A Tale of Two Cities

(with apologies to Charles Dickens)

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….. it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”

Our Pethealth Post this week reflects upon our very own PetPoint Tale of Two Cities each of which experienced its own winter of despair followed by a spring of hope.

Durham Region Humane Society

During the early hours of the morning on December 17th 2008 a major fire broke out at the premises of the Durham Region Humane Society. Burning out of control for several hours the shelter buildings were destroyed with a tragic loss of 160 animals including small animals, 96 cats and 3 dogs. Only 2 cats and 10 dogs survived the fire.

In addition to the devastating loss of life, the Humane Society lost all documentation that had been gathered for cruelty cases that were under investigation. In some cases trial dates had been set but the fire destroyed all the evidence letting perpetrators of animal cruelty go unpunished – it was indeed a sad day for animal welfare.

True to the spirit of the animal welfare community the staff of the Durham Region Humane Society have picked themselves up and are back at the task of providing care for animals in need in the Durham Region. Working out of portable trailers they have taken the decision to start fresh with the help of PetPoint to ensure that should the unthinkable happen again their records will be safely stored offsite.

Galveston Island Humane Society

The story of our second city was reported in our Pethealth Post issued Friday September 19th, 2009 – IKE – the Aftermath.

Unlike the Durham Region Humane Society the Galveston Island Humane Society had the benefit of an early warning about the impending disaster. As the strength of the hurricane increased, staff at the Humane Society were able to take the precautionary measure of moving their animals to alternative facilities, many of which were able to use the PetPoint transfer module to ease the transfer of animals throughout Texas. Those precautionary measures turned out to be lifesaving as the Galveston Island Humane Society facilities were totally destroyed by Hurricane IKE, but no lives were lost.

Temporarily housed in an old dilapidated Police Department building, staff and volunteers picked up, housed, fed, identified and photographed more than 1,000 abandoned and lost pets, making every effort to re-unite them with their families via media announcements and a web site for the reunification of pets. With the cooperation and support of the Houston SPCA, and using the reunification web site which was specially created by PetPoint (in temporary partnership with Pets911.com), most of the animals were claimed by their families, adopted or placed in foster homes.

The shelter continues to operate in its temporary home until a new facility is built. Having had the opportunity to see first hand the unique advantages of the PetPoint animal management system for pre-hurricane transfers and during the post hurricane clean up, the Galveston Island Humane Society has chosen to start again with the daily use of the PetPoint animal management system.

Those of you who are regular readers of the PetPoint Journal will recall that in our first issue, published August 21 st 2007, we indicated that the intake of animals through shelters using PetPoint was generally evenly split between cats and dogs. While shelter staff generally acknowledge the existence of a “Kitten Season” and the impact that has on intake levels of cats, fewer seem to acknowledge the fact that there is a “Dog Season” as well.

The following graph represents the percentage of dog intakes versus cat intakes on a month by month basis from January 2006 to October 2008. For the purposes of this graph we have used intake data from animals that were surrendered or returned by their owners together with those that were stray; we have not included animals that were designated transferred in, seized, clinic, wildlife or service at intake.

The most noticeable facet of the graph is the regularity of the pattern.

The chart demonstrates a cyclical pattern with higher dog surrenders and returns during the colder months December, January, February, and March (“Dog Season”) and higher cat intakes during the warmer months May, June, July, August, September, and October (“Cat Season”). November and April are the “Cross Over months” where we see equal intakes of cats and dogs.

Animal welfare workers who are responsible for planning, purchasing and staff information sessions can use the cyclical nature of species intakes to plan ahead more effectively.

The winter Cross Over month – November – is the perfect time to remind staff and volunteers of your intake protocols for dogs, including medical and behavioral assessment, preventative care, warning symptoms for communicable diseases, vaccination, identification, quarantine, spay and neuter. Check out your supplies to make sure that you have sufficient supplies and prepared housing facilities for an increase in dog intakes.

Similarly the summer Cross Over month – May – is the perfect time to remind staff and volunteers of your intake protocols for cats, including medical and behavioral assessment, preventative care, warning symptoms for communicable diseases, vaccination, identification, quarantine, spay and neuter. Check out your supplies to make sure that you have sufficient supplies and prepared housing facilities for an increase in cat intakes.

With Dog Season now upon us, don’t forget to check that you have adequate supplies of our Dog-Eared product to make your life easier when cleaning the new dog intakes.

