Animal Welfare Professionals

We have a bare bones staff and we have tried to implement play groups in the morning as kennel cleans. We have a capacity of 150 dogs and 100 cats though we often find ourselves WAY over those numbers (we've had up to 200+ dogs before). Between cleaning, staff, and the number of animals, we cannot seem to get group play down in a way that helps kennel clean, keep dogs safe, and still allow the transfer department who has back to back appointments, emails, foster retention and aquisitions, rescue, and some adoption under our belts to get their work done as well. There seems to be no way to hire more staff. Is there a way I could present the need for more behavioral staff to implement this program or find a way to work with the bare minimum?

Hello Kiersten,

We had a similar challenge after having Dogs Playing for Life come here and provide staff and volunteer training on play groups. We operated way beyond our capacity for care very often. Since we implemented managed intake, we have not exceeded our capacity for care except at the very beginning of the program. We have not been through a summer yet though so that will be interesting. This has freed up staff time so we can do play groups on a more regular schedule. Best of luck!

Hey Kiersten, 

What does your volunteer base look like? @Laura could speak to this way better than I can but I know she uses volunteers in a lot of positions you wouldn't think - or wouldn't think people would want to do. How about using well trained volunteer behavior assistants to to run the groups (people would love to do that position) or, if that' s not possible, using volunteer kennel cleaners to free up that staff? I've been totally in awe of Michelle Suarez and Laura's ability to find amazing people and train them well - without paying them. 

When you have an operational need and no budget, always look to your volunteers.  And volunteers LOVE playgroups.  Chances are, you already have several volunteers who routinely work with dogs at your center who you know have good dog skills.  Approach them and find out if they are interested.  At my previous shelter I started playgroups with just 2 volunteers.  Focus small - what dogs do you have that are more long term that could really benefit from a play group?  Don't try to make everything "fair" so everyone gets playgroup - let the ones that are easily/quickly adopted get skipped for playgroup.  Start with two dogs and do a playgroup with those volunteers.  Once they know how those two dogs play, allow them to do playgroups without staff involvement (YES, this CAN BE DONE).  You can then add to your "arsenal" of dogs that can participate in volunteer led playgroups.  Slowly add more volunteers and more dogs, using your initial volunteers as "mentors".  Most of what I see with regard to mistakes is people helicopter policing the playgroups - overly correcting the dogs and not allowing them to play rough.  Let the dogs set the pace of play, and interfere only when someone stops having fun.  For safety, I always had volunteers bring capture leashes, an air horn, a squirt bottle, and we left a fire extinguisher in the dog playgroup area (NOTHING stops animals from fighting more quickly than the blast from a fire extinguisher, which I have never had to use, nor did our volunteers ever have to use).  Use the staff time to train the volunteers and match the dogs for playgroup, but let the volunteers facilitate the playgroup.  It really is minimal investment, and you will see such a dramatic improvement in your longer length of stay kids.  Feel free to email me at laura.birdsall@hssv.org if you have any other questions, and good luck!!!!  It is totally worth it, so make it happen.

Laura