TNR campaign Plan

to WHS Dear Ms. Speed and Ms. Kline,

May 2008

Wakerly Communications has developed an integrated communication campaign to promote the Wisconsin Humane Society feral cat and TNVR initiative by strategically combining social media and viral marketing with traditional public relations and advertising strategies and tactics.

The plan we have developed addresses the four established goals for this campaign. Our campaign, with a budget of $5,000, will launch in January of 2009 and is scheduled to run for a full calendar year.

We are confident our Save the Cats campaign provides a solid strategic plan for the Wisconsin Humane Society to educate and inform Milwaukee County residents about its feral cat and TNVR programs. Together we can save the cats. Thank you for placing your trust in Wakerly Communications.

Sincerely, Kate Kohler Production AE

Amy Meyer Production AE

Nora Pilak Awareness AE

Evelyn Bohan Awareness AE

Alyssa Wilson Education AE

Kanoe Fish Education AE

Jessica Gibson Special Events AE

Beth Warmuth Special Events AE

Cassandra Koehler Lobbying AE

In order to save our world’s resources this book is printed on 100% recycled paper.

contents executive summary

1 & 2

awareness

3 - 7

education

8 - 10

special events

11 - 13

lobbying

14 - 17

timeline

18

budget

19

closing remarks

20

appendix items on dvd

21

save the cats teams

22

executive summary This semester the integrated section of the Advertising Campaign and Public Relations Campaign capstone courses have been working with our client, the Wisconsin Humane Society, to develop an integrated, public service, social marketing campaign for its feral cat and Trap-Neuter-VaccinateReturn initiative.

The campaign blends both traditional and non-traditional media but relies on the creative use of social media, viral marketing, and digital storytelling. In addition, our campaign strategically employs traditional public relations and advertising tactics to achieve the following goals: • Educate the public in an effort to overcome current misperceptions about feral cats and cat colonies.

• Encourage participation/fundraising in a variety of ways to help save feral cats.

• Lobby local legislators to sponsor new TNVR legislation.

• Build a community of support for feral cat caregivers and other concerned individuals using social networks.

Four individual teams addressed our campaign goals of education, public awareness, fundraising, special events, and lobbying.

The development of each objective is the result of key findings from primary and secondary research gathered by students in the ADPR research methods class in Fall 2007, taught by Dr. Joyce Wolburg.

Key findings include a lack of awareness about issues related to feral cats and the TNVR initiative. Primary research also revealed many misperceptions about feral cats – that they are aggressive to humans and carried rabies and other diseases. Many people fail to understand the overpopulation issues and think that euthanizing cats is a viable option.

The implementation of this campaign will effectively generate awareness about the feral cat initiative, increase fundraising, provide social networking opportunities for colony caregivers, and motivate local and state legislators to introduce TVNR legislation as the most humane and cost effective method of controlling the overpopulation of feral cats in Milwaukee County.

executive summary | 1

The highlight of our campaign is the Save the Cats website that serves as an all-in-one source of information including: • local information and resources • a special events calendar • a link to Milwaukee Meow, a social network site for feral cat colony caregivers.

• a digital media kit, including digital video news package for on-air or online broadcast • a digital video on trapping feral cats • “The Perils of Felicity Feral,” an interactive, online edugame • online quiz about feral cats and TNVR • a retro cat clock widget • downloadable desktop wallpapers • community lobbying materials • computer-designed images of cats, created by Cedarburg High School art students

executive summary | 2

awareness situation analysis Feral cat overpopulation is a serious problem in Milwaukee County. Most feral cats are fearful of people and unable to be socialized. They are not likely to be spayed or neutered so they reproduce at very high rates, leaving communities throughout Milwaukee and surrounding suburbs with large populations of feral cats.

Feral cats do have advocates. There are communities of compassionate cat caregivers throughout Milwaukee County who dedicate personal resources and countless hours caring for feral cat colonies.

Although there are a substantial number of people who care for feral cats in Milwaukee, these animals still face other threats. When they become a nuisance to their human neighbors, many people turn to the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) to resolve the problem.

Once a cat is taken to MADACC, it will be euthanized in seven days if it is not claimed.

According to the U.S. Public Opinion on Humane Treatment of Stray Cats, the general public does not support the euthanization of cats. A total of 81 percent of Americans believe that leaving a stray cat outside is more humane than having the cat caught and killed.

strengths • WHS’s established connection to the Milwaukee community will aid in increasing public awareness of population issues for feral cats.

