet, please visit our website to find a PetSmart location and check our PetSmart Database!
#PetSmartReuniteLA
Caption: Come kick off our #PetSmartReuniteLA event to help lost pets find their families from the California Wildfires. START Rescue and “Beastie,” the 36-foot motorhome, will make an appearance to carry the first pets back home to their owners. Click the link for more information!
Campaign Earned Media & Pitch
FOR DRAFT APPROVAL
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
To: e.oconnell@newsweek.com
Subject: “Reunite L.A.” event to help lost pets affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, Feb. 15
Hello Liz,
Through Feb. 15 and 28, those who have rescued lost pets or who see pets roaming can bring them into any Los Angeles PetSmart location for free chip readings and relocation services provided by START Rescue.
PetSmart and START will be hosting a kickoff event for this initiative on Feb 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Los Angeles Midtown location, where START’s Beastie, a 36-foot motorhome dedicated to carrying pets, will make an appearance.
Newsweek is invited to cover this event, as it has previously covered events similar, as well as L.A.’s recovery to the wildfires. We look forward to seeing you and if you have any questions, please reach out.
Best regards,
Alyssa Stevenson
Communications Consultant
817-XXX-XXXX
Alyssa.stevenson@petsmart.com
Campaign Interview Prep
Reunite L.A. is an event aimed to help lost pets come home that have been affected by the Los Angeles wildfires. PetSmart and START Rescue are teaming up to provide free chip readings and relocation services to any pet that is brought into one of our 10 PetSmart locations in Los Angeles during Feb 15. To Feb. 28. Anyone in the area is welcome to bring in a lost pet that they see on the street or that they have housed since the start of the LA fires. We love pets and we believe loving pets makes us better people, so we want to give back to the pets that have gone through so much during this time.
Talking points:
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Free chip readings: Any pet that is brought into one of the 10 PetSmart locations during Feb. 15 to 28 will receive a free chip reading to find their owners information. The owners will then be contacted to schedule a reunification time and location with their pets.
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Free relocation services: START Rescue, a pet relocation nonprofit organization, will use “Beastie” their 36-foot motorhome to transport pets back home to their owners from PetSmart.
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Why we chose to do it: PetSmart was built on the idea that loving pets makes us better people. When we see pets suffer, it makes us suffer, so we want to support pets in any way we can.
Questions:
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Q1: About how many lost pets were displaced by these wildfires?
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A1: Over 1,000 pets have come through just Pasadena Humane Society since the start of the fires. Other shelters in the area are reporting similar statistics. We are estimating hundreds of more pets will need shelter and relocation services as the months go on. We hope to alleviate some of the stress animal shelters have seen from the wildfires.
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Q2: How did this partnership with START Rescue happen?
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A2: We knew that the actual transportation would be a challenge for us. When we saw that START Rescue was not only based in Los Angeles, but had Beastie, we knew this would be a perfect match.
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Q3: What happens to pets that don’t have microchips or who’s owners cannot be found?
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A3: If we find a chip and the owners do not respond in the first call, we will upload the pet’s physical information on our database and post a photo of them on our local store’s social media pages. After the second call, we will send a text message, email, and a letter in the mail saying we have their pet. If we do not receive anything after two weeks, we will put the pet in our adoption center to find their new home. Pets that do not have microchips will also stay in our adoption center to find their forever home. All pets who cannot get back to their owners within 14 hours of being brought in will stay the night in our PetsHotel.
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Q4: How will PetSmart make sure that pets are being reunited with the correct owners?
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A4: During “Reunite L.A.”, we will be given access to multiple microchip registry databases so we can check that we have the right information. We will find a pet’s information through their unique ID number and check that their information is the same across all platforms, so we know we are contacting the right owner. Once we contact the owner, we will ask them to provide a photo or pet documentation to prove that they own the pet before we reunite them.
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Q5: Does PetSmart have plans to continue similar initiatives for future natural disasters?
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A5: Of course. PetSmart Charities is designed to help aid in disaster relief through grants, fundraising events, and similar initiatives like “Reunite L.A.” Our biggest mission is to care for the well-being of pets and all who love them.
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Q6: Why isn’t PetSmart offering free microchipping as a preventative measure for future disasters?
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A6: At PetSmart, we understand how important microchipping services are in reuniting lost pets with their loved ones, especially during natural disasters. That is why we have created the “Reunite L.A.” event, to help as many pets as possible get home. All of our stores also offer free microchipping tests year-round.
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Q7: PetSmart has been in several animal cruelty cases in the last decade, care to comment on that?
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A7: These cases do not represent all our stores or our values. We truly care about our pets and do our best to enact policies that foster a safe and happy environment for our pets and associates
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