May Events: Chip Your Pet Month, Endangered Species Day, Bike to Work Day, and More

18

As an animal lover, you’ll probably want to note ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY. You can solicit donations for the World Wildlife Fund. Or take it a step further and identify endangered species in your own area — whether plants or animals — and launch a campaign to help.

1

It’s CHIP YOUR PET MONTH. Make sure your customers know where to go to get their favorite fur-bundles chipped. And, of course, how easy (less than five minutes) and cheap (less than $100) micro-chipping is. (Also note that it is National Pet Month.)

1

It’s NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK. Fly your independent flag high. Send a message to customers reminding them of the positive community effects of buying local and from independents. Be sure to list some local independents in other shopping categories that you patronize. (And hopefully, they’ll do the same for you.)

5

It’s CINCO DE MAYO, the one day a year when you can dress your dog in a sombrero and poncho and not have people think you’re insane. (What your dog thinks is another matter.) In your quest to bring human-styled social events to your canine audience, maybe you could hold a “Cinco de Mayo de los Perros”?

6

MAYDAY FOR MUTTS is your chance to help bust the negative preconceptions about mixed-breed dogs. Post images of lovable mutts in your business’s orbit with the hashtag #maydayformutts.

7

In the midst of NATIONAL PET MONTH comes NATIONAL PET WEEK, so raise the volume on your promotions this week. Parties, discounts, free services, demos. It’s a good week for you to claim the stage.

13

Happy MOTHER’S DAY. Have a salon nearby? Combine forces to offer a fun gift package for mothers and their pampered pets. Manicures, hairstyling and fluffy pink bathrobes for both.

14

A toast has been proposed in your honor. You say “thank you” and take a sip of your drink. Uh-oh … was that the correct thing to do?* If you don’t know the answer (below right), you need to brush up on your manners during NATIONAL ETIQUETTE WEEK, which starts today.

18

Strap on your helmet, tuck in your trouser legs and get up on the saddle to join the 2 million Americans who will cycle to work today as part of NATIONAL BIKE TO WORK DAY. It’s about fun, fitness and clean air.

19

Offer thanks (and a healthy discount) to active service members on ARMED FORCES DAY. Perhaps you could sponsor a mixer at a local shelter for soldiers and animals looking for a home.

28

MEMORIAL DAY is here, and along with it the unofficial start to summer. Leave the discounting to stores selling plasma-screen TVs, but freshen up your displays to reflect the seasonal change.

This article originally appeared in the May 2018 edition of PETS+.