• WHS generally has a strong donor, volunteer, pet care professional, and supporter network. weaknesses • The WHS has limited resources for promoting TNVR initiatives and providing caregiver support.

• WHS is not currently able to organize teams of volunteers to trap feral cats for people who are unable to do so. opportunities • Those who care about cats will potentially support our Save the Cats campaign.

• WHS’s close relationship with the public and its credibility within the community gives legitimacy to campaign initiatives. threats • The public has little to no knowledge of what feral cats are and how they differ from strays.

• There are many misperceptions about feral cats.

Our Save the Cats campaign strives to align community beliefs with current public opinion. awareness | 3

target audience This is what the outside of the bus shelter panel would look like with the headline “we decided to wait.”

we decided to wait

Our target audience encompasses all Milwaukee County residents, and more specifically homeowners or renters.

objective objective: To increase Milwaukee County residents’ awareness by 15 percent about issues related with feral cats by the end of December 2009.

strategies and tactics Our first strategy is to provide an all-in-one, interactive, multimedia source of information on feral cats and TNVR. The sole tactic is: save the cats website The interactive, multimedia website will contain information to support the overall objectives of the campaign.

they don’t know how There are thousands of free-roaming cats in Milwaukee County.

Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return is the most human and cost-effective solution to control cat overpopulation and save taxpayers’ dollars.

Learn how you can help WiHumane.org

The copy on the inside of the bus shelter reads: “They don’t know how. There are thousands of free-roaming cats in Milwaukee County. Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return is the most humane and cost-effective solution to control cat overpopulation and save taxpayers’ dollars. Learn how you can help.”

Our second strategy is to use advertising to communicate messages about the overpopulation of feral cats and to position TNVR as the most humane, cost-effective solution to the problem.

Tactics include: transit shelter advertisement Use advertisements for the sides of city buses, bus shelters and the Transit Television Network of the Milwaukee County Transit System. Utilizing transit media will allow us to reach a large number of residents in a cost effective manner. bus panel advertisement Place a bus panel ad on an MCTS bus. The ad design will come from a competition among local college design students.

awareness | 4

Riverwest cat photo by Julie German

Our third strategy is to implement an aggressive and comprehensive public relations campaign to gain positive coverage in key media outlets. The development of a media list and a media kit will be crucial to this part of the campaign. The two tactics include:

Our fourth strategy is to utilize creative and attention-getting forms of non-traditional tactics showing fast multiplying nature of feral cats that would attract public interest and attention to the feral cat cause. The four tactics to implement this strategy will be:

media list Create a list of important Milwaukee media contacts in the print, television, radio and online fields. This will be a source for the organization to refer to when pitching stories.

cat multiplication demonstration lawn signs Create lawn signs to be placed in Cathedral Square Park. Over the course of four days, beginning at the farmers market on Saturday, the lawn signs will “reproduce” exponentially from the initial two cats to dozens of cats on the fourth day. Educational signage will be included in demonstration.

media kit • “myth busters” feral cat fact sheet A single panel card will address misperceptions about feral cats. Cards can be distributed at events and animal related organizations around Milwaukee County.

Cali photo by Julie German

• digital story package A digital storytelling package will be sent to local TV stations and will be posted on our Save the Cats, YouTube, and ZooToo websites. The package focuses on telling the stories of local caregivers Julie German and Joyce Wolburg and their experiences with caring for feral cats. It is a human-interest piece that draws upon the compassion of viewers with the goal of dispelling negative misperceptions about feral cats.

• stock photo website A collection of 10-15 high resolution images of feral cats will be available digitally for download in the media kit section of the Save the Cats campaign website.

Bella photo by Ben Smidt

Feral cat stock photos available digitally for download on the Save the Cats website.

street stickers Create cat-themed street stickers to be placed on the cement sidewalk at the corner of Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Beginning with a small amount of stickers, over the course of a week, the stickers will “reproduce” exponentially from the initial two cats to dozens of cats on the seventh day. The sticker multiplication will attract attention and create buzz about the rapidly growing feral cat population. food industry outreach Create coasters and coffee cup sleeves to provide to local bars, cafes and diners. The outreach will target bars such as Jo Cats, cafes such as Alterra and Stone Creek Coffee, and casual eateries such as Bella’s Fat Cat, Ma Fischer’s and Miss Katie’s Diner. They will have a stylized cat illustration with the Save the Cats website address.

