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2,838 More Saved Lives in One Month. How?
Wanna Avoid Paying Income Tax (Legally)?
Optimizing Welfare, Minimizing Euthanasia
If It Looks Like a Duck…
 2,838 More Saved Lives in One Month. How?
Creativity. Promotions. Hard working staff and volunteers. Tremendous community support.
In
the ASPCA $100K Challenge, 49 shelters in 33 states and territories are
competing to save more animals’ lives from August 1 through October 31,
2011, than they did during the same period last year.
In total, 17,391 animals
were adopted or reunited with their owners by contestants in the first
30 days of the three-month contest — a combined increase of 2,838 more lives saved over August 2010.
During
this first month of the Challenge, many contestants tried out new
methods of driving traffic to their adoption centers – many stayed open
around the clock for 24-hour adoption events, offered unique promotions
and discounts on adoption fees, threw fun social gatherings at their
facilities, and broke new ground on their use of social media to get
attention.
Discover some of the contestants’ tactics and find out who’s in the lead so far!
Wanna Avoid Paying Income Tax (Legally)?
 Unincorporated and informal animal welfare groups, take special note! A recent ASPCApro webinar, Forming a 501(c)(3): Starting from Scratch to Save Lives,
explains the benefits of incorporating and of becoming a 501(c)(3)
organization. Beverly Jones, ASPCA Vice President and Corporate Counsel,
clarifies the potentially confusing process of forming a corporation
and applying for 501(c)(3) status. Her tips include:
- If
your state has an option to pay a fee to expedite the state's review of
your filing of papers of incorporation, go for it. The extra fee may
get your filing much closer to the top of the pile.
- To
qualify as a public charity, a certain percentage of your funding must
come from the general public. You will need to demonstrate that you
receive donations from the public in your application.
- "Friends of"
organizations, including those that raise funds for municipal or county
animal care and control agencies, can apply for 501(c)(3) status.
For even more 501(c)(3) tips, to access the webinar recording, and for additional webinar resources, visit our webinar archives. And then visit our Fundraising section to learn about establishing your new organization's credibility.
Optimizing Welfare, Minimizing Euthanasia
Have you read the Association of Shelter Veterinarians' (ASV) comprehensive report Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters yet? What are you waiting for? Download it today!
 The
report outlines what is needed to meet the minimum basic needs of
companion animals living in population settings. The Guidelines were
developed to provide shelters and communities with a tool for reviewing
animal care, identifying areas that need improvement, and implementing
solutions so welfare is optimized, euthanasia is minimized, and
suffering is prevented.
ASV authors have been presenting the guidelines in digestible bites through a free monthly webinar series. Catch up on the archives and mark your calendar for the next sessions in the series, all 3-4pm ET:
- Shelter Guidelines: Animal Handling (9/29)
- Keeping Pets, People, and the Environment Healthy & Safe (10/13)
- Shelter Guidelines: Spay/Neuter (11/17)
- Shelter Guidelines: Group Housing (12/15)
 Should
we be labeling dogs in our shelters based on what they look like?
Shelters' Edge Blogger Dr. Emily Weiss, CAAB, discusses her recent
experience with DNA analysis of her dog and another dog that looked to
be of the bully persuasion. She ponders what to do when our clients'
first question is, "What kind of dog is he?" Dr. Weiss suggests we answer, "The good kind".
What do you think about DNA analysis and breed labeling? Weigh in on the conversation!
Subscribe to receive email alerts from ASPCApro, including news, webinars, grants, and resources.
Image of Duchess courtesy Andrea Hennessy
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