Tag: Pets
WOW Story: Bark Park Memorial
Barbara Carrillo, Community Manager, Experience Leader
Coles Crossing, Cypress, TX
Employee since 2016
The Opportunity
Jay and his wife Janet have been residents at Venterra’s Coles Crossing community since 2011. During their time at the property, they had 2 furry family members who were whippets, a fast and intelligent type of dog breed. They had Brittany when they first moved in and she was with them for 11 years. After she passed, they decided to get another whippet and they named him Ace. Ace was friendly and loved throughout the community. Unfortunately, Ace passed in April of this year after 3 wonderful years with the Spiegels.
The Epiphany
As a dog owner herself, Barbara could see the pain and sadness in the resident’s eyes whenever he came in the office in the following month and a half after losing Ace. Jay still was visiting Bark Park every day and sitting on the park bench to chat with other dog owners and remember the good times he had with his dogs in the space. This is when Barbara knew she had to do something to honor his dogs and the memories they shared at the Bark Park.
The Wow Moment
The landscapers installed a tree and the memorial stone in the Bark Park. Jay went on his daily walk
to the Bark Park to sit at the park bench, where saw the newly planted tree and went over to investigate what the sign at the base of the tree said. He said he lost it when he saw that the stone was in memory of his beloved dogs Brittany and Ace. He came in the office two days in a row to say how thoughtful this was and how grateful and touched he and his wife were by this memorial of their sweet furry family members.
The Result
Venterra Residents Added 236 Pets in 10 Days!
At Venterra, we LOVE furry friends. Once you’re a resident at one of our communities, you are family and that includes your furry companions! Walk into any of our communities and you’ll instantly be
greeted with affection and excitement from the many pets that call Venterra communities’ home. However, we know the reality is that there are still tons of amazing pets waiting for their fur-ever homes.
That is why we celebrate National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day and National Pet Month by making it easier than ever for our residents to welcome pets into their homes. To support National Adopt a Pet Day, a day was created to raise awareness for the millions of animals waiting to be paired with families in shelters across the country, we participated by encouraging our residents to adopt an animal, and to support this initiative, we waived all pet deposits for any animals added to leases from April 20 – 30. To maximize the adoption impact, new and current residents were able to take advantage of the promotion!
WE ARE THRILLED TO SHARE THAT OVER 10 DAYS WE ADDED 236 PETS TO HOMES ACROSS THE VENTERRA PORTFOLIO!
We love our four-legged residents and look forward every year to welcoming new furry faces each year. And what’s great about living at a Venterra community is that we are extremely pet-friendly! Most apartment communities only allow for a maximum of two animals. At Venterra, however, we understand that animals are family so we welcome three animals per apartment home! Who else can say that??
Pets add extra value and affection to our world. So, it was no surprise to learn that during the pandemic, more than 23 million American households — nearly 1 in 5 nationwide — adopted an animal during the pandemic, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). These numbers show how many of us have been craving that unconditional love that pets are so genuinely good at as well as that companionship and connection.
Whether you’re a current Venterra resident or a pet parent looking to move into one of our beautiful communities – you are in the midst of so much animal love! We can’t wait to help you find the purr-fect apartment for you and your furry friends! So, if you’re in the market for a new apartment, or are interested in adding an animal to your lease, check out our outlined Pet Policies to learn more!
How 120+ Pets Joined The Venterra Family in Two Weeks!
At Venterra, we know that pets are family members – and we were so excited to welcome over 120 new fur-ever friends to our communities in just two weeks!
April and May shine the spotlight on our furry friends with National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day on April 30th and National Pet Month spanning the whole month of May. National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day was established to help bring awareness to the 1,000’s of pets still in shelters waiting for their forever homes and National Pet Month celebrates the special bond between pet owners and their furry friends while encouraging responsible pet care every day of the year.
We know how important (and cute) pets are so, as a pet-friendly community and in support of these national howl-idays – we waived pet deposits for all new pets moving into a Venterra community. That’s right. Any new pets that moved in a paw-some Venterra apartment from April 15-30 didn’t require a pet deposit!
This two-week offer was available to both new and existing residents, and we were thrilled with the results, adding a paws-itively impressive 129 pets to existing leases! Pets also aren’t just enjoyed by our residents; our staff loves seeing sweet pictures of our purr-fect furry friends too – that’s why we encouraged our residents to share pictures to show off their purr-sonalities! Below you’ll see Obi-Wan who instantly loved cuddling up in the CoHo Apartments in Atlanta and Luke, the curious Kitty in Katy, Texas and the proud new resident at Elation Grandway West!
In addition to waiving the pet deposit, some communities like Park at Wurzbach worked with local shelters to encourage adoptions! To help find a forever home, the San Antonio community partnered with Charming Pet Rescue to feature senior pup Holly who also had her adoption fees sponsored.