• news releases News releases will be sent out to the major news media in Milwaukee. The news releases will inform the media of special events supporting the TNVR mission of the Humane Society, as well as promote feature stories about TNVR initiatives. awareness | 5

light show Create a cat-themed “light show” to be projected on downtown Milwaukee buildings at night. The light show will project images of large cat paws “climbing” the building and will lead to a large feral cat near the top of the building. In addition, the Save the Cats web address will be projected. water bottles Create labels to place on water bottles. The water bottles will then be distributed at various public sites such as farmers’ markets, Jazz in the Park, and the Milwaukee Lake Park. The labels will display the Save the Cat logo and the website address.

Our fourth strategy to build awareness is to maintain a significant presence in online social media, including MySpace and Facebook, a digital widget, and an online interactive edugame titled The Perils of Felicity Feral. myspace Create a MySpace profile for “Frank,” a fictitious feral cat. Frank’s profile will create a way for MySpace users to get involved in the feral cat cause in a fun way. The profile will serve as a channel to the our “Milwaukee Meow” caregiver social networking site.

During the month of May, the WHS will appeal to local and regional celebrities, bands, DJs and other known personalities to put Frank’s profile on their top friend’s list to generate more hits.

Pieces of Flair creations with TNVR and feral cat messages can be widely shared among Facebook friends to generate buzz.

facebook “pieces of flair” application Utilize “Pieces of Flair,” one of the many user-created Facebook applications, to create feral cat themed “buttons” that users can share with their Facebook friends. Facebook is one of the fastest growing social media networks and is an appropriate forum to create “buzz” about feral cats and TNVR. The Pieces of Flair application not only allows users to pass along these feral cat and TNVR buttons, but also allows them to create their own to pass on.

awareness | 6

the perils of felicity feral interactive online edugame Create an online interactive edugame where players take on the role of Felicity Feral. The game can be accessed through the Save the Cats website. Interactive edugames are a fun and effective way to generate buzz while educating people about the feral cat issue.

retro cat clock widget Create a retro cat clock widget that can be downloaded from the Save the Cats website. The widget also has great viral marketing potential.

evaluation objective: To increase Milwaukee County residents’ awareness by 15 percent about issues related with feral cats by the end of December, 2009.

To evaluate this objective, pre- and post-campaign surveys will be conducted in November 2008 and December 2009, respectively. (See survey in the Appendix). Message exposure will also be tracked on a monthly basis for the MySpace and Facebook tactics.

awareness | 7

education situation analysis strengths • WHS has an established TNVR program.

• Participants in the TNVR program are passionate about helping feral cats.

• The WHS has a long-standing reputation among Milwaukee community residents.

• The WHS has an established and ongoing relationship with Alley Cat Allies.

opportunities • The WHS can recruit volunteers from the county residents who are committed to animal welfare.

• The WHS can leverage its strong reputation with other partners in the community.

• Local businesses are likely to participate in disseminating information regarding the TNVR program.

weaknesses • The WHS has limited resources, which limits the potential effectiveness of the TNVR program.

• The WHS disseminates minimal information about feral cat initiatives to the public. (The hotline is only checked three times weekly).

• The WHS does not currently provide an organized social network of support to caregivers.

threats • The Milwaukee community lacks awareness about TNVR; thus, they do not know it is an effective solution to the feral cat overpopulation problem.

• Not all who know of TNVR have confidence that they can trap a feral cat or care for it after surgery.

target audiences The audience of those in need of education is varied: • Current caregivers need specialized information whereas potential caregivers need to be convinced that they can be part of the solution. Residents of Milwaukee County, specifically those in Riverwest and Sherman Park, will be targeted for various initiatives. They were chosen based on the high concentrations of feral cats and caregivers.

• People who have no prior knowledge of TNVR. • Community Members who may make complaints about feral cats.

• Local veterinarians who can disseminate information to their clients.

education | 8

objectives objective 1: To increase the number of new caregivers to at least 15 in the TNVR program by December 2009. objective 2: To educate at least 15 percent of Milwaukee County residents about the WHS’s TNVR program by December 2009.

strategies and tactics Our first strategy will be to build a stronger bond and community for caregivers to exchange information, advice, stories, and serve as a recruitment tool to find and attract new caregivers. We will be using the following four tactics: regular meetings Start weekly/monthly meetings in the Riverwest and Sherman Park communities. These groups will meet to share stories and discuss such topics as trapping strategies and food choices. online social networks Create an online social network called “The Milwaukee Meow Network” (milwaukeemeow.ning.com) for caregivers and information seekers to share and disseminate information about TNVR initiatives. The site will include a digital video on trapping techniques.

