Animal Welfare Professionals

Updated 11/18/24 at 2:15 pm PT:  Recording now available to watch on-demand!

In case you missed the Community Conversation on Monday, 11/18/24 at 11am PT for "Exploring Pet Inclusive Transportation Options to Increase Access to Veterinary Care‬‭," a presentation by @Gayle Bair, Pet Retention Liaison at Animal Friends in Pittsburgh, Marty Sampson, Founder and CEO of Leash and @Sarah McGoldrick, Vice President of Animal Operations at Dallas Pets Alive!, you can watch the recording above. 

Pet-friendly or pet-inclusive transportation is a recurring barrier identified by public-facing staff and volunteers across the human and animal welfare sectors. Families who struggle to find pet-friendly transportation are directly affected in their ability to access care for their animals. By highlighting these barriers and some solutions, we aim to expand the conversation to help increase access to veterinary care for bonded pet families in need.

Register for Community Conversations hosted via Zoom: maddies.fund/CommunityConvoRegistration2024

If you are unable to make it live on Monday, this thread will be updated with the recording and resources so you can watch and share whenever you'd like.  After you watch the recording on-demand or attend the call live, be sure to complete this new November 2024 entry form to enter to win up to a $5,000 grant: https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-nov24-giveaway.htm. 

#AccesstoCare
#CommunityPartnerships*
#PetSupportServices*

------------------------------
Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
Maddie's Fund
------------------------------

Thanks to the 147+ 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
  • @Geraldine D'Silva, Human and Animal Well-Being Consultant
  • @Lucy Fernandez, Senior Intake Diversion (PASS) Program Manager, Austin Pets Alive! 
    
    

• Question of the Day: What agencies in your area provide transportation assistance?  Ex. Meals on Wheels, Churches/temples/places of worship,  United Way,  APOs/ACOs, etc.  
  • "not sure , maybe United Way." - Vanessa Sweeney
  • "San Mateo County Vet wellness program must help some clients get to vet offices. We have a voucher program with the local Cab company, but we have to set everything up" - Roxane Fritz
  • "Pet to Vets- they provide transport for a cost" - Shelley Joaquin
  • "Uber Pet is in some communities. Uber pets are only in larger communities in Arkansas, not in our rural areas." - June Thomas
  • "We provide transport as needed at West Feliciana Animal Humane Society." - Peg Lucky
  • "We provide transportation for pets in need in our area." - Angela Soriano
  • "To my knowledge our area has no options." - Dianne Canafax
  • "APS provides transportation for pets and owners to vet appointments and TNR" - Kate Marshall
  • "Hi, from PAWS NY, we provide transportation within our programs to our clients. We help individuals who are facing financial hardships and physical barriers including disability and illness to provide pet care to ensure that people remain with their pets." - David, PAWS NY 
  • "Hello from The Community Cats Podcast! I'm in NH and there aren't a lot of agencies providing transportation assistance for animals (or people) because it's a fairly rural area." - Kristen Petrie
  • "Unfortunately, in our area, the city transport for the elderly and disabled and otherwise needy will not come out to the shelter because we are outside of town.  And the Lyft partnership the city developed won't allow pets." - Kristin Moro
  • "In Tucson, Sol Dog and Arizona Heartfelt Hounds transports for our clients, fosters, and often for adopters. But I don't think there is anything that's available to the general public!!! But there should be!!!! Wow..." - Mary Flores
    
    
• National Updates

• • Apply for the Shelter Care Specialist Certification winter session starting 1/6/25!
    The Shelter Learniverse has a brand-new Shelter Care Specialist Certification program designed for frontline staff and shelter leaders looking to level up staff training. This online program offers the  skills and knowledge to make your work more efficient, compassionate, and impactful. Free for now, #ThanksToMaddie!
    Learn more and apply through 12/5/24: https://tinyurl.com/SCS-General
  • Humane Canada's 2024 Prosecution of Animal Abuse Conference on November 28 and 29 (virtual)! Register here: https://reg.eventmobi.com/2024prosecution/register
  • Stephen Knight of Dogs Matter has been nominated for a CNN Hero of the Year Award! Vote for him - up to 10 times a day - until December 4th at this link: https://www.cnn.com/world/heroes/vote
  • Community Cats Podcast in partnership with Neighborhood Cats has a TNR certification workshop on 12/7 to help people learn the fundamentals of trapping, talking to the public about it, and taking cats to the clinics, and all sorts of other helpful skills - you can get details and register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/5162202024417496160
  • Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection is this Thursday, November 21 at 12noon Pacific. Sam Wolfman, Certified Professional Dog Trainer at Animal Welfare League of Arlington, will talk about Dog-Dog Matchmaking: Setting Adopters and Their Dogs Up for Success. Register here: https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration
  • Maddie's Fund Monthly Giveaways!  Enter here for a chance to win CA$H: 
    Open to all who are watching live or on-demand! Be sure to enter each week you attend!
     https://www.maddiesfund.org/weekly-community-conversations-nov24-giveaway.htm
  • 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. More info:  https://maddies.fund/mpfmonthlygiveaway

