Animal Welfare Professionals

We have been asked by our local shelter to help them improve their entryway where patrons enter for the first time. It's an 83 year old building and we wish we had a new facility that were more up to code, but this is what we have to work with, at least for the next 10 years. We have been considering everything from paint color, lighting, desk arrangements and art - of course not to mention smiling faces...but specifically I'm asking about improvements shelters have made to their lobby/entryway that has made a difference to the community's response to their work.  Thanks for any suggestions!
#AdmissionsandIntake(includingIntake-to-placement)

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susan brandt
Rational Animal
www.rational-animal.org
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Hi Susan, do you have any picture that show what you have to work with?

For our lobby, we did not designate or build in a "store" space when we built our building so we have literally just gotten a couple of modular shelves and attached a metal hanging rod to the brick wall to put on hangers and clothes to create a little merchandise store.

We also have a small magazine rack that has some of our donation options like memorial bricks, legacy gifts, and pet sponsorship, as well as our regular newsletter and annual reports.

Occasionally we have school kids or our children's camp attendees draw pictures of our current adoptable animals and put them up as "promos" for those animals at the shelter.

I've also considered getting a medium size flat panel TV to hang on the wall along with an associated computer to run a donor and event notice slideshow.

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Jeff Okazaki
Humane Society of Jefferson County
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Hi Jeff,
Thank you so much for your great suggestions.  Our space is pretty small, we have nice windows.  We are trying to make it more inviting by raising the profile of this shelter. We installed a street sign and painted the outside so it looks better and people can see where it's located.  We have a fundraiser coming up where we do want to put donor recognition plaques up.  We painted a mural in the back area, so that part looks more welcoming. For the lobby we are thinking about paint color, desk location, filing etc to make the space more inviting. 

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susan brandt
Rational Animal
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-01-2023 12:08 PM
From: Jeff Okazaki
Subject: Shelter lobby ideas

Hi Susan, do you have any picture that show what you have to work with?

For our lobby, we did not designate or build in a "store" space when we built our building so we have literally just gotten a couple of modular shelves and attached a metal hanging rod to the brick wall to put on hangers and clothes to create a little merchandise store.

We also have a small magazine rack that has some of our donation options like memorial bricks, legacy gifts, and pet sponsorship, as well as our regular newsletter and annual reports.

Occasionally we have school kids or our children's camp attendees draw pictures of our current adoptable animals and put them up as "promos" for those animals at the shelter.

I've also considered getting a medium size flat panel TV to hang on the wall along with an associated computer to run a donor and event notice slideshow.

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Jeff Okazaki
Humane Society of Jefferson County
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