It Won’t Work Here…
Seems like I have been hearing the same phrase over and over in all different places around the country… “That is a great idea (or program or process) but it will not work here.” I am curious as to this place “here” and how it is so different from “there,” or someplace else. I have heard that “here” is different from everywhere else because:
- Our demographics are so different from other places (race, income, language, etc.)
- We are more rural than other places
- We are more urban than other places
- Transportation is different here than elsewhere
- Our government process is different here than elsewhere
- We receive less support than other places
- We have less staff than other places
At the ASPCA, we have found that most of the time the programs we suggest do work here… and there—if we can start by first measuring what the risk really is in order to apply the right program and acknowledging what is really causing the thought that “here” is so different in the first place.
Fee-waived adoptions is one of the most common examples of “It won’t work here.” I recently visited with a shelter unsure of the positive impact that fee-waived could have for them. The concern, in this particular “here,” was that because of the demographics of “here,” the adoption counseling was not up to par to be able to support fee-waived adoptions. They were concerned the people coming to adopt at their facilities were more challenging and potential risks. What does the fee do to substantially change the counseling at all? Paying a fee for an adoption does not count as counseling, does it? Why would waiving the fee decrease the quality of the counseling? In this case, digging into the “It won’t work here” uncovered the need for some basic training on conversation-based adoption counseling, and learning how to respect those who walk in the shelter doors to allow more, and better, adoptions to occur—whether or not a fee was waived.
Another recent example is the implementation of ASPCA SAFER® assessments in a busy municipal facility. When presented with the data showing success in other municipal facilities, the response was, “I see the data and understand the successes elsewhere, but… (you got it!)… it won’t work here.” When we started to dig a bit into what was different about “here,” we learned that the assumption was that no changes in staff or volunteer training and support would occur prior to implementation. This was a big “aha!” for me…
In my “here,” I think about what can shift to allow a lifesaving program opportunity to work: What are the barriers to implementation? How can we responsibly address those barriers? For the municipal facility, readying for SAFER involves building the volunteer base and the rescue base, training staff, volunteers and rescues—and then implementing the program.
The two most important things to do “here” are to prepare fully before implementation and to measure the impact. The way to know if it works in your “here” is to try it (with preparation and gusto) and measure it—remember, each one of those numbers represents a wet nose. Until we are getting them all out alive, or stopping them from coming into our shelters in the first place, we owe it to them to try it—even in your “here.”
Related links:
Resources: Adopter-Friendly Adoptions
ASPCA SAFER
“Measurement Matters”
Tags: Adoption Marketing, Adoption Programs, ASPCA SAFER, Behavior & Enrichment, Fee-Waived Adoptions, Research, Research & Data, Saving Lives
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Lisa Says:
Was just talking with one of my colleagues on this very topic last night. I’m hopeful this post will be a useful tool for working her co-workers through all the “yes-but” she’s been facing at her shelter.
Heather Says:
Yes exactly! My experiences also-look at what the barriers are present and make a plan to move through them. I learned about this concept in my previous career as a wildlife biologist. When we studied ecosystems, we always had to identify what was the limiting factor in a system (ex: nesting spots, food availability, etc). This shelter system is the same in that every shelter has at least one limiting factor to increasing their live release rate. Yet, shelters across the country are doing it no matter where they are located. Great blog post!
Emily Weiss Says:
Lisa! We will keep our fingers crossed – please do let us know how things turn out!
Emily Weiss Says:
Adrian – I love the idea of the shift in thinking to “how CAN I make it work here” Thank you!!
Buddy Hendricks Says:
I always had a hard time with “that won’t work here” mentalities, but never could put a comeback together like this article does. As President of the Board of a local shelter, I’m always trying to come up with ways to help more animals. Thanks for the ammunition…!!
Heather Says:
Stop asking why the barrier is there and start asking what!
1. What’s the lesson here?
2. What’s great about having this problem?
3. What’s my next action?://www.positivelypositive.com/2013/01/09/overcome-any-obstacle-with-3-simple-questions/
jme Says:
glad to know our approach is the exact opposite- “sure this will work, why not”? we have done an awful lot of groundbreaking and successful work this way…don’t see the obstacles until they are whacking you in the face
then find a way to push them out of your way…those you need to will follow.
Shanna Says:
There is only one no-kill shelter here and they have stopped doing home visits and/or counciling potential adopters, they do free adoption days, etc. Its wildly popular and they are adopting animals out like crazy but its hurting some animals and hurting the rescues in the area. They are not quality adoptions, its quantity. I know that’s the “new” idea. This shelter is pulling animals from county shelters in surrounding counties to adopt out. BUT, Many of these animals are turning up back at the county shelter after they were adopted out. Others have been picked up as strays by the county. One that I know of was euthanized within days of adoption because it had an accident on the owners floor and. Many of the animal collectors and other bad pet owners are easily getting animals. Also, this shelter is doing some questionable things. They will take puppies from any where they can get them because they can adopt them out quickly. So now what’s happening is people who don’t want to spend the money on spaying/neutering are just letting the litters happen knowing this shelter will take them! Sorry, I don’t think that “works.”
Rescues in the area are frustrated because we put lots of time and energy into our dogs and seek quality adoptions. We are up against people telling us “why should I adopt a dog from you when I can go to the no-kill shelter and get one for free?” I haven’t had an adoption in months due to this!
Sorry, I don’t completely buy into some of these “new ideas.” I’m open to new ideas but not when they “work” like this.
Emily Weiss Says:
Shanna – Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Fee waived adoptions and other promotions would not impact the quality of the adoption – they just help bring more folks in to potentially adopt. For rescues that can not afford to do fee waived adoptions, there may be opportunities for grant funds or private donations that would ‘sponsor’ the adoption – allowing you to participate in the adoption promotions! It is not that fee waived would not work, but that you need the right tools and resources to have it work for you! You can read more about fee waived here http://www.aspcapro.org/fee-waived-adoptions.php