FINAL PORTFOLIO

Humane Society of Southern Arizona Public Relations Plan

Allyson Cortinas

Comm317 | Casertano
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Table of Contents
Client News Release ............................................................................................................... 2
Client Media Advisory ............................................................................................................ 3
Social Media Pitch ................................................................................................................. 4
Op-Ed .................................................................................................................................... 5
Audio News Release .............................................................................................................. 8
PSA ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Blog Post ............................................................................................................................. 10
Newsletter Article ................................................................................................................ 13
Special Event Plan................................................................................................................ 16
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Client News Release

Save Lives and Help Homeless Animals in the Tucson

Community by Simply Going for a Walk
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSA) is hosting the walk
your dog has been waiting for all year long
TUCSON, Ariz. (Sep. 23, 2018) – Come and join the Humane Society of Southern Arizona for
their fourth annual Sweat for Your Pets: Walk, Run & Roll. This event is a non-competitive 3K
walk, run or roll that will be on Saturday, October 20. Held on the University of Arizona Mall,
Tucson, Az. Registration beings at 7 a.m. and Sweat for Your Pets officially starts at 8:30 a.m..

This is more than just a walk, this is a chance for the HSSA to raise their goal of $50,000. They
have raised over $10,000 so far, and everyone that raises $100 will win their first ever Humane
Society Medal. You can do this walk as an
individual or as a team. The best part is that
all dogs and children 12 years and under
walk for free but owners and individuals 13
years and up pay a $20 registration fee.

Admission to this event gives you access to:

▪ Variety of vendor
▪ Sponsor booths
▪ Food trucks
▪ Massage area
▪ Fun things for your four-legged
animal as well
▪
Humane Society of Southern Arizona was founded in 1944 whose vision is a community in
which all pets are cared for and loved. Our primary focus is finding homeless homes and making
all animals feel loved and welcomed. Last year over 800 participates and 500 dogs were at
Sweat for Your Pets and we’re hoping to have a larger turn out this year.

For further information or to register for the run go to https://support.hssaz.org/event/sweat-

for-pets-walk-run-and-roll/e190238. Feel free to contact the Humane Society of Southern
Arizona at (520)321-3704 but if you would like to be a donor email them at
shunter@hssaz.org.
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Client Media Advisory

MEDIA ADVISORY – September 26, 2018

Save Lives and Help Homeless Animals in the Tucson Community by Simply
Going for a Walk

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSA) is hosting the walk your dog has been waiting?
for all year long. Humane Society of Southern Arizona hosts annual fundraising walk

WHAT: Humane Society of Southern Arizona is hosting their fourth annual Sweat for Your
Pets: 3K Walk, Run & Roll. There will also be a variety of vendors, food trucks, kids’
fun zone, pet costume contest and more. Pre-registration is $20 and $25 the day of
the walk. Registration for the walk can be found at
https://support.hssaz.org/event/sweat-for-pets-walk-run-and-roll/e190238.

WHY: All proceeds of this event will go towards the Humane Society to save lives of
homeless animals in the Tucson community. The goal of this walk is to raise $50,000,
so far, they have raised over $10,000.

WHERE: Sweat for Your Pets will be located at the University of Arizona Mall. The course will
start and finish at the University of Arizona Campus Mall on University Blvd.
alongside the Student Union. The Vendor Village, Geico Fun Zone and Registration
tent will all be on the University Mall.

WHEN: Sweat for Your Pets will take place Saturday, October 20th. Registration for the walk
begins at 7 a.m. and Sweat for Your Pets will officially start at 8:30 a.m.

Contacts: Events Manager

Steff Hunter
shunter@hssaz.org
(520) 321-3704 - EXT 188
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Social Media Pitch

@HSSAZ is partnering with @dusktucson for a #2day musical event where a portion of the
ticket sales will go to the Humane Society. Come and #SaveAnimals
At #DUSKMusicFestival. https://www.facebook.com/events/1624779537631252/
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Op-Ed

Out with the Old and in with the New

After 73 years the Humane Society

of Southern Arizona has finally outgrown

their old facility. With the help of the City of

Tucson and countless donates they were

able to relocate and create a massive loving

home for homeless animals of Southern facility. The goal of the new location was to

Arizona. On April 9th they had their Grand create a bigger home for all the animals.

