We know that no house really feels like a home without family, and dogs often make the best kind of family. IKEA has been one of the top home furnishings distributors for years now, but they’ve decided to step it up even further. I guess you could say the store has gone to the dogs… in the best kind of way.
Each year, there are more copies of the IKEA catalog being printed than the Bible. The home furnishings store has a massive reach and a huge audience, so they’ve put that incredible power to good use by partnering with Home for Hope, a project designed to signal boost shelter dogs in need of adoption.
Most shelters have a hard time finding new pet parents to adopt the dogs and cats in the shelter’s care because most of their social media following is people who have already adopted and aren’t necessarily looking to do so again soon. IKEA, however, reaches a much bigger audience, and so the creative campaign was born. Featured alongside the bookshelves and nightstands are life sized cutouts of dogs available for adoption. Now you can imagine what it would be like to bring home a new buddy and make your house a true home.
All shoppers have to do to find out more about the potential best friend printed on the cardboard is take out their smartphones and scan the barcode! This directs the possible puppy parents to a page with more information about the dog and his or her unique personality traits and history.
Unfortunately, you can’t currently walk into your local IKEA and find local animals featured in the store. The project is currently taking place in Tempe, Arizona, and Singapore. Change has come from this, and the proof is in the adoption papers. All six dogs that were featured in the inaugural month found forever homes!
If you want to see your local IKEA take part in this project for your community and save animals that need homes, simply contact them and tell them yourself!
Let’s put our paws together and make a change.
For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and animal welfare has to offer follow Wendy Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!
Originally published on Animal Fair, July 2014.
