Contest Rules Clarification

Much ado about nothing has come about over the last couple days regarding Zootoo and the Shelter Makeover Contest.

A recent Chico Enterprise-Record article questioned the validity of the shelter makeover contest due press releases regarding last year's winner in that they did not receive their million dollar makeover. Zootoo founder Richard Thompson will issue a statement to the press on Tuesday, April 14, after he has had a chance to meet with last year's winner and all involved lawyers.

This year's contest rules are clearly stated on the Zootoo website, and Richard Thompson has made it clear to those organizations in the Top 10 this year that the "million dollar makeover" is not a check for $1 million - it is the procurement of cash, goods and services valued up to a million dollars in order to renovate an existing facility. As stated on the website - "Actual makeover value depends on condition of the shelter and judgment of Zootoo LLC and it is valued up to $1 million in cash, services or in-kind value from promotional partners."

Zootoo has always been clear in thie year's rules that the main point of this contest is to garner community support and collaboration to aid each shelter in making necessary improvements to bettter the lives of the animals. The Employees, Board of Directors and those associated with the Butte Humane Society are well aware of the official rules and of the impact this contest has made in jump-starting our dream of a new facility.

With the support we have already received from our community (minus the Enterprise Record) and the amazing things that have come about for us because of this contest...we feel as though we are already winners.

Here are the positive results we are guaranteed because of this contest:

• We will get national press - we will be featured (along with the other 9 finalists) in USA Today on Monday, April 13th, and the winner will be featured on the front page of the same paper on April 27 and will likely receive national television coverage on multiple television shows.
• Cash, goods and services valued up to a million dollars in order to renovate an existing facility.

What we have already recieved:

• We have already won $10,000 in cash from 2 major zootoo sponsors.
• Our adoption rates have gone up over 60% in the past few weeks
• We have received pledges by local supporters to the tune of over $30,000 in services and goods for the new shelter thus far, regardless of whether or not we win this contest and those calls are continuing to come in
• More volunteer, donor and community support in the past three weeks than we have had in years

Read a recent post from a supporter on the internet pertaining to this news article:

"I am disheartened at the fact that the ER would publish this on the wake of what has been the most exciting thing that the Butte Humane and this city has seen in decades maybe ever. What has been published may not be all the facts and there is quite a bit of misunderstanding about what  Stray Rescue got and didn't get.

The fact is - regardless if BHS gets $1.00 or 1 million dollars - this is ALL about the animals and what we can do to help them and our community. This is about getting the MOST community support we have ever had and for that we are thankful to Zootoo.

Plus...we need the national press this will give us. People from all over the country are going to be looking at Chico and our little shelter. Now, we are no longer a "party town" we are the "little city that could".

If we were a smart community we would use this publicity to our advantage...and that is what those of us involved with the Butte Humane Society intend to do." After all it is about the animals....they are ALL that matters".

Dear Zootoo Community,

I am shocked and saddened by the latest information I have just received indirectly regarding Randy and Stray Rescue in St. Louis.

I've reached out to Randy and plan to meet with Randy and his board to resolve any of these misunderstandings. I am sure there is going to be a lot of stuff in the media but stay tuned, I will keep everyone updated. Because we love Randy, we love Stray Rescue, and we want to see Randy's dream of his shelter in St. Louis come to life for him. But please keep in mind, Randy's dream was substantially bigger than the "up to" one million dollar makeover and we have spent many months working with Randy and his team, and our paid professionals, simply just to get the necessary zoning and building permits before we all could even start the project.

There have been many activities that have happened at the building like:

- demolition
- in ground plumbing and drainage
- architectural and engineering plans completed (twice)
- environment assessments

We paid for all of these items and the building is now prepared to actually start the interior work. But again, Randy's dream shelter is much larger than what the contest offers and we have even offered to help him raise the additional money necessary to complete the multi-million dollar makeover he envisions.

One thing we can all agree on is that we are all trying our best to help the animals and if we all keep that in mind we should be able to meet Randy's dreams.

Yours

Richard Thompson

More links on this story