Shelter’s Edge

Tip of the Week: Vested Interests

Nothing quite says “Adopt Me!” like, well, an “Adopt Me!” vest.

Store-bought or handmade, these vests look great on and act as conversation starters—check this one modeled at Asheville Humane Society’s offsite Mega Match-a-thon event earlier this spring. Says AHS President/CEO Katherine Shenar, “We love our  ‘Adopt Me’ vests because they showcase the amazing dogs with a call-to-action message right on the side. Passersby definitely get the message, and it’s such an effective way to engage potential adopters.”

Where to get ‘em? We’ve seen some available for purchase online—just Google “adopt me vests for dogs” and see what comes up. If you’re lucky enough to have nifty, thrifty volunteers who can sew, check out this website for sewing instructions for making “Adopt Me” vests, materials needed and project costs.

Come back every Monday for tips we’ve gleaned and seen that may make your life a little easier, make a routine process go a little faster or deliver some extra comfort for the animals in your care.

Photo: Dave Betournay

Related links:
Instructions for Making “Adopt Me” Vests
“Tip of the Week: Color Your World”

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Up for the Challenge, Part 5: Meet the 2012 Contestants

Over the past month, we’ve been introducing you to the fierce, formidable competitors getting ready to take the 2012 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. From August 1 through October 31, these agencies will be pulling out all the stops to save more dogs and cats than they did during the same time last year. You’ve met the contestants from the West, South Central, Southeast and North Central Divisions—this week, give it up for the agencies representing the fifth and final Northeast Division.

Animal Friends, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA

This pic, along with a simple (i.e. SMART) question — "What is your pet doing right now?" — got a whopping 109 comments on Facebook.

What makes them a tough contender: “Since our founding in 1943, Animal Friends has been revolutionizing animal-focused programming throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.”

Animal Rescue League Shelter and Wildlife Center, Pittsburgh, PA

"Many thanks to the vet-tech volunteers from Sanford-Brown for helping out our medical department today!" wrote ARLSWC.

What makes them a tough contender: “We help all domestic and wild animals in need regardless of species or breed.”

Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Baltimore, MD

"We have an extremely dedicated group of staff members and volunteers that will do whatever is necessary to win the competition!" says BARC.

What BARC wants to tell their community: “Please help save lives; spay and neuter your pets!”

Bangor Humane Society, Bangor, ME

Great Facebook cover photo broadcasting that BHS is in it to win it!

What they’d do with $100K: “If we win the challenge, we will reinvest the money into developing and strengthening our community outreach programs to expand offsite adoption opportunities, grow our foster care family and increase our collaborative partnerships with community organizations to encourage pet adoption.”

Eleventh Hour Rescue, Randolph, NJ

CLEVER! EHS posted this photo on Facebook seeking a foster home for Leroy, pictured here.

“Our slogan is that we cannot stop, and we will not stop until all of the cages are empty. This defines our mentality down to the core.”

Humane League of Lancaster County, Lancaster, PA

These guys know how to throw a party, like the recent 2nd annual birthday bash/benefit for Leo, a six-year-old poodle who was rescued from a puppy mill and now gallantly represents the Humane League at community events.

How they’d use the $100K: “We would use the grant funds to implement the most effective programs we learn about during this Challenge to save even more lives.”

Last Chance Ranch, Inc., Quakertown, PA

What makes them a tough contender in the $100K Challenge: “We rescue not only the more easily adopted pets, but also older and hard-to-place dogs and cats.”

Montgomery County Humane Society, Rockville, MD

MCHS' secret weapon during the Qualifying Heat

How they describe themselves in 3 words: “Progressive open admission”

Talbot Humane, Easton, MDWhat makes them a tough contender: “Talbot Humane has been helping animals in Talbot County, Maryland, since 1932. For 80 years our goals have been to rescue companion animals from cruelty and neglect, place them into loving homes, reunite lost pets with their owners and reduce pet overpopulation through aggressive spay/neuter programs.”

Pennsylvania SPCA, Philadelphia, PA

We love PSPCA's Vintage Pet Month promotion (happening now!), during which they're singing the praises of senior pets and offering reduced-fee adoptions.

How they describe themselves in 3 words: “Strong, Dedicated, Progressive.”

Related Links
The 50 Challenge Contestants
“Up for the Challenge, Part 1: Meet the 2012 Contestants”
“Up for the Challenge, Part 2: Meet the 2012 Contestants”
“Up for the Challenge, Part 3: Meet the Contestants”
“Up for the Challenge, Part 4: Meet the Contestants”

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Take Five Friday: Empty Kennels, 10,000 Spay/Neuters and Free Social Media Advice

- Has your agency recently reached a milestone, achieved a big goal or celebrated an anniversary? Have you told everyone?! Take a cue from ASPCA Partnership agency Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center, who hit a milestone last week when their veterinary team performed its 10,000th spay/neuter surgery. The agency shouted out about it bigtime, getting some nice media coverage that focused on the actual #10K surgery—a two-month-old calico named Berry.

