Shelter Success Simplified

GUEST: Scott Giacoppo. Scott is the Director of National Shelter Outreach for Best Friends Animal Society and oversees the development of lifesaving efficacy and sustainability for animal welfare partners across the U.S. Prior to Best Friends, Scott was president of NACA – the National Animal Care & Control Association – as well as chief of Animal Field Services for the District of Columbia for 10 years, overseeing all animal control and cruelty investigations team members for Humane Rescue Alliance. He began his animal protection career with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as the Special State Police Officer for Cruelty Investigations.  MAIN QUESTION: How can leaders and managers get staff and public buy-in for return-to-field programs? TAKEAWAYS: Removing cats doesn’t work, never has and never will. Removing a cat is not serving the community; it’s clearing a call log. It only solves the problem for a few weeks at most, as new cats will invariably move in to fill the void.  Give your team all the information they need to fully understand why RTF is a better approach, how it works in other communities and why the old way is not effective. Some staff may be resistant to change because they don’t want to face the fact that they’ve been doing something that doesn’t work or because doing something new that goes against the way they have always done it can be scary. When someone calls to have cat picked up, that’s when the discussion about RTF should start. Explain that: Removing cats isn’t effective, as another cat will show up to fill the niche. Getting the cat fixed, vaccinated and returned decreases nuisance behavior, including spraying, yowling and fighting as well as preventing the birth of kittens.  Share humane ways to deter cats from their garden or yard. When an officer has an encounter that doesn’t work out well, talk it through with them, asking them how it may have been handled differently and offering suggestions.  LINKS: Best Friends Network  Leadership recommendation: Leadership Freak blog 

2/28/22 • 32:35

GUEST: Kimberly Wade. Kimberly is an expert consultant for Humane Network focusing on communications and social media. She was campaign manager for Maddie's Pet Project in Nevada, communications director at Nevada Humane Society, news producer at KOLO 8 News Now, and has a degree in broadcast journalism and communications from the University of Central Florida.  MAIN QUESTION: What are some tips for animal organizations to create better social media pages and posts? TAKEAWAYS: If you don’t have a photo, you don’t have a story.  To take good photos, avoid a busy background. Get a good clear picture of the animal with their eyes wide open and looking at you.  You may hear hundreds of similar stories about why animals end up in your shelter or at your rescue group. The public has not. So gather basic information even if it’s not a unique story to you. Find out what you can about the animal and their backstory, especially where they came from and why they are now at your organization. You need details to tell a story that will interest your followers in adopting or donating. Make sure you have a positive spin on a story – don’t point blame. Talk about how your organization helped, how your supporters made it possible and a bright future ahead, thanks to the generosity of kind supporters. Ask for specific help if needed, such as donations and foster homes. For social media: You want a minimum of one post a day – this makes your posts more likely to appear in your followers’ feeds. Busy and larger organizations should aim for two to three posts a day. Interact with your followers. Like their comments. Thank them when they make a donation or say something nice. LINKS: Humane Network's team  Leadership recommendation: “Managing Yourself to Better Lead Others” (article) by Jo Anne Preston “Lead the Way in Five Minutes a Day: Sparking High Performance in Yourself and Your Team" (book) by Jo Anne Preston 

2/14/22 • 26:29

GUEST: Brent Toellner. Brent is the Senior Director of National Programs for Best Friends Animal Society. Prior to joining Best Friends, Brent, his wife, Michelle, and a few others co-founded the Kansas City Pet Project to run the municipal shelter in Kansas City, Missouri.   MAIN QUESTION: There's a lot of pressure in animal welfare and people can feel alone in their work — what tips and ideas might help? TAKEAWAYS: In animal welfare, we’re pushed to do more with limited resources. People often feel they just need to work harder and do more programs, but that doesn’t work in the long-term. It’s better to reach out for help. Someone on the outside can often provide needed perspective. By being a sounding board, they can give you a sense of confidence and make you feel less isolated. You can find this help by creating or developing relationships with your peers at similar organizations. In addition to making connections within the field, people working at similar types of agencies within your own community can also be helpful.  Consultants and representatives of national organizations with outreach teams can also be valuable. One sign you need help is if you're feeling stressed that you can never get on top of what’s needed or if you know things need to change but you don’t know how to do it with your existing resources. Consider an organizational assessment that looks at what’s going well and that you should keep doing and what is not the best use of resources now. LINKS: Best Friends Network  Leadership recommendation: “5 Things an Executive Director Can Do to Build a Strong Leadership Team” by Joan Garry  

1/29/22 • 22:41

GUEST: Scott Giacoppo. Scott is the Director of National Shelter Outreach for Best Friends Animal Society and oversees the development of lifesaving efficacy and sustainability for animal welfare partners across the U.S. Prior to Best Friends, Scott was president of NACA – the National Animal Care & Control Association – as well as chief of Animal Field Services for the District of Columbia for 10 years, overseeing all animal control and cruelty investigations team members for Humane Rescue Alliance. He began his animal protection career with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as the Special State Police Officer for Cruelty Investigations.  MAIN QUESTION: What are the common issues you find when doing organizational assessments of animal organizations around the country? TAKEAWAYS: The two most common challenges to successfully implementing a program are internal communication and training. Scott shared tips on both: 1. Communication: Often when leadership decides to pursue a new program, by the time it trickles down to the frontline staff implementing it, the why is lost so staff members revert to doing what they know.  Hold productive meetings that include explaining: Why the new program works, including a few examples from other places where it has helped and How the program is to be implemented.  Create a culture of two-way communication, where people are encouraged to ask questions if they don’t understand.   2. Training Make training a priority. Investing time in training improves performance and increases staff retention.   Schedule time to do it as a group. Watch a webinar together and discuss it, or schedule time to discuss assigned reading material.  Engage staff in how a program is implemented – as this increases their buy in. For training resources check out the Best Friends Network Partners page – there’s a link in the show notes. Scott also talked how frequently leaders and managers assume that things are going well and are unaware of issues. He suggested three ways to know what’s actually happening: Schedule time to routinely get out of your office and walk around and observe how things are being done and talk with your team.  Plan an annual assessment – this could be a self-assessment or one conducted by consultants.  Secret shopping your shelter: Call your own organization and ask a question to see how well (or not so well) your staff is doing helping people. Send a friend in to adopt a pet and have them tell you about the experience. LINKS: Best Friends Network   Leadership recommendations: "The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong" (TED Talk video and blog post)

