Zappos’ Latest Dog-Friendly Campaign Celebrates Customers Who Adopted Older Dogs

Zappos is launching a new campaign for International Dog Day on Aug. 26 to encourage people to adopt senior dogs.

Customers who have adopted a dog three years or older can submit their adoption story to Zappos for a chance to win a “Senior Paws Pack,” which includes a Zappos gift card, a free walk from dog walking service Rover, dog treats and other pet supplies. The online shoe retailer will select 25 recipients as winners of the contest between Aug. 26 and Sept. 3.

According to Zappos chief marketing and merchandising officer Joe Cano, the campaign was partly inspired by Zappos’ existing pet adoption reimbursement program for employees, which covers their pet adoption fees up to $250 per pet if they adopt from 501(c)3 shelters, rescues or organizations.

Zappos also runs a program in its Las Vegas headquarters called WAGS, or “Workplace Associates Generating Smiles,” that allows employees to bring their pets into the office. Externally, Zappos collaborated with Rover in April to deliver the first-ever dog-walking shoe shop, a selection of shoes curated through data and surveys to help people find the perfect shoe for walking their dogs.

“Pets have always been a part of Zappos’ DNA,” Cano told FN in an email interview. “We wanted to continue supporting our customers and paw-parents everywhere, in unexpected ways, throughout the year.”

Cano added Zappos’ dog-walking shoe shop has garnered positive reactions from customers and brands in the shop and has also shown a higher-than-average click-through rate since it launched. These metrics, Cano said, show that “customers on the page are interested in what’s featured, as they’ve been sure to engage by clicking around and shopping the products.”

With this new campaign, Zappos is looking to help increase visibility for older dogs looking for new homes. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (ASPCA), the adoption rate for older dogs is 25 percent, compared to a 60 percent rate among younger dogs.

“The goal of this campaign is to celebrate paw-rents who have adopted a furry sole mate into their home, past the puppy age, as it’s significantly harder for older dogs to get adopted,” Cano said.