Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  Are you the best at preventing staff injuries?

    Posted 04-07-2021 06:53 AM
    Good morning!  I am seeking out the best of the best when it comes to preventing staff injuries from bites and scratches.  If you are doing something that is innovative and out of the box in this area, please share!  Thanks!
    #AdmissionsandIntake
    #AnimalBehavior,TrainingandEnrichment
    #EducationandTraining
    #HumaneLawEnforcementandLaws
    #PeopleManagement

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    Michael Gregory
    Rutherford County PAWS
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  • 2.  RE: Are you the best at preventing staff injuries?

    Posted 04-07-2021 08:09 AM
    We're the municipal shelter for our county, which has no cat ordinance.  We are operating as a managed intake facility, have a "barn cat" program, and instruct those wishing to surrender a cat (or cats) that they will be required to show that they can pick up and hold the cat being surrendered.  We tell them that if they have not correctly identified the cat's behavior, they may be turned away.  This usually exposes the potentially "unsafe to handle" cats.  Those cats who are deemed unsuitable for typical in-home adoptions are taken only when there is a waiting barn-type home.  We schedule the intake of those on mornings when our contracted vet is here.  The incoming cat is anesthetized, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, ear-notched, and placed in a carrier while still out.  The carrier is to be large enough (with litter box, food, and water) to accommodate an appropriate time of stay before release, but we never keep these cats in the shelter overnight.  Our bite/scratch incidence rate has plummeted since instituting this policy.

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    Cliff Bennett, Director
    Flathead County Animal Shelter
    Kalispell, MT 59901
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  • 3.  RE: Are you the best at preventing staff injuries?

    Posted 04-08-2021 06:25 AM
    Hello! 

    A few things...

    We started "another day without an OSHA recordable" Bingo. Every day we go without an OSHA recordable injury, a Bingo number is pulled. Everyone in the shelter has a play card & prizes are days off, $50 gift cards, etc. If an OSHA recordable injury occurs, that game is scrapped and we start all over. It's a fun way to get folks to pay more attention to what they are doing.

    Also, we created "lock out tag out" type kennel tags. They are attached to the latch so the kennel cannot be opened without staff reading / removing tags. These tags highlight any behavior info that will help keep staff and animals safe.  Here's an example:




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    Cait Daly, CAWA
    COO & VP
    Lollypop Farm
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