Often times, when a pet owner is looking to surrender their pet to a shelter or rescue organization, they are under stress. And most likely, it’s a problem they have been dealing with for a long time and they don’t feel they can solve it.
In this new Maddie’s University course, Keeping Pets in Homes, you will learn effective strategies on how to deal with stressed out owners by showing empathy, being non-judgmental and lending hope. It won’t always be easy, but it can be done. Below is a short excerpt from the course:
“It’s extremely important that we are not judgmental in our communication with the client. We never want to make the pet owner feel embarrassed, criticized or demeaned. To do so will lead to the pet owner immediately shutting down and not seeking help.
That’s not to say that you can’t feel upset or annoyed by something the pet owner says. But when we hear something that upsets us we want to remember that we are speaking to someone who is in crisis mode and who is very stressed. So, we want to speak to the pet owner in a kind manner that makes them feel validated and not insulted.”
In this five-part course, you learn about the following:
- Shelter Staff as Crisis Counselors
- Understanding Cats’ Needs
- Cats’ Perceptions of the World
- Behavior Counseling for Pet Retention
- Searching for Lost Pets
Sign up now to start keeping more pets in their homes!