Animal Welfare Professionals

With so many of our colleagues getting inspired at Expo it feels like a great week for new ideas! Let's dream: You roll into work tomorrow and have a fully trained administrative assistant to handle all of your tedious office work, congratulations! What are you most excited to tackle now that you have more time, and no boring admin tasks? Will it be a new program? Tightening up an existing process? Staff development/training? Or maybe you have even bigger aspirations, let's share!!

#AccesstoCare
#AdmissionsandIntake(includingIntake-to-placement)
#AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms
#Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment
#CaseManagement*
#CommunityCatManagement
#CommunityPartnerships*
#DataandTechnology
#Diversity,Equity,InclusionandJustice
#EducationandTraining
#FieldServicesandPublicSafety*
#FosterPrograms
#MarketingandSocialMedia
#OrganizationalManagement
#PeopleManagement(includingVolunteerIntegration)
#PetSupportServices*
#Rehoming
#ReturntoHome(LostPetReunification)
#TransfersandTransport

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Nichole Boudreau
Embedded Data & Implementation Coordinator
Human Animal Support Services at American Pets Alive!
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That would be an awesome surprise! We completely re-did our Feline and Canine programs for volunteers last year, and have kind of been "developing" it as we go. Our Level 2 volunteer program is still very underdeveloped, and Level 3 is still just a dream (and non-existent in real life). If I suddenly had time and - more importantly - could give the same gift to our Enrichment staff, we would focus completely on that for a week or two  so we can implement a fully developed program for the volunteers who are ready to level up!

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Erin Dams
Roanoke Valley SPCA
Roanoke VA
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With time I would have been able to attend the Expo.  More importantly, I would spend more time in the community educating the public about animal welfare.

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Steve Marrero
Liberty County Animal Services
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The gift of time! What an amazing gift that would be. I would focus on the potential collective impact more than 25 agencies have in animal welfare in Lake County, Indiana. Multiple agencies from municipalities, shelters, and rescues work to advocate for homeless pets and pet families, however, they all have different systems, ways of operating, and consistently duplicate efforts. I am amazed by the millions and millions of dollars spent annually without a proposed collective solution. We started a coalition a few years ago and have just conducted an animal welfare assessment in Lake County with Indiana University graduate students in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.  After working for a year on the assessment the students will be presenting their report in a few weeks.  I love being in the shelter and being with my team more than anything, but I am a public problem solver and with more time I would put more energy into looking at the big picture and the structure and economics behind solving the problem of pet homelessness and pet families in crisis. Thanks for giving me a pause in my day to think about this question!!!!

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Jennifer Webber
The Humane Society of Hobart, Inc.
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Jennifer,

Wow--I really like the way you think!! I have long felt collaboration has been lacking and therefore wasteful of valuable and limited resources!!
It seemed for a while that the various players looked at themselves as businesses in competition with one another. I have been happy to see that in recent years that has changed!! But as with anything once a mind set changes it will take TIME to move the bar for everyone. It sounds like your study will be very valuable and I am hoping you are able to present it in some way!!

Susan Murphy
Volunteer (Indianapolis Animal Care Services--IACS)

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susan murphy
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-06-2023 07:17 AM
From: Jennifer Webber
Subject: What would you do with the gift of time?

The gift of time! What an amazing gift that would be. I would focus on the potential collective impact more than 25 agencies have in animal welfare in Lake County, Indiana. Multiple agencies from municipalities, shelters, and rescues work to advocate for homeless pets and pet families, however, they all have different systems, ways of operating, and consistently duplicate efforts. I am amazed by the millions and millions of dollars spent annually without a proposed collective solution. We started a coalition a few years ago and have just conducted an animal welfare assessment in Lake County with Indiana University graduate students in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.  After working for a year on the assessment the students will be presenting their report in a few weeks.  I love being in the shelter and being with my team more than anything, but I am a public problem solver and with more time I would put more energy into looking at the big picture and the structure and economics behind solving the problem of pet homelessness and pet families in crisis. Thanks for giving me a pause in my day to think about this question!!!!

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Jennifer Webber
The Humane Society of Hobart, Inc.
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So many dreams!
-We have a number of volunteers that would like to start  Kitty Clubs for children (and adults) at our public library, Boys and Girls club, and the 2 charter schools in our community. The cats are such a big part of their lives because cats and kids grow up together in all the trailer parks here. Many of their neighbors already work with us. We could learn from each other. 
-Then, we would like to start a Community Cat Rescue Center
This will be where the community can come to
- borrow traps, kennels, shelters and supplies
- get free food and litter for recognized colony caregivers
- we can hold classes and meetings
- adoption events
- mobile spay\neuter clinics
- offer local recourses
It would be wonderful to have more time for grant writing.
Really anxious to read and interact more with the MF forum

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Donna Brown
Garden City Community Cats Project
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I would love to educate the community about animal care, work with the local sheriff's department, which has requested a class on animal cruelty, and attend local schools to read with kids and dogs.   Try to have other animal groups get together -
Finish tiling my kennels. 

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Connie Ash
Director
Mended Paws Sanctuary
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With more time I would love to get our educational program at the sanctuary started and expand our outreach program to include visits to schools and nursing home.

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Lisa Burns
founder/VP
Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary Inc
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Develop a crisis sheltering program.  We're slowly working on it, but would love to move it along more quickly.

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Scott Pieper
Williamson County Animal Center
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I would work on more training and exercise with my dogs

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Sandy Cole
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I'd work on our education programs for elementary through high school students! Start inspiring kids early to have a deeper understanding of humane work, integrated with an overall concept of being a good citizen and how it's everyone's responsibility to be sustainable, kind, and helpful. 

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Lisa Higbee
Gift Processor
Butte Humane Society
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