Public Relations Plan

Mission Statement

It’s a Pittie Rescue is dedicated to rescuing, rehabbing and rehoming the Pit Bull breeds and educating people about one of America’s most loyal and kind breeds, one dog at a time.

Assumptions for Planning Purposes

It’s a Pittie Rescue rescue does not receive any federal or state funding and relies solely on public donations and fundraising to support its efforts to educate about and save Pit Bulls.

The organization needs a line of communication between current and potential volunteers, donors and the rescue.

Most people don’t know that they can donate online via PayPal, Paws for a Cause or through the Amazon wish list.

Currently the rescue rents space in a small boarding facility to keep some dogs until they can find forever or foster homes. Boarding can become harmful to the animals’ health, therefore, more fosters are needed so that every dog can be in a loving home before he finds his forever home.

Pit Bulls get a bad name from the media. A small office building/unit may be useful for organizing the rescue’s documents, event

kits and other supplies. Being volunteer-based, all information and supplies are currently housed in separate places with different volunteers or board members.

Key Messages

It’s a Pittie Rescue is a volunteer-based, no-kill rescue. The rescue provides loving and caring foster homes for abused, neglected, unwanted

and abandoned Pit Bulls until they can find their forever homes. To ensure the right “forever home,” all potential adopters must complete the adoption

process and be approved by the rescue. Once approved, the rescue will arrange for meet and greets with dogs that will best fit the adopter’s lifestyle.

To educate about and promote responsible pet ownership, It’s a Pittie Rescue includes spay/neuter, heartworm test, vaccines and a microchip in their adoption fees.

Audiences

Internal

Current volunteers Current foster parents

External

Print, broadcast and online media serving the southwest suburbs of Chicago Community members Potential volunteers between the ages of 18 and 75 Current donors Potential donors in the southwest suburbs and surrounding areas

Goals and Objectives

By following the PR plan, the name of the organization will become widely recognized. The organization will be able to find new volunteers, fosters and donors. The PR plan will educate people about the “pit bull” breed on a hyper local level. By getting the name of the rescue out to the public, more people will attend adoption

events.

Strategies and Tactics

Media Relations News releases PSA Feature story Organization fact sheet Position paper Letter to the editor

Social Media Blog Facebook- a page is already in place, and is updated regularly by the rescue. YouTube- a channel needs to be created so that all of IPR’s videos can be

together and accessed easily.

Advertising Display advertisement

Publications Brochure Newsletter

Special Events/Community Relations Fundraising events

Sporting Events Yankee Candle sales Mongolian BBQ Event

Adoption events Area Petsmart locations Other local businesses:

Tinley Park Harley Davidson Go Dog Go! Chew On This Dog Barkery Kriser’s

Government Relations Position paper

Crisis Communications Crisis communication plan

Evaluation

To measure and evaluate the success of the public relations plan, It’s a Pittie Rescue will record and evaluate the increase or decrease in event attendance, adoptions and foster and volunteer applications throughout the next year. A survey may be used as well in order to determine if the education the rescue provides about pit bull breeds, has changed the way community members feel about the breed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Nicole Olson708-935-5747nicolemolson@lewisu.edu

Come one come all to the greatest party of all

PEOTONE, Ill, March 10, 2014 – Huck and Tulip, the puppies of the now famous Mama

Petunia, are turning one, and It’s a Pittie Rescue is hosting a party under the big top to celebrate.

Join Huck and Tulip, along with IPR on Saturday, March 29, at Chicago Party Animals

for a circus themed bash. This free event pays tribute to Mama Petunia and shows appreciation

for everyone who has donated to IPR allowing the rescue to continue its work. Chicago Party

Animals is located at 1133 West Fulton Market, Chicago. The party will be hosted from 1 to

4:30 p.m. There is free parking at the location.

A variety of Chicagoland businesses have donated food and supplies. Hot dogs, peanuts,

popcorn, soda and water will be served. Cotton candy and other beverages will be available with

a monetary donation. There will be a raffle and silent auction with prizes that have been donated

to the rescue.

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Page 2Greatest Party of All

“IPR has raised thousands of dollars from donations, and this birthday party is a way to

give back and celebrate the people who support the rescue,” said Jamie Skraban, a volunteer with

It’s a Pittie Rescue.

Please RSVP to the Ringmaster at HuckandTulip@gmail.com.

It’s a Pittie Rescue exists to rescue, rehab and rehome Pit Bulls from abusive and

neglectful situations. IPR is a foster-based rescue working with individuals who show love and

compassion for these animals until they can find forever homes.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Nicole Olson708-935-5747nicolemolson@lewisu.edu

Enjoy a Chicago Cubs game on the Wrigleyville Rooftops with It’s A Pittie Rescue

PEOTONE, Ill, March 26, 2014 – Join It’s a Pittie Rescue Sunday, July 13 for an all ages

experience atop the legendary Wrigleyville Rooftops.

