Your Guide to Astro’s 'Sharing the Love' Program

Your Guide to Astro’s 'Sharing the Love' Program

Sharing the Love | Adoption Programs & Bundles

From the moment Astro Loyalty was just an idea scribbled on a napkin, we envisioned creating a platform that would empower members of the pet industry to make meaningful contributions to pet rescues and adoptions. Today, that dream has become a reality!

This initiative is a collaborative effort between our beloved Brand Manufacturer partners (who have shown incredible generosity), Local Rescues & Shelters (who dedicate their lives to uniting pets with loving families), Independent Pet Retailers (that’s you—helping ensure the lifelong health and well-being of these pets), our Distributor Partners (who have played a vital role in making this happen), and Astro Loyalty.

What is 'Sharing the Love' Adoption Rewards?

The 'Sharing the Love' program was created to reward pet owners who choose adoption over purchasing from breeders while also connecting them with a trusted local pet shop to support their new pet’s health and well-being.

To ensure the integrity and effectiveness of this program:

  • A pet household may redeem only one Adoption Bundle per pet type per 365 days.

  • Bundles must be redeemed within 90 days of adoption.

These guidelines ensure that the program remains impactful. Our goal is to provide new pet owners with essential pet care and nutrition during the crucial first weeks of pet ownership—when they are establishing lifelong care routines. By receiving high-quality food, treats, and supplies early on, adopters are more likely to continue using these recommended products, fostering long-term health and well-being for their new pet.

Astro Loyalty has partnered with Brands to create special programs that help welcome new pets (dogs, cats, birds, small animals, horses, etc.) into their new homes. These programs provide full-size products—not just samples!—to support new pet parents.

Each Brand has developed a program that offers specific pet essentials (kibble, raw food, litter, treats, supplements) for a range of species (dog, cat, rabbit, chinchilla, gerbil, rat, hamster, guinea pig). As a retailer, you can enroll in the programs that align with your store’s offerings.

When a new pet parent visits your store, as long as they meet the redemption requirements, you can provide them with a Brand-Sponsored Adoption Bundle to help them on their pet parenting journey. With food and treats covered, you’ll also have the opportunity to introduce them to additional must-haves like collars, leashes, bowls, ID tags, beds, crates, and toys! By supporting new pet parents, you not only gain loyal customers but also strengthen your bond with the local rescue community.


How Do Pet Adoption Programs Work at My Store?

  1. Enroll in the Pet Adoption Programs that align with your store.

  2. Promote your Adoption Programs to local rescues using our provided materials.

  3. Verify Eligibility – Only new pet owners who adopted a pet from an approved source within the past 90 days qualify for an Adoption Bundle.

  4. Engage with New Pet Parents by asking the right questions—open-ended questions that get them talking!

    1. Ask about their adoption story.

    2. Ask them how they envisioned feeding their pet.

    3. Use these answers to help them build out the Bundle.

    4. Here's a Tip: If you suspect they do not know about the Bundle, don't spoil the surprise! If this customer thinks they are picking out items to purchase, you will get the best read on what products they are truly interested in. Then, once you have their Bundle built, you can surprise them at the register! 🎉

  5. Record the Adoption –

    • Look up their Pet Owner Account, or Add them as a new customer in Astro.

    • Enter "astro[species name]" (ex. astrodog) into the search bar on their Checkout screen, and hit 'Enter'. (See all eligible species names below)

    • Select the applicable Adoption Type [Rescue, Shelter, Found/Stray, Rehomed, or In-Store Purchase - Rabbit & Rodents Only)

    • Document the Adoption Details, such as the name of the rescue or shelter, or explain the unique situation for found and rehomed pets (ex. kitten found under porch, dog rehomed to keep from going to the shelter)

    • Record the Adoption Date, which must be within 90 days of today.

    • Add the Pet Name to the form. Do not use placeholders like "not sure," or "dog" - if the pet owner hasn't chosen a name yet, use the pet's shelter name. The pet owner can edit their pet's profile and add their new name via the Astro App. 

    • Choose one Free Good from up to 3 of the listed eligible categories (kibble, wet food, freeze-dried, treats, supplements, supplies, etc.).

    • Review the form before saving.

  6. Redeem the Free Goods in via the Checkout screen.

  7. Complete the Experience – Provide the Free Rewards, offer additional pet care recommendations, invite them to download your Astro App
     so they don't miss out on their Bounce Back Coupons and ensure the pet parent leaves fully equipped to care for their new companion.

