JOIN THE PAWS! COMPANIES USE TWITTER TO SUPPORT SEARCH AND RESCUE DOGS IN HAITI

Wedgewood Pharmacy, NorthStar VETS, and Broad Ripple Animal Clinic & Wellness Center used social media to raise money for the American Rescue Dog Association (ARDA) in their efforts to search for live victims in Haiti


NATIONWIDE, NJ – January 25, 2010 – Social media gurus, dedicated to the welfare of animals, teamed up on Twitter with a mission to help support several search and rescue canine teams that were deployed to Haiti.

The American Rescue Dog Association (ARDA), as a result of the natural disaster in Haiti, has deployed several canine teams to aid in the recovery of live victims. While many organizations are uniting to raise money for the country and its people, Phillip Barnes, Wedgewood Pharmacy, Nicole Tassinaro, NorthStar VETS, and Brenda Tassava from Broad Ripple Animal Clinic & Wellness Center thought, what about the dogs and their handlers who are selflessly serving the public, and how could they help? “We raised funds locally to support the American Rescue Dog Association during Hurricane Katrina, so we immediately thought of this organization once again.” Tassava said.

By simply posting "We're donating to ARDA to support their work in #Haiti. Please help and RT http://bit.ly/7hgsf7 @BRACpet @NorthStarVETS @WedgewoodPetRx." The campaign began on January 25th and generated over 50 click-throughs in the first hour. A click through is a way to measure the success of an online campaign. "Partnering with prescribers to help people in need is what we do every day, so working with Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and NorthStar VETS on this project came quite naturally. When time was short, Twitter enabled us to collaborate and get out the message to support ARDA in a fraction of the time it might have taken any other way." Barnes said.

The increase in technology and the rise of businesses using various social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Blogger, Linked In etc. has provided people with instant communication. This rise has provided endless opportunities for networking, trade, and commerce amongst business professionals across the nation. "Not only have we reached thousands of people, but we were able to encourage them to support the organization with the click of a mouse," Tassinaro said. "It's amazing that we were able to unite for the same cause and never have actually spoken on the phone." she continued, referencing the ability to organize the campaign and communicate virtually.

The campaign will continue for the next few weeks; however donations to the ARDA can be easily made at www.ardainc.org Follow Wedgewood Pharmacy, NorthStar VETS, and Broad Ripple Animal Clinic (@BRACpet) on Facebook and Twitter.

About Wedgewood Pharmacy:
Established in 1980, Wedgewood Pharmacy is one of the largest compounding pharmacies in the United States, providing more than 25,000 prescribers with compounds for their patients. It is located in Swedesboro NJ and licensed throughout the United States. Learn more about Wedgewood Pharmacy and compounding at www.wedgewoodpetrx.com, and see the online community for veterinarians at www.twitter.com/WedgewoodPetRx and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wedgewood-Pharmacy/37456839496

About NorthStar VETS: Nestled in a semi-rural New Jersey NorthStar VETS is an imminently respected, superior quality veterinary specialty and referral hospital. NorthStar VETS' strives to provide patients with the finest practitioners, modernized technology, exceptional customer service, and optimal health care. To learn more about NorthStar VETS’ full range of specialty veterinary expertise, please call 609-259-8300 or visit www.northstarvets.com.

About Broad Ripple Animal Clinic: Established in 1981 in the heart of Indianapolis, Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center is a two-location practice. The veterinarians and staff of @BRACpet strive to deliver the highest level of veterinary medical care paired with exceptional client service. To learn more about Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center visit us online at www.bracpet.com or call us at 317-257-5334.