Animal Welfare Professionals

Hello colleagues.  We're being directed to close to the public for all government holidays.  For years we have been open on all holidays except New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. We reasoned that holidays are dates when many people and families are available to visit for adoptions. Given that we currently have no evening hours and are closed every Sunday, I am opposed to this directive.  It might help to have input from other shelters.  I should have circulated this as a survey but am rushing. Thanks in advance.

#AdmissionsandIntake(includingIntake-to-placement)
#AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms
#OrganizationalManagement
#ReturntoHome(LostPetReunification)

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chris fitzgerald
Rochester Animal Services
Rochester NY
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we are a government facility- we're closed on all government holidays, but we're open both weekend days and are open until 6 on the weekdays. Hope this helps! 

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Paige Kim
Irvine Animal Care Center
Irvine CA
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When I was ED of a municipal shelter, we changed hours being open on minor holidays and extending hours to 6 pm, our adoptions almost doubled.

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Charles Brown
executive director
Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society
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From 2010-2017 we were open on holidays because we were a small municipal shelter desperate to get animals out. In 2017 we got our new facility and started closing on most government holidays because we were so much bigger and staff needed a break. If we were in crisis, however, we always had the option to stay open or even have appointment-only days to meet a few adopters despite being closed. 

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Marilyn Wheaton
Client Services
AnimalsFirst
Leesburg VA
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