Petfinder.com forums :: View topic - 6/16-6/22 Public Rel.- Shelter and Community Relations [ ]

Last edited by Petadmin on Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:06 pm; edited 1 time in total

This topic will be hosted by the ASPCA's very own Todd Cramer
In this topic we invite everyone to ask their questions about how they as an organization can develop programs to promote community involvement, volunteer programs etc, and how we as a community can become involved with our local animal welfare agencies/groups. And now... a little about Todd

TODD CRAMER, ASPCA COMMUNITY OUTREACH DEPARTMENT
COMMUNITY INITIATIVE DIRECTOR
ASPCA® MISSION: ORANGE™ GULFPORT-BILOXI, MS
ALSO SERVING NY, NJ AND MD

Todd has over 18 years of management experience with a majority of that time spent working in a not-for-profit environment. Prior to joining the ASPCA, Todd was the Assistant Director of Operations for the Animal Protective Foundation in Scotia, NY. Todd serves on the board of directors for the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey (AWFNJ) and is a member of the Empire State Animal Protection Forum planning committee. Todd is home-based in Schenectady NY and resides with two cats: Pete and Nora and two spoiled Boston Terriers: Bean and Betty.

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject: Engaging Volunteers

Hi Todd,

I have a very small rescue for cats. I have had an actual facility for about eight years. We have between 15-40 cats in colony rooms. I have a few wonderful volunteers who have access to the keys, and they come and go on their own schedule, usually when I am at work (adoptions are by appointment). Usually my volunteers are active for about 4-6 months, and then they fade away, although they periodically get in touch. I have a blog that updates readers on happenings, but of course that requires the volunteer visit the blog on their own to see what's up.

Do you have any ideas for how to keep my volunteers engaged and active, how to let them know I appreciate them, and how to get more independent, dedicated volunteers? I have two special events each year, but of course they can't all always make it. And I am not particularly great about reaching out to everyone by email. Do you have any feedback on weekly or monthly newsletters and easy ways to manage that extra task? Any way to keep my volunteers engaged would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Susan
Wildrun
NY

Todd's Reply
Hi Susan, thanks for posting.

If I am reading this correctly, it seems that volunteers are on their own, having little contact with you. Coming in day to day, cleaning and fulfilling the daily operational needs may leave them feeling as though they are doing a bulk of the work for you, rather than volunteering for a good cause. It is not, however, uncommon for volunteers to lose interest after the fun wears off, reality sets in and the work begins to feel like just another job. For someone to commit, long-term, the work they are doing has to be relevant to their goals for volunteering; it should have a sense of immediacy to them (how is this work affecting the welfare of the cats and how is it meaningful to the volunteer right now, today) and they need to feel respected and valued.

A regular newsletter (paper or email) update that showcases the wonderful work they are doing and highlights the successes that result is a great idea. Include your data such as number of pets taken in, number of cats adopted, cats treated for illness, etc. This lets them see the results of their work. Also, having a volunteer information bulletin board with success stories, daily updates, new information they need to know and special thank yous is a nice touch for them. If you can, create a special volunteer area just for them where they can take breaks, hang pictures, store their belongings, etc.. This can leave them feeling important and valued. If your email program allows you to delay the sending of an email you write in advance, you can write nice thank you emails to volunteers and have it automatically sent at a later date. This ensures you are sending the correspondence regularly and it will go out when you might otherwise be too busy to write one. Of course there is no substitute for a genuine, heartfelt "pat-on-the-back" given in person or by telephone.

Other ideas to consider (which you may already be incorporating):

Provide volunteers with identification via a t-shirt that says "volunteer" on it and/or a name badge. This says they are important and valued. It also adds legitimacy to their role.

Provide educational opportunities to expose volunteers to optional animal welfare practices and issues - most people love to learn and will see this as an investment in themselves. If funds permit, attending a conference (you can find a listing on www.aspcapro.org) is always enlightening and fun. Also, Petsmart Charities offers free on-line webinars that are useful and fun too.

Ask volunteers for input and include them in decision making whenever possible. This gives them a greater investment and buy-in to their work.