Help IPR raise money while enjoying the Chicago Cubs take on the Atlanta Braves.

Guests will enjoy unlimited food, drinks and of course amazing views of the game. Along with

access to the rooftop, guests of IPR will have access to the Hall of Fame suite on the third floor.

IPR will host a 50/50 cash raffle along with other raffles throughout the game. All proceeds

benefit the rescue.

The game begins at 1:20 p.m. Doors open and food and beverage service will begin one

hour prior to game time and continue until the end of the game. Alcoholic beverages will be

served through the 7th inning.

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Page 2Wrigleyville Rooftops

Tickets can be purchased online at www.eventzilla.net/web/event?eventid=2139027405.

Tickets are $96.00 and include food, beer, wine and soft drinks. Ticket sales will end July 13. A

portion of the ticket sales benefits the rescue. Tickets are going fast, so get them while they last.

If you cannot attend, but still want to help IPR, please make a monetary donation via the link

above.

Wrigleyville Rooftops is located at 3643 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL, 60613.

Questions can be directed to Robbie at rpainter46@yahoo.com.

It’s a Pittie Rescue exists to rescue, rehab and rehome Pit Bulls from abusive and

neglectful situations. IPR is a foster based rescue working with individuals who show love and

compassion for these animals until they can find forever homes.

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Use: IMMEDIATE

Time: 30 secondsAgency: It’s A Pittie RescueTitle: Public Service Announcement

Approximately one out of every six hundred pit bulls finds a forever family. A combination of

myths, biased media reporting and irresponsible owners has created an unfair stereotype of

this breed. If you fear pit bulls, stop by an adoption event and learn about them. If you love pit

bulls, join our crusade, and if you’re undecided, you’ll see why pit bulls deserve love. Brought to

you by It’s a Pittie Rescue. Visit our website at www.rescueapittie.org for more information.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Nicole Olson708-935-5747nicolemolson@lewisu.edu

Orphaned pups now ambassadors for the Pit Bull breed

PEOTONE, Ill, April 20,

2014 -- Meet Huckleberry and Tulip.

These two Pit Bulls don’t have a

care in the world and that is all

thanks to It’s a Pittie Rescue (IPR)

and its wonderful volunteers.

“You’d never know what they truly

came from just by looking at them,” Tony Lott has said about

Huckleberry and Tulip, “they just exude love and excitement.” These pups are only one year old

and already have taken on rolls as ambassadors not only for IPR, but for the entire pit bull breed.

Like all other volunteers that work with the rescue, Huckleberry, or Huck for short, and Tulip

have their own specific roles.

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Page 2Orphaned pups

Huck is a little more outgoing than Tulip. “He likes to be the center of attention,”

according to Jamie Skraban, Huck’s adopted mom, “he loves meeting new people and helping to

educate them about his breed.” Huck helps the rescue by attending meet and greets, parades and

other events in which the goal is to educate people about Pit Bulls. “His role as ‘event dog’ fits

his personality perfectly!” said Debbie Wilke, President and co-founder of IPR.

Tulip, on the other hand, is quiet and a little on the shy side. She prefers to help the

rescue in a different way. She is part of the welcoming committee for foster puppies. “Tulip

welcomes new puppies with an open heart and tender paws, it’s truly amazing to watch,” said

Skraban. “I think Tulip knows where she came from,” said Wilke, who is also Tulip’s adopted

mom, “She bonds with every pup I bring home as if to reassure them and let them know they are

safe and loved.” Andrea Sikorski, a volunteer with IPR said, “She is such a sweet and gentle

soul, she definitely takes after her mother.”

Huck and Tulip came from a very tragic background. Their mother was Mama Petunia.

Petunia was a Pit Bull found wandering the streets of Park Forest. She had been lit on fire,

suffered burns over 25 percent of her body, had been hit by a car and was pregnant. Petunia was

rescued by IPR on March 28, 2013 she gave birth to her litter of 10 puppies days later in the care

of the rescue. Five of the puppies were stillborn; the others were named Snap Dragon, Caine,

Jasmine, Huckleberry and Tulip. Petunia never got to see her babies grow up; she passed away

April 7, a little over a week after giving birth.

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Page 3Orphaned pups

Within months Snap Dragon, Jasmine and Caine joined their mother across the Rainbow

Bridge. Mama Petunia was dubbed ‘The Face of Animal Cruelty’ her abusers have never been

found, but her legacy lives on in the lives of Huck and Tulip.

