The best day of any shelter’s dog’s life is the day it is adopted. So we created a national movement called The Make A Dog’s Day Initiative—a movement asking dog lovers everywhere to invent new and entertaining ways to repay their dog’s unconditional love—and to then share those ideas, videos and photos with the world. By engaging dog lovers in this emotional way, we were able to rapidly popularize #MakeADogsDay and raise awareness of the ultimate way to make a dog’s day—the day they get a new home.

In June of 2015, the concept and hashtag were launched on TV with a :90 film about a man who rewarded his elderly dog with an epic “Bucket List” road trip in his trusted Subaru. We then used Subaru’s well-populated social channels to invite dog lovers everywhere to invent their own new and entertaining ways to make a dog’s day, and to share that content with the world. Thousands of videos and photos were shared. National news shows quickly picked up the story. Internet celebrities were recruited to create their own #MakeADogsDay content. Most importantly, animal shelters and pet adoption centers were then invited to organize Make A Dog’s Day Adoption Events, and countless animals were then able to enjoy the ultimate day—adoption day.

Subaru’s Make A Dog’s Day Initiative ultimately reached more than 68 million people. More than 50,000 pieces of creative content were submitted by dog lovers and Subaru owners. And while we can’t take all the credit, during the months that The Make A Dog’s Day Initiative was live, the ASPCA, Subaru’s longtime partner, was able to help nearly a million dogs find new homes.