12/12/21 • 25:25

GUEST: Chris Roy. Chris is a technology guy by day, and the founder of Doobert at night and on weekends. Doobert helps you help animals and is the only software that organizes transport, and the only foster management platform allowing you to send and receive texts with fosters. And Chris has continued to build out Doobert and recently added a new case management module. MAIN QUESTION: How does Doobert's new Companion Case Management module improve communications with the public? TAKEAWAYS: As animal organizations increasingly focus on becoming resource centers rather than primarily as repositories for animals, it is especially important that we have effective ways to manage communications with the public. A good tracking system is needed in order to make sure cases don’t fall through the cracks. Follow-up and trustworthiness are essential to building good community relations. Doobert.com has a new Companion Case Management module specifically designed for animal organizations to help them keep better track of public interactions and to effectively collaborate with other organizations in the community. For example, you can assign tasks to specific people and even other organizations, set up automated follow-ups with people seeking help, view cases on a map, and view only tasks assigned to yourself. You can create a case to see how it works with a free Doobert account or request a demo for your organization through Doobert.com. LINKS: Doobert.com  Leadership recommendation: “Tips for Encouraging Teamwork in the Workplace and Getting People Out of Silos" by Humane Network (article) 

11/16/21 • 23:43

GUEST: Lori Weise. In 1996, Lori founded Downtown Dog Rescue, which rescues dogs and provides services for low income pet owners in underserved communities in Los Angeles County. She is the founder of the South LA Shelter Intervention Program and one of the founding members of the Best Friends Animal Society's initiative No Kill Los Angeles and advised the ASPCA on their Safety Net Program at LA county shelters. And Lori is a national speaker on community programs and the shelter intervention model of keeping pets in homes.  MAIN QUESTION: How can animal organizations better meet people where they're at? TAKEAWAYS: You're more likely to engage people in a solution successfully when you meet people where they’re at rather than judging them based on how you would do things. Meet people at first with empathy - simply as one pet lover to another.  Asking “How can I be of service?” puts you in a better frame of mind to be truly successful and opens real dialogue with people.  Many organizations come in with big plans, overpromise, lose steam, and disappear. Don’t let this be you. Try a pilot program first or pick a very targeted group or service to focus on when developing a program or new organization so you can build trust with those you're trying to help and to see if this is something you’ll be able to commit to for the long run. Don’t get so focused on preventing people from taking advantage of the service or program that you create barriers that end up keeping people who need it from taking advantage of the program. No program can be perfect and total control is not possible so spend your time figuring out how to help people rather than on how to prevent a few people from benefiting who do not really need it. LINKS: Downtown Dog Rescue (website) Leadership recommendation: “Cultivation: How to Build One-on-One Relationships With Your Donors" by Amy Eisenstein (blog post)

11/7/21 • 27:19

GUEST: Kat Albrecht-Thiessen is a pioneer in lost pet investigations. She was a police officer, bloodhound handler, crime scene investigator, and search-and-rescue manager before beginning to apply her skills in 1997 to finding lost pets. She is founder of Missing Animal Response Network and author of the book “Pet Tracker.” MAIN QUESTION: How can shelters and rescue groups support the public in finding lost pets? TAKEAWAYS: Don’t make assumptions about found pets such as that a pet has been abused or dumped, rather than simply lost and on their own for a long time. Such assumptions can get in the way of reconnecting that animal with their people.  Search techniques are different for dogs and cats. With cats, the best advice is to get permission from neighbors to do a methodical search of every conceivable hiding place in a two- to five-house radius. (That’s where most cats are found.)  With indoor-only cats who have escaped, in addition to doing a search, put out a plate of food and set up a wildlife camera. (Then you can set a humane trap).  With dogs, marketing is key: Dogs are often picked up by people so it’s important to get the word out widely so that the finder can learn that the dog belongs to someone who cares about and misses the pet.  Shelters and rescues can put a link on their website to MissingAnimalResponse.com, where people can find resources on finding missing pets and connect with volunteers who can help them in their search.  And here are a few myths about lost pets: It’s not true that putting a missing cat’s litterbox on your porch will bring them back. Calling out for your cat generally won’t help and doesn’t mean your cat is not nearby when they don’t respond. They are intentionally staying hidden and silent out of fear or injury.  Some shelters will make a situation worse by telling people that a pet was probably eaten by a coyote. Assumptions about coyote predation kills more lost pets than coyotes actually do by inspiring people to give up their search. LINKS: Missing Animal Response Network (website) "Pet Tracker: The Amazing Story of Rachel the K-9 Pet Detective" (book available in print, electronically and on audio)  Leadership recommendation: "Don't Let Internal Controls Slip at Your Nonprofit Organization" by Blue Avocado (article) 