  • In celebration of Maddie's Fund 30th anniversary, Maddie's Fund and Cuddly have partnered to provide $1,000 in prizes monthly, for engaging on a special anniversary-related post on Maddie's Pet Forum. This October, simply comment on this thread telling us who has inspired your work and you'll be entered to win a $1,000 Cuddly prize pack: https://maddies.fund/30YearsGiveawayOctober2024

    You'll also be entered to win the usual $3,000 monthly grant giveaway by participating. We're so excited to celebrate Maddie's Fund 30th anniversary with Cuddly and all of you. You can find each month's discussion thread when they're available here: https://forum.maddiesfund.org/30yearsgiveaway

• Presentation: Exploring Pet-Inclusive Transportation Options to Increase Access to Veterinary Care 
  • Guest Speakers:
    • • @Gayle Bair,  Pet Retention Liaison at Animal Friends in Pittsburgh
      • @Sarah McGoldrick, Vice President of Animal Operations at Dallas Pets Alive!
      • Marty Sampson, Founder and CEO of Leash
    • Key Takeaways:
      • From Gayle Bair: U Transport is an effective tool for expanding access to veterinary care. Set-up process is straightforward and the dashboard is user friendly. Online support is readily available via chat. Data for each ride is provided, including mileage and expense tracking. 
      • From Sarah McGoldrick: Access to care needs to be all encompassing to include not just the program/service, but also a way to get pets to the clinic. Providing transportation does not need to be complicated. The Dallas Pets Alive! Snyft Program relies on volunteers and staff to help support clients with getting their pets to appointments. In addition to getting pets to their appointments, Snyft provides an additional opportunity for community members to support our mission. 
      • From Marty Sampson: Leash is a safe and reliable pet-only transportation platform that connects pet owners, pet care businesses, and pet welfare organizations with experienced professional pet drivers, providing convenient rides for pets to and from daily appointments and activities.
    • Related Links:
      • U transport Uber for Business Onboarding Guide: https://forum.maddiesfund.org/viewdocument/re-u-transport-uber-for-business?CommunityKey=afce7f7a-fd5a-431e-9f2a-aaedc46a03d6&tab=librarydocuments
      • Open Door Veterinary Collective has just rolled out the Open Door Veterinary Collective: Transportation Nugget which is a quick learning bite on transportation barriers and solutions. https://opendoorschool.thinkific.com/courses/transportation-nuggets-course
      • Dallas Pets Alive! Simplifying fostering
        https://dallaspetsalive.org/expanding-foster-program-introducing-foster/
      • Snyft: Lyft for pets
        https://dallaspetsalive.org/the-foster-program-is-simplifying-the-fostering-process-like-never-before/
      • Leash: https://rideleash.com/about/

• Highlights from the Chat
  • "Our organization requires that anyone who does transport of people on our behalf have full insurance in case of any accident. Does Uber for Business have it?" - Roxane Fritz
  • "Uber does not offer any insurance, and it is the responsibility of the individual drivers to cover any liability." - Geraldine D'Silva
  • "We have transporter positions that bring animals to appointments at our private clinic here at LifeLine Animal Project. Our Pets For Life program provides transportation to spay/neuter appointments for our clients' pets, as well." - Harry Clements, LifeLine
  • "This was amazing" - Anita Selby
  • "Yay, Gayle!  Thank you for sharing!" - Penny Paich
  • "Super cool!" - Janette Martin
  • "Thanks for sharing; well done! Best Friends has transport positions for volunteers to take multiple cats and dogs to their appointments for neuter/spay or for individual animals for special vet appts with clinics that provide discounted or free services." - Elisabeth Barry
  • "Thank You Gayle!  Love the Uber!  P.S. Saber is great!" - Debra DeVries
  • "How are pets picked up if owner is not available for pick up/ drop off?" - Amy Joshua
  • "How would you ensure the pet owner hears all of the proper care instructions for their animal after surgery?" - Lauren Carver
  • "For any of these serves, what kind of vehicles are used? I only ask that because I have a truck. Most trucks now have 4 doors." - Anita Selby
  • "Gayle, Sarah and Marty... your programs are excellent and meet owner/pet needs previously not addressed." - Debra DeVries
  • "I had not heard of these services before. I volunteer with an organization that provides foods for pet owners who are part of Meals on Wheels. But providing ways for pet owners to get their pets to vet appointments and get check-ups is wonderful!" - Cathy Myers
  • "Do you do vet checks on the animals?" - Anita Selby
  • "Great presentation!" - Mary Flores
  • "Thank you, Great Programs!" -  Carrie Hecht
  • "Very informative session, thanks!" - Cathy Myers
  • "Great ideas! - Janette Martin
  • "Thank you.  I was not aware of the pet transportation services out there...really great presentation!" - Christine Best
  • "Excellent" - Dianne Canafax

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