Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL) Rebrands With Focus on Inclusivity and Pet Health Resources

Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL), Arizona’s longest and largest no-kill shelter, is looking to impact the Valley and its pets even more. The nonprofit recently rebranded its organization to emphasize its focus on inclusivity and increasing access to pet health resources.

New Logo

“One of our core values is empathy and we believe this new logo evokes everything we want our brand to say about us: that we’re warm, approachable, authentic, reliable, and welcoming, particularly to the diverse pet owners we serve from communities across Maricopa County,” says AAWL’s President and CEO, Alessandra Navidad.

The new brand identity and logo also tells the story of AAWL’s important life-saving work in the Phoenix community since 1971. The date in the new logo is tagged in small letters at the bottom of the text to highlight how AAWL is a well-established organization with many years of experience.

“It is a simple way of including AAWL’s history which is a humanizing force for the brand, as it tells the stories of the people and communities that have worked together to create a legacy of wellness, compassion, and protection for the animals they serve,” adds Navidad.

The new logo more clearly represents the typical mixed breed dog and cat an adopter, foster, volunteer, or team member will care for at AAWL’s two main adoption facilities on 40th Street and Washington and at the Chandler Fashion Center. Their tails are curved and up to show they are happy. Both are looking toward the AAWL name.

“Our life-saving programs may have evolved over the years, but our commitment to saving the lives of cats and dogs has remained the same,” says Navidad. “We want to make sure our brand reflects who we are and all we hope to accomplish in the future.”

INCREASED SERVICES

As part of its five-year strategic plan, AAWL will strive to eliminate barriers to veterinary care by offering affordable, accessible vet services for pet families who would otherwise be unable to afford care.  In 2021 alone, 36,526 cats and dogs entered shelters in Maricopa County. Animal welfare organizations across the Valley are struggling with recent massive pet intakes due to complex issues such as housing instability or lack of veterinary and behavioral care.

“We recognized that if we’re truly going to reduce the number of healthy and treatable animals that are surrendered to shelters each year across Arizona, we must invest in providing more behavior and veterinary resources to pet owners from underserved communities to avoid the difficult situation of pet surrenders and keep animals out of the shelter system altogether.”

AAWL partnered with PetSmart Charities in 2022 to conduct the first-ever,  bi-lingual community assessment focused on the needs of Latino pet owners in communities near AAWL’s main shelter. This survey showed large disparities in access to pet health resources,  affordable vet care, and information.

Since 1971, AAWL has been a safe haven for homeless animals throughout Arizona, rescuing 4,000 animals annually and providing them with the full range of medical and behavior care prior to their adoptions, including vaccines, spay/neuter services, and behavior support. AAWL also offers a variety of community pet programs, including microchipping, vital vaccines, and spaying or neutering. AAWL focuses on pet healthcare education and is helped by resident donations, foster parents, and volunteers.