Shelter’s Edge

ASPCA Partnership agencies have made a big difference for animals all across the country, working together with other animal welfare agencies in their communities to increase their live release rates, saving the animals most at risk through sustainable data-driven plans and programs. Or in other words (er, numbers…), from the start of the ASPCA Partnership program in 2007 through August 2011, 13 communities combined have completed 401,193 targeted spay/neuter surgeries, while 346,779 animals have been released alive.

Just the stats, ma’am
ASPCA Partnership communities use their combined data to set shared goals and track their progress. As one agency describes it, “Detailed data collection is an awesome way to show when we are on the right track and when we need to do something different to save animals.”

And the importance of combined data? “Having accurate and detailed community data is a huge factor in getting community buy-in and donor support. No one can argue with cold hard statistics.”

The ASPCA Partnership in Oklahoma City provided for the construction of a new Homeward Bound quarantine facility, which will enable an extra 1,800 dogs to be transferred from the shelter annually—resulting in an estimated 16% increase in the live release rate for dogs.

ASPCA Partnership in agencies in Charleston County, SC, regularly collaborate on community adoption events. At this past November’s Fall in Love event hosted by Humane Net, homes were found for 181 animals from the 6 participating groups, including Pet Helpers and Charleston Animal Society. As seen here, adopters got to ring the bell each time an animal found a new home.

We’re gonna go through it together
Collaboration between multiples agencies in a community is the name of the game in the ASPCA Partnership. Says one agency, “We all see the difference that can be made when we work together and present a unified front. We may not always buy into the same ideas, but we have respect to agree to disagree.”

Adds another partner, “Our local partnership is setting the standard for benchmarking our community efforts.”

**CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO** ASPCA Partnership agencies collaborate not just with each other— they’re working with shelters all across the country. Check out this feel-good flick documenting the arrival of a transport of 45 pups from the APSCA Partnership community of Shelby County, AL, to the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society in Lewiston, ME.

To boldly go where no one has gone before…
ASPCA Partnership communities push out innovative programs proven to save animals’ lives—such as reduced- and fee-waived adoptions. Check out this newsclip featuring Asheville Humane Society’s participation in the ASPCA’s and Fresh Step’s fee-waived cat adoptions program this past June:

Think your community would be a good fit for the ASPCA Partnership? Find out how to apply here. Applications for 2012 are open now through Friday, February 17.

Questions? Post them in the comment box or email joinAP@aspca.org.

Related links:
ASPCA Partnership
How to Apply
“It’s Not Me, It’s Us”

In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, we’ve been talking online and on Facebook about what we’ve been most appreciative of over the past year in the animal sheltering world. Please tell us what you’re thankful for, too.

- “I am thankful to the many shelters, spay/neuter clinics and rescue groups that used their data this year to help them save even more lives,” says Dr. Emily Weiss, Shelters’ Edge blogger and ASPCA Vice President of Shelter Research & Development. “We have learned that every number represents a wet nose… and nothing makes me more grateful than seeing the innovation and data focus to save more lives happening around the country!”

- Says the ASPCA’s Bert Troughton, MSW, Vice President, ProLearning and Shelters’ Edge blogger, “I am thankful for the opportunity to make a difference, the people I work with, the goofy, loveable look on Logan’s (my dog’s) face whenever our eyes meet…”

- From our ASPCAPro Facebook fan Harriett W.: “As a volunteer, I am thankful for the caring staff and the other volunteers who make the lives of the animals so much better while they prepare and wait for a forever home.”

- “I am amazed by the innovative work you guys are doing on social media, and a ginormous thank you to all of you who have let me share your successes and ideas with others in the field,” says Shelters’ Edge editor Pune Dracker. “That especially means you, Wisconsin Humane Society, SPCA of Wake County, Spokane Humane Society, Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, Central Oklahoma Humane Society and UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program.”

- The ASPCA thanks the following animal welfare groups in our Response Partner Program for going above and beyond to save animal victims of cruelty or natural disasters this year: Columbia-Greene Humane Society; Dumb Friends League; St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center; Humane Society of Broward County; Washington Animal Rescue League; Spay and Neuter Kansas City; Wayside Waifs, and Charleston Animal Society. These agencies will be recognized with $10K grants for their work during the ASPCA’s response operations in Joplin, Memphis and New York City.

- We are thankful for the Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Guidelines for Standards of Care in Shelters…

…and the National Federation of Humane Societies’ Basic Data Matrix for Community Animal Shelter data.

