What Boo-Boo Kitty taught me: A shelter director’s leap of faith

“Meet Boo-Boo Kitty. Boo-Boo Kitty is 14 years old. She’s got arthritis and she’s in the early stages of kidney disease. She’s also a happy loving cat with a great quality of life. So let me ask you, would you adopt Boo-Boo Kitty?” With those words, Humane Society Silicon Valley president Carol Novello opened her… Learn More

It’s not them, it’s us: Rethinking animal control on the Aha! journey

What is the biggest obstacle to helping more animals in the community? Sometimes, it’s the policies of the animal shelters that are supposed to be helping those same animals. That was the big Aha! Moment that drove Scott Trebatoski to embark on a journey to re-think the animal control and adoption policies of Hillsborough County,… Learn More

Innovating your way to no-kill: The Austin ‘Aha!’ journey

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

Finding homes for cats pulled from a euthanasia list

Do cats pulled off the euthanasia list have a harder time getting adopted? Are they returned more often? Absolutely no to both, said Monica Frenden, cat program manager for Austin Pets Alive! At the 2015 American Pets Alive! No Kill Conference, Frenden gave a presentation on the organization’s success with cats pulled off the euthanasia… Learn More

How shelters and rescue groups should use email

In these days of social media, some rescue groups and shelters forget just how important an email strategy is. Does your organizatation have one? “Email is something that you’re always testing. It’s never solved,” said Amy Starnes, online fundraising manager for Best Friends Animal Society. “One important thing to remember, no matter what kind of… Learn More

Writing and photography for great cat adoption profiles

Ever wonder what makes a great cat adoption profile? Or better yet, how to acquire all the materials needed for one? “There are two main details that are significant and controllable from a marketing standpoint,” Ashley Ferry, cat foster manager for Austin Pets Alive!, said at the recent American Pets Alive! No-Kill Conference. “The cat’s… Learn More

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