Screen shot of trapping techniques digital video to be posted on social network site.

“The Milwaukee Meow Network” is a social network created especially for the caregivers in the Milwaukee area. [Site information is as follows: email: feralcats@wihumane.org; password: TNVR; pin: 2008]

education | 9

door hangers Distribute door hangers with educational information about TNVR in our two target communitie

The third strategy will be to establish partnerships with local businesses to promote the TNVR initiative in cooperation with special events and fundraising activities.

felicity feral’s online quiz A online quiz has been created on the Save the Cats website to test public knowledge about feral cats and TNVR.

Specific tactics include:

SAVE THE CATS

A Feral Cat is...

A

A cat that has never been domesticated

B

A cat that has been on the street long enough that it cannot be socialized

C

A domesticated cat that has been recently abandoned

D

Both A and B

• partnering with Pick ‘n Save Metro Mart and Pick ‘n Save East to implement a point-of-purchase educational display about TNVR in pet food/accessory aisles.

• partnering with pet stores (Metropawlis in Milwaukee’s Third Ward, Petco, Pet Supplies Plus, and Pet World Warehouse Outlet) to distribute TNVR educational materials.

evaluation objective 1: To increase the number of new caregivers to at least 15 in the TNVR program by December 2009.

To evaluate this objective, we will:

Score = 7/15

• record number of new caregivers participating in TNVR activities in December 2009.

• record attendance of new caregivers at caregiver meetings.

Our second strategy will be to reach out to veterinarians and office assistants who are located in the Riverwest and Sherman Park areas about the benefits of TNVR. The tactic to be used is to create a list of veterinary clinics and contact them to distribute brochures and other educational materials on TNVR. We will also encourage veterinarians to disseminate materials to clients.

• record the number of registered users on social networks.

• monitor the number of conversations and photosaring activities on our Milwaukee Meow Network. objective 2: To educate at least 15 percent of Milwaukee County residents about the TNVR program by December 2009.

To evaluate this objective we will: • conduct pre- and post-campaign surveys in November 2008 and December 2009 to assess the increased level of education among Milwaukee County Residents.

education | 10

special events situation analysis

target audiences

strengths • WHS offers informational meetings for current and potential caregivers of feral cats.

• WHS has many volunteers willing to help with various activities.

The target market is individuals already interested in cats and/or feral cats, current and potential caregivers, current pet owners, and veterinarians. To reach them, we will hold events and donation drives around the city. We will also try to reach out to local veterinarians to recruit them to spread our campaign’s materials. We will get a list of currently registered caregivers from the WHS and find potential caregivers through our events and social networking website.

weaknesses • A lack of communication among volunteers regarding specific programs involving feral cats.

• WHS is not an option for the Advantage Plus Card at Pick ‘n Save stores outside Milwaukee County.

• The WHS chose to promote an “Animal of the Week” on MyFox’s and 106.FM Mondays, but the WHS is not open on Mondays to accommodate interested adopters’ phone calls. opportunities • The WHS can take advantage of students move out day to collect items for its “Wish List.”

• Caregivers are willing to pass on their advice to others including potential caregivers • Coffee shops and other businesses in the area are open to partnership opportunities with the WHS. • Local boy scout troops are interested in helping to build shelters for caregivers. threats • Other organizations offer events and fundraising activities, which compete for people’s time and money.

objectives objective 1: To recruit 15 new caregivers and and 10 volunteers interested in helping feral cats and their caregivers by December 2009. objective 2: To receive at least 100 “Wish List” items as donations by July 2009. objective 3: To have 10 shelters built for caregivers by November 2009. objective 4: To have 15 customers registered to use their Pick ‘n Save Advantage Plus Card for the WHS

by December 2009. objective 5: To inform four local veterinary practices about TNVR initiatives by June 2009.

strategies and tactics The first strategy is to create a supportive, friendly atmosphere for caregivers and facilitate their efforts in TNVR by helping them build shelters and providing them with necessary items. The two tactics include:

special events | 11

open mic night Sponsor an open mic night that will involve current caregivers and animal lovers at the Milwaukee Public Market. The event will allow caregivers and animal lovers to tell their stories about feral cats. Attendees are encouraged to bring pictures of their feral cats to post on a bulletin board. All attendees will receive a “caregiver” t-shirt, a magnet and a button promoting feral cat awareness. A news release will be sent to local media to promote the event and post publicity. The event poster description and the media contacts can be found in the Appendix. collection drives Pick ‘n Save donation drive: To receive items for the WHS “Wish List,” donation bins, shaped like litter boxes will be placed at five Pick ‘n Save locations around the Milwaukee area to collect items such as, cat and dog food, paper towels and cleaning supplies. The bins will be at the stores from February through April, and then June through August 2009. These dates coincide with other events planned throughout the year. See appendix for letter, contact information, store locations and bin design description.

