When the earthquake hit Haiti, Brenda Tassava, CVPM, sprung into action.
Tassava, the hospital administrator at Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center in Indianapolis, posted a simple message to the practice’s Twitter account: “We’re donating to ARDA to support their work in #Haiti. Please help and RT.”
She hoped the practice’s followers would give funds to the American Rescue Dog Association. Other Twitterers including pharmaceutical company Wedgewood Pharmacy and New Jersey specialty and referral hospital NorthStar VETS posted similar messages. And word spread quickly. In less than two weeks, the three groups generated 164 click-throughs. (A click-through is a method of measuring the success of an online campaign.) In addition to online donations, in-clinic donations at Broad Ripple Animal Clinic generated $125. The practice matched that figure, contributing $250 to ARDA.
If your veterinary clinic has a Twitter or Facebook account, think about how you could raise money for worthy causes. Perhaps a local organization could use financial assistance, or maybe you’d like to build your clinic’s fund for pet owners who can’t afford much-needed care for their pets. After all of the socializing and game-playing, isn’t it time to put your social networking time to good use?
