Global Pet Foods proudly supports animal shelters, charities, and rescue organizations across the country with the annual Show Us Your Heart fundraiser campaign
By Stefanie Ucci
Nearly everyone can attest to the joy a pet brings to a family. It’s an unconditional, enduring love, a comforting presence that turns any house into a home. Global Pet Foods knows this feeling, and its franchisees across the country know how to bring that feeling to life. The result: a place for pet parents to provide the best life for their furry family members. And as a bonus, they get the chance to give back to pets in their communities.
Since 1976, Global Pet Foods, and Pitou Minou & Compagnons in Quebec, have grown to more then 200 locations nationwide as a Canadian franchise brand. Most locations are owned by franchisees, with only five corporate stores nationally, but all operate with the same belief. They treat every customer not as a pet owner but as a pet parent.
The brand focuses on providing healthy and natural premium pet products to consumers and offers product selections that can’t be found at big box retailers or grocery stores. Product offerings include everything from kibble, wet foods, raw and frozen meals, and alternative foods like freeze dried or dehydrated foods to treats, toys, and accessories. Franchise owners and their teams are pet care specialists, well-versed in pet care, nutrition, and everything in-between.
This year, the company celebrates its 50th year in business. Since day one, the expectation has been that a customer can show up at any location and receive the same expertise and care every single time.
“We believe that pets are undeniably part of the family,” explain Laura Fowler, director of operations and marketing, and Anna Zalnieriunas, senior marketing manager. “We’ve created a destination store environment that’s really focused on premium pet foods for our furry family members.”
All for the love of pets
Global Pet Foods is an active member within all the communities where its franchisees operate. One of its most significant contributions is the annual Show Us Your Heart fundraiser that collects donations to support animal shelters, charities, and rescue organizations across Canada.
The fundraiser is held each February—purposely during the month of love—and invites customers to make an in-store donation that goes directly to the charity chosen by each store’s owner. Corporate head office amps up the efforts and donates $1 for every donation made.
“The funds stay in the local community where they were raised. That’s why each franchisee gets to select a cause that matters to them and the people they serve,” say Laura and Anna. “When customers make a donation, they receive a paper paw that gets displayed in the store window or throughout the store, acting as a visible record of everyone who has contributed.”
Laura’s been with Global Pet Foods for 16 years and Anna for just over two, and both have seen the fundraiser evolve and expand over time. What started as a two-week campaign during the Valentine’s season has since expanded to the full month of February thanks to overwhelming support from franchisees and their customers.
“We think of February now as ‘Show Us Your Heart Month,’” they note. “Franchisees really get behind it and have always thought it was such an important initiative that gave so much back to their communities. We’ve extended the fundraiser’s length because they wanted the opportunity to raise as much as they can.”
The results are powerful: “We hear back from franchisees that their customers love to support the fundraiser because they know the rescues, or they know the charities where the funds are going. They’ve always been able to see for themselves that the money raised stays locally within their communities.”
Record-breaking success
Since launching in 2008, Show Us Your Heart has helped stores raise more than $3.4 million for local rescues and charities across the country. This year’s campaign raised over $336,000, which marks the biggest single-year total in the fundraiser’s history.
Franchisees get advertising support with a national marketing campaign run by head office, but at the heart of the campaign’s success are the franchisees and the communities they serve. For nearly 20 years, customers have shown up year after year, united by their love of family pets and rescue animals.
“Behind this year’s record-breaking number is something a national campaign can’t achieve on its own. On top of collecting in-store donations, franchisees go further to rally their communities by hosting barbecues, raffles, and in-store events to drive contributions,” say Laura and Anna.
At the end of the day, the success of the fundraiser goes back to the brand’s philosophy that every pet deserves to have a family—and pet parents agree. One goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about rescue animals, and to make sure that they get the opportunity to be adopted into their forever homes. It brings to life the significance of the saying ‘Adopt, Don’t Shop’ by putting rescue pets at the top of peoples’ minds. It’s also a welcome opportunity for customers to share their personal rescue stories about the pets that have changed their lives.
“Caring for pets and the communities they live in has been part of Global Pet Foods’ DNA since day one,” explain Laura and Anna. “Show Us Your Heart is the biggest event of the year. Franchisees and their customers know they’re making a difference. That makes it more meaningful for everyone involved.”
The campaign invites vendor support, and in turn gives a little something back to donors. “We work with a fellow Canadian pet food brand, FirstMate. They’re based in B.C. and have been our partner on this fundraiser for the past few years. Every time a customer donates, they get a free bag of treats from FirstMate,” add Laura and Anna. “It’s always great when you can see a Canadian company, a Canadian manufacturing partner, and Canadian retail owners all working together for the greater good of pets.”
More paws-ibilities to give back
Franchisees raised money for local pet charities right across the country. Here’s a look at just a few of the causes they supported during Show Us Your Heart.
Across Ontario, franchisees supported charities like Happy Tales Animal Sanctuary in Kingston. One franchisee in Northern Ontario also led a community walk with customers and pet parents as part of their fundraising efforts.
In Western Canada, franchisees supported charities like the Cochrane Humane Society. Over in Atlantic Canada, franchisees supported charities like Riley’s Legacy Cat Rescue in Moncton, New Brunswick. In Quebec, franchisees with Pitou Minou & Compagnons supported charities like Refuge pour chats de Verdun, a cat shelter in Montreal’s borough of Verdun.
marketing at Global Pet Foods
“The organizations our franchisees choose to support are often ones they know personally,” say Laura and Anna.
With all this talk about pets and personal connections, do these two marketing professionals have pets of their own? Of course! Laura is a pet mom to Willow, a four-year-old Goldendoodle who’s an energetic busy bee that keeps her hands full and her two sons entertained. Anna is a proud mom of 16-year-old Rupert, a Norwegian Forest cat who she rescued when he was two years old.
Being a pet parent may be one of the greatest privileges in life. Pets love us unconditionally; they always have and they always will. It’s only right that they deserve a little something back too.
Learn more about franchising with Global Pet Foods