College Move-Out Donation Drive: Collaborate with three local colleges – Marquette University, Milwaukee School of Engineering and University of WisconsinMilwaukee and use their end of the year move-out week (first and second week of May) to collect goods that are on WHS wish list. The “litter” boxes used at Pick ’n Save for wish list items will also be used at these colleges. A flyer and contact letters to each university’s housing department/residence hall can be found in the Appendix.

The second strategy will be to generate support and encouragement for current and potential caregivers. The following tactics will assist in carrying out this strategy: boy scouts feral cat shelter project Partner with the Boy Scouts of Greater Milwaukee to build feral cat shelters.

This community service project would earn the scouts a Woodwork Badge. This event will help generate support for caregivers through the building of shelters for feral cat colony. The Boy Scout Executive Director’s contact information and the letter to be sent to troop leaders can be found in the Appendix. feral cat day Host an event on Feral Cat Day where the Boy Scout troops can display the shelters that they built. Caregivers will be invited to participate in the event.

Calling All Caregivers!!!

Come join the Wisconsin Human Society in their first ever Open Mic Night!

Who: The Wisconsin Humane Society, caregivers, and those interested in helping or just hearing about issues concerning cats in their community.

What: The Wisconsin Humane Society is hosting its first ever open mic night to

help create a network and support group for people who are actively involved in the Trap Neuter Vaccinate and Return program. Current caregivers can speak on their experiences and inform those in their community about the issue at hand.

Bring a treat to share!

Where:

The Milwaukee Public Market 400 N. Water Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 ph 414-336-1111

When: May 23, 2009 from 1-3pm Come in and get a FREE t-shirt and button just for signing up for the Caregiver program!!!

special events | 12

The third strategy is to raise funds for the WHS through the following tactics. save the cats, arts, and planet high school partnership Computer-designed images of cats created by Cedarburg High School art students will be printed on 400 eco-friendly canvas tote bags and sold to raise funds for the Wiscosnin Humane Society.

evaluation objective 1: To recruit 15 feral cat caregivers and 10 volunteers interested in helping feral cats and their caregivers

by December 2009 in collaboration with the educational initiatives.

To evaluate this objective: • There will be a sign up sheet for volunteers and caregivers at all of our events to track them. WHS should keep a record of the number of feral cats brought in throughout the 2009 calendar year in order to monitor progress of the campaign. objective 2: To receive at least 100 “Wish List” items as donations by July 2009. To evaluate this objective: • The volunteers will fill out an information sheet stating the store or college they visited and the number of items they collected from each location. objective 3: To build 10 shelters for current caregivers by November 2009. To evaluate this objective:

pick ‘n save advantage plus card Create publicity to enforce the use of the already implemented value card system with Pick ‘n Save grocery stores to raise funds for the TNVR program The fourth strategy is to increase awareness of the TNVR program among local Milwaukee veterinary clinics. This will be accomplished through the following tactic: veterinarian outreach Host an informational meeting with local Milwaukee veterinary clinics to better inform veterinarians and their clients about the TNVR program. Local veterinarians will be encouraged to refer their clients to the WHS with questions about feral cats.

As part of the outreach, magnets and brochures will be created and distributed to veterinarians and their clients to help generate awareness of the TNVR program.

• The Boy Scout troop leaders will bring the completed shelters to WHS on Feral Cat Day. objective 4: To have 15 customers registered to use their Pick ‘n Save Advantage Plus Card for the WHS by December 2009.

To evaluate this objective: • The WHS will contact a Pick ‘n Save representative in January 2009 to find out how many current Advantage Plus Card users have registered with WHS. After the campaign, we will contact Pick n’ Save again in December 2009 to find out how many new users have been recruited. objective 5: Reach out to four local veterinary practices about feral cats and benefits of TNVR by June 2009. To evaluate this objective: • The WHS will follow up in August 2009 with veterinarians to ask them how many people they referred to the WHS and how many brochures and magnets they have given out. special events | 13

lobbying situation analysis Caring for outdoor cats is currently not legal in Milwaukee County; therefore, the WHS cannot implement a TNVR program on a wide-scale level.

