Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-03-2025 02:00 PM

    Updated 6/9/25 at 2:04 pm - Recording now available!

    Please note: All views expressed on these calls are not necessarily endorsed by Maddie’s Fund.

    We hope to see you on the next Community Conversation on Monday, 6/09/25 at 11am PT for a presentation on "Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response" with Pasadena Humane Society. 

    In times of crisis, effective community engagement and well-established support programs can make the difference between a reactive response and a coordinated, compassionate one. This session will explore how Pasadena Humane's Helping Paws program, rooted in accessibility, collaboration, and trust, enabled a swift and impactful response during the Eaton fire. From emergency pet boarding and veterinary vouchers to a robust pet food pantry and proactive community cat care, our team mobilized quickly to support both people and pets in need. Chris Ramon (Interim President & CEO), Laura Lampley (Senior Director of Animal Resources and Admissions) and Marissa Sunny (Senior Director of Placement) will discuss how long-standing partnerships and deep community knowledge created a strong foundation for crisis response, and how these efforts reflect a sustainable, community-centered model of animal welfare.

    Maddie's Fund will also be announcing the May grant giveaway winners! 

    Register for Community Conversations hosted via Zoom: https://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 June 2025 entry form to enter for a chance to win up to a $5,000 grant.


    #CommunityPartnerships*
    #DisasterRelief
    #EducationandTraining

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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 2.  RE: Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-09-2025 02:22 PM

    Unanswered question from the chat: 

    "With being in a hurricane area, how would be the best ways to be /have resources needed? I'm thinking animal friendly hotels/motels, pantries. Would it be beneficial to have a place to store pet carriers?" - @Anita Selby



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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 3.  RE: Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-09-2025 02:23 PM

    Unanswered question from the chat:

    "Were the human services in your community already supportive of keeping people and pets housed together or was that a conversation that had to be had? If so, how was that navigated?" - @Shonyae Johnson



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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 4.  RE: Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-09-2025 02:24 PM

    Unanswered question from the chat:

    "Could you give a few ways the wide array of information was disseminated throughout your entire facility staff members - especially to those that are always in the facility and not out-and-about." - @Collin Akemoto



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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 5.  RE: Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-09-2025 02:26 PM

    Unanswered question from the chat: 

    "Were you able to work with AirBNB or accommodations to help house staff with their pets during the weeks following?  Our shelter is in a coastal hurricane and flood zone. Sleeping in the shelter is only one thing." - @lisa pearce



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    Maddie's Pet Forum Admin
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 6.  RE: Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-09-2025 05:08 PM

    Thanks to the 154+ people and paws that joined us on today's Community Conversations call! The recording is now available to watch on-demand. 

    Call Recap

    • Welcome from Hosts
    • Question of the Day: Tell us about a time when your community rallied together to support your organization. What impact did it have on you and your team?
      • "I'm new! So I haven't had that experience yet, but I'm looking forward to that happening for me! 🩷🐾" - LaTonya (Tonya) Smith
      • "I have tried so many times to get the community to support the organization. I have even set up community events and no one ever shows up. We can't even get stores to let us put a donation jar on their registers. If anyone has any ideas on how to get the community to help that would be great." - April Cannizzaro
      • "Wild Fires in 2016 that destroyed acres and acres of our Smokey Mts. The community came together to help each other." - T' Fisher
      • "A hoarding case of 70 small dogs- Community reached out with donations and volunteers to help at the shelter with feeding, grooming, playtime, exercise, and more!" - Deb Sixel
      • "At my last shelter. The community rallied after we had to evacuate to pick up animals in Maui." - Jennifer Miller
      • "Our Kuranda bed drive! Our community came together and purchased 54 brand-new Kuranda beds for our shelter. We were so overwhelmed with the outpour of support we have been able to give back a few of those beds to our PetPantry" - Brittany Pratt
      • "Our local community recently stepped up to speak and write to our City Council when they were considering ending all funding for the Animal Services program" - Cary - Greenhill Humane Society
      • "I've not been through a hurricane, so looking for ideas." - Anita Selby

    • National Updates
      • From Elkie Wills at HASS: Join our lost pet prevention webinar on June 12 at 2 pm ET. Ali Triplett from LifeLine Animal Project and Jen Reed at HASS will present data-backed solutions based on community behavior trends to help your organization reunite more lost pets with their owners and reduce shelter overcrowding.  Register via Zoom here. 
      • TNR Certification Workshop with Neighborhood Cats this Saturday from 2:00-4:30PM ET You can learn how to trap safely, work with a clinic, care for colonies, and use best practices to TNR so you can really make a difference for community cats. Register here if you'd like to join and feel free to share with anyone you think might like to learn to TNR. 
      • 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!
      • 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 on the discussion thread here.
      • 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 June, we're celebrating Maddie's legacy together on Maddie's Pet Forum by honoring the pets who've inspired us to do more. Simply comment on this discussion thread and you'll be entered to win a $1,000 Cuddly prize pack. 

