Christmas Has Gone to the Dogs
For pet lover and GHSA Managing Director Tom Netting, making HSSA the focus of the hotel’s 2009 holiday campaign just seemed like the next logical step in what has been a lifelong commitment to helping animals.
“I am a huge animal lover and advocate,” says Netting enthusiastically. “My wife and I always become very involved with the animal causes everywhere we go.”
In fact it is Netting, posing as “Santa Paws” in the holiday themed doghouse and surrounded by pups of all shapes and sizes, that graces the hotel’s 2009 holiday card. That scene will be recreated in GHSA’s holiday window, which will be unveiled at 5:15 p.m., Nov 5, at the NSIDE Mixer, where half off all proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to HSSA.
Netting will be on-hand to announce the details of GSHA’s holiday campaign, “The Night Before Pet-Mas,” which will include three holiday readings with “Santa Paws.” The story times, which are free and open to the public, will take place Thursday, Dec.3 at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Dec 9, at 10 a.m., and Wednesday, Dec 16, at 10 a.m. Guests are invited to sit, stay and enjoy hot chocolate, hot cider, milk and cookies as they listen to such heartwarming, animal-themed holiday tales as “Cat’s Night Before Christmas”, by Sue Carabine and “The Night Before Dogmas”, by Claudine Gandolfi. Other highlights will include an animal themed chocolate sculpture created by GHSA’s award winning pastry chef Daniel Keadle, “barkery” treats for the pets and plenty of photo opportunities with the Big Dog himself.
Doggone Dedication
Since arriving on the San Antonio scene less than two years ago, GHSA has committed itself to partnering with different community organizations to help them achieve their goals. Last year, the hotel partnered with the San Antonio Public Library Foundation to create a holiday campaign that focused on the importance of literacy and bringing the family together to share holiday stories and memories. This year, GHSA sought out a partnership that would demonstrate the unwavering dedication the downtown property has to servicing both its two-footed and four-footed patrons.
“The Grand Hyatt San Antonio came to us to seek partnership,” explains Cathy McCoy, director of public relations and community outreach for the Humane Society of San Antonio. “They have been amazing to work with and have already helped us raise awareness for our organization by promoting and supporting various aspects of our program.”
Who Let The Dogs In?
GHSA that’s who! GHSA announced that it would be rolling out the red carpet for four-footed guests in April of 2009, at the coronation of El Rey Fido, held within the hotel. As a pet-friendly establishment, GHSA provides treats, bowls and doggie bags to its furry guests upon check-in, and provides additional amenities 24 hours a day through the in-house gift shop. Concierges provide lists of walking trails and dog parks for those pups who want to take their humans sight-seeing, as well as a list of dog sitters for pooches who are too doggone lazy to leave the room.
“We recognize that, for many people, pets are family and they don’t want to leave them behind when they travel,” says GHSA Director of Sales and Marketing Scott Lane. “This is just one more way we meet and exceed the expectations of our guests.”
GHSA takes its commitment even further by encouraging volunteer tourism with HSSA through Destination Humane, a program that provides guests with the opportunity to volunteer at HSSA during their stay in San Antonio. GHSA offers incentives including 20% percentoff of the Hyatt daily rate to those guests who choose to participate.
“It is up to us to help those who cannot speak for themselves,” says Netting. “Through our partnership with HSSA, we are striving to give these animals a voice, not just during the holidays, but all year long.”