Opening at their new location on 635 West While they are all waiting for their forever

Roger Road. home, the animals are still experiencing a

good life. The new location has a multiple

The new location has a
large dog runs, a few off-leash play areas, a
multiple large dog runs, off-
leash play areas, dog dog-walking path around the facility, indoor

walking path around the and outdoor cat sanctuaries, as well many
facility, indoor and outdoor
buildings for outreach and education
cat sanctuaries.
services, and a larger veterinary clinic.

This project had been in the works There will also be improvements beyond

for six years and in December of 2016 the the animals such as new air conditioning

Humane Society was finally about to break units that allow 100% of the air is recycled

ground and they started building the new

In 2017 a total of
5,359 animals were
brought in
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every 5 minutes and solar panels around Ford. She continued saying that their new

the parking lot. vet clinic will have a dedicated room for

For the last 3 years they have seen a dental work and large surgeries.

decrease in the number of animals brought

into the Humane Society, however numbers

are still larger than the old facility could

contain. In 2017 the Humane Society took-

in a total of 5,359 animals. The old location

only had one hallway for dogs and one and

a half rooms for the cats. However, cats had Figure 1 Old Facility

to share their space with rabbits, hamsters,

or other small animals that came in. The cat

room had no direct sunlight which did not

help with the cat’s overall moral. Now we

have more than enough room for all the

Figure 2 New Facility

animals, including places for pigs, chickens, This project cost about $10 million

roosters, bunnies, hamsters, guinea pigs, and with the help of donors and grants the

rats, ferrets and other animals that need a homeless pets of Southern Arizona finally

home. The larger facility will also decrease have a comfortable living space until they

the spread of diseases because it allows find their own forever home. In an

animals to have room said the director of interview board chairman Kris Slaney said,

Marking and Communications, Vanessa “Our vision is simple; a community in which

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all pets are cared for and loved. For over 70 guide us to provide a safe haven for animals

years, the Humane Society has been a and help them find their forever homes.”

cornerstone of our community, serving pets This new facility aligns with

and people alike. We have grown to be so everything the Humane Society of Southern

much more than just a shelter; however, we Arizona stands for: saving animals, helping

will never lose sight of the principles that the community, and enriching lives.
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Audio News Release

RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT: 30

PET PHOTOS WITH SANTA (162 words)

CHRISTMAS IS QUICKLY APPROCHING WITH ONLY NINE FRIDAYS LEFT UNTIL THE BIG DAY.

THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN HAVING BEAUTIFULLY DONE FAMILY PHOTOS TO SEND OUT

TO ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. SANTA WILL BE STOPPING BY THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF

SOUTHERN ARIZONA MAIN LOCATION ON NOVEMBER 10TH FROM 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. HE WILL

BE THERE TO TAKE PHOTOS WITH YOU, YOUR FUR CHILDREN AS WELL AS YOUR REGULAR

CHILDREN. BOTH YOUR CATS AND DOGS ARE WELCOME TO COME AND MEET SANTA. IT IS

ONLY FIFTEEN DOLLARS TO GET YOUR PHOTO WITH SANTA TO SEND OUT TO ALL YOUR LOVED

ONES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE GOING TOWARDS CARING FOR THE

HOMELESS PETS AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY. BE SURE TO BUY YOUR TICKET TO MEET SANTA ON

THE HUMANE SOCIETY WEBSITE OR FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK THROUGH THE HUMANE

SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND GO TO THEIR EVENTS PAGE. JOIN US FOR SOME FUN FOR

THE WHOLE FAMILY.