Looking for ways you can make a difference in a shelter pet’s life? Petmate has outlined the following options to give back:
- Adopt a Shelter Pet: Before you make this decision, be sure that your home is ready to accept a new furry family member. Visit your local animal shelter to pick your potential new pet and talk with the staff about any special needs or food your new pet may need.
- Volunteer: If you simply cannot adopt right now, consider volunteering at a local pet shelter. Things you may end up doing include playing with the animals and socializing them, getting them some exercise, cleaning up their pens, feeding and watering them, as well as just hanging out with them so they have some type of human interaction.
- Donate: If you just don’t have the time, donate instead! It doesn’t even have to be money. Animal shelters rely on supplies and donations throughout the year. Be sure to reach out to your local shelter to find out exactly what they need. Sometimes, shelters have specific supplies they ask for.
- Become a Foster: Maybe you want a pet but can’t commit to the long-term care of it. If that’s the case, consider becoming a foster! Fostering a dog is when you take in an animal while the rescue group finds the dog a forever home. Most of the time, you’ll be working with a rescue group vs. an animal shelter. There are qualifications you’ll have to meet in order to foster a dog, so be sure to reach out to a local rescue group ahead of time. Becoming a foster not only helps our rescue groups, but also keeps animals out of shelters.
Whether you’re a Venterra resident or looking to become one – just know that you are in the presence of pet lovers galore! Do you have questions about adding a pet to your lease? Check out our outlined Pet Policies.
Venterra Pets SLAY Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest
GRAND PRIZE WINNERS
1st Place – Kira, Lilo, and Marshall
Costume: Who Let The Dogs Out?
Community: South Shore Lakes, League City, TX
2nd Place – Melzinha
Costume: Chucky, The Cutest Little Killer
Community: The Vinings, Stafford, TX
3rd Place – Onyx
Costume: The Skelli-dog
Community – Forest View, The Woodlands, TX
Thank you to all of our residents and their furry friends that entered the our first Pet Costume Contest.
Until next time, have a spooky & safe Halloween.
Looking for a pet-friendly community to call home? All of our Venterra apartment communities welcome up to three pets with many of them featuring Bark Parks! No matter what apartment community you call home, our team of cat and dog lovers realize that your pet is part of your family. Find a community near you today and get started with a free price quote.
Cure Your Stay at Home Blues with Fur-Baby Love
Find a pet friendly apartment
Over the last few weeks, many of us have been mandated to stay home to help ease the spread of coronavirus. Family gatherings have become Facetime and Skype calls, work has shifted to a 100% remote environment, and social events have been either postponed or canceled. The inability to see family, friends and even coworkers during this time can result in feelings of isolation and loneliness. Finding moments of joy during challenging times is the best way to combat your quarantine blues – and adding a furry friend to your family can provide companionship and enhance those moments! There are several benefits to having a pet, including making us happier, and keeping us in better shape. Dogs have loyal, loving and lively personalities, offering playful spirits that make them great companions. Our feline friends make purrfect companions as well! Their comforting purrs and gentle cuddles melt the stresses of the day away, making them the ideal roommate in our pet friendly apartments. Who wouldn’t want a friend like that?
According to the Humane Society of the United States, now is a great time to adopt a pet to help reduce the potential strain on shelters. Due to the effects of COVID-19, there are increased opportunities to help individuals who are currently facing hardships and unable to care for their pet. According to the World Health Organization, there is no supporting evidence that companion animals, such as dogs or cats, can be infected with the coronavirus – making the decision to foster an animal that much easier. Fosters can serve as caretakers for animals who are in need of being nursed back to health or simply unable to adapt to shelter life. For those having to make the tough decision to give their pets up for adoption, animal shelters, such as The Humane Society, make sure those animals are placed in loving homes where they can receive the care they need.
If you’ve been thinking about adding another pet to your family, Venterra has your back! We offer pet friendly apartments that allow up to three pets per apartment home. In hopes of helping you and your new furry friend transition into apartment living during the COVID-19 pandemic, Venterra is waiving all pet deposits and reducing the pet fee by 50%*! To start your search for your new companion, check with your local animal rescues and shelters or visit petfinder.com. Not ready to add a new pet to your home but still want to help? Check with your local shelter or rescue to learn more about how you can support.
Looking for a Venterra Community near you? See Our Available Apartments!
Texas: Katy, LeagueCity, Kingwood, Pasadena, Webster, Stafford,
The Woodlands, Pearland, Richmond, Humble, Cypress,
La Porte, Humble, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, North Richmond Hills, The Colony Tennessee: Nashville North Carolina: Cary Kentucky: Louisville Georgia: Alpharetta, Atlanta, Canton, Flowery Branch, Newnan, Peachtree City Florida: Clearwater, Fleming Island, Jacksonville, Orange Park, Orlando, Tampa, Winter Gardens
*Valid for new paws only