Every February, Yashit Foundation organises its annual adoption drive. But this year's event — held on the 24th and 25th of February across two venues in Lucknow — exceeded everything we'd seen before.
Setting Up the Drive
Planning began six weeks in advance. Our team reached out to four partner animal shelters across the city, worked with a local veterinary college to provide health certificates, and created detailed profiles for every animal available for adoption. We also worked with Instagram influencers and local RWAs to spread the word.
On the morning of Day 1, we had 47 animals registered for adoption: 38 dogs, 6 cats, and 3 rabbits. By the end of Day 2, 32 of them had found forever homes.
The Numbers
- 32 animals adopted across two days
- 600+ visitors attended the event
- All adopters received a care kit, vaccine records, and a follow-up call at 30 days
- 4 corporate sponsors covered food and venue costs entirely
"We came just to look. We left with Bruno. He immediately sat on my son's feet in the car and hasn't left his side since." — First-time adopter, Lucknow
What We Learnt
The biggest lesson? Pre-event social media matters more than on-day footfall. 70% of people who adopted had already seen an animal's profile online before visiting. Next year, we plan to launch the animal profiles two weeks before the event and enable online pre-registrations for potential adopters.
We also learnt that a dedicated "senior dog corner" — featuring calm, older dogs who often get overlooked — needs to be better promoted. Only 2 senior dogs were adopted this year. We're committed to changing that narrative in 2025.
To support our ongoing animal rescue and shelter work, donate here.