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PSA

IT’S THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, AND THAT MEANS ITS TIME FOR ALL THE HALLOWEEN
FESTIVITIES! INCLUDING, THE AGE-OLD MYTH ABOUT BLACK CATS BEING A BAD. SADLY, ON
AVERAGE BLACK FURRED ANIMALS WILL STAY IN SHELTERS THE LONGEST. THE HUMAN
SOCIETY WANTS TO PROVE THAT OMEN WRONG AND SHOW THAT BLACK CATS ARE NOT BAD
LUCK. THEY ARE HAVING BLACK CAT APPRECIATION WEEK FROM SUNDAY, OCTOBER TWENTY-
FIRST THROUGH SATRUDAY OCTOBER TWENTY-SEVENTH. ALL BLACK CATS WILL HAVE
REDUCED ADOPTION FEES DURING THIS WEEK. COME TO OUR MAIN LOCATION ON 635 WEST
ROGER ROAD OR OUR OTHER TWO LOCTIONS AT LA ENCANTADA MALL OR PARK PLACE MALL
TO ADOPT AND PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT BLACK CATS ARE PERFECT FOR ANY FAMILY.
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Blog Post

Winter is Coming

It may have taken Tucson a few months to cool down finally, but it is definitely

beginning to feel a lot like winter. While you are preparing your house and self for the winter

months, please do not forget to keep your pets in mind. Our staff at the Humane Society have

come up with three useful tips that will help keep your pets safe while the temperature drops.

1. Keep Your Pets Inside or Sheltered:

Similar to the summer months you must make sure your animals are sheltered from the

extreme weather changes. We may live in the desert, which means we might not get snow or

blizzards like most of the United States, but we still experience the extreme drops at night.

During the day it might be safe enough for your animals to be left outside, but just like humans,

animals are still susceptible to hyperthermia, and it is dangerous to leave them outside,

especially overnight. On average our Winter months (October-March) can be as low as 47 °F.

There have been incidences where Tucson has experienced temperatures ranging from 15-20 °F

and then having wind chill causing temperatures to feel less than 5 °F. We strongly urge you to

keep your animals inside when the sun goes down. However, if your animals are outside only,

such as outdoor cats, there are some other options can keep them safe. You can create a

shelter out of a large container and insulate it with blankets and other material that will keep

animals warm. Alternatively, you can purchase an insulated pet house. You can find them all

over the internet but here is an example from Amazon. Insulated shelters not only provide a

warm space, but also keep cats from going into dangerous places to stay warm. Cats have a
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tendency to hide inside car wheels or under the hood for protection, and often people are

unaware until it is too late.

2. Bundle Them Up

Just like us humans, animals also can get cold. In the winter months we bundle up in jackets,

fuzzy socks, gloves, and scarves to stay warm so why wouldn’t your animals need that too.

Your short-haired fur babies would benefit by keeping them bundled up. Pets exposed skin,

nose, ears and especially paw pads are at risk of frostbite or hypothermia. When snow falls on

Mount Lemmon it is always a fun treat to take your pup up and let them pounce around in the

snow, but be sure that they are wearing protective booties. And for the short-haired babies

maybe consider a warm sweater to keep their body temperatures from dropping.

3. Keep Poisons Away

When temperatures drop people will try to keep outside areas from freezing with rock salt or

other chemicals; however these are typically dangerous to your pets. Rock salt is commonly

used to keep the ground from freezing over as well as the chemical antifreeze if your pet

ingests either it can be fatal to them. When taking your dog for walks be sure to wipe all paws

with a damp towel once the walk is over. Licking off the rock salt can irritate their mouth, same

goes to other pets. Be mindful when using these products, wipe up any spills, keep all

chemicals locked away, and if your pet ingests any be sure to call a veterinarian immediately.