Feral cat caregivers also risk fines for caring for feral cats. With approximately 190,000 feral cats on the streets of Milwaukee, there are numerous complaints that cannot be dealt with effectively.

Without full knowledge of the consequences, many complainants in Milwaukee look to MADACC to solve the feral cat issue in their neighborhoods.

This leads to unnecessary euthanization. In 2005 MADACC spent $2,003,466 of taxpayer’s money on cat euthanization, and the problem has yet to be solved. strengths • The WHS is a reputable organization.

• The WHS has conducted lobbying efforts in the past and have met with local aldermen.

• Since the WHS is a credible organization, it can partner with other advocacy groups. weaknesses • The WHS’s lobbying efforts are limited due to resources.

threats • Negative perceptions about feral cats exist among members of the public.

• Other worthy causes and animal issues take precedence in people’s minds.

• People involved in this issue are not taken seriously.

• Most local aldermen are not eager to take a leadership position on the issue.

target audiences To get legislation passed, the WHS must count on current caregivers, neighborhood associations and local animal advocacy groups to put pressure on legislators.

Another important target audience is the legislators themselves, and they can be reached after the audiences previously mentioned have been contacted.

objectives 1. To build an advocacy alliance consisting of at least 15 different associations and organizations with mutual concerns within the Milwaukee County area.

2. To activate at least 1,500 people to write to their elected officials about TNVR or to express interest in seeing legislation passed by the end of 2009.

3. To have at least two elected officials introduce TNVR legislation in Milwaukee County by the end of 2009.

opportunities • As social markeitng continues to grow, it will be easier to reach members of the greater Milwaukee community with lobbying efforts.

• Milwaukee neighborhoods are becoming more progressive and take an interest in community issues.

• A TNVR campaign can save taxpayer dollars.

• There is no organized opposition to feral cats or the TNVR program. lobbying | 14

strategies and tactics The first strategy used will be to bring together interested caregivers and other Miwaukee citizens to advocate for TNVR. Our main tactic is to build an advocacy alliance to support this mission. the advocacy alliance The Feral Cat Advocacy Alliance of Milwaukee County will be created. The primary goal of this alliance will be to create a forum of discussion on how to successfully implement TNVR legislation. Advocacy brochures and planned talking points will be distributed to all members to help them be fully prepared to discuss TNVR with elected officials (see appendix for all materials).

Beginning in February 2009, the WHS will send out invitation letters to neighborhood associations and local animal advocacy groups. The invitation informs groups of the opportunity to join together to create an alliance focused solely on TNVR legislation. Members from each association will attend the meetings and relay information back to their respective groups.

Once the FCAA is formed it will create a leadership hierarchy, build a mission, and begin to tackle issues with the guidance and coaching of the WHS. Meetings will take place at the beginning of each month at the WHS. FCAA members are expected to meet with their elected officials in June 2009.

The second strategy involves giving FCAA members and interested citizens an outlet to engage in dialogue about TNVR issues. The Four main tactics are: an FCAA blog, e-mail outreach, an op-ed, and petitions. the FCAA blog The purpose of the blog is to serve as a funnel of information for the members of the FCAA. The blog will also serve as a tool to gain support needed to see that legislation is passed. It will serve as a voice of the FCAA to get the desired legislation passed.

The blog will be launched in March coinciding with the first meeting of FCAA. A link to the blog will appear on the WHS website under the Animal Advocacy tab as well as on the Save the Cats website. Links to relevant news stories and other sources of information related to animal advocacy and the FCAA’s mission will appear on the blog. In addition, those who visit the blog can subscribe to an RSS feed for legislative updates, both in Milwaukee County and in other counties and states across the nation. e-mail outreach When concerned constituents log onto the WHS website or Save the Cats website, they will have the opportunity to send an email to their elected officials. The email contains the names of aldermen and county supervisors and their email addresses as well as a brief letter describing the TNVR program in Milwaukee County (see appendix).

The constituents may then add their own brief explanations as to why TNVR legislation should be introduced. These emails will then be sent to the various elected officials to gain more support. The objective is to have 300 people email their elected officials. op-ed The FCAA will write an op-ed advocating TNVR legislation and send it to nine major publications and web sites in Milwaukee County:

The advocacy group, Feral Cats Advocacy Alliance, will bring feral cat issues to the public as well as elected officials. The FCAA logo is pictured here.