11/1/21 • 29:14

GUEST: Karen Green is executive director at Cat Adoption Team, the Pacific Northwest’s largest nonprofit, feline-only animal shelter. Before that, she was senior director at the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs and assistant director of the No More Homeless Pets program at Best Friends Animal Society. MAIN QUESTION: How can animal organizations build a healthy workplace culture, which is so important in a competitive job market? TAKEAWAYS: Open two-way communication is key to having a strong, positive organizational structure. If there’s a program or policy that isn’t working, you need to know – so staff needs to have a way to share such information with people who can fix the problem. Ask for feedback and make it safe for people to give feedback by demonstrating your trustworthiness. Implement suggestions when they make sense.  If you don’t plan to implement someone’s ideas or suggestions, they are more likely to accept your decision if they feel that their concerns were heard. Repeat back what the person said to make sure you understood before explaining your own position. Create an environment where people can have a good work-life balance through reasonable expectations and work hours. When people are at work, they should be working and when off, they should be encouraged to care for the other parts of their lives.  Examine staffing levels and processes to support this. Gently encourage people who check in when off work by saying something like, “Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?”  Sometimes there will be times you just need to put in extra hours, perhaps for a budget deadline, a special event, or a large rescue situation. But make these the exception, not the rule, so that overwork does not create burnout.  Address conflicts and issues when they come up. Little problems become big problems over time. LINKS: Cat Adoption Team (website) Cat Adoption Team's workplace culture agreement (example) "The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit: Strategies for Impact without Burnout" by Beth Kanter and Aliza Sherman (book) "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Steven R. Covey (book) "Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most" by Douglas Stone (book) "Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition" by Kerry Patterson (book) "Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity" by Kim Scott (book) Leadership recommendation: "How to run more effective daily standup meetings" (article)

10/26/21 • 27:16

GUEST: Bonney Brown was Executive Director for six years at Nevada Humane Society, an open-admission shelter. She has been Chief Operating Officer, National No More Homeless Pets Director and Communications Director for Best Friends and was National Campaign Director for Alley Cat Allies. Bonney is currently president and co-founder of Humane Network, where she is often involved in assessing and creating fundraising campaigns for shelters and other animal organizations.    MAIN QUESTION: What works to engage more members of the community with our animal welfare work so that we can raise more funds — and what doesn't work?   TAKEAWAYS: Stories with great photos are powerful. Donors give twice as much when presented with a story about an individual animal than about the overall needs of the organization. Don’t expect stories and photos to happen. Assign someone to gather them – it can even be a volunteer. Train staff to take better cellphone photos so they can snap something good when a situation arises. Use “you” and “your” in your communications so that your audience feels they are a part of what’s happening. Thank people. It makes them feel they play a valued role in  your organization’s good works. Let people know that donations of any size help. It helps people feel comfortable sending more modest gifts. In fact, research shows that using this phrase increases the number of people who give.  Communicate with your supporters more than you think you should. Fundraising is about building relationships, and relationships require communication. LINKS: Humane Network (website) End-of-year fundraising tips webinar with Bonney Brown (video) Leadership recommendation: “How I Manage My Time - 10 Time Management Tips" by Ali Abdaal (video) 

10/12/21 • 26:11

GUEST: Diane Blankenburg is CEO & Co-Founder of Humane Network. She was Community Programs & Development Director for Nevada Humane Society, Katrina Rescue and Recovery Director for Alley Cat Allies for 2 years, and Network Director for Best Friends Animal Society.    MAIN QUESTION: How can leaders and managers handle internal staff conflict better?   TAKEAWAYS: A leader or manager should get involved with a staff conflict if it starts to get in the way of work getting done, goals of the organization, or team relationships. Consider the consequences of not dealing with the situation. The ultimate goal is to find common ground among the individuals concerned that you can then build a solution on. Sit down with the individuals involved and try to understand the whole picture, knowing that there may be more going on than just the surface conflict. Don’t make assumptions; ask the people involved what is creating this issue. When emotions are high, one way to ratchet down the tension is to show empathy, convey you understand how they feel, and reflect back what you've heard from them. Conflict is not something to fear. When differences can be expressed and discussed respectfully, conflict can be a healthy part of an organization’s culture that leads to better brainstorming, plans, solutions, and relationships. Conflict can sometimes be prevented by setting clear expectations. Having job descriptions, processes and checklists in place, as well as reinforcing the mission and  expectations verbally, can help keep people pulling in the same direction. LINKS: Humane Network (website) Leadership recommendation: “How I Manage My Time - 10 Time Management Tips" by Ali Abdaal (video) 

10/6/21 • 25:29

GUEST: Kelley Bollen is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant with a master’s degree in Animal Behavior who has worked in the field of companion animal behavior for twenty years. Kelley is the Owner and Principal Consultant for Kelley Bollen Consulting – an animal behavior consulting business. Kelley consults with animal shelters across the country on the design and implementation of comprehensive behavior programs to improve the welfare of the animals. She leads Humane Network’s Alive & Thriving animal behavior training program for shelter and clinic staff. And Kelley teaches an Animal Shelter Behavior Management Certificate Course through the University of the Pacific with a new program starting September 27, 2021.  MAIN QUESTION: What tips do you have for shelter and clinic staff for handling animals to make it a more stress-free experience? TAKEAWAYS: Coming to an animal shelter or veterinary clinic is inherently stressful for animals, in part because of all the new surfaces, sounds, and smells, including fear pheromones from other animals. Not having secure footing is stressful for cats and dogs so be sure that tables and scales where they might stand have nonslip surfaces. For dogs, make sure there is a nonslip pad right inside the main door. Pre-medicating with sedatives can help some animals come to the clinic calmer, but for others their fear may overpower the effects. Sedating the animal in the clinic instead might be a more viable option.  In general for cats: Give cats a place to hide such as under a towel, or try a specific towel wrap that can help you be able to perform the procedure. Try minimal restraint first, making sure the cat can have all four feet on a solid, non-slippery surface whenever possible. In general for dogs: Before starting an exam, try getting dogs to change their mindset by playing with them or asking them to do a known trick such as sit or shake.  LINKS: Kelley Bollen Consulting Kelley's Animal Behavioral Management Certificate Course through University of the Pacific (new course starting Sept. 27, 2021)  Kelley's Alive & Thriving training program for shelter and clinic staff  Leadership recommendation: “How to Ask Useful Questions” by Josh Kaufman (article) 

