Thanks for reaching out. You're asking the right question, and the fact that you're already doing the outreach and networking means you're further along than you think.
Here's the short version of how we built the AWRN model.
We started by mapping the problem, not the partners. Before we talked to anyone, we looked at the top reasons animals were entering shelters in our service area and asked which of those reasons could have been solved before the family reached the shelter door. Behavioral issues, housing, financial hardship, lack of spay/neuter access. Each one pointed to a different type of partner we needed in the network.
That changed the conversation. Instead of asking organizations "would you like to join a network," we could say "your vet clinic sees families struggling to afford care before anyone else does. We want to make sure those families get connected to help before the pet ends up in a shelter." It becomes about what they already see and do, not about adding something to their plate.
We stopped thinking of the network as just animal welfare organizations. Shelters and rescues are the core, but the families at risk are also being touched by groomers, pet stores, dog walkers, landlords, food banks, churches, and social services agencies. Those are all potential entry points into the network.
We built it so every partner connects to every other partner, not just through us. A referral list is one-way and passive. A network means the vet clinic knows the trainer, the trainer knows the rescue, and the rescue knows the housing navigator. When a family hits any door, they can be routed to the right resource without starting over.
We created partner guides tailored to each partner type: vet clinics, shelters, landlords, pet owners, and general AWRN partners. Each one speaks to what that partner cares about and shows exactly how they fit into the prevention picture.
Start with three partners. You don't need twenty. Get one shelter, one vet clinic, and one community organization that serves the same families. Build the connections between those three, prove it works, and the rest will come.
We've built the platform for this. AWRN runs on shared software that any partner can join, no matter where they are. One network, one system, everyone connected. The goal is to get prevention partners across the country on it so a family in crisis hits the same infrastructure whether they're in Alabama or Illinois. If you'd like to see it, I'd be happy to walk you through a demo.
Original Message:
Sent: 03-27-2026 04:28 PM
From: Bre Hoffman
Subject: Building a Regional Animal Welfare Collaboration Network
Hello. I've been working on creating something similar to your Animal Welfare Resource Network (AWRN). Would you be able to tell me how you got this started? I've been reaching out doing networking and asking if they'd be open to such a program Maybe there's a better way tho.
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Bre Hoffman
Administrative Director
Special Little Whiskers Kitten Rescue
IL
Original Message:
Sent: 03-27-2026 07:03 AM
From: Bj Adkins
Subject: Building a Regional Animal Welfare Collaboration Network
Dr. Gockowski,
Thank you for this. You just described the exact pipeline problem most people refuse to see.
That shift you're talking about, cat populations moving from working farms to small towns with zero infrastructure to manage them, that's a prevention failure hiding in plain sight. The food source dried up, the ecosystem changed, and nobody updated the response. The sheriff saying "we don't have a cat problem" while the problem multiplies in town is a story I hear in different versions across every county we work with in Alabama.
Your point about the NPO care program not reaching the actual low-income population is one of the biggest quiet failures in this space. We built our SNIP program with a $100 stipend specifically because we kept hearing the same thing: the people who need it most can't get to the appointment, can't cover the recovery supplies, can't take the day off work. The barrier isn't always the surgery cost. It's everything around it. A stipend paired with the service changes who actually shows up.
And you're right that regulation compliance doesn't shrink for good intentions. That's exactly why we're building AWRN, our Animal Welfare Resource Network, as shared infrastructure instead of expecting every small practice or volunteer group to build it alone. The idea is that a rural vet like you shouldn't have to figure out the referral pathway, the intake diversion process, and the community cat management plan on top of running a mixed-species practice. That should already exist as a network you can plug into.
The rural piece matters to us. Our seven-county service area in Central Alabama includes rural counties with the same dynamics you're describing, just swap the dairy farms for cattle operations. The problems rhyme even when the geography doesn't.
I'd welcome a conversation whenever you're ready. What you're seeing on the ground in Minnesota is exactly the kind of real-world perspective that makes this work better.
