The Petbarn Foundation has rehomed 90,000 rescue pets since 2012. But that hasn’t always been easy. A recent campaign by Howatson+Company gave it a 2,570 dogs and cats rehomed boost.

The campaign’s job was to shift “attitudinal complacency” and a perception barrier – 66% of Australians wrongly believed rescue pets were “hard work”. The Foundation needed to move beyond awareness to belief. Howatson+ Company tapped into Australia’s burgeoning running culture, positioning rescue pets as the ultimate running partners to shift public perception.

The idea came from proprietary research that showed 97% of surrendered dogs thrive with active owners, and the campaign was executed as a “show, don’t tell” strategy. At the core of the strategy was the appointment of Young Australian of the Year 2026, Nedd Brockmann, alongside his rescue dog, and Petbarn Foundation, chief rescue officer Dougie. By embedding their journey into digital platforms like Strava, TikTok, and Meta, the agency provided high-performance proof of a rescue pet’s potential, effectively connecting with the national conversation around fitness and mateship.

The campaign was amplified through a collaboration with the popular Australian Firefighters Calendar. Its “hero-helping-hero” imagery reinforced the data that rescues thrive with active companions across mainstream social feeds and drove a “Rescue Roadshow” that bridged the gap between social media and real-world activation.

“Behind every rescue pet is a community of people who care. Rescue groups across Australia are doing incredible work, and it’s the kindness of everyday Australians – adopting, fostering, and volunteering – that helps turn second chances into new beginnings. Reaching 90,000 rescue pets is proof that when communities come together, truly life-changing outcomes are possible,” stated Janelle Miller, Petbarn Foundation Manager.

Michael Rossiter, group PR & influencer director, Howatson+Company, commented, “Charity work often falls into the trap of tugging at the heartstrings. We wanted to do something different. We identified a data-match between the explosion of social running and the needs of rescue dogs. By appointing Nedd and Dougie as our leads and turning the campaign into a physical movement with the Rescue Run Club, we didn’t just talk about adoption – we created a cultural hijack that made rescue ownership feel aspirational, not a burden.”

Credits:
Client: Petbarn Foundation
Creative Agency: Howatson+Company
PR and Influencer Agency: Howatson+Company