IKEA has found a way to help homeless animals get adopted. The Swedish company displays life-sized cardboard cutouts of homeless cats and dogs, each tagged with an adoption message, in the showrooms of its Tempe, Arizona and Singapore stores.
The program has been a success so far. The featured animals in all 6 cutouts displayed at the Tempe store have been adopted, and more will be added.
The brilliant idea originated in Singapore through a collaboration between the retailer and Home For Hope, a coalition of pet adoption agencies that includes Save Our Street Dogs and the Animal Lovers League.
The Tempe store partnered with the Arizona Humane Society to create its own pet adoption program.
First, the cats and dogs have their photos taken.
Then, the photos are made into life-sized cardboard cutouts and placed on the couches, rugs and bunk beds of the IKEA showrooms.
“We thought it was a perfect way to show people what their home would look like with a pet in it,” said Becky Blaine, IKEA Tempe’s marketing director.
People can scan the QR codes on the cutouts using their mobile phones to get more information on each animal.
Thanks to IKEA and the various pet adoption agencies, many homeless animals have found new homes… and a chance to be loved by a family. Share this heartwarming story with others below.