Animal Welfare Professionals

This really just hit me today. Let me know if anyone can relate. 

We've had a really slow adoption period lately but we're getting more applications than ever.  So what's going on?

In finding when I respond to people that they didn't think they would hear back from me at all, or not so soon, or they didn't know if they would be approved. So they hadn't talked to their partner yet, have a trip coming up, etc and are not ready to adopt. 

So I have so many people only 1/4 committed to adopting a cat that just applied to see if they could might make it through the barriers and then they would decide. 

This puts me with lots of applications but noone actually ready to come meet the cat. And we have so many cats waiting!

Is anyone else experiencing something like this?

We're a small foster based cat rescue so it may just look like a trend to us with such little data 

#AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms

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Amanda Gray
Truly All Cats Trapping and Rescue
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Just wanted to hop in to commend you for removing barriers in your process! Thank you! :) 

I wonder if a marketing campaign highlighting your welcoming policies could help attract more ready-to-go applicants in your area? 

Something like "Saving a life has never been easier: Adopt a cat today!"

Some helpful resources available here. 

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Heather Kalman (she/her), CPDT-KA, SBA, ABCDT
Research and Development Data Coordinator
American Pets Alive!, Human Animal Support Services
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Hi,

Sounds like the Open Arms Challenge came about just in time!  We used to have a similar issue until we decided to eliminate the "adoption application" altogether.   We also recently eliminated the need for an appointment.  If someone finds a pet they are interested in, we then go over our "adoption agreement".  It eliminated the fear that some people have of being approved, but we still have a screening process in place.

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Tamara Cook
Interim Project Manager
Harris County Pets - VPH
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We are a small foster-based organization so we definitely need to have appointments as our fosters are not always home or available.

I have cut down on the adoption application but would not throw it out altogether. I use the application as an educational tool as well and explain declawing, the dangers of cats being outdoors, etc in the application. I work a full time job so this saves me a lot of time.

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Amanda Gray
Truly All Cats Trapping and Rescue
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2023 07:40 AM
From: Tamara Cook
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

Hi,

Sounds like the Open Arms Challenge came about just in time!  We used to have a similar issue until we decided to eliminate the "adoption application" altogether.   We also recently eliminated the need for an appointment.  If someone finds a pet they are interested in, we then go over our "adoption agreement".  It eliminated the fear that some people have of being approved, but we still have a screening process in place.

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Tamara Cook
Interim Project Manager
Harris County Pets - VPH
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Hi! Heather from PAW in Silver Spring, MD. We are thinking of revising our application- yours sound interesting- would you be willing to share it? Thx!

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Heather Nawrocki
Volunteer Cat coordinator
Partnership for Animal Welfare
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2023 08:26 AM
From: Amanda Gray
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

We are a small foster-based organization so we definitely need to have appointments as our fosters are not always home or available.

I have cut down on the adoption application but would not throw it out altogether. I use the application as an educational tool as well and explain declawing, the dangers of cats being outdoors, etc in the application. I work a full time job so this saves me a lot of time.

------------------------------
Amanda Gray
Truly All Cats Trapping and Rescue
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2023 07:40 AM
From: Tamara Cook
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

Hi,

Sounds like the Open Arms Challenge came about just in time!  We used to have a similar issue until we decided to eliminate the "adoption application" altogether.   We also recently eliminated the need for an appointment.  If someone finds a pet they are interested in, we then go over our "adoption agreement".  It eliminated the fear that some people have of being approved, but we still have a screening process in place.

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Tamara Cook
Interim Project Manager
Harris County Pets - VPH

Yes you can definitely check out my application. I also added the language that was suggested earlier about how much time and effort goes into setting appointments and I also added our location and mentioned that people need to be able to come to us because I keep getting applications from people states away wanting us to ship cats to them

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedQm5TBJgdmfcJ0fMmZmy5he-7aCnjL3DifmTot4IALzwqQg/viewform?usp=pp_url

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Amanda Gray
Truly All Cats Trapping and Rescue
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-06-2023 07:23 AM
From: Heather Nawrocki
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

Hi! Heather from PAW in Silver Spring, MD. We are thinking of revising our application- yours sound interesting- would you be willing to share it? Thx!

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Heather Nawrocki
Volunteer Cat coordinator
Partnership for Animal Welfare
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2023 08:26 AM
From: Amanda Gray
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

We are a small foster-based organization so we definitely need to have appointments as our fosters are not always home or available.

I have cut down on the adoption application but would not throw it out altogether. I use the application as an educational tool as well and explain declawing, the dangers of cats being outdoors, etc in the application. I work a full time job so this saves me a lot of time.

------------------------------
Amanda Gray
Truly All Cats Trapping and Rescue


Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2023 07:40 AM
From: Tamara Cook
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

Hi,

Sounds like the Open Arms Challenge came about just in time!  We used to have a similar issue until we decided to eliminate the "adoption application" altogether.   We also recently eliminated the need for an appointment.  If someone finds a pet they are interested in, we then go over our "adoption agreement".  It eliminated the fear that some people have of being approved, but we still have a screening process in place.