FCAA

Feral Cat Advocacy Alliance of Milwaukee County

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel MKE The Shepherd Express M Magazine Milwaukee Magazine lobbying | 15

OnMilwaukee.com The Business Journal The Small Business Times MyCommunityNOW

These nine media outlets reach the majority of constituents in the area, especially those who would benefit most from TNVR legislation.

The op-ed will outline the FCAA’s mission and create a call for action to constituents to help make a change in their community. The op-ed can also direct them to where they can find more information regarding TNVR legislation and how to get involved. petitions The petition by FCAA is intended to introduce TNVR legislation in Milwaukee County to protect the feral cat population and caregivers.

The petition also will attempt to garner media attention. Gathering names for the petition will take place on April 11-12 and April 25-26 at various Milwaukee County pet stores, such as Petco, Petsmart, Pet Pantry and Pet World Warehouse Outlet.

Organized and run by FCAA volunteers, the petition will be available for signatures from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the scheduled dates as well as online at the Save the Cats website during the month of April. Press releases (see appendix) will be sent out to the media to raise awareness of the issue and about the petition. The petition will aim for 1,000 signatures to seek support of elected officials who can introduce the needed legislation.

This petition will be filed following the Wisconsin Constitution. Example of the petition and online petition can be found in the appendix.

The final strategy will be to create a dialogue between legislators and FCAA members to initiate TNVR legislation. The tactics include: county ordinance The following is an example of a county ordinance to be introduced to elected officials in Milwaukee County. The ordinance should read as follows: It shall be legal for private citizens to participate in TNVR with WHS-approved traps. Those participating will have 24 hours from time of capture to deliver the cat(s) to the WHS for vaccination and sterilization.

Participants must treat animals in a humane manner through the duration of care. Participants will not be liable for the cats before capture or after release. The municipality shall not be responsible for any cost or injuries for participants. This statute does not relieve participants from the authority of Animal Control.

Nor does this statute grant feral cats exemption from animal control as determined by said party. All cost must be assumed by the participants. lobbying elected officials A list of elected officials and their contact information (see Appendix) will be given to FCAA members to guide them in their lobbying efforts. Using the planned arguments and advocacy brochures, FCAA members will provide the legislators with the TNVR information to initiate discussion and action for TNVR legislation. Once the relationship is established, the FCAA members will then introduce TNVR legislation

by August 2009 with the final goal of passing the legislation in the near future.

lobbying | 16

evaluation

The petition will be evaluated based on its two objectives:

objective 1: To build an advocacy alliance consisting of at least 15 different associations and organizations with mutual concerns from the Milwaukee County area. To evaluate this objective:

• By the end of the campaign, the WHS will count the number organizations committed to participating in the FCAA. The process of the alliance formation should be closely monitored throughout its duration. Records of the number of initial responses to the solicitation letter, attendance numbers at the informational meeting and continued attendance and participation at alliance meetings are all measures of this commitment.

• The amount of press coverage that the petition receives. The petition seeks to garner enough press coverage to gain the attention of elected officials who can encourage acceptance of the petition. Volunteers executing the event will encourage petitioners to write editorials and op-eds.

• The number of signatures. The petition aims to obtain at least 1,000 signatures from online and offline sources such as local pet stores. objective 3: To have at least two elected officials introduce TNVR legislation in Milwaukee County by the end of 2009. To evaluate this objective: • We will monitor the amount of support among the elected officials. The goal is to have two elected officials support the bill and introduce it in the fall. The goal is to see the legislation ultimately passed.

objective 2: To activate at least 1,500 people to write to their elected officials about TNVR or to express interest in seeing legislation passed by the end of 2009. To evaluate this objective: • The WHS should monitor and count the number of individuals who visit, make comments, or link to the advocacy blog. The number of individuals who subscribe to the legislative RSS feed should also be monitored and counted.

• The email marketing can be evaluated through the number of constituents who send the provided email template from the website to their elected officials. The ultimate goal of this tactic is to encourage at least 300 people to send the email.