The headlines across the world are screaming “Recession” and, no matter who is elected President next week, the financial outlook looks rocky. With house foreclosures on the rise and many people forced to relocate and/or reduce their household expenditure, the needs of our four-legged friends are likely to fall in terms of priority. Consequently now is the time to check your own organization’s strategy for weathering the storm:-

Intakes – As families go through difficult times, their ability to care for their pets is undermined. This may result in increased intake numbers. Is your organization ready for more intakes? If you are at capacity now is the time to work together with other organizations in your vicinity to ensure that all the animals requiring a safe haven are given one. The PetPoint Animal Transfer module is the fastest and easiest way to complete a transfer, make sure that all your staff and volunteers are up to speed on this module. Go to www.petpoint.com for more information.

Microchipping becomes even more important during tough economic times. Multiple intakes of the same animal will cost your organization time and money. Microchipping and registering each animal with 24PetWatch ensures that animals can be quickly identified and re-united with their family. In the event that the family is not willing to take the animal back, the records can quickly and simply be amended to reflect the animal’s new status.

Donors – As belts tighten, the public’s willingness to give is reduced. Check that your organization’s donor records are up to date and accurate. E-mail addresses are crucial as indicated in the Pethealth Post issue March 15th 2007. Each e-mail address is valued at $1.78 per advertising campaign and online contributions are generally 25% higher than offline contributions.

With downward pressure on donations, corporate partner relationships become that much more important. As James Bias, President of the Texas SPCA, says collecting email addresses from adopters “will energize your corporate partnerships and bring your adopters more into the fold of your shelter electronically.”

With consumer spending for the holiday season likely to fall – start holiday season promotional campaigns early. Capture consumers’ attention with “Gifts that Give” a trend that has increased dramatically over the past couple of years. Make purchasing quick and easy – offer an online shopping cart if possible.

Review your Purchasing Profile – The Staples partner program offered to PetPoint users provides some of the lowest cost purchasing opportunities available and it’s not just for office supplies! Refresh your memory about all the great deals available through this partnership and make sure that all staff and volunteers are aware of these money saving options.

If there are everyday items that are not available through the Staples program, let us know we’d love to have the opportunity to provide PetPoint users with additional money saving opportunities.

Review your Health Records – All animal welfare organizations aim to keep their veterinary bills to the minimum and returns due to ill health to zero, review your recent records to check that your health protocols are working efficiently. Go to www.sheltermedicine.org for more advice.

The ShelterCare Gift of insurance continues to be the cornerstone of post adoption health protocol for many in the animal welfare sector. In these trying times it is particularly important to talk to all adopters about the importance of extending the insurance, while most will be able to cover the monthly premium an unexpected accident or illness which requires hundreds or thousands of dollars in veterinary bills may be beyond the financial capacity of many. Adopters who extend their insurance will not have to return their new family member in the event of an accident or illness.

Pethealth has recently offered animal welfare organizations the opportunity to offer a new dog ear cleaning product through their retail operations. Working on the “Prevention is better than Cure” basis, look at your own organization to see whether you feel that this product might be worth a try.

Deals Deals Deals – Price cuts, discounts and sales we are going to see them all but they won’t last forever, take advantage of low prices while you can but only buy what you know your organization needs.

If your organization has had a building project in the works with funding pre-allocated now may be the time to look at it again and maybe even bring it forward on the agenda, prices for materials and building projects are likely to be good.

Should you have any additional money saving suggestions for the animal welfare world, share them at Community.PetPoint.com today.

You’ve seen them come in, shaking their heads, scratching their ears until they bleed or ooze smelly discharge – dogs with ear infections are a regular occurrence in both the shelter world and in veterinary offices.

PetPoint Journal #23 issued August 1st 2008 indicated that 3.5% of the 1.3 million animal intakes through PetPoint during 2006 and 2007 were afflicted with an ear infection at some point during their stay with the animal welfare community. 10% of all ShelterCare dog claims are for ear infections. But ear infections are not just a problem in the shelter world, 14% of all PetCare claims for dogs that have not been in the care of the animal welfare sector are for ear infections and in this sector the risk of re-infection rises to 9%.

It is well known that when it comes to ear infections – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – but dogs’ ears are very sensitive and many dogs do not like to have their ears cleaned. This can be a huge problem for staff and volunteers in the animal welfare world who daily face the challenge of cleaning the ears of a dog with an unknown temperament in an effort to practice good disease control protocol. For this reason Pethealth has teamed up with a Canadian company to distribute a veterinarian approved new and innovative product, Dog-Eared, that offers simple and trauma free ear-cleaning for dogs.

