1.
Public Relations Proposal for
SpokAnimal’s Community Involvement Issue

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Problem:
SpokAnimal is a nonprofit animal adoption center based in Spokane, Washington, whose mission
is to “address critical issues surrounding the pets in their care, whether that be overpopulation,
illness or special needs animals” (SpokAnimal, 2015a).
SpokAnimal’s main “priority has [always] been taking in animals from area shelters whenever
the need arises” (SpokAnimal, 2015b). However, a major issue affecting SpokAnimal is the in-
crease in displaced or abandoned animals as a result of recent wildfires. As of 2014, SpokAnimal
regularly takes in about 3,301 cats and dogs within a year (SpokAnimal, 2015c). This number
has only increased since wildfires broke out statewide, and SpokAnimal simply does not have
the staff or volunteers they need to help these animals.
Although SpokAnimal is one of the more well-known nonprofits in Spokane, the community
simply does not know how to get involved. Without community participation, SpokAnimal's
ability to reach its mission of helping care for newly abandoned and displaced animals becomes
nearly impossible. As one member said, SpokAnimal is only able to “shelter folks’ animals for
up to two weeks when they have a disaster” (“SpokAnimal helps animals,” 2014).
If SpokAnimal had an increase in community involvement, SpokAnimal may be able to provide
food and shelter for displaced and abandoned animals longer.
Targeted Publics:
• Local high schools and universities
• Local businesses
• Retirement home residents
Tactics:
• Local school newsletters for both high schools and universities.
• Social media
• Daily school announcements in high schools.
• Point-of-sale (POS) displays for retailers to display.
• Display posters for high schools, universities, local businesses, and retirement homes to dis-
play.
• Local community booths at local farmers markets and malls.
• Fliers to be distributed at booths or after the presentations.
• Personal presentations at retirement homes, and outside local farmers markets and malls.
Budget Summary: $2,400

3. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Strengths: The first strength is that they have great hours of operation. SpokAnimal is open
Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on weekends from noon to 4 p.m.. This gives
the community a wide range of times to volunteer.
The second strength is Mayor Condon and the city of Spokane itself have launched a volunteer
initiative with the hopes of getting more people involved in the community (“Spokane mayor
unveils,” 2014). This initiative will help bring attention to the cause.
The third strength is SpokAnimal’s ability to regularly release newsletters on their website and
social media sites. These channels contain information about SpokAnimal’s events and how peo-
ple can participate in them.
Weaknesses:The first weakness is the lack of community events relevant to the cause. When
SpokAnimal does participate in community activities, they are often events that people don’t
naturally associate with housing misplaced animals. For example, every year Spokane holds a
home and garden show, where SpokAnimal is present, however most people are there for things
like a new sprinkler system, not a pet.
The second weakness is SpokAnimal’s lack of advertising other involvement opportunities than
working with just the animal’s. SpokAnimal offers a variety of volunteering opportunities that do
not necessarily relate specifically to the animals themselves, such as special events crew (help
represent SpokAnimal at community events and fundraiser), adoption follow-ups calls crew
(make calls to new pet parents following their adoption, and check on the animals transition into
their new home).
Opportunities: The first opportunity is partnering with local pet stores or veterinary clinics. This
would be advantageous for SpokAnimal because customers and clients who patronize local pet
stores and veterinary clinics already have a passion for animals. By promoting volunteer oppor-
tunities at these types of establishments, SpokAnimal could increase community involvement in
helping house animals displaced from the wildfires.
The second opportunity is partnering with local Girl Scout and Boy Scout chapters. This would
be a great opportunity for SpokAnimal because both girl and boy scout troops are always looking
for volunteer opportunities to earn badges or give back to their communities in rough times.
Threats: The first threat is a concern about aggressive pets like pit bulls. Many people avoid vol-
unteering with a place like SpokAnimal because of the potential to be attacked by these animals.
This makes the community less receptive to involvement and volunteering efforts.
A second threat is competition for volunteers from the seven other shelters located in the
Spokane area. Many people may choose other shelters over SpokAnimal. When it comes to vol-