9/20/21 • 30:00

GUEST: Mark Robison has been president of CockadoodleMoo Farm Animal Sanctuary for more than 14 years. He is also Senior Consultant at Humane Network and Communications Manager for Options Veterinary Care, a nonprofit clinic. Mark was a journalist for more than 25 years in Stockton, California; Little Rock, Arkansas; and for most of his career at the main newspaper in Reno, the Gazette-Journal MAIN QUESTION: How should nonprofit animal organizations handle negative reviews, critics on social media posts, and critical investigative reporters? TAKEAWAYS: Respond to all online reviews, including the positive ones. Make sure that the person responding to negative reviews understands the big picture and can write clearly and concisely. This person may be you – or you might want to approve responses to negative reviews before they go out. Remember that the response is not just to this individual, but to everyone who will come across the review. Respond seriously to criticism, even when it’s unfounded. Express understanding for critics’ concerns.  Cultivate supporters on social media by regularly liking their comments and responding to their praise and questions quickly. Be transparent and get ahead of criticisms so that your fans understand the issues and background. Hide comments by trolls, and respond fully to people who seem genuine in their concerns. Your main audience is not so much the critic as it is everyone else who might come across the complaint. This will give talking points for your fans so they can respond on your behalf wherever they encounter critics in the future.  Don’t take journalistic investigations personally and don’t stonewall or be defensive. Express solidarity with their desire to inform the community and do right by supporters. Being open and honest will often defuse a reporter’s concerns before a situation blows up.  LINKS: Humane Network — website CockadoodleMoo Farm Animal Sanctuary — Facebook page Options Veterinary Care — website Leadership recommendation (article): “Managers: Compassion and Accountability Aren’t Mutually Exclusive" by Amy Gallo for Harvard Business Review

9/13/21 • 31:44

GUEST: Christie Keith is a communications and media consultant with an exclusive focus on animal welfare and veterinary medicine. Her current and recent clients include The Shelter Pet Project, the first public service campaign promoting an animal welfare cause in the Ad Council's 60-year history; Dr. Marty Becker, author and veterinarian; Maddie's Fund; Million Cat Challenge; Dr. Patty Khuly, veterinarian and author; and Vetstreet.com. As a writer and editor, Christie's work has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com, Bark Magazine, and the nationally syndicated newspaper feature "Pet Connection." She has been a speaker at a number of animal sheltering conferences such as the HSUS Animal Care Expo, Best Friends’ No More Homeless Pets, and the National No-Kill Conference.    MAIN QUESTION: How can animal organizations avoid blaming the public in their messaging when talking about the challenges they face?   TAKEAWAYS: Your organization relies upon your community to make donations to support your work, to adopt animals, and volunteer. If we inadvertently blame the community for animal surrenders, we poison that well and hurt our own ability to be successful.  In the past, shelters and rescue groups fell into a pattern of blaming irresponsible pet owners, backyard breeders, and an indifferent public for the problems we were facing. These were real feelings and understandable, but this approach turned out to be undermining our own success. It is important to avoid falling into these old patterns.  When creating communications aimed at the public, figure out who the audience is and what you want them to do. This will guide your language. Avoid using words like “dumping” or “abandoning” pets. People are turning to you for help with an animal they got from you – that’s what we want them to do. Give support instead of judgment.  Invite members of the public to be heroes by becoming a foster caregiver, adopting a pet or donating to help pets in need. Share how rewarding it is to foster or adopt. LINKS: Christie Keith — website Leadership recommendation: "8 Ways Your Board Can Fundraise Without Asking" — article

9/7/21 • 38:49

GUEST: Rebecca Guinn is CEO of LifeLine Animal Project, which manages Atlanta’s Fulton and DeKalb County animal shelters and which opened a new shelter, adoption center and clinic in 2019. LifeLine’s community outreach effort provides free vaccines, spay/neuter and other assistance to thousands of pets belonging to underserved Atlantans. LifeLine’s community cat program, the first and largest organized trap-neuter-return assistance program in Atlanta, has sterilized and vaccinated more than 40,000 community cats; and the LifeLine Spay & Neuter Clinics comprise the largest spay/neuter provider in Georgia, having performed more than 140,000 surgeries to date. Rebecca is active in the Animal Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia and is a member of Best Friends Animal Society’s No-Kill 2025 National Steering Committee. MAIN QUESTION: How can animal welfare leaders and managers keep an eye on the big picture while staying on top of day-to-day fires? TAKEAWAYS: The leader’s job is to keep the focus on the mission and to get others involved in it. Build a team of likeminded people, look for each person’s superpower and tap into it. Seek out people with skills that complement others on the team. We owe our best to the animals every time. Set that standard for yourself. Find the gaps in your community, and figure out what’s needed to close those gaps. Regularly ask yourself if you're solving the right problems and what you are trying to make better. Perform gap analyses; over time, you’ll get better at solving for the right problems. Embrace both ends of the leash. LINKS: Lifeline Animal Project — website Leadership recommendation: Nonprofit Tech for Good website and e-newsletter 

8/31/21 • 37:57

GUEST:  Dr. Leslie Appel is the founder and executive director of Shelter Outreach Services (SOS). She is also a courtesy lecturer at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Before these roles, Dr. Appel was director of veterinary outreach at the ASPCA. She was also a full-time faculty member at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she was an instructor in Small Animal Surgery. And Dr. Appel was the 2013 recipient of the AVMA Animal Welfare Award.  MAIN QUESTION: How can animal organizations provide services to rural communities, which often get overlooked? TAKEAWAYS: Dr. Appel’s organization Shelter Outreach Services, or SOS, is specifically designed to meet the needs of rural communities.  Before starting a program, assess what’s going on in your community and surrounding counties to understand what services are needed and who might be able to help. Also, get advice from a veterinarian early on in your planning about what’s needed to provide veterinary outreach services. SOS is set up like the hub of a wheel with its partners as the spokes. Each is essential to success. SOS provides the services and seeks grant funding for big ticket items like anesthesia machines, while its partners who host SOS’s MASH-style clinics in their communities do their own fundraising and grant writing to pay for those services. If you want to provide high quality, high volume spay/neuter services, veterinarians and veterinary technicians need training because it is generally not taught in school.  This is best done by having them observe and work alongside an existing team initially. High quality, high volume spay/neuter services are not about speed; it’s about creating an efficient flow. LINKS: Shelter Outreach Services The Association of Shelter Veterinarians' guidelines for spay-neuter programs  Leadership recommendation: "How to Read Non-Profit Financial Statements"

