Animal Welfare Professionals

Thanks to our speaker, @Namiko Ota-Noveskey - and everyone who joined us today! 

We would love to hear from you in response to today's reflection: What makes you energized to return to help more people and animals?

Thanks to our speaker, @Namiko Ota-Noveskey - and everyone who joined us today! 

We would love to hear from you in response to today's reflection: What makes you energized to return to help more people and animals?

What energizes me to return each day and continue helping both people and animals is knowing the impact I can make. Every animal that comes into my care receives unconditional love during their time with me at the shelter. Many of these animals come from neglect or life as strays and may have never experienced true kindness. I treat each one with compassion and strive to be their voice when they don't have one. I advocate for the animals in my care by getting to know them as individuals, which helps me find the best possible home for them.

On the people side, I'm equally motivated by the opportunity to show compassion and support. Whether it's helping reunite owners with their lost pets or guiding someone toward finding their new best friend, I know I can make a meaningful difference. I also provide resources for spay and neuter services and veterinary care, and I help run a small animal food bank-knowing that I'm helping pets overcome hunger.

Thanks to our speaker, @Namiko Ota-Noveskey - and everyone who joined us today! 

We would love to hear from you in response to today's reflection: What makes you energized to return to help more people and animals?

Thanks to our speaker, @Namiko Ota-Noveskey - and everyone who joined us today! 

We would love to hear from you in response to today's reflection: What makes you energized to return to help more people and animals?

In all honesty it's been incredibly hard to keep moving forward with the enthusiasm I did when first starting in rescue over 10 years ago. The cases are getting harder and the sheer number people reaching out is greatly outnumbering adoption applications. We are seeing this consistently across all rescues and shelters in our area, that paired with difficulty finding help is making burnout an epidemic in the rescue community. I just keep reminding myself that every animal we are able to help deserves our very best. 

In all honesty it's been incredibly hard to keep moving forward with the enthusiasm I did when first starting in rescue over 10 years ago. The cases are getting harder and the sheer number people reaching out is greatly outnumbering adoption applications. We are seeing this consistently across all rescues and shelters in our area, that paired with difficulty finding help is making burnout an epidemic in the rescue community. I just keep reminding myself that every animal we are able to help deserves our very best. 

Thanks to our speaker, @Namiko Ota-Noveskey - and everyone who joined us today! 

We would love to hear from you in response to today's reflection: What makes you energized to return to help more people and animals?

Thanks to the 128+ people and paws who joined us on today's Community Conversations call! The recording is now available to watch on-demand. Below you'll find a recap of today's call and the resources shared. 

Call Recap

Welcome from hosts

• @Shafonda Allen (She/Her), Founder and Principal Consultant, Back to Basics Animal Welfare Leadership Consulting
• @cait yoshioka, Marketing Communications Project Manager, Maddie's Fund

Question of the Day:  What's one positive trend you've seen recently in animal well-being?

National Updates

• Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection – free webcast this Thursday at 12 pm Pacific!
• From Human Animal Support Services: We'd love to have you at our next HASS (Human and Animal Support Services) webinar where we will focus on the Human Commonalities Project we accomplished in 2025. Lee Ann Shenefiel, Sr. Director of Community Programs will be sharing her expertise and experience in building a coalition in Austin, along with exploring how human service providers and animal welfare organizations can work together to better support people and pets. Through data, pilot insights, and practical tools like ecosystem mapping, you'll learn how to identify gaps and build a more connected, prevention-focused system of care. Plus, hear directly from a guest speaker who is actively building and leveraging a coalition in her community, sharing real-world lessons you can apply right away. Thursday, May 14 at 1 p.m. Register here! 
• From Community Cat Central:  Every lost cat has a family wondering where they are. Join us for Strategies to Reunite Lost Cats with Families - you'll learn the tools and techniques that can help make those reunions happen. Every cat that finds their way home is a family made whole again - find out how you can help make that happen! May 13, 2026 at 2:00–3:30 PM ET. Register here. Scholarships are also available so you can attend for free! Learn more here. 
  