Challenge the volunteers to get creative in showcasing cats for adoption.

Leave personal gifts for the volunteers as appropriate. Maybe you overheard "Sylvia" talking about a topic she learned about and enjoyed on a recent Oprah show. Buy her the book that goes with the topic and leave a simple note thanking her for all she does. Talk to your accountant about taking the cost of these gifts as a tax deduction.

Lastly, a good volunteer program manages volunteers as one might manage an employee. The program has documented expectations and standard operating procedures. For more information regarding volunteer handbooks and where to get samples, email outreach@aspca.org. We will work to provide you with any materials we may have. Also check www.aspcapro.org and www.animalsheltering.org

Hope this helps and keep up the good work,

Todd

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:07 am Post subject:

I don't know if this is the right forum but....

I live in a rural area that has a humane society. They have restricted hours that conflict when I work. I would LOVE to volunteer, walking dogs, feeding, picking up doo. Anything, but the hours stink. I have talked to the shelter director who said they only use volunteers during regular hours. 12-5 Monday thru Friday.

There is another shelter a little farther away, I hesitate to call it a shelter. It is a pound that does not have a website and you have to leave a voice mail to get a return call and they don't have 'calling hours'.

Any ideas for me?

Todd's Reply
Hello Cheryl, your persistence is to be commended.

If the organizations are not open when you are available, you may offer other assistance that you can do at home such as working on their newsletter, mailings, marketing of pets and contributing to the website. Other ideas:

Obtain a list of needed items and collect donations
Hold a fund-raiser such as a garage sale or small dinner for friends and family
Sew cat mats for the cats to lay on in their kennels. These can then be sent home with them.
Sew catnip pillows that can be sent home with the cats or sold by the shelter.

Also, if you would like to present the shelter leadership with information regarding the benefits of having evening and weekend hours, contact outreach@aspca.org and we will provide what we can.

Take care -

Todd

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 4:08 pm Post subject:

Hello Todd,

I am trying to get a small animal shelter off of the ground here. I have the land for the shelter but need the funding for the building. I have set up a building fund at our local bank and we have received donations that way. We have held a yard sale and will be attending as many seasonal events as possible to help spread the word this year.

We are a non profit organization. I have been doing small dog rescue for 15 years, have my NC wildlife rehabilitation license, and also rescue birds, hamsters, ferrets, rabbits, etc.

I guess my question to you is about grants and how hard are they to obtain? Have you ever received grants for animal programs?

Thank you in advance.

Todd's Reply
Greetings to you!

A building project, no matter how large or small, requires significant planning before soliciting the funds. To know what you need to build, how much it will cost and to be able to tell
potential donors what they are giving to, you should consider the following questions:

How many animals will you expect to handle per year?
What will your standard operating procedures be? For example, which medical care will you provide and how does the answer to this question affect the building design? Will you need
an isolation room, etc. ?
How many staff will you need to support the care of the animals and the care of the building?
What will the flow of the pets be from the time they enter the facility to the time they leave? The movement of animals through the building affects the control of disease transmission
and has ventilation considerations.

There are many more questions to ask and I recommend consulting with leaders who have gone through this as well as architects that specialize in shelter design. You don't have to
be building the Taj Mahal to justify consulting first. For contacts, email outreach@aspca.org and we will provide folks you can talk to.

Now, to answer your question regarding grants:

Grants can be challenging to receive given the competition for limited funds. Most grants are not large sums, either. Also, an organization cannot survive on grants. These are best
used for program needs and equipment. For large projects such as a new building, a capital campaign is the usual way to go. When running a capital campaign or applying for grants
it helps to be able to provide grantors and donors with as much specific information about the project and your organization as possible should they ask for it. Having data regarding
the number of animals you handle each year, adoption figures, budget information as well as fund-raising achieved will show the donor or grantor you have thought this through and
are professional and prepared. As you know, a not-for-profit is a business and you should have a solid business plan for your organization.

In my role with the ASPCA I do not solicit grants but I do award small grants for a variety of needs such as programs, training and equipment. To feel comfortable issuing the funds, I
like to see measurable goals for the programs, an organization working with current and best practices, and an existing fund-raising plan in place.