------------------------------
Tamara Cook
Interim Project Manager
Harris County Pets - VPH

Hi Everyone,

Although we haven't eliminated the "adoption application" altogether, we did a complete overhaul on it, made it more inclusive, less cumbersome, more aesthetically pleasing, and changed our language around it.
It is now called an "Adoption Survey" (as Tamara mentioned, this reduces anxiety around "will I be approved?"), is easier/quicker to complete, and sets our Adoptions team up for more conversation-based counsels. We're still re-working other aspects of our adoption process to speed things up while ensuring that we're covering the essentials. It's too early to tell just how much of an impact this will have on our overall process but the length of counsels, which was a known area of opportunity for us, have been decreasing. :)

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Jen Dupree
Kitsap Humane Association
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This is interesting! It sounds like people are applying thinking there is a high probability they won't get approved, and that's not the case! I am wondering if maybe adding something to your application/website to signify that items filled out are considered on a case-by-case basis might help (ex: Every application is considered/Please expect a response from us "x time frame" to show that you will get back to them)? This could potentially alert the applicant that things they think would "disqualify" them, may not! Additionally, you can maybe target this in an FAQ section of your adoptions page/app, like "how long should I expect to hear back?" or "How can I qualify?" and there you can highlight the importance of coming to meet the kitty! I hope this all makes sense! 

Best of luck, and thank you for all that you do!

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Natasha Ottati
Embedded Data and Implementation Coordinator
American Pets Alive!
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Thank you for the feedback!

Those ideas are great and I will think about working them in!

I'm also getting a lot of people just kind of browsing, which I get in a shelter environment, but in a foster-based rescue this is really taking its toll on my stress levels. We put a lot of time into the communication, coordination and being available for meet and greets and the lack of commitment to actually wanting to bring a cat home is just so draining. 

I have seen other rescues put "serious applicants only" but I doubt that helps. 

Do you have any suggestions? Maybe adding the "we will get back to you within 48 hours to set up a meet and greet" would work to clue people in that it is commitment to meeting the cat?

------------------------------
Amanda Gray
Truly All Cats Trapping and Rescue
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2023 08:31 AM
From: Natasha Ottati
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

This is interesting! It sounds like people are applying thinking there is a high probability they won't get approved, and that's not the case! I am wondering if maybe adding something to your application/website to signify that items filled out are considered on a case-by-case basis might help (ex: Every application is considered/Please expect a response from us "x time frame" to show that you will get back to them)? This could potentially alert the applicant that things they think would "disqualify" them, may not! Additionally, you can maybe target this in an FAQ section of your adoptions page/app, like "how long should I expect to hear back?" or "How can I qualify?" and there you can highlight the importance of coming to meet the kitty! I hope this all makes sense! 

Best of luck, and thank you for all that you do!

------------------------------
Natasha Ottati
Embedded Data and Implementation Coordinator
American Pets Alive!
------------------------------

Yes! I think that might help. Or even adding the line you just stated here "We put a lot of time into the communication, coordination and being available for meet and greets" to show your commitment to placing the animals! If you add an FAQ of "How long should I expect to hear back" it will allow you to set up a realistic timeframe for your organization! I think this might help signal to folks that you are committed to the placement, and they should be too!

I hope all this helps you!

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Natasha Ottati
Embedded Data and Implementation Coordinator
American Pets Alive!
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2023 09:34 AM
From: Amanda Gray
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

Thank you for the feedback!

Those ideas are great and I will think about working them in!

I'm also getting a lot of people just kind of browsing, which I get in a shelter environment, but in a foster-based rescue this is really taking its toll on my stress levels. We put a lot of time into the communication, coordination and being available for meet and greets and the lack of commitment to actually wanting to bring a cat home is just so draining. 

I have seen other rescues put "serious applicants only" but I doubt that helps. 

Do you have any suggestions? Maybe adding the "we will get back to you within 48 hours to set up a meet and greet" would work to clue people in that it is commitment to meeting the cat?

------------------------------
Amanda Gray
Truly All Cats Trapping and Rescue
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2023 08:31 AM
From: Natasha Ottati
Subject: The historical barrier heavy adoption process is putting a wrench in our adoption process

This is interesting! It sounds like people are applying thinking there is a high probability they won't get approved, and that's not the case! I am wondering if maybe adding something to your application/website to signify that items filled out are considered on a case-by-case basis might help (ex: Every application is considered/Please expect a response from us "x time frame" to show that you will get back to them)? This could potentially alert the applicant that things they think would "disqualify" them, may not! Additionally, you can maybe target this in an FAQ section of your adoptions page/app, like "how long should I expect to hear back?" or "How can I qualify?" and there you can highlight the importance of coming to meet the kitty! I hope this all makes sense! 

Best of luck, and thank you for all that you do!

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Natasha Ottati
Embedded Data and Implementation Coordinator
American Pets Alive!

Hi Amanda!

Rather than a traditional application we use a very simple "Adoption Inquiry" form. As part of that form we ask people, "What is your timeline for adopting and bringing a cat home?"  so when they are about to leave on that month-long trip, we can coordinate appropriately with them.

Here is the form we use, feel free to borrow/adapt anything that might be useful to you:

https://form.jotform.com/cattownoak/adoption-inquiries

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Andrew Dorman
Cat Town
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