8/23/21 • 24:41

GUEST: T' Fisher is director of operations for AlignCare Health, a program of the University of Tennessee that aims to expand access to veterinary care nationwide. She was founder and director of the Companion Animal Initiative of Tennessee at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, as well as vice president of animal welfare at the Houston SPCA. She has a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology and bachelor of science degrees in computer technology (with a specialty in graphic design and 3D animation) and in animal science.    MAIN QUESTION: What is AlignCare and how can it help organizations expand access to veterinary care even if they don't have their own clinic?   TAKEAWAYS: AlignCare and other access-to-care programs help to keep animals who just need veterinary care with their families and out of shelters. This enables shelters to focus resources on animals who are homeless and really need the shelter.  AlignCare benefits private practice veterinarians in the community, as they hate to see an animal euthanized for financial reasons. AlignCare is one way for helping with these situations. It covers 80% of veterinary costs for pets who are sick or injured whose people are on a means-tested public assistance program such as Medicaid, food stamps, or Section 8 housing. Animal organizations without public clinics can refer people to AlignCareHealth.org to apply for help at a participating clinic near them. (You can check with AlignCareHealth.org to see if the program is operating in your community, or you can help to get it going there.) AlignCare and other access-to-care programs typically works with veterinarians to provide incremental care that does not start with “gold standard” care that often involves lots of upfront costs, like diagnostic tests. Instead it relies on veterinarians’ experience to determine the best, most cost effective initial courses of action for sick or injured pets, if additional help is needed, then tests can be ordered. It’s a tiered diagnostic and therapeutic approach to veterinary medicine, similar to the way shelter veterinarians work.  LINKS:   AlignCare Program for Pet Health Equity at the University of Tennessee  Leadership recommendation: Adopters Welcome Manual by HSUS 

8/16/21 • 25:11

GUEST: Lisa LaFontaine is president and chief executive officer of the Humane Rescue Alliance, based in Washington, DC. In 2019, Lisa oversaw the merger of the Humane Rescue Alliance with St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center to create the first regional, community-based, multi-state animal welfare organization in the nation. The organization is the largest provider of animal services in that region, touching the lives of more than 100,000 animals each year. Lisa was also CEO of New Hampshire’s Monadnock Humane Society. She has served as board member and chairman of the board of the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, the National Federation of Humane Societies, and the New England Federation of Humane Societies.  MAIN QUESTION: What lessons have you learned from the pandemic that have led your organization to be even more community facing?  TAKEAWAYS: Remember that animals are social connectors. They can build community and bring people together who otherwise might feel they have nothing to talk about. Expand your foster program. This is a great way to start for organizations looking to become a more integral part of their communities. It engages the public, inspiring them to become advocates for animals as they help find good new homes for them.   Look into creating virtual support for foster caregivers, such as telemedicine from staff veterinarians and behavior classes or videos with trainers or behaviorists.  Use staff and volunteers who have strong skills to mentor other staff, such as with hosting events over Zoom or taking photos. Seek more feedback, such as surveys of your volunteers, supporters, and adopters. You can also hold Zoom meetings with volunteers to get their feedback. Volunteers and supporters are a great conduit between your organization and the rest of your community. LINKS: Humane Rescue Alliance Leadership recommendation: "3 Simple Steps to Develop a Nonprofit Board Education Plan" by Sabrina Walker Hernandez

8/12/21 • 27:28

GUEST: Susan Cosby is the Senior Director of Lifesaving Centers for Best Friends Animal Society. She was the Director of Lifesaving for the Petco Foundation and served as the Executive Director and founding employee of the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia. Susan was also the President and CEO of the Pennsylvania SPCA and the Executive Director of the Animal Welfare Association in New Jersey. MAIN QUESTION: What advice do you have for leaders and managers to handle stressful or chaotic work environments? TAKEAWAYS: Make sure your communications with staff are thoughtful and layered. This means repeating important information and using different communication channels because different people absorb information differently, such as verbally, in emails, text messages of apps such as Slack. It is almost impossible to over-communicate. Listen and create a feedback loop. Follow-up when people ask questions or you've assigned someone a project. Check in and listen. And when you say you’ll follow-up, be sure to do it so that people have trust when communicating with you. Look for opportunities to create moments of positivity. When you tell someone that something is important to you, follow up after they complete it and let them know that they did a good job. Nobody likes an inefficient meeting. Make sure they start and end on time and have an agenda and a purpose. LINKS: Best Friends Animal Society  Leadership recommendation: Eisenhower Matrix 

8/1/21 • 29:40

GUEST: Marc Peralta is chief program officer at Best Friends Animal Society. Prior to this position, he served in a number of other key roles at Best Friends, including senior director of National No-Kill-Advancement and senior director for Best Friends in Los Angeles. Marc also served as vice president and chief operating officer at the Pennsylvania SPCA and was a member of the board of directors for the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia. And he was animal care manager at the Nevada Humane Society in Reno, Nevada, and the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs, Colorado. MAIN QUESTION: What advice do you have for shelters struggling with summer surges in pet populations? TAKEAWAYS: If you're in the thick of a surge in admissions, here are some strategies to help: Identify specific shelter populations who need help and find creative ways to lower adoption prices and market them for adoption. Try pop-up adoption events, or adopting pets out at community events. Branch out to NextDoor and other social media platforms beyond Facebook. Create a specific call to action and pitch it to your local news media (TV, newspapers and radio) such as how the shelter has many cats and dogs in need of homes now – so if you can adopt, please reach out or come in to adopt now. If you have an overabundance of a certain shelter population (kittens, black dogs, adult cats), and need adopters now, share that with the media. Have volunteers put up adoption promo fliers around town. It may sound old-fashioned, but getting volunteers involved in this way can work! Because peaks in animal populations entering shelters generally happen every summer – especially with cats – it’s helpful to prepare for them in late winter. Here are some ways to prepare: Plan to do kitten showers in April to seek donations of kitten milk-replacer, heating pads, and kitten food so that you have what you need when the wave comes. It’s also a great time to line up and train potential foster homes. Re-examine your adoption processes and try to make adoptions easy for adopters. Remove barriers to adoption and don’t rely on feelings, which can be tainted unconsciously by bias; instead talk with people and keep an open mind. Make sure you have your ducks in a row with your foster program, so that there is ongoing follow-up to avoid extended lengths of stay with your organization. Create a path to adoption for all the animals in foster care. LINKS: Best Friends Animal Society  Best Friends network partners site  Leadership recommendation for PR Daily e-newsletter 

