Shelter’s Edge

You know that you should be doing a census (nose-to inventory match-up) every day to ensure that every animal in your care is receiving what they need to stay healthy during their time with you. You’ve read about it here and in the ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters.

But when confronted with the multi-page list of animal ID numbers and names, your brain turns to mush — working through an animal inventory can be tedious!

Take a tip from our friends at Seminole County Animal Services in Sanford, FL.

Print off the animal photos from your website, Petfinder or Facebook pages, grab a copy of your Animal Inventory Report and take them all with you during the nose count. Having a visual of each animal makes it easier to match up names and numbers to noses, provides the opportunity to sync up the information available on the Web to what’s in your database, and serves as a reminder to keep the information and photos on the Web fresh and up-to-date. And let’s admit it…adding in the pictures makes this chore way more fun!

Follow through with making the updates!

Make notes on the Animal Inventory Report about any updates that need to be made in your shelter database and make notes on the printed Web pictures of any changes to be made on your online channels. Finish up by logging in and making those updates/changes.

How are you matching names and numbers to noses? Please share your thoughts in the comment box.

P.S. The two handsome burly, recently neutered toms featured in these photos are Buffalo & Bill, available at the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.

Related links:
ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
Taking a Daily Animal Inventory
“Tip of the Week: Making a List and Checking it Twice”

Tags: Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Guidelines for Shelter Standards, Research, Research & Data, Saving Lives, Tip of the Week, Tips

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