For more information on implementing capital campaigns and fund-raising, contact outreach@ aspca.org and we will assist you. You may also look on aspcapro.org and animalsheltering.org for this
and related topics.

Gathering funds may seem like a daunting task but you can do it. Go for it!

Todd

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:24 pm Post subject: Help in Transporting Animals

Todd,
I have rescued many animals through the years and have been thinking for quite a while on how I can help in the Transportation aspect of getting rescues to their forever homes. I live in Southeast Michigan about 40 minutes South of Detroit and only 21 miles from the Toledo OH border. I also have connections with horse and cattle trailers around here as I live on a small farm. Although I cannot foster any animals at this time, I do have a chauffers license to drive small vehicles such as straight trucks and such that dont have air brakes. What or who can I contact to get the ball rolling on this and can anyone help me with the costs and how we can get some kind of pay. I would really like to devote to helping with rescues and would love to do it in such a way that I can quit my day job and devote my time to animals. I am 45 now and we love our critters.
thank you
Yvonne

Todd's Reply
Hello Yvonne, glad you posted.

Let me start by saying that animal transport has been successful in providing re-homing options for pets who may otherwise have had none but it cannot be done loosely. Here are some considerations:

Distance: Transporting long distance is challenging and needs to allow for proper care of the pets and people on the transport. You have to consider cleaning, walking, rest for the drivers, etc.
Emergency planning: What happens if the vehicle breaks down along the way? What resources are in place to handle a situation involving equipment failure such as air conditioning break- downs.
-
Health and safety: How are you going to provide proper ventilation to the animals for their comfort and to prevent the spread of disease? It is common practice to have two air conditioning units so if one breaks you have back-up. How will you provide drivers and caregivers in safe animal handling techniques? Will you require a behavior assessment for animals you are transporting? What happens if an animal gets sick during transport?

What is your complete role? Will you just focus on transport between partnering organizations? What will happen if you arrive at your destination and some pets are refused?

State and Federal Regulations: What are the state and federal regulations regarding animals crossing state lines which you need to know for each state you pass through. These laws are limited now but will be more common in the future. There has been increasing concern about the spread of disease as well as dangerous dogs being transported and then adopted into homes.

For contact with organizations that are experts with animal transport, such as PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin', United Animal Nations and Wisconsin Humane Society, contact outreach@aspca.org

Now, in regards to funding:

For guidance regarding grants and soliciting funds see my answer to the previous posting regarding starting a shelter. Also, you can charge a fee based on your costs to transport including vehicle costs and maintenance, staffing and animal care costs.

Ultimately, animal transport should be seen as a tool for short-term management but not a long-term solution for any organization. S/N, adoption and risk prevention programs should be developed to work towards eliminating the need for transport.

I hope this has been helpful. Have a good weekend.

Todd.

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 9:43 am Post subject:

I appreciate your being here, Todd.

I am very fortunate to live in a very pet caring community-Richmond Va. In addition to our very successful and high profile SPCA, there are many no-kill rescues and shelters. It is impossible to go shopping on the week-end and not find an adoption station set up. Support after adoption is also plentiful.

That said, I am heartbroken about the high kill pounds, many in rural areas. Not only are the pound conditions deplorable, but the attitude of those in charge are so apathetic or even hostile. Some volunteers work tirelessly to try to help but some places make it next to impossible for anyone to even try. I realize education is an important part of the humane movement but I fear those who are so apathetic won't even listen. Not to mention the millions lost while we wait for new generations to take the helm.

Have there been financial impact studies that could possibility appeal to the "bean counters" in these counties. Does spay/neuter over time save from warehousing and killing uncared for dogs and cats? Are you aware of any grassroots actions that have been successful in these types of communities?

Petfinder.com forums Forum Index -> Public Forums -> Ask the Experts Forum -> 6/16-6/22 Public Rel.- Shelter and Community Relations

	Petfinder.com forums Forum Index -> Public Forums -> Ask the Experts Forum -> 6/16-6/22 Public Rel.- Shelter and Community Relations	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1