Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  What changes would you make to your org chart? What is the best change you have made in recent years?

    Posted 11-15-2021 09:02 AM
    One thing I have learned over the years is that it is critically important to treat your organizational chart as a living, breathing document. Human capital is our most valuable commodity (particularly with the staffing crisis we have all been facing lately) and so being agile with what your staff is doing and moving roles as the needs of your community change is so important.

    Probably my most significant org chart changes were:
    • In 2017 we created a full-time position dedicated to fosters and rescues, and saw our kitten mortality rate drop by 89% that Spring.
    • In 2020, the creation of 2 dedicated Pet Resource Specialists to provide assistance to pet owners so they could keep their pets rather than surrendering them to the shelter. Year to date in 2021, these 2 specialists have fielded/ assisted nearly 6,000 families with resources.
    What were your best additions/ changes to your org chart? What position would you love to create or change and what is keeping you from doing it?
    #OrganizationalManagement

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    Alexis Pugh
    Director, Memphis Animal Services
    www.memphisanimalservices.com

    Organizational Management
    & Pet Support Services Specialist
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  • 2.  RE: What changes would you make to your org chart? What is the best change you have made in recent years?

    Posted 11-15-2021 10:09 AM
    Alexis,


     Thank you for providing this wonderful information. I love the idea of treating your org chart as a living, breathing document because it is so vitally important.  Our org charts are what help us really narrow down what positions we need to elevate, create and expand so that we can continue to do this life saving work in a manner that is sustainable to us all.  Thank you for this valuable feedback.

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    Marissa Reid
    Clinic Director
    LifeLine Animal Project

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    Access To Care Specialist
    Clinic Management Specialist
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  • 3.  RE: What changes would you make to your org chart? What is the best change you have made in recent years?

    Posted 11-17-2021 08:02 AM
    "In 2017 we created a full-time position dedicated to fosters and rescues, and saw our kitten mortality rate drop by 89% that Spring."

    I am echoing the importance of prioritizing foster positions. I work with so many organizations where the foster coordinator is also tasked with rescue, medical exams, marketing, adoptions, you name it. If you want to grow your foster base, this person needs to dedicate their time toward program expansion, recruitment, foster satisfaction, etc. Also, one person alone cannot responsibly oversee thousands of animals in foster. The high-level foster position, ideally, creates a structure underneath them to assist with this. But having that role solely dedicated to building a foster program is paramount, especially as we all strive to have the majority of our animals in foster homes rather than the shelter. 

    I love that you were able to capture a metric of success with that, Alexis!

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    Monica Frenden-Tarant
    Maddie's® Director of Feline Lifesaving
    American Pets Alive!
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