PetSafe taps Rachel Bilson for ASPCA cat foster campaign

CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: PetSafe Brands has teamed up with actress Rachel Bilson on a new campaign tied to cat fostering through the ASPCA. According to Pet Age, Bilson is documenting her experience fostering a cat through ASPCA Los Angeles, while PetSafe highlights its crystal litter and ScoopFree self-cleaning litter box products, which are sold at Walmart, as tools to help pet parents prepare their homes for a foster cat’s arrival. PetSafe marketing executive Alexa Kamm said the campaign is meant to show that fostering can feel more manageable with the right setup. (petage.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the campaign is another example of a consumer pet care brand using celebrity storytelling to normalize fostering at a time when shelters remain under pressure. The ASPCA said nearly 6 million dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues in 2024, and it continues to position fostering as a practical way to relieve crowding and support animals who need temporary care. In Los Angeles alone, the ASPCA’s Kitten Foster Program supported 1,781 kittens in 2024 with help from more than 500 foster volunteers. That kind of public-facing campaign can help move more animals into homes, but it also raises the importance of clear veterinary guidance for foster caregivers on transition stress, litter box management, preventive care, and when to seek medical attention. It also fits a wider pattern of animal-welfare messaging that leans on the human-animal bond: separately, Pet Partners and the Baxter Foundation recently launched a two-year pilot to expand therapy animal access in healthcare settings in Northern California, Upstate New York, and Greater Chicago, with a goal of reaching 100,000 patients and healthcare workers. (aspca.org) (petage.com)

What to watch: Watch for whether the campaign expands beyond social content into measurable shelter support, such as foster recruitment, donations, or broader retail tie-ins. More broadly, the pet industry continues to connect animal care products and services with larger health and welfare narratives, including evidence-based therapy animal programs that emphasize training, safety, infection control, and outcomes research. (petage.com) (petage.com)