Hey!
I know this has been awhile since you posted this, but wanted to offer my suggestions in the hopes they may still be helpful! You may have or are doing some of these things already and if so, please disregard!
- 1.) Partner with National Organizations that can present and attend meetings with you. Government organizations tend to follow outside experts that aren't immediately attached to the area. Maddie's Fund has some great folks who I'm sure could jump on a web call and of course there's folks like Best Friends Animal Society who are happy to support this cause as well.
- 2.) Make sure to use social media...as many apps as possible and be consistent about posting. Whether it's a happy kitten photo sometimes or just an awareness topic of upcoming city meetings. Change it up sometimes but always be posting! Grow your following with interactive memes or a "post a photo of your pet being silly" just to keep the positivity going. Use hashtags that are trending on those days and then some posts tie back to an event or something happening such as National Puppy Mill Awareness month, etc.
- 3.) Data. Data. Data. Numbers don't lie. Decision makers want facts and that's how they make policy. If folks are emotional, or use their feelings rather than sticking to data, it tends to cloud the message. Even though this is an emotional topic and the team I'm confident is passionate about it, the emotions can speak over the action you're asking them to take.
- 4.) Create a budget. Show how you would earn money for the city and/or how you would save money for them. If there's something that shows how you'll be benefiting the tax payers, that will go a long way with the powers at be. Is it adoption funds? Is it the jobs that will be created? Is it the licensing revenue? Is it the percentage of animals not going into the county shelter due to being returned to owners based on the microchip clinics you could facilitate?
Anywho, again I'm sure many if not all these things you're already doing, but hopefully they help in some small way and know that change at that level is never easy but you're certainly not alone!
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Sarah Sukhram
Vol. & Foster Coordinator
Pasco County Animal Services
Land O' Lakes, FL
https://www.pascocountyfl.net/408/Animal-Services------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 02-12-2020 10:44 AM
From: Marla Fields
Subject: Community Commitment
I'm excited to be a new member of the forum. I'm not sure where to start but let's give it a go here first. For a year and a half, I've been trying to convince my community leaders of a near 193K to establish first an animal advisory board and then a rescue and adoption center. We don't have a shelter and our county shelter is in constant over-capacity. We've talked with the Mayor, Council, City Staff, reached out to the residents on social media and have an okay following, but the City, namely the Mayor, doesn't want to discuss this any further. Anyone out there with similar story with some success tips? Or, how to make our following stronger so that the City will take us seriously? The City wants us to go the private route but residents feel that this is more of public service. Appreciate the advice! Thanks!
#animaladvisoryboard
#HumaneLawEnforcementandLaws