The Pawlytics team is coming to you with a full guide for how to start an animal rescue! We have you covered from writing your business plan and building your team to setting up forms and starting your marketing efforts. If you’ve been sniffing around for info on starting a rescue, you’ve come to the right place!
>>>>>DOWNLOAD THE E-BOOK HERE<<<<<
The e-book will take you through the following steps:
Writing a Business Plan for Your Animal Rescue
We’ll start by introducing you to the concept of running your animal rescue like a business. A business cannot succeed without first having a business plan. To start, write and personalize your own “Rescue Plan”. Having this written out will help you organize your efforts, and also help you as you start to go after grants and funding. Your business plan should:
- Have an executive summary and mission statement
- Map our your rescue’s structure
- Identify your rescue’s opportunity and risks
- Establish your goals
- Write your implementation plan
- Explain your fundraising plan
- Describe the impact your animal rescue will have
Establish 501(c)3 Status
You’ll want to consider filing for your 501(c)3 status. Obtaining this status means your non-profit rescue has been recognized by the IRS as being tax-exempt by virtue of its charitable programs.
Cultivate an Inclusive and Diverse Rescue
Creating your new rescue gives you an open book to cultivate a community of animals that is as diverse as the animals you are going to be saving. Keep this in mind as you establish your bylaws, build your board, create your applications, and ultimately adopt animals out to loving homes. Drop your biases at the door and limit any barriers to entry.
Your rescue should reflect your community as a whole, we’re talking people of every color from every walk of life. The more inclusive you can be, the more opportunity to save lives. Rescues do such amazing work, but it can be limited by being closed-minded or even being too strict in who you allow into your rescue network. As you begin your rescue’s journey, think about how you can HELP the people who want to HELP you save lives.
Organize Financial Efforts
Being prepared for the costs associated with animal rescue will help you save more animals in the long run. As mentioned before, treat your rescue like you are running a business. A business expenses and expects to make a profit. The expenses of your rescue will be put toward the care you can provide for each animal, which will be maintained by “profits” that you make with fundraising.
Marketing and Public Relations Strategy
Your community will be SO excited about a new animal rescue! Don’t be afraid to share the work you are setting out to do! Mapping out your strategy around your marketing and PR efforts will help you grow within your community so you can start saving lives. Learn how to get your fosters involved in your marketing. Learn how to write a press release.
Create Your Rescue Team
Your rescue needs a team of animal-loving superheroes. With planning and strategy happening, you can start working toward building your rescue team. As you start your animal rescue, YOU are the one who gets to create your team. Your team will consist of board members, volunteers, fosters, adopters, and more as you grow. Here are some tips for getting started creating your network of life savers.
Track Your Efforts
From the very beginning of your rescue, you should be tracking the data behind your life-saving efforts. Choosing the right software for your rescue can be a game-changer. When searching for the right software you will want to consider usability, accessibility, and if it tracks all of the data you want to keep. We’d recommend checking out Pawlytics! 😉
YOU CAN DO IT!
There are lives waiting to be saved by YOU! Let your passion and love for animal drive and let your business savvy guide you! Recruit a team to help you along the way. Use any mistake as a learning opportunity to better the next time. The team here at Pawlytics is cheering for you and can’t wait to see the difference you make for the animal we so dearly love.
Now, go save some lives!