PetSmart Charities and Deutsch LA Support Crowded Shelters with AI Tool "Rescue Writer™" Ahead of National Adoption Week Nov. 6-12

Press Releases

Nov 06, 2023

New tool helps staff and volunteers write compelling bios so shelters can find loving homes for pets faster

PHOENIX, Nov. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Just in time for National Adoption Week, Nov. 6-12, nonprofit PetSmart Charities^® is leveraging the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to encourage adoptions. In partnership with Deutsch LA, an award-winning creative agency, the entities are providing shelters with access to Rescue Writer™. The free tool helps shelter staff and volunteers write attention-grabbing, heartwarming and editable bios, promising to increase pets’ chances of finding people to love.

By simply entering a few personality traits, Rescue Writer churns out quirky, sweet and attention-getting bios for each pet. Creative storytelling has the power to pique the interests of potential adopters to schedule “meet and greets” to determine ideal matches. For example, Henri is a 10-year-old at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control in Phoenix, Arizona. Rescue Writer generated the following bio to entice his perfect match:

“Meet Henri, a senior dog with a heart of gold. His personality is as mellow as a summer’s day and as gentle as a lullaby. He’s sweet, loyal and so cuddly that you’ll never feel lonely with him around. Henri’s idea of a perfect day involves lounging on the couch, enjoying the quiet moments and giving you his undivided attention. He’s the ideal companion for those who appreciate the slower, more relaxed pace of life. Adopting Henri means welcoming a friend who will cherish your company, bring tranquility to your home and fill your days with the purest form of love. Don’t let his senior status fool you — Henri still has plenty of love to give and is eagerly waiting for his loving home where he can spend his golden years showering his new family with affection.”

“We’re thankful to our friends at Deutsch LA for creating such an easy-to-use, accessible way to evolve the time-consuming job of writing bios,” said Heidi Marston, director of pet placement at PetSmart Charities. “We’re thrilled to make Rescue Writer available to shelters across the nation; the tool promises to help more pets — and especially seniors in need of warm homes in their golden years — faster.”

Each year, more than 6 million pets find their way into shelters. Many of them now face extended stays, stretching shelters’ already limited resources. During PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week, local shelter partners bring adoptable pets into PetSmart stores across the nation in hopes of finding new homes for tens of thousands of adoptable pets.

PetSmart Charities National Adoption Week in November coincides with National Adopt a Senior Pet Month. Older pets are often overlooked because of future health risks and concerns about ingrained behaviors, but they make ideal companions for those looking for certain attributes. PetSmart Charities encourages potential pet parents to consider the benefits of inviting an adult pet to join their pack:

Bonding with senior pets can be a bit easier as they’re more likely to be calmer, more experienced and house-trained.
For those in search of a fellow “couch potato” to watch movies with or even to lay low while working, senior pets can be the perfect match.
Whether it’s their preferences or their personalities, pets in the golden years can be easier to read.
Living with senior pets can inspire their people to slow down and take time to stop and smell the roses.
Adopting senior pets ensures peace and better health in their final years and helps shelters to ease overcrowding.

“Stemming from the insight that shelter animals with well-defined backstories are more likely to find their forever home, we set out to leverage the power of AI for good,” said Ivan Perez-Armendariz, EVP/head of digital experience, Deutsch LA. “PetSmart Charities plays such an important role in this space. Giving them and animal shelters new tools to make a substantial difference has been incredibly gratifying.”

As National Adoption Week approaches, PetSmart Charities is encouraging communities to find a PetSmart store nearby and open their home to a pet in need. For those not ready to expand their families, donations are welcome at petsmartcharities.org.

About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps up to 400,000 pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. PetSmart Charities grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crises with access to food, shelter and disaster response. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart® stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.

Deutsch LA is a data-inspired, culturally shaped creative studio based in Los Angeles, California. Working at the intersection of entertainment, technology and culture, we keep brands ahead of the curve. With Hollywood’s creative legacy as a backdrop and the ingenuity of Silicon Beach serving as daily inspiration, we take an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach that includes advertising, brand strategy, business intelligence, design, media, production and technology. Steelhead, our in-house production company, is the largest agency-owned production facility in the country, keeping making at the company’s core. Deutsch LA is proud to work with some of the world’s top brands, including Taco Bell, Walmart, Dr Pepper, Snapple, Lowe’s, Nintendo, PetSmart, PetSmart Charities, Opendoor, NerdWallet and more. Deutsch LA has regularly appeared on Advertising Age’s Agency A-List and is honored to be named one of Adweek’s 2023 Top Five U.S. Agencies of the Year. For more information, visit www.deutschla.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram.

Media Contacts:
Carmichael Lynch Relate for PetSmart Charities
petsmartcharities@clynch.com