Animal Welfare Professionals

Thanks to everyone who joined us this morning for the Animal Welfare Leadership Roundup. I've attached a copy of the resources shared & the chat file.  After attending the call, be sure to complete this form to enter to win a grant for your organization: https://www.maddiesfund.org/friday-community-conversations-jun22-giveaway.htm

Agenda

• The current state of animal shelters in America (continued discussion from 6/3/22)
  
  • Brent Toellner: 2021 Best Friends dataset, which shows a setback in lifesaving
  • Jessica Arnold: Petfinder data on currently available pets
• Host: Kristen Hassen, Director, American Pets Alive!
  • We want people to adopt, foster, help get lost pets home without taking them to the shelter
  • Jerrica Owen: NACA – Data from equine welfare collective  United Horse Coalition

 

National Updates and Resource Links

• Maddie's Fund Monthly Giveaways:  Enter for a chance to win money from Maddie's Fund! Fill in the contest entry form here: https://www.maddiesfund.org/friday-community-conversations-jun22-giveaway.htm
• @Sharon Fletcher announced that Maddie's Fund media specialist @Alison Gibson will receive an award from the Emmy's for lifetime achievement. Maddie's Fund honored her with an ad in the Emmy Gala program.
• Best Friends Conference July 7-9 in Raleigh, NC https://bestfriends.org/events/best-friends-national-conference
• University of British Columbia survey: Owner surrender data collection by shelter staff https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9yvyF8YLAgpubMW
• @Kasey Spain: KC Pet Project attributes owner surrenders to lack of viable housing, veterinary care https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kc-pet-project-attributes-owner-surrenders-to-lack-of-viable-housing-veterinary-care
• Stacey Dains shared a clip from Sesame Street: Grover trying to rescue animals, like the wildlife rehabbers were doing (start at 2:58) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqz7nFiyAw8
• AmPA transports from Texas: contact clare.callison@americanpetsalive.org if you are looking for variety!
• Bob Tubbs (Animal Friends of Williamsburg: Example of positive news coverage and possible new projects https://www.facebook.com/groups/667574987790717
• Burnout and mental wellness: Dr. @Jyothi Robertson, through the Journey You Own, is hosting free online meditation gatherings to create a supportive space to explore grounding practices. Next session: June 30th 5pm PST - focus on loving-kindness practice. Everyone is welcome. The link to register is: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qf-qvqjovGtYhW5kQNH7MfQL2tAr5yBV-
• @Paige Mcgowan shared Ideas developed by @Mandy Evans, including using Home To Home for fostering and adopting out animals: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SPZNLkkGIUFLZqIaCGvPKaJwTpq30PrKqPP3gXf2xQE/edit
  •  Contacts:  @Paige Mcgowan, paige@btanimalalliance.org or @Mandy Evans, mandy@btanimalalliance.org
• Maria Saucedo shared The reach of leading social media sites used by teenagers and young adults in the US https://www.statista.com/statistics/199242/social-media-and-networking-sites-used-by-us-teenagers/
  •  The social platform each generation uses the most https://www.businessinsider.com/top-social-media-platform-by-age-group-2018-8?op=1

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Session Information & Links

 

Session 1: The current state of animal shelters in America

Continuing the conversation about what to do. The specific things to discuss include: 

1. Next steps for this draft news release and corresponding notes, prepared after our meeting last week
2. Consideration of a large, national event to get pets out of shelters and what it would take
3. Formal recommendations to shelters regarding removing barriers to outcomes
4. A collective action of some other kind or to inspire some other kind of action. Eg. A collective ask to the nation to help get friendly, healthy lost and loose pets home without taking them to the shelter

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Session 2:  2021 Best Friends Dataset. A collective ask to the nation to help get friendly, healthy lost and loose pets home without taking them to the shelter: How can we use a collective voice to share this important messaging?

@Brent Toellner, Senior Director of National Programs
https://bestfriends.org/about/leadership/brent-toellner

Interactive map: Help our shelters achieve no-kill by 202
https://www.bestfriends.org/2025

2021 Best Friends dataset, which shows a setback in lifesaving. https://support.bestfriends.org/site/R?i=j8BmfDCF9DTxxdVrnbMMGWCbg3qod7_0_J5oUWtvQoA5LdxG8toyaA

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Session 3:  Latest Data from Petfinder Listings
@JESSICA ARNOLD, Marketing Manager, Petfinder Member/Shelter Partner Engagement at Nestlé Purina North America presents current data on their listings

 

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Kim Domerofski (she/her)
Community Manager
Maddie's Fund
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