Dog-Eared is available in two sizes, one for puppies and small breeds and the other for large breeds. This all natural product safely and effectively washes away ear wax build up from dogs’ ears leaving them healthy, clean and less susceptible to ear infections. The Dog-Eared applicator is a patented reverse spray nozzle that has been specially created to fit the unique structure of a dog’s ears and reverse the excess fluid, debris and wax safely out of the ear canal.

This product has already received strong praise!

“I used it on one large dog whose ears looked ok, but who was shaking his head. One treatment, and now he acts fine! I will continue to use it”

Judi C. Vogt, DVM
Shelter Veterinarian
Humance Society of Charlotte

Additional information about this product can be found by clicking here or by going to www.cleandogears.com. PetPoint users may order this product online at www.PetPoint.com and benefit from FREE SHIPPING! To order, call 1-866-600-3377 to speak directly to a Pethealth Inc. sales representative.

Please allow 3-4 weeks for order processing and shipping.

As the reports, video footage and pictures of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike continue to wing their way around the globe, our thoughts and prayers are with the residents of Texas and the emergency personnel who have been assisting in the relief effort. Of particular note are the staff, volunteers and animals of Galveston Island Humane Society, which was completely destroyed by Ike.

While we are headquartered approximately 1,500 miles away, we were nevertheless pleased to be able to do our small part to help. On Tuesday night we were called by the Houston SPCA (which in June had begun using PetPoint) and asked to assist their disaster response team and the Galveston Island Humane Society by creating a new module for PetPoint which would aid the reunification effort for lost pets. With the Galveston Island Humane Society buildings destroyed and their staff and animals in a temporary facility with no software, the PetPoint team jumped into action by first setting them up as a new PetPoint user. Using satellite Internet and emergency generators the Galveston staff were provided with a totally configured database by 11 a.m. on Wednesday and one of our key PetPoint staff members was immediately dispatched to Houston to train the staff in how to use the application.

The next step was for us to create a public Lost and Found service module to assist in reuniting lost pets with their owners. For this, we contacted Pets911 for assistance. By 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening the PetPoint/IT team had launched the Disaster Response Pet Portal (“DRPP”). “Our staff and volunteers are working around-the-clock to rescue pets and reunite them with their families, the online database portal created by Pethealth will make it easier for us ensure they find their way home as soon as possible.” said Patricia Mercer, President of the Houston SPCA.

In the Lost and Found module in PetPoint, the Houston SPCA lost pet hotline center staff have real time access to all the intake information entered by the Galveston staff. Houston staff can now immediately match reports of lost pets to new intakes in Galveston. The public can also view those pets on the DRPP which is hosted on Pets911.com (which is updated every 15 minutes from PetPoint) and notify hotline staff. Once a match is made, the Houston staff immediately place a “hold” on the animal through PetPoint, thus eliminating the chance that a lost pet will be adopted out, as happened in a number of cases after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Houston SPCA and Galveston Island Humane Society are not the only ones who have been able to benefit from the power of PetPoint during this hurricane season. Since July 1st, hundreds of animals have been transferred between over a dozen animal welfare organizations in Texas using the PetPoint animal transfer module as these same organizations prepared themselves in advance of oncoming hurricanes.

This module, created in 2007, allows for a smooth paperless transfer of animal information between organizations: “The PetPoint Transfer Module enabled our animal rescuers to save valuable administrative time during these operations; time which was much better spent caring for our new guests.” says Katherine Bice, Executive Director for Humane Society SPCA Bexar County which has taken in hundreds of animals from both Gustav and Ike.

SPCA of Texas has evacuated over 500 animals from the Gulf Coast in recent weeks. Ann Barnes, Senior Vice President of Operations explains: “From Houston alone, we’ve transferred 108 animals. Without the help of PetPoint’s Transfer Module, our staff would have spent several hours re-creating kennel cards and animal records. Additionally, the module also made it easy for us to transfer records to the other shelters that received animals from us”.

As indicated in our e-mail of this week to all Texas shelters, we have also auto-extended all ShelterCare gifts from our Texas PetPoint users from 30 to 45 days for the remainder of the month to give new adopters in the affected area some extra coverage.