  8. Receive Reimbursement – All Free Goods redeemed via these programs will be automatically reported to your distributor for credit reimbursement. 

  9. Send Pending Coupon Reminders - The Astro Marketing Suite allows you to send coupon reminders via email to ensure your adopters don't miss out on their lucrative Bounce-Back Coupons.

  10. Check-In - Follow up with your 'Sharing The Love' bundle recipients using the Astro Marketing Suite!

Idea

Practice Thoughtful Curation Over Quantity

Why just three items instead of all of them?
Just because a pet owner is presented with up to six items to choose from, doesn’t mean they are all the best choice for them or their pet. The purpose of this platform is to match new pet owners with products that truly fit their pet’s needs and lifestyles. 

For example:
  1. If a pet owner shows no interest in supplements, giving them one just because it’s available won’t benefit their pet—especially if they’re unlikely to use it.
  2. If they’re committed to feeding exclusively raw, it doesn’t make sense to send them home with raw, kibble, and wet food. Instead, guide them toward a thoughtful selection, like a bag of raw, a treat, and a supplement they’re excited about.
The key is to help them build a Bundle of products they’ll actually use, setting them (and their pet) up for success while increasing the chances they’ll return to your store for more.

Terms & Conditions of the 'Sharing the Love' Adoption Bundle Platform

To maintain the integrity of this nationwide initiative, all participating retailers must adhere to the following rules. Misuse of the program, whether intentional or accidental, could compromise its future availability.

By participating in the program, retailers and pet owners agree to the following terms:

1. Pet Owner Eligibility

  • Adoption Bundles are available only to pet owners who have adopted from a 501(c)(3) accredited shelter or rescue within the past 90 days.

  • A pet owner may redeem only one Adoption Bundle per species within a 365 day period.

2. Retailer Responsibilities & Compliance

  • Retailers must verify adoption eligibility before issuing an Adoption Bundle.

  • The adoption source must be accurately recorded at the time of redemption.

  • Redemptions are subject to audit to ensure compliance with program guidelines.

3. Program Integrity & Audits

  • Astro Loyalty conducts regular audits to ensure program integrity.

  • Pending reimbursement credits may be held during an audit. If non-compliance is found, credits may be declined.

  • Retailers found misusing the platform (e.g., distributing bundles to ineligible pet owners, creating duplicate accounts, entering in-valid contact information, or falsifying adoption sources) will be suspended pending an investigation.

  • Confirmed fraud or misuse may result in permanent removal from the program and potential removal from Astro Loyalty.

4. Program Adjustments & Enforcement

  • Astro Loyalty reserves the right to modify program terms, adjust eligibility requirements, or suspend participation if necessary.

  • Participating brands may remove a retailer’s access if fraud is suspected.

  • Retailers who fail to comply with these terms may lose access to Adoption Bundles and potentially other Astro Loyalty services.

For any questions regarding the use of this platform, please contact info@astroloyalty.com.


What Qualifies as an Adopted Pet?

An adopted pet is a formerly homeless pet that has been placed in a new home within the past 90 days. This includes:

  • 501(c)(3) Rescue Agency Adoptions – Pets adopted from an accredited rescue, including "foster fails."

  • Animal Shelter Adoptions – Pets adopted from licensed shelters, including SPCA and Humane Societies.

  • Private Party Re-Home Adoptions — Pets rehomed due to owner hardship (e.g., an owner passes away or moves, but no payment exchanges hands).

  • Stray Adoptions (Legal Hold Fulfilled) – Pets taken in as strays after legally required efforts to find their owner have been exhausted.

  • In-Store Purchase (Rabbit and Rodent Only) – This adoption type appears only on small-animal adoption bundle forms (Chinchilla, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Rabbit, and Rat). These species are most commonly placed into homes through in-store purchases rather than traditional shelter or rescue pathways. To ensure small-animal adopters are not unintentionally excluded from 'Sharing the Love,' this option is available for these species only.

This exception is limited in scope and exists to reflect established small-animal adoption norms, while maintaining the program’s core standards for dogs and cats. It also allows participating small-animal brands—many of whom were eager to support the program—to meaningfully engage with new pet parents at the point of adoption.

Not Eligible:

  • Dogs or cats purchased from breeders or pet stores (unless the store is a registered 501(c)(3) rescue).

  • Backyard-bred or commercially sold dogs or cats.


Adoption Bundle Guidelines & Best Practices

The Astro Adoption platform is dynamic—Categories may be added, consolidated, or reorganized as new programs are introduced. Currently, each Adoption Bundle allows for up to three redeemable Categories. To ensure the best experience for both retailers and pet owners, we strongly recommend implementing a "Build a Better Bowl" approach.

