Hi, Karen. Orange Street Cats is an all-volunteer, foster home based cat rescue in NY and we are facing a similar challenge. NYS has enacted a new companion animals care standards law that will take effect in December. There are many changes coming our way, but the one that seems to parallel your concern is the training section. We find ourselves having to require trainings, including on cleaning and disinfecting, of every foster caretaker. We too are concerned how each foster caretaker will react when then requirements are rolled out and if we will lose caretakers. However, since we will be required by law to provide these trainings and retain proof that there are taken, there isn't much debate among board members about our responsibility as an organization. Which, I think, can be helpful. Having a united leadership will be key. However, while it might be tempting to roll our eyes and treat the requirements as a chore we all equally dislike and to see "the state" as a common nemesis, we're hoping to present it as an opportunity to share excellent information with our caretakers and as an opportunity for our caretakers to enhance the awesome care they already provide to our cats and kittens. So, if I'm reading your post correctly, it seems that there needs to be more leadership buy-in. If that's true, do you have a champion of this cause who is willing to shepherd the board or whatever your leadership structure is through this process? It has been my experience that people come to rescue for myriad reasons and come to boards with varied experience and learning styles. Folks need to feel that change is possible without making them feel bad about what they thought or believed before. Evolution is a necessary and helpful process and current leadership shouldn't feel shamed for how they thought or acted before they learned new information. You do the best you can with what you know, and when you learn more you can do even better. Is there someone who can work with members of your leadership individually, presenting reasons for this change that resonate with each person in a way that values where they are coming from while helping them see what's next? For example, perhaps someone with a finance background will hear your point about the increased cost of care without these changes. Or someone who is very empathetic will hear your point about the increased suffering preventable illness causes. Or someone who is very concerned with the reputation of your organization might hear a point about deceased illness and deaths, and how your organization is viewed by peers, the public, and those in the veterinary profession. But however change comes into being, every single person in leadership needs to enthusiasticly believe in the value of the change and be able to share that belief and enthusiasm with every volunteer every time they talk about it. Conveying that belief, enthusiasm, and knowledge to each volunteer in a structured way that works for each volunteer is a separate challenge, and the subject of a totally different thread! Best of luck to you and your organization during this time of change and growth.
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Diane Metz
Board of Directors, Volunteer, and Foster Mom
Orange Street Cats, Inc.
Albany NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-30-2025 06:47 AM
From: Karen Peterson
Subject: Sanitization
I am the President of Garfield's Rescue, a home based cat rescue organization in its 5th year of operation. We successfully average 400-500 rescues/year for spay/neuter/vaccination, foster to adopt services. We have difficulty reaching a consensus in the critical importance of the daily cleaning/sanitization of our facility. Some are reluctant to require it of our volunteers, fearing this task, in addition to feeding, laundry and doing dishes, will cause us to lose volunteers. Clearly sanitization is lifesaving as it prevents the spread of disease , and thus reduces our veterinarian costs and the pain disease causes our cats. How do we successfully close this gap?
#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization
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Karen Peterson
President
Garfield's Rescue, Inc.
Kilmarnock, VA. 22482
804-480-2066
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