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BJ Adkins
Founder/Director
Animal-Angels Foundation
Pinson, AL
bjadkins@animal-angels.org
animal-angelsfoundation.org
Original Message:
Sent: 03-27-2026 05:38 AM
From: Delores Gockowski
Subject: Building a Regional Animal Welfare Collaboration Network
Thank you! You have provided many points to be considered. We struggle in rural areas as the number of people willing to address animal issues is low despite great intentions. An interesting note is farms were previously the epi-center of the extreme cat populations; however they had a food source - milk, rodents and cat food. Many farms are gone and while replaced with hobby farms, it is not the same. No cows, no milk. Minimal stored feed, no rodents. Cat food is for the indoor cat. Today, those cat populations have moved to small towns and the code to address these ferals is mute. Even the county sheriff exclaims, we don't have a cat problem! Addressing these issues would require ordinances and supporting a shelter, which require funding. With an influx of metro residing residents, they feel the concern, but supporting animal welfare causes is meek. Widening the scope of who should sit at the table is a given. Private rural practices are often mixed species with a struggle to provide care to a wide income level. The need for low-fee S/N programs persists. A deterrent is regulation compliance which doesn't diminish because of good intentions. Having provided accessible care for an NPO, it was interesting to learn the participants were not low income. It missed a target population in need.
Your response has definitely turned on a light and a direction to pursue. I will keep your contact and reach out. Thank you!
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Delores Gockowski
Dr.
North Ridge Veterinary Svc LLC
MN
Original Message:
Sent: 03-25-2026 11:29 PM
From: Bj Adkins
Subject: Building a Regional Animal Welfare Collaboration Network
This is exactly the kind of thinking that changes outcomes for animals. You're describing what we're building at Animal-Angels Foundation in Central Alabama, and I can tell you from experience that the hardest part isn't getting people to show up to the first meeting. It's building the infrastructure so the collaboration doesn't fade after everyone goes home.
We created something called the Animal Welfare Resource Network (AWRN), which connects shelters, rescues, veterinary clinics, and community organizations into an interconnected network where every partner connects to every other partner, not just through one central hub. The key difference from a one-time event is that we built shared tools, a common intake and referral system, and a platform where partners can see each other's capacity in real time.
A few things we learned that might help you:
Start with the problem, not the meeting. Before you bring people together, identify the specific gaps (animals bouncing between orgs with no tracking, families surrendering because they can't find affordable vet care, fosters burning out because there's no shared pool). When you can name the problems, the solutions become obvious and people buy in faster.
Make collaboration the default, not the ask. If the only way to access resources is through the network, participation becomes self-sustaining. We built our system so partners benefit more from being connected than from operating alone.
Don't underestimate the vet-to-community pipeline. You're already a vet, which means you see families before the crisis hits. That's prevention gold. We built a Pet Help Desk triage system specifically for that, so vets and shelters have somewhere to send people before surrender becomes the only option.
I'd be happy to walk you through what we've built and what's worked. We're also expanding the AWRN model outside Alabama, so if you're interested in seeing the framework, reach out. angels@animal-angels.org.
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BJ Adkins
Founder/Director
Animal-Angels Foundation
Pinson, AL
bjadkins@animal-angels.org
animal-angelsfoundation.org
Original Message:
Sent: 03-09-2026 07:44 AM
From: Delores Gockowski
Subject: Building a Regional Animal Welfare Collaboration Network
One initiative I would like to develop in my rural region is a collaborative networking event for local shelters, rescues, and animal welfare nonprofits. While many groups work tirelessly for animals, they often operate independently and may not fully know what resources, expertise, or challenges exist within the same community.
My idea is to host a regional meet-and-greet and collaboration session where organizations can introduce themselves, explain their missions, and share how they operate. The goal is simple: put names and faces together to build stronger working relationships that ultimately improve care for animals.
Potential outcomes could include:
• Better communication between veterinarians and rescue organizations
• More efficient referral of animals needing medical care or placement
• Shared education on preventative health and responsible ownership
• Stronger foster and volunteer networks
• Opportunities for coordinated low-cost clinics or outreach events
Funding resources to help support hosting the event and creating educational resources for participating groups, with the long-term goal of building a sustainable regional collaboration network for animal welfare are needed.
I believe stronger relationships between veterinarians and welfare organizations can significantly improve outcomes for animals by ensuring knowledge, resources, and compassion are working together instead of in isolation.
For those involved with shelters, rescues, or nonprofit work:
What strategies or events have successfully strengthened collaboration in your community?
I'd love to hear ideas that helped turn good intentions into lasting partnerships.
#AccesstoCare
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Dr. DE Gockowski
North Ridge Veterinary Svc LLC
Rural Minnesota
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