4. unteering many people choose places that are closer to their homes, or that have certain types of
volunteering that better matches their goals.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The purpose of the public relations proposal is to increase
community involvement in SpokAnimal, thus giving animals a better chance for temporary or
permanent sheltering due to local wildfires.
AUDIENCE ANAYLSIS:
Local high schools and universities: Local high schools and universities have an abundance of
students who need work experience and volunteer hours.
Local high schools and universities need to know that SpokAnimal provides an opportunity to
gain work experience and volunteer hours needed for course work and personal fulfillment.
Local businesses: Local businesses have the power to reach out to many different types of people
to volunteer or even encourage employees to volunteer. Encouraging customers and employees
to get involved through point of purchase displays, posters or even brochures would help Spok-
Animal with the sheltering of animals and increase customer loyalty.
Local businesses need to know that by partnering with SpokAnimal through activities like col-
lecting donations or encouraging customers and employees to volunteer can help them gain loyal
customers and employees who are passionate about animals.
Retirement homes: Retirement homes have the power to share volunteer opportunities with their
residents, who may have a passion for animals and the ability to donate time to helping their
community.
Retirement homes need to know that the elderly often have a passion for animals and the ability
to volunteer. By sharing volunteer opportunities with residents, they can appear as a good place
for other potential retirees to live and make those already within their homes more satisfied with
their choice.
PUBLIC RELATIONS PLAN
Goal 1: To increase community involvement in SpokAnimal.
Objective 1: To increase community involvement from local high school and college students in
SpokAnimal by 30 percent by Nov. 24. 2015, or Thanksgiving break.
Strategy: Use a multimedia approach to communicate with local high schools and
universities that SpokAnimal provides an opportunity to gain work experience and
volunteer hours needed for course work and personal fulfillment.
Tactic 1: Publish an ad in local school newsletters.
Brief description: By publishing an ad in local high school and
universities newsletters throughout the school year, students will be

5. informed of how they can help get involved with SpokAnimal
through work experience or volunteer hours.
Deadline: The deadline should begin the first day of school Sept. 5,
2015, and end Nov. 24, 2015, before thanksgiving break.
Budget: The budget should be around $300 hundred. If we advertise to 12
high schools and universities.
Special Requirements: The ad should include important information about
volunteer training and SpokAnimal's hours of operation, the need for
community involvement and stress how it would be helpful for
students looking to fulfill volunteer time.
Supervisor: Carol Byrnes, Education, School Presentations & Newsletter
director for SpokAnimal.
Tactic 2: Use social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to connect with
local high school and university students.
Brief description: By using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, more
students will become aware of SpokAnimal and their need for community
involvement. Students nowadays are very active on social media, meaning
the likelihood for students to see their sites and share them with others is
very high.
Deadline: The deadline should begin the first day of school Sept. 5,
2015 and end Nov. 24 before Thanksgiving break.
Budget: None.
Special Requirements: Posts should include volunteer training times,
emphasize the need for more community involvement and ways to contact
SpokAnimal for more information such as phone numbers or emails.
Supervisor: Dori Peck- the development director for SpokAnimal.
Tactic 3: We should include daily announcements in local high schools.
Brief Description: Most, if not all high schools, have student-led daily
announcements during the first period of classes every day. SpokAnimal
can ask permission to add a brief memo about their need for volunteers,
hours of operation and times of local volunteer training opportunities.
Deadline:Begin the first day of school September 5th, 2015, and end
November 24th before thanksgiving break.
Budget: None.
Special Requirements: None.
Supervisor: Carol Byrnes, the education, school presentations &
newsletter director for SpokAnimal.
Objective 2: To increase communication with local business about the need for community in-
volvement in SpokAnimal by 25 percent, by Jan. 2, 2016.
Strategy: Encourage businesses to share volunteer opportunities with SpokAnimal with
their employees and customers.
Tactic 1: Create point-of-sale (POS) displays for retailers to display.