7/25/21 • 24:26

GUEST: Shyanne Schull is the director of Washoe County Regional Animal Services in Reno, Nevada, where there is an average annual intake of 13,000 animals with a 40% Return-To-Owner rate over a 10-year average. Before that she was director of Kern County Animal Services in California. In her 22-year career in animal welfare, she has worked in a variety of animal services roles, including kennel worker, dispatcher, officer, shelter manager, and director. She also has a degree in animal sciences from California Polytechnic State University. MAIN QUESTION: How can shelters and animal services agencies develop robust Return-to-Owner programs? TAKEAWAYS: Make microchips free or low-cost and easy to get. A $5 microchip is much cheaper than caring for a pet at the shelter for even a day. Upload registration information for people at the time they get the microchip so that they don’t have to do it, as many people neglect this next step.  Get scanners and laptops or tablets for officers to use in the field so they can take animals who have microchips straight home without ever having to go back to the shelter. Take photos of animals out in the field and get them online as quickly as possible, updating your found-pets site frequently so that people can claim their pets sooner and the animals spend less time in the shelter. Share reunification stories everywhere you can, through the news media as well as social media, so that people understand the importance of programs to get pets back home. Track and share data, such as how many animals were returned in the field as opposed to returned from the shelter and how many were returned because of a microchip. LINKS: Washoe County Regional Animal Services https://www.washoecounty.us/animal/index.php Shyanne Schull's email sschull@washoecounty.us Leadership recommendation: Your Thriving Nonprofit Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/535957226792368

7/19/21 • 21:03

GUEST: Amber Sitko founded All About Animals Rescue in 2005, the largest spay/neuter and wellness care provider in Michigan, reaching more than 75,000 cats and dogs each year with care. She created the first comprehensive TNR/SNR program of its kind in Michigan training over 3,000 people how to TNR. Amber is a cloud architect with Microsoft and has an MBA from Wayne State University. MAIN QUESTION: What should great customer service look like for animal welfare organizations — and what are some tips for achieving it? TAKEAWAYS: Great customer service starts with leadership and management. Plan to be open when it is most convenient for the people you're trying to reach with your mission to access your services rather than what is most convenient for your staff. For example, Saturdays are good days to offer services as are Mondays because many people in service industries are off Mondays. If you are trying to reach people with fewer resources or seniors who may not be tech savvy, then create walk-in times rather than requiring appointments for vaccines and wellness care — simpler services they are most likely to need. If you hear about a bad customer experience, always thank them for bringing it to your attention because otherwise you may not know. Apologize – even if you think they are wrong. When warranted, offer them something beyond an apology such as free services. This brings them back and gives you a chance to make a better second impression. Hire managers and team leads who can lead by example with good customer service skills. Have managers spend some time working alongside frontline staff. This allows them to make course corrections when they see corners being cut or new rules being created that don’t fit with your mission or desired organization culture — it’s a great way to keep things on track. LINKS: All About Animals Rescue  Leadership recommendation on an article from Best Friends Animal Society titled "How to Start a Rescue or Other Animal Nonprofit"

7/7/21 • 22:10

GUEST: Joyce Briggs is president of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs, which advances non-surgical sterilants to increase access to humane fertility control. As executive director of PetSmart Charities, she championed funding early models of Humane Alliance high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter clinics and introduced the transport program Rescue Waggin’. She is co-founder of the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland (Oregon), which has maintained a greater than 90% save rate since 2014. She serves as advisor to 911Fosterpets and is on the board of a new nonprofit called The Functional Dog Collaborative, driven by her interests in the dog population. Joyce has a masters degree from Northwestern University. MAIN QUESTION: Why do animal welfare organizations need to begin thinking about how the demand for pets will be met in the future? TAKEAWAYS: It’s important to work to develop new methods of sterilization for cats and dogs that are faster, easier, more accessible, and less expensive than surgery, especially so we can help animals around the world where resources can be limited. There are dramatic regional differences in pet populations with some parts of the country having shortages of animals available for adoption. These shortages will grow because of the success of spay/neuter programs. When shelters and rescue groups are unable to meet public demand for pets, it creates an opportunity for puppy mills and other unethical breeders to fill the void and meet demand. Shelters and rescue groups in areas where there are few animals available for adoption might consider rethinking some of their spay/neuter messaging and working with people who have physically and behaviorally healthy family dogs to humanely, ethically and responsibly breed mixed breed dogs and raise well-socialized puppies, and help find the puppies good homes. If animal welfare organizations do not begin thinking about how the demand for pets will be met in the future, we may find ourselves cleaning up messes made by others who may seek to take advantage of the opportunity to provide pets for profit and potentially in ways that are inhumane. LINKS: Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs https://www.acc-d.org The Functional Breeding Collaborative https://functionalbreeding.org Vin News article "Have spay/neuter policies in the US been too effective?" https://news.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=210&Id=10087056 Leadership recommendation: Bolsta article "Caution! Campaign Images Can Make or Break Your Fundraiser" https://bolsta.co/caution-campaign-images-can-make-or-break-your-fundraiser/

