On a recent Community Conversations call, Return to Owner (RTO) expert, Gina Knepp, posed the question, “What if we call RTO something else?”   When we make changes to the names of our organizations and programs, or shift the language that we use in messaging, there can be a transformational effect. By simply changing our own terminology, there… Learn More

One thing that has been reinforced during COVID-19, is how powerful the transformational love of a pet is, especially during tough times. Animal welfare organizations all across the nation are shifting to a more community-centric model of animal sheltering. LifeLine Animal Project in Atlanta, GA, has focused on providing solutions to the community to help… Learn More

What do people do when they find a lost dog or cat? In the city of Austin, many of them attempt to find the owner themselves. And, it’s often done with zero or little intervention on their behalf.   Mark Sloat, Program Manager of Austin Animal Services shared the Found Animal data from October 2019 through March 2020 during a… Learn More

As shelter and rescue organizations continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, we thought now would be a good time to revisit this important post from September 2018. Investing in preventive programming keeps animals in loving homes and also makes financial sense. If we want to save the lives of more pets, it’s important to understand… Learn More

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… Learn More

Have you ever wanted to sign up for Maddie’s® Apprenticeship Program but missed the deadline? Or don’t feel like you can skip town for several days? Or want to attend a program immediately? Now, you can attend an apprenticeship remotely and at your own pace over at Maddie’s® University. And, it’s free. We have four courses… Learn More

A new study suggests an increased focus on microchipping by shelters and veterinarians may make a lifesaving difference for stray pets. In a study published in the current issue of the Journal of Veterinary Behavior, researchers found that in Israel, animal shelters have a return-to-owner (RTO) rate for dogs of 67%, while the U.S. shelters… Learn More

What if you could support your pet adopters and help prevent returns without having to put in a lot of extra effort or spend any money? Maddie’s Pet Assistant (MPA), a tool that helps you provide support to adopters and foster caregivers, might be exactly what you need. What’s more, it comes at no cost… Learn More

Will we see you at the 2017 Annual Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) Conference in Miami, FL, this weekend? The conference will run from November 12-15, with a Research Symposium Day on the 15th, sponsored by yours truly. Online registration is still open if you’re thinking about it, and they also accept walk-up registrations once… Learn More

Director Alexis Pugh of Memphis Animal Services made plenty of changes when she took over the shelter last year. One of the biggest was implementing a safety net program designed to keep pets with their families, and get lost pets back home. Maddie’s Fund® spoke with Pugh to find out more about the shelter’s innovative… Learn More