While 3-4 million dogs are acquired every year through reputable sources across North America, many more are acquired through non-reputable sources - 'puppy mills', 'backyard breeders' and stores that sell pets where breeding and living conditions are optimized for owners' profit, at the expense of animal welfare. The Finding Fido program is increasing awareness of this issue and influencing Canadians to get their dog from reputable sources (humane societies, SPCAs, breeders and rescues.)
More often than not, when a family wants to introduce a dog into their family, they go online or visit a pet store. What they don't realize is that many of the dogs they see online or at stores are from puppy mills. By donating to Finding Fido, you are ensuring that more people understand that their purchase allows puppy mills to continue churning out dogs with little concern for the animals' welfare. You ensure they realize that adoption is the best option.
The Finding Fido program will directly influence people's attitudes and behaviours around getting a dog. This end result of this program is to directly and negatively impact the puppy mill industry and to shut them down.
Directly through our aggressive social media campaigns we project approximately 8 million program 'impressions', primarily through website traffic, by the end of 2013. If only 5% of people experiencing the program take action, then we will potentially have diverted as many as 400,000 people from puppy mills, pet stores and disreputable breeders.