We are happy that we were able to assist Houston SPCA in their disaster response effort and look forward to working with our new PetPoint user Galveston Island Humane Society as it works to rebuild and continue with its valuable work in Galveston. The Houston initiative has underlined the power and versatility of PetPoint as a tool for those in the animal welfare community to use in both good times and bad. As the community of PetPoint users continues to grow we look forward to working with each of you to provide you with the help, assistance and options that you need to work ever more efficiently and cost effectively.

The original development of PetPoint began when our shelter experts, with over 35 years of combined experience, teamed up with animal welfare organizations from around the country to develop PetPoint.  Their efforts resulted in a comprehensive, easy-to-use, web-based animal management system that enables shelters and rescue groups to save valuable time and money.

However, we did not stop there – the customizable nature of PetPoint means that with every new client comes a fresh perspective and new ideas for PetPoint. Since its inception, PetPoint’s design has been driven by user input. Over 2,000 feature requests have been added to PetPoint since it debuted in February 2005, and most of those have been borne from direct feedback from our nearly 1,000 creative clients. We are proud to say that our clients have the best ideas!

In recent months the PetPoint IT team has spent countless hours working hard to fulfill our clients’ ideas and suggestions and has now created a range of new features which will empower all PetPoint users with new reports and enhanced functionality in PetPoint. A few highlights of new reports and enhanced functionality which represent hours of investment into PetPoint are:

New Reports

• Case History Crosstab
• Dispatch History Crosstab
• Animal Daily Count Crosstab
• Outcome by Intake Crosstab
• Intake & Outcome Advanced Crosstabs
• Foster Outcome Age-Species Crosstab
• Foster History Age-Species Crosstab
• Length of Stay by Outcome Age-Species Crosstab
• Daily Intake Age-Species Crosstab
• Agency Intake Age-Species Crosstab (slated for launch mid-September)
• Agency Outcome Age-Species Crosstab (slated for launch mid-September)
• Mail Label Reports for Agencies & Agency Members allows organizations to easily create mailing labels for groups already stored in PetPoint for newsletters or other correspondence.
• Care – Behavior Follow-Up allows shelters to follow up with new pet owners regarding observed behavior issues once the animal has gone home.

PetPoint’s Crosstab reports are one of the most powerful, yet underutilized reports in the system. Crosstab reports allow users to “crunch” or “slice & dice” data in a variety of ways, through the use of X and Y parameters.

• Our Age-Species Crosstab reports automatically breakdown data by Dog/Puppy/Cat/Kitten Other in the columns (X’s), but allow users to select how to further break down the data within the rows (Y1 & Y2), such as by Intake Type & Intake Subtype. An example of an Age-Species Crosstab can be found here.
• Our standard Crosstab reports allow users to choose 1 option for the columns (X1) and up to 2 different options for the rows (Y1 & Y2). An example of a standard Crosstab can be found here.
• Our Advanced Crosstab reports allow users to choose 2 different options for the columns (X1 & X2) plus the 2 different options for the rows (Y1 & Y2). An example an Advanced Crosstab Report can be found here.

Application Changes

• 2 new customizable contracts for Appointments (Scheduling Module) and for Post-Mortem Activities, like cremation services.
• Ability to backdate Behavior Tests, plus PetPoint now automatically repopulates previously entered information after the first behavior test is entered for an animal. If the users stay on Care – Behavior screen, the “performed by,” “behavior category,” and “behavior test” all remain populated to speed data entry of similar tests for the same animal.
• Animal Body Part added to Exam – Vaccine.
• Renamed Owner to Owner/Guardian to reflect trends in industry.
• Care – Voucher allows shelters to issue multiple coupons for behavior or medical services to new pet owners as part of their adoption package.

From new modules, to the over 125 reports offered today, PetPoint helps shelters and rescue groups to not only manage their daily operations, but also provides them with the analytical data to improve their overall processes – it is clear why PetPoint is the most widely-used and most customer-centric animal management system in the industry.

TIPS:

• Not a PetPoint client? Contact our Sales Team to see why nearly 1,000 organizations rely on PetPoint for their daily operations.
• Current client with questions? Contact our Customer Support Team for assistance with running any of our new Crosstab reports, or any other questions / problems with PetPoint.
• Have an idea for PetPoint? Share it with us via Admin – Feedback next time you’re logged into PetPoint.

Many of you are regularly called upon to assist in rescue and relief operations large and small. You know that careful planning and co-ordination is required to ensure that the transfer of animals from the rescue situation into the care of the new animal welfare facility is completed in the least stressful manner possible for the animals. This Pethealth Post relates the recent experiences of the Atlanta Humane Society in their first relief assist since they began using PetPoint.

