Missed the July 2023 PetSmart Charities Virtual Partner Summit? Check out the recording below to learn more about the full details of our new Adoptions Made Easy (AME) system, updates from the Adoptions Support Team, July National Adoption Week successes, and so much more!
*The Q&A text service was open during the live session and is unavailable at this time. Read through the answers to questions submitted during the Summit below.
Summit Q&A
Adoptions Made Easy (AME)
Are we able to enter pets in AME for our entire organization at once?
AME allows pets to be added into adoptable inventory from anywhere, so you can preload pets prior to bringing them to stores. Go to the PETS tab and add pets that are available for adoption. If you are going to move pets from one store to another, or back to your facility, you may want to add pets at the point of adoption as shown in the AME QRG under “Add a pet to inventory,” step 3.
If our organization chooses not to use the electronic payment processing in AME, will that affect partnership or grant programs with PetSmart Charities?
No, accepting electronic adoption fee payments in AME is completely optional for each partner and does not interfere with adoption rewards or your partnership with PetSmart Charities. Please see complete details here.
Note: You must opt-into electronic payment processing via AME if store associates will be processing adoptions on your behalf.
Will AME track our adoptions by store or as a whole across our organization?
Through AME, you'll be able to see how many pets you have adopted by store. Please continue to use the Adoption Rewards Lookup tool for totals by group.
I completed the AME Training Module and attended the Virtual Partner Summit, but I still don’t understand how to set up our AME account. Can you help?
Prior to the AME go-live on August 7, all adoption partners will need to go through the AME Launch Partner Prep Checklist to ensure that they are ready to process adoptions using AME.
How do you access AME? Is it an app on my phone or do I need to use the browser?
AME is accessed on any web browser at https://ame.petloyalty.co/, but will work best on devices with cellularly-enabled location capabilities. These are most commonly smartphones and tablets connected to a cellular network.
With AME, are we able to get a full print out of the pet parent’s adoption information? Is there a need to print out the adoption release forms?
No, while you will have access to all completed adoptions in AME, printing adoption forms is not required.
We require potential adopters to bring paperwork to our facility to complete adoptions, as we don’t have the staff to be present in-store all of the time. Do we still need to enter each pet’s information into AME?
Beginning August 7, 2023, all adoptions must be processed in-store in AME. If you have arranged with your store partner to have store associates process adoptions and collect adoption fees on your behalf while you are not onsite, those will still be processed by them in AME.
Note: You must opt-into electronic payment processing via AME if store associates will be processing adoptions on your behalf.
With AME, are we able to electronically use our organization’s adoption contract or does that still need to be done on paper?
AME only replaces the adoption app that you are currently accessing with the store iPads. The policies and procedures in our Adoption Partner Manual and any of your organization’s internal processes/software/systems still apply.
Is AME required for adoptions in PetSmart stores or can we continue to use the methods we have in the past?
Beginning August 7, 2023, all adoptions must be processed in-store in AME. AME only replaces the adoption app that you are currently accessing with the store iPads. The policies and procedures in our Adoption Partner Manual and any of your organization’s internal processes/software/systems still apply.
With AME, will adopters still receive adoption kits?
Yes, adopters will still receive a free adoption kit that includes a free bag of food and over $300 in savings from PetSmart. As a reminder, AME only replaces the adoption app that you are currently accessing with the store iPads. The policies and procedures in our Adoption Partner Manual still apply.
If you are holding an event at PetSmart, but not using the in-store habitats, do you still need to enter all of the animals into AME?
Beginning August 7, 2023, all adoptions must be processed in-store in AME.
We want to hold a name your own price event in our local PetSmart store. How does the adopter go about choosing and inputting their own price?
Leveraging AME’s ability to add pets at the point of adoption as shown in the QRG under “Add a pet to inventory,” step 3 will be a good option for this scenario since you will be asked to enter the pet’s adoption fee at that time.
Can we still process adoptions and use other forms of payment?
While you will still need to use AME to process all PetSmart in-store adoptions, enabling electronic adoption fee payments in AME is completely optional for each partner.
