October 9, 2013
Categories: Organizational Management, Shelter Medicine

Kittens_c015What kind of training does your shelter provide for the caregivers responsible for orphaned kittens?

In the spring of 2013, Maddie’s InstituteSM conducted an online survey that asked administrators, staff members and volunteers of animal shelters and rescue groups in the United States to comment on their organization’s approach to the care of orphaned kittens.

From the survey summary:

Sixty-nine percent of respondents reported that their organization always offered information or training to individuals who provide care to orphaned kittens, while 23% reported to sometimes provide guidance and only 8% reported to not provide guidance.

Seventy-eight percent reported the availability of informal in-person training and 52% reported the availability of written information developed in-house.

If you’re among the organizations that doesn’t provide training, or you’d like to consider changes to the traning you give your staff and volunteers, you can read and download an example of a foster care handout crafted by the Sonoma Humane Society  here.

Get an overview of how shelters across the country are caring for orphaned kittens here, and view or download a PDF of the entire survey report here.