ShelterCare Gift Green Initiative - 2009 Frequently Asked Questions

As previously announced, January 5, 2009 marks the launch of Pethealth's Green Initiative. As of that date, the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance* will become paperless, thus drastically reducing Pethealth's carbon footprint while making the program more efficient for all involved. Automatic enrollment through PetPoint into the ShelterCare program will be available to only those who adopt a microchipped animal and provide a valid email address. (However, pets that are not microchipped may still be eligible for the gift - see below.) The Documents of Insurance will be delivered via email to the new adopter.

*Please note that the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance is now called the Ontario SPCA Gift of Insurance for adoptions taking place in Ontario, Canada.

Click here to download an information sheet describing the different ShelterCare Gift Scenarios which may impact your adopters.

FAQ:

Q. Why the change in delivery of ShelterCare Gift Documents?

A. Pethealth's goal to become more environmentally responsible corresponds with the initiatives of many of our partnering organizations in animal welfare. We have received countless requests to reduce the amount of paper generated through our programs, which both cost you money and reduce the lives of your printers. We are therefore committed to limiting the amount of paper we and our partnering organizations use in daily operations, as well as in correspondence with our mutual clients.

We also want to be ahead of the curve with respect to new legislation. We would prefer to be proactive rather than wait for Congress to force change upon us!

Most promotional Gifts require the client's email address as a means of authentication, as well as managing the use and availability of the service offered. Specifically to our program, we have found email to be an effective method of communication; ensuring that adopters are aware of the service parameters and informed on how to continue the Gift.

More importantly, collecting email addresses from adopters benefits your organization by allowing you to communicate electronically with your adopters rather than via costly postal mailings or time-intensive calling campaigns. In addition, as many leaders in animal welfare will tell you, collection of valid email addresses is directly proportional to the level of donations a shelter will generate from adopters.

Q. When is the ShelterCare Gift available to adopters?

A. For "Immediate" adoptions, the Gift will be activated at the time of "Outcome" and as usual becomes effective 2 days later (ie: policies activated for adoptions taking place sometime on January 5, will become effective at 12:01AM on January 7).

In the event of a "Deferred" adoption (where the client returns to the shelter at a later date to take the animal home), the Gift will now be activated at the time of "Release", which means your adopter will not lose coverage while waiting to pick up their pet, as they do now.

A single ShelterCare Gift Welcome Letter page will be printed and the remaining documents will be delivered by email to the adopter.

Clients who adopt an animal that is not microchip but have provided a valid email address will receive a ShelterCare Gift of Insurance Offer. This offer will generate a one page document through PetPoint containing a unique code. Adopters will have 5 days to call in and provide the code to one of our agents, who will in turn activate ShelterCare Gift policy.

Q. Whose email address is required to receive a Gift?  Can a shelter's own email address be used?

A. Insurance Law dictates that the recipient of the policy documents has to be the insured, in this case, the new pet owner.  Therefore the email provided must belong to the adopter as they are the recipient of the Gift of Insurance.  As such, an organization that provides their own email address to activate a policy on behalf of the adopter will cause the application of insurance to be voided.

Q. What Insurance options are available to adopters who do not have an email address?

A. Adopters that do not have an email address or access to the internet are invited to take part in the ShelterCare Intro Policy. This is an affordable option for those that want to ensure the health of their newly adopted pet. For only $1 for the first month of coverage ($15.15/month thereafter), adopters can call our call center at 1-877-707-PAWS (7297) to get started.

Higher level coverage options are available and will qualify for an $8.95 credit if purchased within ten days of adoption. Anyone who chooses to purchase a core policy online through the ShelterCare link provided on your website will generate a $25 donation to your organization through our Bowl of Food Program (click here for more info: http://www.sheltercare.com/shelters/bof.asp).

Q. Does the pet have to be microchipped in order to qualify for the ShelterCare Gift?

No, Clients who have provided a valid email address at the time of adoption will still receive the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance Offer. They will have five days to activate their policy by calling into our call center.

Additionally, because some organizations are not able to implant microchips into younger animals, clients who adopt an animal between 8-12 weeks of age that is not microchipped will still automatically receive a ShelterCare Gift of Insurance, provided the client has given a valid email address at the time of adoption.

Q. Does the animal have to be implanted with a 24PetWatch microchip to receive the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance?

A. Yes. The 24PetWatch microchip must be entered prior to OR at the time of adoption for the adopter to receive the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance.

 Exception: If the animal being adopted has already been implanted with another type of microchip prior to arriving at your organization, the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance may be activated.

Q. What if the animal is microchipped at a later date?

A. Clients who provide an email address at the time of adoption will still receive the ShelterCare Gift Offer. They will have five days to activate their policy by calling into our call center.

Q. Can the ShelterCare Gift be issued at offsite adoptions?

A. One of the best features of ShelterCare Going Green is that any adopter who qualifies for the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance will receive their documents by email once their information is entered into PetPoint. As a result, there is no need to mail documents if data entry into PetPoint takes place after the adopter has already gone home.

Q. How long do I have to enter the adoption into PetPoint?

A. Because the Documents of Insurance are being delivered by email - we are now able to provide organizations with a 2-day grace period for data entry. As long the outcome date (or release date for deferred adoptions) is backdated to the correct date of adoption*, the ShelterCare Gift activation date will be matched to the outcome date (or release date for deferred adoptions). This means that adoptions which take place offsite on a Saturday, can be entered into PetPoint up to and including Monday without any delay in coverage activation.

* For the purposes of the insurance program, the definition of "adoption date" is the day the animal was taken to their new home.

Q. Do adopters have to accept or sign for the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance?

A. Staff will no longer be a need to have adopters accept or sign for the ShelterCare Gift at the time of adoption. PetPoint will deliver the terms of the policy electronically and the client will acknowledge the terms of coverage by clicking through the link to retrieve their personalized Document of Insurance.

Q. If an adopter provided an email address but their pet is not microchipped, are they required to sign an acknowledgment for the ShelterCare Gift Offer?

A. No. These clients are only receiving a ShelterCare Gift Offer. They must call in to our call center within five days of adoption to have the ShelterCare policy activated. Our agents will be able to go over the check list with the client at that time.

Q. When does the coverage for the ShelterCare Gift begin?

A. There is no change to the waiting period for coverage. Policies will take effect the second midnight following adoption.

Q. When will adopters get the ShelterCare Gift Documents?

A. Within 24hrs of adoption. By facilitating the electronic delivery of the claim form, documents, and welcome letter, we anticipate the adoption process to be made quicker and easier. PetPoint will still generate one confirmation page briefly describing the ShelterCare Gift of Insurance or in the event the pet is not microchipped the ShelterCare Gift Offer.

Organizations will continue to have the ability to retrieve policy information for any ShelterCare Gift issued by entering the PetPoint Admin section and clicking on the "Gift Policy Search" link.

Q. What kind of information will shelters be provided to offer adopters?

A. Initially, there will be no changes to the current marketing materials - we will continue to distribute ShelterCare Envelopes, ShelterCare Gift Tear Pads, and 24PetWatch Tear Pads until the existing supply we have on-hand has been exhausted; we request you continue to use them in your adoption process. During Q1 of 2009, watch for a new all-in-one brochure for your adopters as part of our continued Green Initiative, at which time any remaining supply of existing materials you may have should be recycled.

ShelterCare Intro Tear Pads are currently available upon request. These should be given to those clients who do not provide an email address at the time of adoption.

Q. When will these changes take place?

A. Changes to PetPoint will be in effect on Monday, January 5th, 2008. Until then, the ShelterCare Gift will continue to be offered as usual.