7/6/21 • 37:27

GUEST: Crystal Kozlak is program manager for the Food for Thought program at Animal Place, a farmed animal sanctuary in Grass Valley, California. Crystal became inspired to go vegan after taking an animal ethics course during her undergrad at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Crystal worked as a campaign coordinator for Animal Place's Brave the Cage campaign for 2 1/2 years educating college students about the egg industry. Crystal is also the event producer of Vegan Oktoberfest 2021. And she volunteers with Long Beach Water Wagon, delivering essential supplies to her homeless neighbors. MAIN QUESTION: Why should animal organizations consider serving vegetarian or vegan food at their events? TAKEAWAYS: Food for Thought is a campaign that encourages animal organizations to serve only vegan or vegetarian food at their events. The idea behind the campaign is that animal organizations’ missions are to help animals so their communities look to them to set standards for the treatment of animals. Serving vegan or vegetarian food is consistent with this mission as it shows compassion for all species of animals. Food for Thought offers grants for organizations to test out serving veg-only food for an event as well as grants for formally adopting a veg-only policy.  Supporters attend events to support an organization’s mission. They are not attending for the purpose of getting a meal. Most people are fine skipping meat for a single meal – and, in fact, more and more people are doing this in their own lives. To cater veg food successfully at your events, two tips that may help would be to search for local restaurants that serve vegetarian or vegan in your community and looking into hiring them to cater an event. Another tip is to stick with foods that are naturally plant-based such as pasta with marinara or a taco bar with corn tortilla shells, beans, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado. LINKS: Animal Place  Food for Thought campaign  Food for Thought grant opportunities for food at events and for adopting the Food for Thought policy  List of animal-friendly food companies that offer assistance with plant-based food donations, coupons, and recipes  Leadership recommendation: "How to Resolve Workplace Conflicts" by SHRM 

6/26/21 • 22:55

GUEST: Brandy Kuentzel is Senior Vice President and General Counsel at the San Francisco SPCA. Prior to joining the San Francisco SPCA, Brandy worked as a corporate attorney and emerged as winner of the 10th season of NBC’s reality competition series “The Apprentice.” And she earned a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. MAIN QUESTIONS: What it is veterinary telemedicine and why should animal welfare groups have it on their radars? TAKEAWAYS: Veterinary telemedicine is when a veterinarian interacts with a patient remotely rather than hands-on, such as through a video connection or talking with the owner by phone. Telemedicine can be an important part of community-based sheltering efforts that keep animals out of shelters and with their families by improving access to veterinary care. Many animals would benefit from telemedicine including those who get overly stressed going to the vet; those in rural areas who must travel long distances; and those whose people have limited mobility, transportation challenges, logistical difficulties with childcare or work schedules. Veterinary telemedicine is currently legal in only a few places, but a lawsuit currently going through the courts in California may set a national precedent. A common criticism is that animals cannot speak for themselves, but there is a double-standard with human telemedicine that allows doctors to interact remotely with parents of infants and non-verbal patients. Opposition to telemedicine often assumes that veterinarians are incapable of telling whether an animal needs to be seen in person or can safely be diagnosed remotely. Recent experiences with the pandemic have shown the benefits and successes of medical care accessed remotely. LINKS: San Francisco SPCA  San Francisco SPCA's Shelter PALS program for policy and legal services  Leadership recommendation: Harvard Business Review article by Nancy Duarte titled “Good Leadership Is About Communicating Why" 

6/5/21 • 29:31

GUEST: Kelley Bollen is a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant with a master’s degree in Animal Behavior who has worked in the field of companion animal behavior for twenty years. Kelley is the Owner and Principal Consultant for Kelley Bollen Consulting – an animal behavior consulting business that works with animal shelters across the country on the design and implementation of comprehensive behavior programs to improve the welfare of the animals. She leads Humane Network’s Alive & Thriving animal behavior training program for shelter and clinic staff. And Kelley teaches a new Animal Shelter Behavior Management Certificate Course through the University of the Pacific. MAIN QUESTION: How can shelters and rescue groups help people in their community with dogs who have separation anxiety issues? TAKEAWAYS: Actively reach out to the people in your community now (especially people who adopted a dog within the past year), with ideas to help them prepare their pets for when they return to work in an office in order to help prevent the development of separation anxiety. If a dog can’t be content in one room while their person is in another, then there will likely be problems when the person is outside the home for extended periods. Here are a few behavior tips to share with your community: Be low-key when you leave and when you return. Make your departure fun by hiding treats around the home and/or giving a Kong-type toy filled with mushy food, like canned pet food. Practice leaving and returning for increasing lengths of time, starting with 30 seconds, so the dog gets used to you going and coming back. Take the dog’s Kong when you return so the dog wants you to stay away longer. Leave a radio or TV on when you're gone to give the dog some company. Give the dog 10 to 15 minutes of aerobic exercise before leaving such as running up and down stairs or chasing a ball in the backyard. LINKS: Kelley Bollen Consulting  Video presentation on independence training for dogs by Kelley Bollen  Separation anxiety behavior tips by Kelley Bollen that organizations can print and give to adopters or people who contact them with concerns Leadership recommendation: Sample fraud policy by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners

5/27/21 • 21:49

GUEST: Stacy LeBaron hosts a weekly podcast called the Community Cats Podcast where she interviews nationally and internationally renowned experts about cats and cat welfare. She also served for 16 years as president of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, assisting more than 105,000 cats and kittens in and around Salisbury, Massachusetts. Stacy is a current member of the Shelter Medicine Committee at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, an adviser to the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC), Vice President of the Board for PAWSitive Pantry in Vermont, and committee member for HubCats Chelsea. Stacy also facilitates two smaller coalitions in Massachusetts, the Boston Homeless Cats group and Merrimack Valley Partnership. MAIN QUESTION: What steps do you recommend to revive an organization that has become stagnant or inactive? TAKEAWAYS: There are generally two ways to revive an organization: Reinvigorate the passion of existing people, or allow the organization to start a new life with new leadership or management. Stacy calls this latter “recycling the organization.” Identify the key challenges or weaknesses of the organization, which can usually fit into four categories: Funding (lack of funding) People (often lack of energy due to hard work over many years) Vision (the lack of an inspiring vision or direction for the future) Scalability (Issues that hinder growth or desire to stay the same) Figure out where you can make the biggest impact for the funding you have. Consider doing an assessment of the needs in your community and what other organizations are already doing – look for an unmet need to focus on. Consider merging with another organization. And consider partnering with other organizations (even outside animal welfare) this could include sharing resources such as HR, bookkeeping, and marketing. LINKS: Community Cats Podcast  Community Cats Pyramid about how certain programs affect cat population numbers Stacy LeBaron on Shelter Success Simplified podcast Ep12 about tech solutions and innovations for animal groups Leadership recommendation: Steps for planning an animal shelter or clinic 