    • Today's Presentation:  Hiring from Within the Community
    • Highlights from the Chat
      • "Thanks everyone and Maddie's Fund!!" - LaTonya (Tonya) Smith
      • "I am a fan- girl to all of them! I think their work was amazing. I was glad to meet them at the Las Vegas conference. 🙂" - Michelle Russillo
      • "We're raising funds to purchase an adoption trailer. Our shelter building has been condemned. The city has plans to build a new shelter. In the meantime, we need to be able to take adoptable animals into the community in hopes of finding new homes for them. " - Susan Higgins
      • "One Love Animal Rescue is a New Jersey based volunteer foster organization - we have help with rescuing several animals from Tennessee and North Caroline during the Hurricanes and floods."  - Debra Srogota
      • "I can't imagine the emotions." - Anita Selby
      • "That must have been so emotional!" - Lori Leberman
      • "Such wonderful insight to a devastating circumstance. Thank you for sharing your successes in assisting your community and staff during that time." - Brittany Pratt
      • "What you did for the community during this time of need is just amazing! I know it was incredibly difficult for all of you but the goodwill you created can't be measured in words :-)" - Roxane Fritz
      • "All of us in this industry should strive to be integrated in our communities!" - Christina Avila
      • "You guys are amazing!" - Melina Lavullis 
      • "Another reason for micro chipping." - Anita Selby
      • "👏 👏 👏 you all are amazing!! Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge." - Shonyae Johnson
      • "I was in Monterey County during the fires in 2019 and was amazed how far people were traveling to get their animals to safety. It had a huge impact on our emergency practice. Thank you for your stories!" - Maria Putnam
      • "Wonderful leadership!" - Allison Cardona
      • "Thank you! What an amazing team!" - Mary Ippoliti-Smith
      • "Thank you for all you've done for the community!" - Irene Chansawang



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    Sheila Kouhkan
    Senior Education Specialist
    Maddie's Fund
    CA
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  • 7.  RE: Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-10-2025 09:59 AM

    Question of the day:  What impact did it have for your organization during a time when the community rallied together?

    Honestly, we are still really new, so we haven't had a disaster like many have had.  We've had a bit of trouble getting started, so most people in our community still don't know that we even exist!  However, when each of our horses died, there was a neighboring excavation business that buried them at cost (so, we paid for some fuel).  It was such a blessing during a very traumatic event!  

    In another area, we were looking for a virtual assistant to help get our website up and running.  We posted for volunteers on LinkedIn and were overwhelmed by the response - 49 applicants in under 24 hours!  We tried training several, but most did not work out.  Still, one became a fabulous help and volunteered 100 hours of her time.  It was awesome!



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    Diana Kelley
    Executive Director
    https://HealingHorseTouch.com
    Kenneth, MN United States
    Discover Healing, Connection, and Renewal through Horses.
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  • 8.  RE: Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-11-2025 03:46 AM

    @Diana Kelley We are a farm and exotic sanctuary with 191 animals from horses and goats to prairie dogs and kangaroo. We have had four hurricanes, two of them major,  in the last three years and had wonderful outpouring from our community. For example, during Hurricane Ian our feed building roof was damaged and we lost the majority of our feed and hay.  After the storm there wasn't hay available anywhere near us. A farm from 5 hours away drove down a small trailer full of hay for our horses and goats.  With hurricane Milton we were not able to leave because downed trees blocked our property and entrance to several of our buildings and two of our generators quit working.  Several of our community members including our volunteers came out to help remove the downed trees and brought gas and two new generators. Later a local tree service donated their time to remove the rest of the downed trees and took down dangerous ones. We are still working on repairs and replacing our perimeter fence on the property  (we lost 80% of the fence)  but knowing that our community was there when we needed them has made all the difference. I



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    Lisa Burn
    Co-founder/VP
    Farmhouse Animal & Nature Sanctuary
    Myakka City, FL
    https://farmhousesanctuary.org
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Community Conversations - 6/9/2025 - Leveraging Partnerships and Community Trust During the Eaton Fire Response

    Posted 06-11-2025 07:52 AM

    @Lisa Burns that is an amazing community response!  Your sanctuary sounds awesome!  I hope to, one day, be able to visit.  



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    Diana Kelley
    Executive Director
    https://HealingHorseTouch.com
    Kenneth, MN United States
    Discover Healing, Connection, and Renewal through Horses.
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    Original Message


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