Also, be mindful of other things that can be poisonous to your animals this holiday season. For

instance, the plant poinsettias can be toxic to both cats and dogs. Holly and mistletoe are

other plants to be wary of because they have a higher toxicity level than poinsettias do. If your
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pet ingests them watch out for symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drooling, and

abdominal pain. However, aside from plants, there are also foods and decorations to be aware

of this holiday season. Foods that contain grapes, rains, candies with xylitol, chocolate and

fatty meat scraps can cause harm to your animals. Be sure to keep tinsel and snow globes out

of your animals reach when decorating this holiday season. Tinsel can be deadly if ingested

because it can cause damage to the intestinal tract and snow globes can contain antifreeze.

For more information visit the Pet Poison Helpline website.

Please be sure to speak out if you see any pet left out in the cold. However, please be

sure to do it in a polite manner some people may not be aware of the dangers that can come

with the cold temperatures. However, if they choose to ignore you and they continue to

endanger their animal, some steps can be taken. You can report them because animal neglect

is considered a misdemeanor. You can find instructions on what to do when you are witnessing

animal neglect here.

Lastly, here at the Humane Society we are always accepting donations for our shelter

animals eagerly waiting to be adopted. We are still in need of food, toys, grooming supplies,

blankets and other times. You can find our donation wish list here. You can bring your

donations to our central facility on 635 W. Roger Rd Tucson, AZ 85705 or you can make a cash

donation online. We appreciate any help that we receive from our community.
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Newsletter Article
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Special Event Plan

Humane Society of Southern Arizona Holiday Gala

Situation:

The year 2018 has been a big year for the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. We

finished our new-much larger location on Roger Road. This project took about 6 years to finish

and now that it is open, we would like to host a holiday gala on December 28th, 2018. The

reason for the gala is that we want to thank our wonderful donors and the community because

could not have done this $10 million-dollar project without them. We cannot think of a better

way to thank our community than getting everyone together for a holiday celebration at the

beautiful Tucson Convection Center. Free admission to this event for our large donors,

volunteers and people who have adopted from us this year. But the general public can attend

by donating to the Humane Society for a ticket. We want this to be a fun event for the whole

family. We will be serving food from local food venders as well as having a fully stocked liquor

bar. We will also have a large dance floor, Santa for the kids, and adoptable pets that need

loving homes. This will be an event to remember.

Objectives:

With this gala we would like to accomplish a few objectives. First objective is to have an

attendance rate of 80% from the people we have specifically invited and an attendance rate of

9,000 people. We want all the people that donated to know how much we appreciate them and

to spread holiday cheer to the community. Secondly, we would like to raise $1 million in

donations on the night of the gala. Third objective is to successfully adopt out 40% of the

shelter’s animals that are brought to the gala.

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Audience:

We want all our major donors from the relocation project, Sweat for Pets, and the other

large donators from throughout this year. We also would like to invite all the volunteers helped

us build our new location, who help out in our facility, as well as everyone that has helped

make our events possible. Lastly, we want to invite anyone who has adopted from us this year.

Outside of our major invitees we want to invite our community and general public. Our

community is a huge part of who we are, and we would not be able to do nearly as much

without everyone’s help.

The Tucson Convection Center can hold up to 9,275 people. We plan on sending out

6,000 invitations between the donators, volunteers, and anyone who has adopted from us.

That way roughly 2,000 invitations can be purchased by people of the community. We need

people outside of the invitees to come because we would like to adopt out animals that night

and including the community improves the animal’s chances of finding forever homes.

Overall, our target audience are families and people of all ages. But since we would like

to be holding adoptions that night, we also will be targeting adults ages 25 and over. Ideally, we

want people that are financially ready that can adopt an animal. Adults 25 and older typically

are out of college, have stable incomes, wanting a family of some sort and are ready to take

care of someone other than themselves.

Strategies:

To accomplish the goal of an 80% attendance rate we’ll send out invitations two months

before the gala that way people have time to plan ahead. We also will be promoting this event

through social media, radio announcements, sending flyers though the mail, as well as having
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flyers at the local food establishments that will be serving food that night. We want

announcements made early and frequent.