In addition to posting her photo on their Facebook page, TLCASC made smart use of their Facebook real estate with this Timeline image:

- Coming right up: One order of slammin’ shelter signage, brought to you by Sacramento SPCA in celebration of Be Kind to Animals Week. Love the daily specials theme, SacSPCA, and thanks for leaving such a big tip!

Click to enlarge

- Recipe for instant Facebook engagement: Next time you have a big adoptions event and empty a kennel, take a picture and get that pup up on your Timeline pronto!

A couple weeks ago, The Humane Society of North Texas completely emptied one room in their adoption building during a weekend event. The fans went wild when this photo was posted on Facebook—102 likes, 25 shares and (how’s this for customer service?!) responses from HSNT within minutes to questions from folks wanting to come in and adopt. Great work on the adoptions floor and on your Facebook Timeline, HSNT!

- No small potatoes: The average value of a Facebook supporter is $214. Find out how to maximize that relationship next Wednesday, May 23, at 3pm ET: register for our  free webinar, 10 Tips for Marketing & Fundraising Using Social Media.

- Website article to Facebook Timeline: “Hey buddy, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours…” This is exactly the kind of dialogue your communications channels should be having—as demonstrated in action by the San Francisco SPCA:

Anytime you post new content on your website or blog, push out the link (and a photo, too, for extra credit and max impact, like SFSPCA) on your Facebook and Twitter feeds. You can also do this for static content on your site that you may not promote a lot but is still super-important, like tips for new adopters, ways to donate or your spay/neuter & wellness services. (And don’t forget the flipside—get that Facebook share button on your website articles and a link to your Facebook page on your website homepage. Scratch, scratch, scratch.)

Related links:
“Happy Birthday To…”
Webinar: 10 Tips for Marketing & Fundraising Using Social Media
Social Media Glossary

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Wordless Wednesday

May the force be with you as you write a caption for this one!

P.S. We’re completely farkled if you don’t leave your answer in the comment box. And if you’re ready for your close-up, check out the answer to last week’s Wordless Wednesday!

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How-To: Hold a Leash

The ASPCA’s Trish McMillan Loehr, MSc, CPDT, Director, Applied Research and Behavior, is BACK to blog for you again – this time she’s talkin’ canine communication.

Every time we interact with a shelter dog, one of us is training the other. Unfortunately, when we allow shelter dogs to lean into their collars and drag us along by the leash, the dogs are training us to go wherever they choose. And holding the leash improperly (wrapped around the hand, for example,) can result in hand or wrist injuries.

Good leash skills can help you walk dogs safely and teach them good leash manners.  If you walk dogs on a flat or martingale leash collar, here’s how to hold a leash in a way that gives you more control and more safety.

How to hold a leash:

  • Slip your thumb through the handle of the leash. If you are taking the dog for a sniffing walk on a long leash, or if you have a dog who doesn’t pull, close your hand – and this is all you’ll need to do.
  • If you need the dog to be a little closer to you, loop the leash over your thumb, and then fold it a few times in your hand until you have the length of leash you need.
  • For a dog who is getting overexcited, or who might become aggressive, a shorter leash will give you more control.
  • For maximum control and safety, make sure the leash is coming out of the bottom of your hand (near your pinkie finger) when you are finished folding.
  • If you stop to talk to someone or give the dog a break, either put a foot on the leash or hold it, hands together as though you’re holding a baseball bat, braced against your belly button, so the dog doesn’t continue to pull you around.
  • If the dog is pulling hard, simply point one hip in the direction of the pull, with your legs shoulder length apart. The dog will not get any give in the leash and will likely stop pulling.

If you need to give the dog more leash, you can easily open and close your hand, keeping your thumb through the loop. All of the accordion folds will immediately drop out of the leash, giving the dog the full length of leash, while you still maintain your hold.

The leather leash used for this video was quite thick, so the accordion folds are larger than they might be on a thinner nylon or cotton leash. Practice doing the fold shown in the video without a dog at the end until you can do this quickly and efficiently.

Remember, if a dog pulls and you bend and give like a willow tree, he will be encouraged to pull harder. If he pulls and encounters firm resistance, as though tied to an oak tree, he will give up pulling more quickly.

In the following two videos, we see Danielle Bender of Champaign County Humane Society in Urbana, IL, lead shelter dog Kia to her favorite play area. Compare how Danielle handles the leash in the “willow” hold versus the “oak” hold.

If you would like to learn more about dog behavior and leash handling, check out the recordings of the recent webinars in our Canine Communications Series.

How does your agency train new staff and volunteers in leash handling?

Trish McMillan Loehr, MSc, CPDT, ASPCA Director, Applied Research and Behavior

Related Links:
Webinar – Canine Communication: Understanding Canine Body Language
Canine Communications Series
More posts from Trish McMillan Loehr on Shelters’ Edge

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