Common Elements of No-Kill Success
Is there a magic formula for achieving no-kill? Maddie's Fund® conducted an informal telephone survey of seventeen no-kill communities* asking, "What are the five most important things you've done that have brought you no-kill success?" We tallied the collective wisdom, and here are the results (from most mentioned to least mentioned), with a sampling of comments below.
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Marketing/PR
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Adoption Specials
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Community Engagement
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Volunteers
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Veterinary Care/Behavior Rehabilitation
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Collaboration
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Commitment
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Physical Shelter
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Customer Service
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Spay/Neuter
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Leadership
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Offsite Adoptions
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Keeping Pets in Homes
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Staff Training
Read More at MaddiesFund.org
What Is Kennel Enrichment?
Enrichment is a process (not a one-time event) for creating a more positive, productive experience for the dogs in your shelter. Enrichment for shelter dogs is designed to support their sensory and social needs in order to help reduce boredom, stress, and undesired behaviors. It also aims to add value to your shelter dogs by teaching them basic manners, giving them the confidence and training necessary to make a good impression on adopters and succeed in the real world.
WHY IS ENRICHMENT IMPORTANT?
No matter how good a shelter is, it still isn’t a home. Living in a shelter can be stressful for dogs, especially those who stay for two weeks or longer. It’s our responsibility as animal care providers to keep our shelter dogs happy, healthy, and sound until we can send them home with adopters. Enrichment is a vital component of a successful adoption program.
Have a Plan: Because shelters are hectic places, it’s important to plan ahead to have an enrichment game plan in place, before your dogs’ needs become critical. You can do this through the following steps:
Read More at AnimalFarmFoundation.org