6. Brief Description: Send local business, who agree to display 3 inch by
4 inch full-color desk posters to display at their point-of-sale.
Employees and customers will see these posters as they make purchases
and will be reminded that SpokAnimal is looking for volunteers.
Deadline: The deadline should begin Nov. 30, 2015 and go
through Jan. 2, 2016.
Budget: The budget should be $300 hundred for 40 posters.
Special Requirements: None.
Supervisor: Carol Byrnes -Education, School Presentations & Newsletter
director for SpokAnimal.
Tactic 2: Provide SpokAnimal posters for retailers to display on bulletin boards.
Brief Description: Send all participating businesses 18 inch by 24
inch full-color poster to display on bulletin boards. Customers often
view bulletin boards to sell things they have or look for items others are
selling. The posters should describe the need for community involvement
and include hours of operation, phone numbers, local volunteer training
times and locations.
Deadline: Begin Nov. 30, 2015 and go through Jan. 2, 2016.
Budget: The budget should be $300 hundred for 15 posters.
Special Requirements: Posters should be sent with a letter explaining the
need for community involvement and contact information if they need
more.
Supervisor: Carol Byrnes, the education, school presentations &
newsletter director of SpokAnimal.
Tactic 3: Once a week have someone from SpokAnimal set up a booth in a mall
or local farmers market, with a shelter animal to talk about volunteering
opportunities.
Brief Description: Once a week at the local mall or farmers market who is
have a SpokAnimal volunteer and a shelter animal with a booth, where
customers would be able to personally experience the animals that are at
SpokAnimal, as well as, gain information about volunteering
opportunities.
Deadline: The deadline should begin Nov. 30, 2015 and go
through Jan. 2, 2016.
Budget: The budget should be $1,000 thousand ($600 hundred for
brochures $400 hundred for table, supplies and food and water for
volunteers and animals).
Special Requirements: This can include a stand with brochures
about SpokAnimal and all they have to offer. Volunteers should be
briefed on what information to share with employees and customers and
only hand out brochures to those who are interested to avoid spamming.
Supervisor: Francine Branise, the volunteer coordinator for SpokAnimal.

7. Objective 3: To increase communication with local retirement home residents about how they
can become involved with SpokAnimal by 20 percent, by Mar. 1, 2016.
Strategy: Provide educational materials about community involvement opportunities
with SpokAnimal to local retirement home residents.
Tactic 1: We should create a double-sided flyer to be distributed to local retirement
home residents.
Brief Description: Give all retirement homes that are willing to cooperate,
around 200, eight inch by 11 inch full-color double-sided fliers to
distribute to residents. These newsletters will include dates of volunteer
training opportunities, brief descriptions of ways to get involved,
SpokAnimal’s hours of operation, as well as SpokAnimal’s phone
numbers, links to social media and emails.
Deadline:The deadline should begin Jan. 11, 2016 and continue until
Mar. 1, 2016.
Budget: The budget should be $200 hundred for 200 fliers.
Special Requirements: None.
Supervisor: Carol Byrnes, the education, school presentations &
newsletter director for SpokAnimal.
Tactic 2: Provide SpokAnimal posters for all local retirement homes to display
around and on bulletin boards.
Brief Description: Send all local retirement homes five, 18 inch by 24
inch full-color posters to display around retirement homes and on
bulletin boards. Residents often look at these to find things they can do to
be involved in the community.
Deadline: The deadline should begin Jan. 11, 2016 and continue until
Mar. 1, 2016.
Budget: The budget should be $200 hundred for five posters for six
retirement homes.
Special Requirements: Posters should be sent with a letter including an
explanation of how seniors can help SpokAnimal and emphasize the
need for volunteers. Include contact information if they need more.
Supervisor: Carol Byrnes, the education, school presentations &
newsletter director for SpokAnimal.
Tactic 3: Bring a SpokAnimal volunteer and a shelter animal to the retirement
home to interact with residents.
Brief Description: Have a SpokAnimal volunteer bring a shelter animal to
local retirement homes once a month to give out information about
volunteer and involvement opportunities. This presentation can include
pamphlets with pertinent information like volunteer training times,
phones numbers and brief descriptions of the types of volunteer
opportunities offered.
Deadline:The deadline should begin Jan. 11, 2016 and continue until
Mar. 1, 2016.

8. Budget: The budget should be $400 hundred for 1,000 brochures.
Special Requirements: Brief the volunteer on what they should cover.
Only distribute the pamphlet to those who show interest who to avoid
spamming.
Supervisor: Francine Branise, the volunteer coordinator for SpokAnimal.

9. References
SpokAnimal helps animals displaced by firestorm. (2015, August 26). Retired from http://myin-
forms.com/en/a/15772372-spokanimal-helps-animals-displaced-by-firestorm/
SpokAnimal. (2015a). About us. Retrieved from http://www.spokanimal.org/aboutus.php
SpokAnimal. (2015b). Miles to go. Retrieved from http://www.spokanimal.org/index.php
SpokAnimal. (2015c). Shelter Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.spokanimal.org/stats.php
SpokAnimal. (2015d). Planned giving. Retrieved from http://www.spokanimal.org/plannedgiv-
ing.php
SpokAnimal. (2015e). Contact us. Retrieved from http://www.spokanimal.org/contactus.php
Spokane mayor unveils volunteer initiative. (2014, March 16). Retrieved from http://www.kxly.-
com/news/spokane-news/spokane-mayor-unveils-volunteer-initiative/25008990