Recommended Adoption Bundle Structure
  1. Base Diet: Kibble or Raw or Wet
  2. Topper/Mix-In: Wet or Raw or Supplement
  3. Extra: Treat or Supplement or Supply
Examples of Thoughtfully Curated Bundles:
  1. Kibble / Can / Treat
  2. Raw / Supplement / Treat
  3. Wet / Raw / Supplement
  4. Wet / Supplement / Supply
  5. Kibble / Raw (Freeze-Dried) / Supplement
  6. And so on…

The Key to Success: Thoughtful Product Pairing

The goal of an Adoption Bundle is to introduce pet owners to products they genuinely want to continue purchasing—not simply to give away free products. A well-matched Bundle creates lasting customers, while a mismatched one risks being forgotten.

For example, if a new cat owner is excited about feeding raw, there’s no reason to also include kibble and wet food in their Bundle—those products won’t align with their feeding goals. Instead, focus on a Raw / Supplement / Treat Bundle to reinforce their interest and encourage repeat visits.

Think of it this way: If you were personally funding these Bundles, would you want to give away items that won’t be used? Probably not. Approach these Bundles with the same mindset. Your recommendations should reflect what the customer is truly excited about, ensuring they return to your store to continue their pet’s nutrition journey.

By using this matchmaking approach, you’ll turn Adoption Bundle recipients into loyal, long-term customers.

Our Shared Responsibility

To preserve the integrity and longevity of 'Sharing the Love'—so it can continue to support pet adoption while connecting new pet owners with local pet shops and trusted pet health brands—we must all remain mindful of those who are making this platform possible: the brands.

Why Do Brands Join Sharing the Love?

Brands participate in this initiative because:
  1. They support pet adoption and want to recognize pet parents who choose to adopt.
  2. They believe in independent pet retailers and want adopters to build relationships with local pet shops.
  3. They aim to gain loyal, lifelong customers—for both their products and the retailers they support.

How Can We Ensure Sharing the Love Thrives?

To keep brands engaged and willing to continue supporting 'Sharing the Love,' we must treat every Adoption Bundle recipient as we would any paying customer. This means:
  1. Personalized Recommendations: Just as you wouldn’t suggest unnecessary products to a paying customer, every Adoption Bundle should be curated based on the adopter’s needs and ability to maintain those products long-term.
  2. Thoughtful Curation: Before finalizing a Bundle, ask yourself:  If I were personally funding these products, how likely would this customer be to return to purchase them?
  3. A Relationship-Driven Approach: Rather than pre-assembling generic "grab & go" Bundles, take the time to walk new pet parents through their options—just like a nutrition consultation. If you’re spending less than 30 minutes with them, you’re missing an opportunity to build a lasting relationship.
If brands feel they are giving more than they are getting in return, they may leave the program. That’s why it’s important to be selective with the products included in each Bundle.

Smart Product Selection: A Case Study

Let’s say your store is enrolled in several Kibble programs, a couple of Raw food programs, multiple Treat programs, and a single Supplement program. Just because a supplement is included in the program doesn’t mean every adopter should take it home.

Here’s how to tailor Bundles to individual needs:

✅ Customer 1: Prefers feeding Kibble but is open to adding a Freeze-Dried Topper and is searching for high-value Training Treats.
👉 Their ideal Bundle: Kibble / Freeze-Dried / Treats (no supplement, since they don’t see a need for it).

✅ Customer 2: Excited to start feeding Raw and wants a Supplement for skin & coat health, plus healthy Treats.
👉 Their ideal Bundle: Raw / Supplement / Treats (only if the supplement aligns with their pet’s needs—otherwise, introduce them to an in-store alternative).

By taking this approach, both customers leave feeling heard and supported. They’re more likely to return, and the brands providing the products are more likely to see repeat sales.

What Happens When We Get It Wrong?

If both customers were given a full Bundle with Kibble / Raw / Supplement / Treats without consideration for their preferences:
❌ Customer 1 wouldn’t use the Supplement.
❌ Customer 2 wouldn’t use the Kibble.
❌ Unused products might be donated or thrown away—well-intended but ultimately a loss for the brands supporting the program.

For 'Sharing the Love' to be a true success, it must create value for everyone—the adopter, the retailer, and the brands that make it all possible. When we take the time to build meaningful, personalized experiences, we ensure that this platform continues to thrive for years to come.