Responsible Pet Guardianship

Targeting spanish speaking communities

AIA works diligently to promote responsible care of dogs, cats and all pets. We encourage pet guardians to provide safe and loving homes for their animals, and to ensure that they receive proper veterinary care. We provide information about keeping pets safe from accidents, injuries, poisonings, encounters with wildlife, extreme temperature and weather conditions and other hazards of modern living.

We are proud of the past campaign we conducted called Happy and Safe Dogs and Cats.

Utilizing 60 sec. radio advertisements, feature articles in the Coachella Valley’s Spanish language newspaper, La Prensa Hispana, colorful informational flyers and strategically placed billboards, the messages emphasize the importance of fixing our pets, making sure they are properly vaccinated and licensed, that they have safe and secure living environments, and much more.

There is very little information about responsible pet guardianship available in Spanish and Happy and Safe Dogs and Cats directly addresses this void.

With your support, we hope to continue to grow this effort, thus benefitting as many dogs and cats, and their families, as possible.

In 2013, AIA began a program to promote responsible guardianship of dogs and cats in Spanish. The materials related to this project are displayed on this page.

Every year millions of adoptable companion animals are euthanized due to overpopulation. In addition, many animals are neglected, abused, or even discarded by uncaring people.

While efforts have been made by many organizations to educate households about animal guardianship, this outreach is, for the most part, offered in English. AIA has found that there can be significant differences in the cultural assumptions about the care of companion animals and believes that the lack of outreach in languages other than English has limited the progress of animal care in some communities.

For example, in California’s Coachella Valley’s Spanish-speaking communities, animals are often allowed to roam freely and dogs and cats are less likely to be licensed, vaccinated and spayed or neutered. This not only potentially leads to needless suffering, disease and death of the animals, but also poses health and safety risks to people in these communities. Additionally, unfixed animals contribute to overpopulation and consequent euthanasia of unwanted dogs and cats.

In January 2014 AIA completed a successful pilot project to promote responsible pet guardianship in California’s Coachella Valley’s Spanish-speaking communities. Based on the positive results, AIA is continuing the campaign in the Coachella Valley as well as developing similar initiatives in other communities throughout the country. Through newspaper articles, radio PSAs and commercials, internet entries and blogs, and other media, AIA is providing and will continue to provide education about the proper care of companion animals in Spanish and English.