- From Facebook fan Gail T.: “True Innocents Equine Rescue is thankful for our tireless volunteers who spend hours cleaning pens, grooming horses and raising funds to help horses in need!”

- “I am thankful for our volunteers! Our volunteers are the best and we could NOT function without them!!” says Facebook fan Shannon.

- And from Emily S. via Facebook: “I am thankful for the homeless animals and all that they teach us. I am thankful that when their humans give up they do not. I am thankful to be a part of their journey.”

Please tell us who or what you’re thankful for in the comment box. And as Elvis would say, “Thank you. Thankyouverymuch.”

They’re rocking adoptions, they’re rallying their communities and they’re saving lives—and now they’ve been voted in by their communities as the 3 finalists in the running to win the ASPCA’s $25K Community Engagement prize in the ASPCA $100K Challenge. Congratulations to the staff and volunteers at…

Austin Pets Alive!, Austin, TX

Wowsa! APA!’s moving and inspiring campaign video

Humane Society for Greater Savannah, Savannah, GA

These guys make everything—even an evacuation drill—fun!

The Humane Society of South Mississippi, Gulfport, MS

Creative thinking: HSSM locked UFC Mixed Martial Arts Fighter/animal advocate Alan "The Talent" Belcher inside a kennel and didn't let him out until the community "un-caged" him by adopting out 40 animals.

Drum roll, hands in the air, round of applause, standing ovation, please!

Next up, the ASPCA Grants Committee will review the finalists’ contest blogs and materials posted on the ASPCA $100K Challenge Save More Lives Community to determine which contestant did the most to engage their community. We’ll be announcing the winner at the end of this month—stay tuned!

Learn more about the ASPCA $25K Community Engagement prize.

Related links:
ASPCA $100K Challenge
Community Engagement prize

In honor of Thanksgiving, ASPCA Shelters’ Edge bloggers wax appreciative on the past year in the animal sheltering world. Please tell us what you’re thankful for, too. 

Bert Troughton “I am thankful for a lot of things this year, but if I have to narrow it down to just one thing…well… I love my job. It’s a great job with exceptional colleagues and opportunities to do really cutting-edge work that is hopefully helping lots of shelters and people and animals.

But I’ve never quite stopped missing the incredible feeling of working in a shelter…the opportunity every day to do something direct to help an animal — or many — and a person — or many. This year, I am filled with thanks to the shelter staff members in the ASPCA $100K Challenge shelters. You took the Challenge personally. You committed the extra time, the extra brain space, the extra heart. You dedicated yourselves even if you felt you probably didn’t have a shot at ‘winning’…because that’s what you do when there’s a chance to help one more animal and one more person. As I look at the numbers and the photos and the stories of the lives you’ve touched, I feel eternally grateful to you. For the first time since I left my direct service job, I’ve got that old feeling again. Thank you!”

A rescuer who brings animals to clinics

Timy Sullivan “It starts with ‘Wouldn’t it be great if…’ — a vision for a program to make things better for the animals. That vision becomes a reality only when people with passion and a whole range of talents jump in to make it happen. I’ve had the great joy over and over again of watching ‘Wouldn’t it be great if…’ turn into ‘Isn’t it wonderful that…’  I am amazed every single day by the energy and commitment of volunteers, staff members, and donors who turn visions into realities, and I am so grateful to have them in my life.”

The first vet who joined in to launch PetFix

Pune Dracker “I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the Dialogue Education ‘Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach’ workshop with Global Learning Partners this year. I’ve always loved learning, but to find out that there are so many ways to do it — and so many ways to pass on what you’ve learned to others… PRICELESS! Added bonus: At what other training do you get to make things out of Play-Doh?!

And I am so jazzed by this blog we’ve got cooking here — and I want to thank my fellow panelists and our Shelters’ Edge moderator/poster and LOLcat creator, Elyse Orecchio, for kick-butt teamwork. And you guys reading and commenting — thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences. You’re worth more than gold. Or is it platinum?! Whichever’s more precious.”

OK, guys, you’re up next. What are YOU thankful for this year?

Happy autumn, readers! We’ll be taking the rest of the week off for a planning retreat in New England — what better time and place to reflect on what we’ve harvested this year and what we’ll grow in 2011?

Take care and see you next Monday.P.S. Wanna help plan? Leave a comment and tell us what topics you would like to see discussed here on the blog.