• Maddie's Community Conversations Giveaway: Now you can enter for a chance to win up to  $10,000!  Enter here for a chance to win.  Open to all who are watching live or on-demand! Be sure to enter each week you attend! You must be registered in Maddie's Pet Forum to enter. 
• Maddie's Pet Forum Monthly Giveaway: Maddie's Fund® is giving away a $3,000 grant each month to one lucky Maddie's® Pet Forum member. You'll automatically be entered to win each month when you start a new discussion, reply to a new post. Learn more here. 
• We would love to hear from you! Have an idea for Maddie's Community Conversations? Interested in hosting? Have a topic or speaker you would like to hear from? Let us know on Maddie's Pet Forum via the Community Conversations Suggestions discussion thread. Or, you can contact us directly by emailing CommunityConversations@maddiesfund.org.

Presentation: Decision Making in Complex Cases

• Speakers:
  • @Namiko Ota-Noveskey, MS, CAWA, Project Supervisor, Kent County Animal Shelter@Alessandra Navidad
• Resources: 
  • Human Animal Support Services' Navigating Compassion Fatigue
  • Human Animal Support Services' Compassion Fatigue Training

Highlights from the Chat

• "Like what Shafonda was saying, looking at the animal and the human conditions (both ends of the leash) to keep them together." - Irene Chansawang
• "Yes, as someone said focus on assistance and education vs prosecution or taking pets away to place in shelter for euthanasia." - Heather Livingston
• "Oh my goodness, I feel like I need a peer review group for these complex cases; it's just not always as easy as a concrete policy and procedure or a veterinary decision..." - Julia Clodfelter
• "This makes me think of my current foster, a 2 yo GSD. He's doing amazingly well in foster care as opposed to the shy boy in the shelter." - Gretchen Shotwell
• "San Diego Humane Society's veterinary team conducts Compassion Rounds to discuss difficult cases on a more emotional level than the technical level. I hear they have been valuable." - Elkie Wills
• "To be fair...there is a horrific shortage of affordable pet friendly housing, and many people simply aren't able to afford housing that includes their animals." - Penny Paich-Caraway
• "Apartments can't deny kids.  But they can deny dogs." - Kristin Moro
• "And loss of employment, no access to childcare, moving into parent's houses or apartments all contribute to a heartbreaking decision. As a session at Expo reminded us, it takes 3 times more effort to bring a pet to the shelter seeking help or surrender.  Be kind, they're not dumping them. You are their only hope." - Lisa Pearce
• "Thank you, Namiko! Your kind heart is inspiring." - Lisa Pearce
• "Yes!  Stress decreases while they are out but isn't higher than baseline on return.  Short-term foster is  like the weekend to our workweek!" - Sheila Segurson
• "And know that self-care can look different depending on what works for you! A hike works for some, while reading with a cup of tea works for others <3" - Jenna Riedi
• "I return because I love helping people and when they express appreciation to me or the organization - it keeps me going!!" - Bonnie Clark

------------------------------
Sheila Kouhkan
Senior Education Specialist
Maddie's Fund
CA
------------------------------

I didn't get into details much but if anyone is interested in learning more about behavior euthanasia pathways, Dr. Workman has a great webinar/presentation via ASPCA Pro. There is also a link included to access supporting documents. 
https://www.aspcapro.org/training/webinar/northern-tier-shelter-initiative-zoomies-behavior-pathway-resources-tools-trade

Thanks to the 128+ people and paws who joined us on today's Community Conversations call! The recording is now available to watch on-demand. Below you'll find a recap of today's call and the resources shared. 

Call Recap

Welcome from hosts

• @Shafonda Allen (She/Her), Founder and Principal Consultant, Back to Basics Animal Welfare Leadership Consulting
• @cait yoshioka, Marketing Communications Project Manager, Maddie's Fund

Question of the Day:  What's one positive trend you've seen recently in animal well-being?

