CHARLOTTE, NC - August 8, 2023 - GoodPup, a positive reinforcement dog training service available over one-on-one video chat at your home and on your own schedule, today announced that it has partnered with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control to launch a new program, called the GoodPup Advantage Program, that makes four weeks of personalized training available to all adopted dogs at the shelter, at no cost to pet parents. By reducing return rates and strengthening the human-animal bond from the start of the relationship, the new offering is designed to help address the urgent full-capacity issue that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control has been experiencing.
“We’ve reached a tipping point where our intake rate is the highest in over five years, and we’re already at full capacity and urgently need a solution - that’s where we strongly believe GoodPup can help,” said Melissa Knicely, the Communications & Outreach Manager for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control. “We don’t expect the new program to fully alleviate all of our issues and concerns, but reducing return rates through accessible, personalized training - that’s completely free to the new pet parents - will certainly be a step in the right direction. It’s free virtual training available from the comforts of home and we anticipate it will lead to more adoptions, and equally as important, will ensure dogs will more easily adjust to their new homes and parents.”
Each Advantage Program pet parent participant receives weekly one-on-one training over video chat from a certified trainer, access to 24/7 chat with GoodPup’s training and veterinary team, and interactive educational material tailored to new pet parents. To help make the program affordable to shelters, the GoodPup Advantage Program provides training at more economically-friendly bulk discount rates to partners.
“Many shelters, like Charlotte-Mecklenburg, are experiencing both an increase in animal intake and a decrease in adoptions, which is leading to over-capacity, and this problem is only intensified when previously adopted dogs are returned,” said Micah Adler, Co-Founder and General Manager of GoodPup. “By providing access to free training immediately following adoption, we can significantly increase the probability of a positive outcome. The beauty of GoodPup is that there’s no getting on a weeks long training waiting list, or making a long drive after work. Pet parents can literally get started on their phones, even before they are home with their pet for the first time.”
Past partnerships with shelter partners, like the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, have demonstrated the impact early training can have on return rates, decreasing average return rate by 45 percent, while reducing returns for behavioral reasons by 59 percent.
For more information on GoodPup, getting started with behavior and training support, or learning more about GoodPup’s Advantage Program for shelters, visit www.goodpup.com.
About GoodPup
Founded in 2017, GoodPup, a member of the Rover Group Inc. family, is the leading provider of one-on-one video chat dog training services. GoodPup’s mission is to help every dog and dog parent live their best lives together through training that is effective, affordable, and rewarding. GoodPup’s positive reinforced training is one-on-one, at-home, and conveniently scheduled with trainers ready to help 24/7. GoodPup has helped more than 70,000 dog parents across the U.S. and Canada. The company currently has over 850 participating shelter partners in the U.S. Visit www.goodpup.com for more information.
About Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control (CMACC) provides critical support to the pets AND people of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community focusing on public safety, public health, and animal welfare. Over the past ten years, CMACC has transformed animal welfare in the community by focusing on “both ends of the leash” in order to ensure that pets and their people have what they need to live happy, safe, and healthy lives while enjoying everything Charlotte has to offer. CMACC provides field operations services to a total of 8 municipalities covering over 546 square miles and provides care to over 13,000 lost, homeless, sick, or injured animals each year.
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Jeff Pecor
Tailwind Public Relations
206.948.1482
