Ellen Jefferson (American Pets Alive!), Lisa LaFontaine (Humane Rescue Alliance), Gina Knepp (Michelson Found Animals Foundation), Kristen Hassen-Auerbach (Pima Animal Care Center)
Over the past several months, animal welfare leaders across the nation have been envisioning a new world of animal services, where most pets are housed in homes and communities, not in the shelter. In this new world, the role of animal services is to keep pets with their families, get pets home quickly, and help pet owners who are struggling to meet their pets’ needs. Housing pets in kennels will be short term, reserved for only those pets who truly need to be there.
Two weeks ago, we shared our ideas for the guiding principles of the animal social services model and asked you to give us your honest feedback. So many of you called us or sent e-mails, sharing your thoughts and ideas for what the future of animal welfare should look like. Taking all of your input into consideration, we’ve come up with a list of 10 elements that describe the animal social services we hope organizations will soon be able to offer in their communities.
Once again, we’re asking for your feedback, this time in the form of a short survey. Read the list of 10 below and let us know what you think! A brighter future for pets in our nation means working together and we’re so grateful for your insight!
Share your interest, your excitement, the challenges you foresee, and what we might have missed. This vision will only be possible with ongoing collaboration and feedback, and your thoughts and opinions are vital to the success of creating a new model for pets and the people who love them.