Note: You must opt-into electronic payment processing via AME if store associates will be processing adoptions on your behalf.
Will PetSmart stores continue to allow our organization to use the in-store iPads to complete the AME processes?
If your organization currently uses the store iPad, we strongly recommend you determine how to get access to your own cellularly-enabled device to process adoptions. AME will work on store iPads, but please note that in October 2023 all iPads will be removed from stores.
Our AME Administrator has challenges using electronic devices such as computers or smartphones, what do you recommend?
An ideal AME administrator candidate is an individual that manages your organization’s overall partnership with PetSmart Charities and/or manages others in your organization who perform adoptions in PetSmart store(s), which also requires using technology such as computers and smartphones.
Can multiple people be logged in under the same AME user account at the same time?
As a best practice you should never share IDs or other login credentials. Please work with your organization’s AME Administrator to set up your own profile.
What is the purpose of setting up electronic payment within AME?
AME electronic payment was created to simplify adoption fee payments taken for PetSmart in-store adoptions. While not required, we encourage our partners to set up electronic payments for the following reasons:
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Direct deposit to bank account (quicker funds, more secure with less intermediaries)
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Ability to accept donations during adopter checkout
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Reconciliation reporting and tracking
We have many cats at the in-store 7 Day Cat Center. Do they all need to be entered in AME individually? Do I need to remove them manually once they’ve been adopted?
Beginning August 7, 2023, all adoptions must be processed in-store in AME. Once an adoption is completed in AME, the pet is automatically removed from adoptable inventory.
How do I add a pet to AME?
Please see the QRG, “Add a pet to inventory.”
Is AME up and running now?
AME launches August 7, 2023.
Will AME functionality/features/process change in the future?
We value feedback from our partners and take it into consideration for any future adoption program launches or changes.
What are PetSmart Charities’ AME support hours? We are located on the West Coast and sometimes process adoptions late in the evening.
For the first month of AME, we'll have staff available to respond to support questions from 8-5 PST Monday - Friday and from 7-3 PST Saturday and Sunday. After the first month, staff will be available to respond to messages from 8-5 PST Monday - Friday. Submit your questions to amesupport@petsmartcharities.org. For help outside of these hours, please visit the AME Partner Resources page for AME FAQs, trainings, and quick resource guides.
General Adoption Program
What is your policy related to FIV+ and FeLV+ cats coming to in-store adoption events and being housed in the Everyday Adoption Centers?
FIV & FELV positive cats are not allowed in stores yet. We are testing it with specific groups; outside of those groups they will not be allowed in store for adoption yet. Please refer to the Adoption Partner Manual for complete details.
How can we ensure that pets who are adopted unaltered eventually get spayed or neutered?
Please refer to the “Change in Paw-Licy" blog and the General Pet Care Expectations on page 18 of the Adoption Partner Manual for more information.
Our animals are located in foster homes and not in in-store adoption centers. We used to be able to go to any PetSmart store location, without being registered with them, and process adoptions. Can we still continue that process?
To process adoptions in AME, your organization must be registered with each store in which you conduct adoptions. You will need to ask the PetSmart store leader to submit a ServiceNow ticket so that your organization can process adoptions in the store. Please allow 2-3 business days after the request is submitted for the store to be reflected in the AME system.
Many of our prospective pet parents want to bring in their current pet to meet a new pet they are interested in adopting. Is this allowed?
Yes, as long as they meet the PetSmart In-Store Pet Policy.
Your website lists the “2022 Adoption Partner Manual.” Is this the most up to date version?
Yes
Who is my PetSmart Charities contact?
Please see all PetSmart Charities Adoption Grant Managers here.
Are you able to provide examples of foster-to-adopt contracts or applications where the prospective pet parents are adopting an animal that is not yet altered?
Reach out to your Adoption Grants Manager for more information. We'd be happy to help you with finding resources for this!
If you texted a question or comment during the Virtual Partner Summit, and it was related to your specific organization's AME account(s), please contact us at amesupport@petsmartcharities.org.
If you texted a general question related to your specific organization or account, please reach out to your PetSmart Charities Adoption Grants Manager.
A complete list of AME resources is located here.