National Updates

• Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection – free webcast this Thursday at 12 pm Pacific!
• From Human Animal Support Services: We'd love to have you at our next HASS (Human and Animal Support Services) webinar where we will focus on the Human Commonalities Project we accomplished in 2025. Lee Ann Shenefiel, Sr. Director of Community Programs will be sharing her expertise and experience in building a coalition in Austin, along with exploring how human service providers and animal welfare organizations can work together to better support people and pets. Through data, pilot insights, and practical tools like ecosystem mapping, you'll learn how to identify gaps and build a more connected, prevention-focused system of care. Plus, hear directly from a guest speaker who is actively building and leveraging a coalition in her community, sharing real-world lessons you can apply right away. Thursday, May 14 at 1 p.m. Register here! 
• From Community Cat Central:  Every lost cat has a family wondering where they are. Join us for Strategies to Reunite Lost Cats with Families - you'll learn the tools and techniques that can help make those reunions happen. Every cat that finds their way home is a family made whole again - find out how you can help make that happen! May 13, 2026 at 2:00–3:30 PM ET. Register here. Scholarships are also available so you can attend for free! Learn more here. 
  
• Maddie's Community Conversations Giveaway: Now you can enter for a chance to win up to  $10,000!  Enter here for a chance to win.  Open to all who are watching live or on-demand! Be sure to enter each week you attend! You must be registered in Maddie's Pet Forum to enter. 
• Maddie's Pet Forum Monthly Giveaway: Maddie's Fund® is giving away a $3,000 grant each month to one lucky Maddie's® Pet Forum member. You'll automatically be entered to win each month when you start a new discussion, reply to a new post. Learn more here. 
• We would love to hear from you! Have an idea for Maddie's Community Conversations? Interested in hosting? Have a topic or speaker you would like to hear from? Let us know on Maddie's Pet Forum via the Community Conversations Suggestions discussion thread. Or, you can contact us directly by emailing CommunityConversations@maddiesfund.org.

Presentation: Decision Making in Complex Cases

• Speakers:
  • @Namiko Ota-Noveskey, MS, CAWA, Project Supervisor, Kent County Animal Shelter@Alessandra Navidad
• Resources: 
  • Human Animal Support Services' Navigating Compassion Fatigue
  • Human Animal Support Services' Compassion Fatigue Training

Highlights from the Chat

• "Like what Shafonda was saying, looking at the animal and the human conditions (both ends of the leash) to keep them together." - Irene Chansawang
• "Yes, as someone said focus on assistance and education vs prosecution or taking pets away to place in shelter for euthanasia." - Heather Livingston
• "Oh my goodness, I feel like I need a peer review group for these complex cases; it's just not always as easy as a concrete policy and procedure or a veterinary decision..." - Julia Clodfelter
• "This makes me think of my current foster, a 2 yo GSD. He's doing amazingly well in foster care as opposed to the shy boy in the shelter." - Gretchen Shotwell
• "San Diego Humane Society's veterinary team conducts Compassion Rounds to discuss difficult cases on a more emotional level than the technical level. I hear they have been valuable." - Elkie Wills
• "To be fair...there is a horrific shortage of affordable pet friendly housing, and many people simply aren't able to afford housing that includes their animals." - Penny Paich-Caraway
• "Apartments can't deny kids.  But they can deny dogs." - Kristin Moro
• "And loss of employment, no access to childcare, moving into parent's houses or apartments all contribute to a heartbreaking decision. As a session at Expo reminded us, it takes 3 times more effort to bring a pet to the shelter seeking help or surrender.  Be kind, they're not dumping them. You are their only hope." - Lisa Pearce
• "Thank you, Namiko! Your kind heart is inspiring." - Lisa Pearce
• "Yes!  Stress decreases while they are out but isn't higher than baseline on return.  Short-term foster is  like the weekend to our workweek!" - Sheila Segurson
• "And know that self-care can look different depending on what works for you! A hike works for some, while reading with a cup of tea works for others <3" - Jenna Riedi
• "I return because I love helping people and when they express appreciation to me or the organization - it keeps me going!!" - Bonnie Clark

------------------------------
Sheila Kouhkan
Senior Education Specialist
Maddie's Fund
CA

Thank you for this wonderful webinar. Those are the hardest conversations in sheltering. What 

makes me come back is the kindness and generosity of all the people who try to make animals feel safer and happier, and the gratefulness animals show in return.