A passion for putting pets first — and for staying ahead of the curve — fuels the ASPCA’s innovative strategies, and kept it energized when Katrina-relief efforts, a rebranding campaign and the overhaul of its development department all converged.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

“Why? Why can I not get those other 65 million?” she asks emphatically. “It was becoming a little frustrating for us.”

So what’s the problem? Can’t be the organization’s direct-response numbers. It’s doing great with DRTV, and its direct-mail campaigns are consistently high yield. It didn’t want to divert its efforts away from its best lists — those of other animal-welfare groups such as the Humane Society of the United States, the North Shore Animal League and PETA, among others, which historically have produced the highest response rates, highest average gift and most economical cost per dollar.