5/24/21 • 25:02

GUESTS: Bonney Brown is Humane Network president and Shelter Success Simplified podcast co-host and was executive director at Nevada Humane Society, National Campaign Director for Alley Cat Allies, and COO at Best Friends Animal Society. Diane Blankenburg is Humane Network CEO and was community programs and development director at Nevada Humane Society and network director at Best Friends Animal Society. MAIN QUESTION: Why is continuing education so important in animal welfare? TAKEAWAYS: Continuing education benefits you and can benefit your team in many ways: Makes the most of your time by providing both curated information as well as feedback and experience. Helps you create a professional network with other students and leaders in the field. Bolsters your resume for advancement. Provides CAWA CE credits. Animal organizations are increasingly looking for certified education or training when hiring managers and leaders. Sending staff to receive certified education in animal welfare can be part of your succession planning and grooming people for advancement. LINKS: Starting May 24: University of the Pacific Shelter Management Certificate Program details  University of the Pacific Shelter Management Certificate Program direct signup University of the Pacific Animal Shelter Behavioral Management Certificate Course details University of Florida Professional Certificate in Shelter Medicine Online Best Friends Animal Society and Southern Utah University Partnership Programs 

5/19/21 • 20:50

GUEST: Diaz Dixon is the CEO of Eddy House, a transition program for youth experiencing homelessness, and owns Performance Driven Consulting. He previously served for 14 years as the CEO of STEP2, a nonprofit helping women and children dealing with substance abuse and domestic violence. Diaz has served on the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, as the Treasurer of the Nevada Smithsonian Academic Appointment Diversity and Publicity Taskforce, and as a consultant to the Cultural Competency and Diversity Network in Washington, D.C. under the Presidential New Freedom Initiative. He also teaches in the University of Nevada, Reno’s Advanced Leadership Academy, a five-month training and coaching program designed to develop and support senior leaders and key team members. And Diaz is on the executive committee of American Pets Alive’s Human Animal Support Services. MAIN QUESTION: What advice do you have for new nonprofit leaders? TAKEAWAYS: * Don’t come in and point out everything that’s wrong and put in your own solutions. Build rapport and bridges with staff, create small successes to build trust, and have lots of conversations to build more trust and transparency. * Look for three things in team members – are they hungry, humble and smart? If you're hungry, you're about the organization’s mission and trying to enhance it. If you're humble, you're a good team member and not just climbing over others on your way to the top. And if you're smart, you can problem-solve and you're willing to make mistakes and grow. * When you're a leader, take less credit than you deserve and more blame. * Build a positive work climate – this will help people enjoy the hard work. * When you reach out into the community, build relationships through conversation and sharing your genuine passion for the cause. * And check out the books “Mindset” by Carol Dweck and “Good to Great” by Jim Collins to strengthen your leadership skills. LINKS: * Eddy House  * Book: "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck  * Book: "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't" by Jim Collins * Leadership recommendation: TechSoup 

5/7/21 • 24:17

GUEST: Phillip Zimmerman is the Animal Care Services Manager for the City of Sacramento Front Street Animal Shelter. He also served as the Manager for the City of Stockton Animal Shelter for 5 years. Phillip holds a BS degree in Social Science with concentrations in Psychology, Sociology, and Communications. He is an alumnus and regular guest speaker for Humane Network’s Animal Shelter Management program at the University of Pacific. MAIN QUESTION: How can leaders and managers maintain good communications with team members, especially during challenging times and when working remotely? TAKEAWAYS: * You have to make a conscious effort to make personal connections when communications are done remotely because it is harder for others to pick up on body language cues. * A silver lining of remote communications is that more people can participate than if meetings are held only in person. * Be willing to be vulnerable and share your feelings with your staff and community in appropriate ways because otherwise you can come off robotic and uncaring, which can especially become a detriment in animal welfare. * And, when appropriate, be honest about what you're doing in your role and the struggles you’re facing. It can help others who are struggling know that they are not alone and can prompt unexpected support. LINKS: * Front Street Animal Shelter     ~ Front Street on Facebook      ~ Website: frontstreetshelter.org * Leadership recommendation: Amy Eisenstein's “27 Ways to Cultivate Donors"

5/3/21 • 20:14

GUEST: Anne Lindsay founded the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) in 2000. In addition to spending 12 years on the management team at a large shelter, Anne is a past president of the board of the New England Federation of Humane Societies and is a current board member of both MAC and the State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team (SMART). In 2010, Anne earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology and has consulted with states, smaller communities, and individual shelters. MAIN QUESTION: What can individuals do to prevent compassion fatigue in the first place and how can we talk to people dealing with it now? TAKEAWAYS * Burnout is related to your job, and you can be burned out at any job. Compassion fatigue is about being overwhelmed by what’s happening to others, such as animals. People in animal welfare often can be both burned out and suffering from compassion fatigue. * People with their own histories of trauma can be especially susceptible to compassion fatigue. * It’s important to seek out people who can be a support system – not a group of people who feed off complaints. * Reframe your thinking by focusing on what is good and meaningful in your work, and perhaps find an area that you can specialize in or excel at that uses your talent and brain power. * We each have an ethical responsibility to take care of ourselves, to be healthy mentally and physically, because if we fail, those we care for will not receive the help they need. LINKS * Massachusetts Animal Coalition * State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team  * Leadership recommendation: “What great fundraising CEOs are doing to raise their fundraising game”

4/14/21 • 28:10