“This June, eight members of our Emergency Relief Team were dispatched to Tennessee to receive a transfer of 129 animals. What made this rescue effort different was the data entry part. This was our first relief assist after our Fall 2007 migration to PetPoint from Chameleon.

During the loading process, our entire team was busy helping the coordinating agency in any way we could. When it was our turn, our team switched gears and began to prepare our own animals for transport. This meant identifying, verifying paperwork, tagging and cataloguing every animal (same as every transport we’d ever done). When all our vehicles were loaded, and paperwork divided, team drivers assumed their positions and passengers… started their laptops!

One of the most exciting things about PetPoint is that it is web-based and easily accessible. If you can get online, you can get to your data–no special skills required! On the way to the site, we tested our wireless connections to be sure we would have connectivity for the 4 to 5 hour trip. During the return drive, our passengers (with the help of a few staff “back at the ranch”) were able to enter all 129 records. Why was this important? By the time the team arrived, the staff members at the Shelter had printed the cage cards and have all the cages prepped and ready. The result was less confusion, more efficiency!

It definitely helped streamline the transfer process. The animals were logged and properly entered into our database. Preparations at home were underway before the team arrived. We were able to make effective use of what has previously been “downtime” as well as reduce the confusion that can accompany the arrival of 129 new animals at once.”

If you are a PetPoint user you already know that transferring animals between two organizations can be even easier if both agencies are using PetPoint. Through the PetPoint Transfer Module, no extra data entry is required. Simply select the animals you would like to transfer out to a co-operating agency and the receiving shelter will obtain the complete animal profile at the click of a button. If you have not started using PetPoint yet we encourage you to call the PetPoint team at 1-866-630-7387 today to see how PetPoint can help your organization!

Want to get started with PetPoint? Click here

Already Using PetPoint? Click here for information on our referral program.

The battle to provide lost or unwanted cats and dogs with a safe haven until they can be placed into new and loving homes is one which you fight every day. It is unfortunate that sometimes even after a successful adoption there is still the chance that a new pet may be returned. While there is little that we can do to avoid those returns due to incompatibility or a change of mind we have provided you with a $7,500,000 weapon to help eradicate returns due to the health of the animal – the ShelterCare gift.

The ShelterCare gift is the most widely used gift of pet insurance in the world offering animal welfare organizations the opportunity to transfer the risk of post-adoption veterinary costs to ShelterCare. The success of this gift with the animal welfare community and new adopters is clearly highlighted by the fact that ShelterCare gift paid claims now total more than $7,500,000. Many thousands of new pet parents have the ShelterCare gift to thank for the fact that they could afford to pay for the veterinary treatment required by their newly adopted family member within the 30-day post-adoption period.

On June 1st this year we enhanced the ShelterCare gift by increasing the coverage amount to $750 PLUS we added two new “zero-cost” options for adopters a) the opportunity to extend their 30-day gift of insurance to 45-days and b) the opportunity to include renter’s insurance. These changes to the gift have been well received by adopters resulting in a 31% pick up in inbound call volume to our ShelterCare team. This increase should come as great news for both the animal welfare community and those newly adopted animals as it gives us the opportunity to discuss the benefits of pet insurance with more new adopters. As you are aware, people who have insured their pets with ShelterCare for life will not need to return their pet to you due to the cost of their adopted pet’s health care.

As we settle into an environment in which the majority of people are paying more attention to where their dollars are going it is more important than ever to talk to your adopters about pet insurance – monthly pet insurance is an affordable cost for most but it is a rare pet parent who can afford thousands of dollars to cover their pet’s unexpected health costs!! Give us the opportunity to help to keep your returns low – use the ShelterCare gift daily and encourage all of your adopters to call us to take advantage of our new offers.

Naturally hairless cats and dogs are a rare and, to some, unsettling sight. Wrinkled and bald they look like extraterrestrials set adrift on an alien and inhospitable planet. These unusual animals are so vulnerable to extremes of temperature and excess sunshine that hairless cats are almost always kept indoors and hairless dogs are usually only let out under carefully monitored conditions.

There are a number of recognized varieties of both hairless dogs and cats, and while most of the dog breeds have long and well established histories, the hairless cats are relatively new breeds developed through selective breeding during the past century. For many people their only exposure to the world of hairless cats and dogs is through watching Mr Bigglesworth, Dr Evil’s Sphynx in Austin Powers and Fluffy, the Crested Chinese dog in 102 Dalmatians.

