Many people in animal welfare have seen other communities have success with innovative pet adoption promotions including fee-waived or reduced-fee adoptions, and would like to try implementing them in their city. Sometimes that’s as simple as announcing a promotion, but municipal shelters may find political and administrative policymakers aren’t easily brought on board. Jeannette Peters… Learn More

The Million Cat Challenge is a partnership of Maddie’s Fund®, the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program, Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida, and the ASPCA®, formed to help shelters save the lives of 1 million more cats. It is based on five key initiatives which bring forward those approaches that have… Learn More

Do you want to reduce shelter intake by 20 percent in one year at your local animal shelter? Try providing underserved communities with the resources they need to keep pets in their homes. That’s exactly what Saving Sunny, Inc., did in a community in Kentucky. Co-founders Maureen Keenan and Kelsey Westbrook shared their story of… Learn More

Community cats: If you’ve got them, Best Friends wants to help. They’ve written a book covering everything from the ABCs to the rocket science of community cat management, and they’re giving it away as a free download! Topics covered include: The history of the TNR movement The importance of leadership Who in your community is… Learn More

Can inspiration turn into lasting change for animals? Absolutely! Here’s one shelter director’s journey from “Aha!” to “Oh Yeah!”, as presented in the Maddie’s Fund sessions at the 2016 HSUS Animal Care Expo. We’ll begin with the “Aha!”, the moment when Austin veterinarian Dr. Ellen Jefferson had an awakening that inspired her to help lead… Learn More

When the Charleston Animal Society faced a massive scandal after years of high kill rates in the shelter, it might have been the end of the line. Thanks to the courage to recognize and act on its Aha! Moments, the organization and the community it serves have never been more in sync, and the animals… Learn More

You — yes, you! — can help every animal shelter and rescue group you support get $1,000 or more, just by counting noses. Maddie’s Fund® is giving $1,000 to shelters and rescue organizations who sign up for Shelter Animals Count (SAC) between now and April 30. What can you do about it? Contact animal organizations… Learn More

The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine’s Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Course invites all shelter veterinarians, shelter professionals, vet students, and community members to join them for their series of free webinars this semester: This lecture series not only discusses concepts key to sheltering but also helps veterinary students, shelter professionals and volunteers, and members… Learn More

Do you avoid conflict? Do you hate to even think about it? If you do, and you work in an animal shelter, rescue group or animal welfare organization, you’re not alone. It may be time to change how you think about conflict. Conflict can actually strengthen relationships, increase creativity and lead to top-notch solutions. At… Learn More

When the Cleveland Animal Protective League got hit with nearly 150 cats from a hoarding situation last January, most with serious health problems, they knew it was a challenge they didn’t have to face alone. “All these cats had been living in a free-roaming environment, and we found we had some FIV and FeLV, some… Learn More