Every dog deserves to be celebrated—especially those whose birthdays remain a mystery. That’s why Dogust, the unofficial birthday celebration for shelter dogs with unknown birthdays, is such a meaningful event for animal shelters and rescues. It’s more than just a party; it’s a strategic opportunity to raise awareness, drive adoptions, and deepen community engagement.
If you’re looking to make the most of Dogust this year, here are 10 creative, high-impact ways your organization can celebrate, without stretching your team too thin.
1. Throw a Birthday Bash (On-Site or Virtual)
Host a festive birthday party for your shelter dogs, complete with decorations, treats, and party hats. Invite the community to join in-person or via livestream, and encourage birthday donations or doggy gift sponsorships.
Tip: Use Doobert’s unlimited texting feature to send invites and reminders to your supporter list quickly and efficiently.
2. Launch a “Sponsor a Shelter Dog’s Birthday” Campaign
Let donors sponsor birthday treats, enrichment toys, or grooming sessions for dogs in your care. Include thank-you photos and notes “from the birthday dog.”
Bonus: Easily track and report on sponsorships with tailored reporting available on Doobert’s Premium Plan.
3. Spotlight Long-Stay Dogs as VIP “Birthday Guests”
Highlight dogs who’ve been waiting the longest for a forever home and make them the stars of your Dogust celebration. Feature their stories across social media, newsletters, and your website.
Efficiency Tip: Use Doobert’s template customization to quickly create campaign materials.
4. Share Before-and-After Adoption Stories
Throughout August, share transformation stories of previously adopted shelter dogs who also didn’t have known birthdays, showing how Dogust is a celebration of second chances.
5. Partner with Local Businesses for Treats and Giveaways
Reach out to pet stores, groomers, or local bakeries to donate dog-friendly treats, raffle items, or discount coupons for adopters and sponsors.
6. Create a Personalized “Birthday Card” Campaign
Let followers send digital birthday cards or kind messages to shelter dogs. Display them at the shelter or share them on social media.
Workflow Tip: Set up a quick form using Doobert’s plug-and-play templates to collect messages in minutes.
7. Host a Themed “Adopt-a-Birthday Dog” Weekend
Run a limited-time adoption event where each adopter gets a small goody bag and a keepsake photo with their new dog. Consider waiving or discounting fees for long-stay dogs.
8. Track Engagement and Outcomes for Future Events
Make the most of your Dogust data. Monitor engagement, donations, adoptions, and social reach so you can refine future campaigns.
Streamline it: Use Doobert’s tailored reporting to gather everything in one place without spreadsheet chaos.
9. Use Text Campaigns to Promote Events and Needs
Schedule SMS blasts about your Dogust activities, adoptable pets, and donation requests. Keep your community in the loop with minimal effort.
Pro Move: With your unique phone number and unlimited texting, Doobert makes communication seamless and on-brand.
10. Train Your Team to Run Campaigns Like Pros
Get your staff and volunteers up to speed on how to launch a Dogust campaign quickly and effectively—even if you’re short-staffed.
Support Boost: All Doobert Premium Plans include an expert team training session and rapid support when you need it most.
Make Dogust Count, Without Burning Out Your Team!
Celebrating Dogust doesn’t have to mean reinventing the wheel. With the right tools and systems in place, you can create meaningful campaigns that honor shelter dogs, drive adoptions, and inspire your community, all while keeping things manageable for your staff.
Unlock the Tools to Do Dogust (and Everything Else) Better
Doobert Premium Plans give you the advanced features and processes designed to streamline your effectiveness.
Our plug-and-play programs offer a seamless, ready-to-use foundation that allows you to hit the ground running.
But the benefits don’t stop there. With every out-of-the-box program subscription, you gain access to even more capabilities within the platform, helping you simplify processes and maximize efficiency.
Every package includes:
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Unique Phone Number
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Unlimited Texting
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Tailored Reporting
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Rapid Support
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Template Customization
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Quick Template Setup
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Expert Team Training Session
Celebrate smarter. Adopt more. Do Dogust right—with Doobert Premium Features!