• The WHS should closely monitor and keep a record of all media impressions (local print, television and radio, electronic media, blogosphere, etc.) from the TNVR grassroots campaign and op-ed article. lobbying | 17

timeline

timeline | 18

budget summary awareness

pick ‘n save

traditional advertising Bus King Panels Transit Shelter Display

$525 $175

non-traditional advertising Coasters Stickers Water Bottles Bottle Labels Lawn Signs Rental Booth

$175 $250 $120 $390 $390 $30

public relations News Package on DVD Myth Busters Fact Sheet Tri-Fold Brochure Printing Media Kit (backgrounder, releases) Presentation Folder Postage

total

$375 $100 $80 $180 $43 $13

$2,846

education FAQ Sheet Evaluation surveys TNVR Door Hangers

total

$140 $70 $225

$435

lobbying Preliminary Mailers Information Packet Materials Letters to Editor Materials FCAA Materials for Meeting total

$250 $250 $200 $300 $1,000

fundraising veterinary clinics Brochures Magnets

Cost covered by awareness Cost under miscellaneous

Donation Bins Donation Bins Printing Publicity Fliers

$40 $5 $7

college move-out Fliers $21 Donation Bins Reuse bins from pick ‘n save

open mic night Location Rental Publicity Fliers T-Shirts T-Shirt Shipping Display Board Display Board Printing

$100 $8 $324 $20 $18 $10

boy scout/feral cat day Food

$150

miscellaneous (covering various activities) Magnets Magnet Shipping Buttons Button Shipping Gas Stamps Envelopes Letter/Paper Reems

total

$155 $7 $84 $7 $300 $16 $3 $5

$1,280

Totals From Above 10% Contingency

$5,561 $556

grand total

$6,117

Budget details can be found in the Appendix

budget | 19

closing remarks Our integrated communication campaign, blending traditional and nontraditional strategies and tactics, aims to meet the goals set by the Wisconsin Humane Society to generate awareness and increase participation in its feral cat and TNVR initiatives.

We are proposing innovative and interactive ways of approaching these issues by using social media and viral marketing as well as traditional advertising and public relations. We are confident that our campaign will help the WHS accomplish its animal advocacy efforts.

closing remarks | 20

appendix items on dvd awareness coaster design bus shelter advertisement door hanger facebook “pieces of flair” myspace page “The Perils of Felicity Feral” intro screen “The Perils of Felicity Feral” screen shot media list budget budget footnotes press release about “save the cats” letter to news directors letter about bus panel advertisement contest letter to alderman press release for multiplication demonstration press release for hosting design competition press release about feral cat day event pre- and post-campaign survey street sticker examples stock photo website samply feral cat “mythbusters” fact sheet education poll questions online quiz screen shot special events button design magnet design caregiver t-shirt graphic t-shirt design collection box open mic event flyer college move-out event flyer Pick ‘n Save flyer

Pick ‘n Save donation drive information letter to Pick ‘n Save press release for Pick ‘n Save event college move-out event contacts press release for college move-out event press release for open mic night Milwaukee Public Market contact info letter to Boy Scout troop leaders how to build feral cat shelters letter to veterinarian clinics veterinarian contact information media contacts Boy Scout contact information brochure and panel board sample design “mythbusters” card budget lobbying FCAA logo FCAA contacts FCAA introduction letter letter to first FCAA meeting meeting talking points press release for petition op-ed FCAA brochure production widget Lost Cat poster “Milwaukee Meow” logo “Riverwest Recruits” logo “Sherman Park Rangers” logo trapping video screen shot campaign timeline campaign plans book appendix items on dvd | 21

save the cats teams awareness Evelyn Bohan Abby Exner Courtnee Jordon-Cox Keeley Kerrins Meghan Lefeber Andrew Metz Nora Pilak Lindsay Ruch Michael Wittliff

education Maria Calbeto Katie Collin Kanoe Fish Amanda Frahm Sylvannah Gates Samantha Lucht Abby Meixner Kara Neaton Anne Rehage Alyssa Wilson Patrick Zawadzki

fundraising Morgan Berigan Lauren Evans Nastasya Flores-Garcia Breanna Game Jessica Gibson Maggie Hayon Lois Ornellas Elizabeth Warmuth

lobbying Karen Berardi Anna Bradbury Cassandra Koehler Michelle Lavertu Maggie Pollard Sara Steenhoek Christine Sweeney Nathanial Sawtelle

production Dane Aagaard Alexander Chisholm Jeremy Johnson Jacquelyn Kacala Joe Kirschbaum Kate Kohler Joe Longstreet Amy Meyer Todd Michalek Sarah Panko Brook Stensgaard

save the cats teams | 22