The recognized breeds of hairless cats include:-

Sphynx (Canadian Hairless Cat) first bred in 1978
Don Sphynx (Donskoy) first bred in 1987
Peterbalt first bred in 1994

Hairless cats are said to be unusually social with humans, demonstrating little of the aloof independent nature commonly associated with domestic cats. They usually have soft warm skin coated in downy “peach fuzz” which generally has many wrinkles. Hairless cats are expensive and those who choose them tend to take care of them. However hairless cats may still end up in the care of the animal welfare community due to the fact that two well known ‘facts’ about hairless cats are actually unfounded myths.

Myth #1 – Hairless cats are hypo allergenic – while they are less likely to induce allergic reactions due to the lack of hair and dander, their skin produces large amounts of oil that may also trigger strong reactions in allergy sufferers;

Myth #2 – Hairless cats are easy to care for – although these cats do not require brushing and combing, they do require weekly bathing to remove the oil and dust that builds up on their skin. Their ears need regular cleaning as they have no hair to stop dust and dirt from entering their ears. They have a comparatively high metabolism and require a lot of high quality food to enable them to keep their core temperature up.

The recognized breeds of hairless dogs include:-

Mexican Hairless Dogs (Xoloitzcuintle, Xolos), evidence suggests that their history stretches back thousands of years
Peruvian Hairless Dogs, similarly they are believed to have originated prior to the Incas
Chinese Crested Dogs –they are thought to have arrived in China on trade ships from the African coast, in which they were used to kill rats
American Hairless Terrier – the only “new” hairless breed of dog, first bred in 1972

Hairless dogs may find their way into the safety of the animal welfare community due to a mixture of both health issues and character traits that may not have been properly considered by new dog owners.

1) Both the Mexican and the Peruvian Hairless Dogs demonstrate strong personalities that require training from a young age if their negative traits are not to become a problem. While both breeds are good family dogs they can be overly protective of the family. In addition the hunting instinct is quite strong and may result in the dogs running away from home to chase other small animals;

2) While hairless dogs do not require such frequent bathing as hairless cats, it is recommended that they be washed twice a month to avoid skin irritation. They also need to have moisturizer applied to their skin to keep it from drying out and sunscreen to avoid sunburn;

3) Many hairless dogs have problems with their teeth which can be crooked, crowded, prone to decay or in many cases they will not have a full set of teeth, which can lead to problems eating;

4) Hairless dogs do appear to be less likely to cause allergic reactions in allergy sufferers than hairless cats.

Should one of these cats or dogs end up at your organization we hope that you will find the special someone who will take care of their unique needs and make them part of their Forever Family.

For those of you who don’t already provide the ShelterCare gift of Insurance to your new adopters, now is the time to reconsider. This 30-day gift of insurance, which has already been given to over 1.75 million new adopters, and through which over $7.2 million in claims has been paid out, has now been improved!

Starting on June 1^st 2008 the ShelterCare Gift of insurance was enhanced to offer a number of different options for your new adopters:

1. New adopters may continue to choose to take the existing 30-day gift of insurance which has been improved to offer – increased coverage up to $750 plus an extension to the number of covered conditions, and now includes heartworm!

OR

2. New adopters may call 1-866-375-7387 within 72 hours of adoption to extend their 30-day gift to 45 days.

OR

3. Adopters who are in rental accommodations may call 1-866-375-7387 within 72 hours of adoption to add third party property damage coverage to their ShelterCare 30-day gift. This additional coverage will pay the costs of physical damages up to $500 by newly adopted pets to the interior of the new adopter’s rental unit – a unique feature that we believe will add value during this period of uncertainty in the property market.

OR

4. Adopters who choose to upgrade their ShelterCare Gift insurance policy within 10 days of adoption will receive an $8.95 credit towards any one of the annual ShelterCare pet insurance programs.

Shelters and rescue groups that have started promoting the new and enhanced ShelterCare gift have already indicated that their adopters appreciate the changes and we have received hundreds of calls to take advantage of the new options available to adopters. Help us to help your adopters by telling them about the options available to them by calling 1-866-375-7387 within 72 hours of adoption.

PetPoint users please make sure that you go through the “New” ShelterCare Gift Checklist as this is of critical importance in making sure that your new adopters understand the true value of the ShelterCare gift. We are here to provide financial support to the adopters of animals from your facility – work with us to ensure that your animals have a future – tell your adopters about the ShelterCare gift of insurance and how important it is to prepare today for what the future will bring.