Not every Pit Bull ends up in the loving hands of a rescue like Huck and Tulip did. Many

of them spend their lives in shelters. Huck and Tulip, along with the IPR volunteers know this

sad fact and continue to do everything that they can in order to help as many as they can. The

goal of IPR is to rescue, rehab and rehome Pit Bulls from abusive and neglectful situations. IPR

is a foster based rescue working with individuals who show love and compassion for these

animals until they can find forever homes. Huckleberry and Tulip were not the first orphaned

pups, nor will they be the last. “I started this rescue with the intention of saving as many abused

and neglected Pit Bulls as I can, and that is what I will do until the day I die,” said Wilke.

If you would like to help the rescue continue its fight for this misunderstood breed, please

visit the website at www.rescueapittie.org for ways to help.

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Blog Post

April 7, 2014

What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know About Blastomycosis

While we all try to avoid unnecessary risks by keeping our beloved dogs away from things that aren’t good for them like chocolate and toxic plants, there are always new things to learn. There is an illness on the rise, and although uncommon, we must educate ourselves about this potentially fatal disease.

Blastomycosis, or Blasto for short, is a systemic fungal infection caused by inhaling the spores of the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. Once the spores are inhaled, it causes a yeast to rapidly grow in the lungs. This fungus may then spread to the lymph nodes, eyes, bones and central nervous system. Signs may include some of the following:

Weight loss/depression Decreased appetite Fever up to 104⁰F Decreased stamina Respiratory ailments Swollen Lymph nodes Harsh, dry cough Redness and discharge from the eyes Fainting if the heart is affected Seizures if the central nervous system is affected Bloody or pus filled skin lesions

The fungus is common in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basin area and is often found in sandy, damp or dark wooded areas. Although it is most common within 400 meters of a body of water, it can be found in dry, dusty soil that gets kicked up by digging and foraging.

Blasto has an incubation period of one to three months. Early detection and diagnosis is key to fighting this disease. There is a 75 percent chance of survival with treatment if detected early on. If you think your pet may have been exposed to the Blasto fungus, notify your veterinarian immediately.

It’s a Pittie Rescue is currently caring for a loving Pit Bull named Lenny who has Blatomycosis. His eyes, his lungs, and his skin are all affected by this disease. He has gone through two rounds of treatment and is getting better everyday! Lenny is up for adoption through IPR, if you would like more information about him please visit our website www.rescueapittie.org.

Blog PostApril 10, 2014

Operation Celebrate, Give Joy with a Toy

Hey guys, Huckelberry here! The mama left her computer open to her blog, so I thought I’d write an entry for today. My plan was to personally thank everyone who supported Tulip’s and my toy drive, but with over 1,200 toys, boxes coming from all over the world, and not everyone’s information, I figured this would be easier. My sister Tulip and I, along with all the volunteers from IPR thank each and every one of you from the bottom of our hearts! Our toy drive was a HUGE success. Mama, Debbie, Tulip and I will begin delivering toys to 12 shelters around the Chicagoland area including our very own IPR dogs that are in boarding. I feel bad for all my friends in the shelter, so I’m hoping having a few toys to play with will make their stay a little more comfortable. Oh no, the mama is coming back…I better get off her computer. Thank you again to everyone who helped make our toy drive a success! I know the pups will LOVE their toys!

Love,Huckleberry

Organization Fact Sheet

Financial Status: Nonprofit 501(c)3

Mission: It’s a Pittie Rescue is dedicated to rescuing, rehabbing and rehoming the Pit Bull breeds and educating people about one of America’s most loyal and kind breeds, one dog at a time.

Profile: Founded in May 2011, It’s a Pittie Rescue is a foster based, tax exempt nonprofit organization registered with the State of Illinois and licensed by the State of Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare. It’s a Pittie Rescue provides love and affection for abused Pit Bulls awaiting their forever homes while helping to create awareness about the breed. The rescue’s goal is to find these neglected dogs loving homes, and give them a second chance at life. Although the rescue is foster based, some dogs are kept in a boarding facility where gracious volunteers give their time to help walk and spend time with these dogs while they wait for their foster or forever homes.

Core Services: •Foster: Fostering involves finding the rescued dogs a temporary home while they wait for their forever families. •Rehabilitate: Rehabilitating involves taking abused, neglected dogs and giving them medical treatment while showing them love and teaching them manners.

•Adopt: Adoption is finding loving forever families for the rescued dogs.•Educate: Education is important to help exterminate the negative stereotype of Pit Bulls, and raise awareness of the breed.•Fund-raising: Fund raising is important to help the rescue continue saving dogs.