Second objective of raising $1 million that night. We will be raising money through a

variety of ways that night. First, will be holding silent auctions ranging from animal leashes to 3-

night stays in resorts around town. We’re hoping to have a majority of these auction items

donated from the community to keep our costs down. Secondly, ticket sales. Unless you were

personally invited you can donate a minimum of $25 for a ticket. If people would like to donate

more, we will have donation stations around the gala. Third way, a 20% of our food and liquor

sales will be donated to the Humane Society. Lastly, we will have animal adoptions happening.

Third objective of adopting 40% of animals we bring that night. We think the best way

to do this is to have free adoptions for adult animals over 2 years old. But for animals 2 years

old and younger we will be having reduced rates. We will be bringing cats, kittens, puppies and

dogs to this event. The cats would be in a more secluded area that way they do not get too

stressed out from the events surrounding them. We want the animals to be as comfortable as

possible otherwise it will make adopting them out harder.

Tactics:

First, we will send out save the date flyers in the mail to our targeted invited group as

well as the community. On the flyer it will have a website people can go to where they can

mark as interested via email. Secondly, we’ll be sending invitations via emails to all our donors,

volunteers and people who have adopted this year as well as anyone indicated as interested.

Thirdly, we’ll have created a Facebook event for people to find out more information and direct
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them purchasing a ticket. We’ll be constantly tweeting about it and creating Instagram posts.

We’ll create event hashtags so that people can find the event easily on social media.

We’ll purchase radio space so that people can hear about it when they are driving

around. Flyers will be placed throughout our three locations as well as local food vendors, and

local spaces such as libraries, supermarkets, schools.

Our main tactic is to get the word out early, starting mid-October.

Calendar:

In order to get all the venders, bartenders, location and the attendees we want we need

to start planning 12 months in advanced. We started brainstorming all of this in January of

2018. Once we’ve got the general concept down, we need to find a venue. We would like to

have signed a contract to the Tucson Convention Center by March that way we can start

sketching out the layout. Next, we will be contacting local food venders 8 months out, so

around May. We want at least 15 vendors present so starting early will help us identify which

venders would like to participate in our event. By August we will have our final food vendors

contracted and food menus set in stone. Next, we have to hire a bartending service. We would

like our bartending services contracted by late August. Next, we will be sending out flyers and

emails to various businesses around town asking for donations for our silent auction.

By the end of September, we should have our location, food and drink vendors, DJ for

the dance floor, an idea of who will be donating items that way we can start marketing this

event. By October we want save the date flyers sent out that way by mid-October we can start

sending out invitations. We will also have our flyers start going up around town and at the food
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vendors locations. Social media advertising will be created. By mid-November we should have a

guest list going.

Budget:

We’re budgeting $60,000 to put this event together.

• Booking the Tucson Convention Centers Tucson Arena will cost $3,100

• Food vendors are about $400 per vendor: $6,000

• Bartender: Using 520 Bartending will cost us $50 per hour plus 2 bartenders ($200 for 2

bartenders:

o The event will be 5 hours and we will need 10 bartenders: $2,500 including fees

o Buying our own alcohol will cost us $2,000

• DJ and Santa: free because they will be a volunteer

• Decorations: $1,000

• Staff: $28,000

• Flyers: $600

Total: $43,200 leaving $16,800 for unexpected things that come up.

Evaluation:

Seeing how successful our gala was will be based off the number of attendees, total

money that was donated and how many animals were adopted that night.

We had a 75% attendee rate of our invited guests which is lower than what we were

hoping but sold 3,000 tickets. Our ticket sales exceeded our goal. Since we had 3,000 people

donate $25, we earned $75K though tickets, collected another $20K at the gala, made $10K

though the silent auction we were able to exceed our $1M goal by $5K.
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We brought 40 animals with us and that night we adopted 15 dogs, 3 puppies, 4 cats

and 6 kittens. We adopted 28 which is over 50% of the animals we brought with us. This gala

was definitely a success.