Priority Audience: •Community members •High-kill animal shelters statewide•Current donors •Chicago Animal Care and Control•Potential volunteers •Local animal shelters•Potential foster parents •Other local rescue organizations•Potential adopters •Local businesses

Management: Debbie Wilke, Founder

Media Contact: Nicole M. OlsonPO Box 383Peotone, IL 60468nicolemolson@lewisu.edu

Website: www.rescueapittie.org

www.facebook.com/ItsAPittieRescue

Crisis Communication Plan

Prepared By:

Nicole Olson

Public Relations Representative

nicolemolson@lewisu.edu

(708) 935-5747

CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR IT’S A PITTIE RESCUE

Overview

Crisis situations can arise very quickly and cause a great deal of stress and bad press for organizations. A crisis is an emotionally stressful event, traumatic change or a simple emergency that has been amplified. Our institution’s credibility depends on being prepared, practicing how a crisis will be handled and following up.

Should a crisis arise, It’s a Pittie Rescue (IPR) will be positioned to take quick action, be honest, demonstrate confidence and compassion and remain accessible to the media. These steps will help ensure a successful outcome, thereby eliminating false information, guaranteeing health and safety and minimizing negative impact on IPR.

Examples of Possible Crisis Situations Impacting IPR

One of our dogs bites or injures someone or another animal at an adoption event in a pet store.

One of our dogs bites or injures a person at the home of the foster parent(s). A child gets hurt by one of our dogs while the organization is giving a presentation about

Pit Bulls at a school. One of our dogs gets into an altercation with another dog while in the care of the foster

parent(s). One of our dogs bites or injures an employee or visitor of the veterinarian office. A volunteer is injured while handling one of our dogs. A volunteer is angry with the organization. He or she takes a dog without permission

and cannot be found. A fire breaks out at our boarding facility in Monee. The organization is presented with

the task of rescuing up to 15 IPR dogs from the facility. A dog or multiple dogs get loose from the boarding facility while being walked and end

up becoming lost. A tornado watch/warning is in effect for the area in which the boarding facility is

located. A man enters our boarding facility with an object that appears to be a gun. The

organization is confronted with the possibility of a shooting. Our organization sponsors a program that a community member doesn’t like. The

community member organizes a grass-roots movement to campaign against our organization.

I. The IPR Crisis Communications Team

Organization Spokesperson – Debbie Wilke, Founder Public Relations Manager Lead dog handler/trainer

This team will:

Determine a chain of command Provide rapid response information to all volunteers and foster parents

o Telephone tree (work/home/cell numbers)o Email

Consult any existing related planso Emergency/disastero Marketing/communications/public relations

Develop, disseminate and regularly update basic information kit Review previous emergencies/disasters Train and rehearse for potential disasters Routinely review vulnerabilities

II. Communication Tools for the Crisis

The following tools may be used should a crisis occur:

Media Kit- should consist of a digital and paper format. The media kit should include the following:

o Organization fact sheeto Brochureo List of the Crisis Communication Teamo URL for website and Facebook page

Press Release Press Conference Public Service Announcement Interviews with the crisis team Website Facebook page

III. Communication Methods and Channels for the Crisis

Internal methods of communication include a phone tree, email announcements and updates to the organization’s website and Facebook page. The phone tree will be set up so that all foster parents and volunteers are notified of the crisis via text message and/or phone call. Donors will be included on the phone tree and should be notified if necessary at the discretion of the organization leader. Emails should be sent to IPR volunteers, foster parents and donors as a secondary means of communication for the organization.

To communicate with external publics, IPR may use a media kit, the organization website, Facebook page, public service announcements, press releases, a press conference and/or interviews. The media kit will be used to give external publics background information and contact information for the rescue. A press release or press conference may be used to explain the crisis to a larger external audience. If a press conference is used, the public relations manager will handle the conference. If more information is needed, interviews may be conducted with the organization spokesperson or the lead dog handler/trainer.

For both internal and external communication, the organization’s website and Facebook pages must be kept up to date regarding the crisis. This will be the main source of updated information for all parties involved.

For all crises, information regarding the situation must be gathered by the crisis communication team and documented. This includes all website and Facebook posts, interviews and press conferences. In order to correctly tell the story after the crisis, it is imperative all information is documented correctly and kept in the organization’s records.

IV. Communicating During the Crisis

Assemble your team Gather information regarding the crisis Let other volunteers and fosters know what is happening with the organization

and how to handle it if they are confronted with questions. Develop a strategy and issue a statement using the communication methods you

have already determined. Issue a statement to the public via the communication methods listed above. Make sure you are honest and empathetic, emphasizing IPR’s concerns and the

actions that are underway and planned.

V. Post Crisis Steps

After a crisis, take the time to assess what you have learned with your team and thank those who have assisted you in getting through the crisis. It may be appropriate to hold a community event based on the assessment work you complete with your team. Write up a narrative based on the log that you kept and share it with volunteers and fosters.

Use this opportunity to strengthen relations with the media. View any crisis as an opportunity to advocate for IPR by raising awareness and creating support.= for the organization.