Video Length: 37 minutes
What do New York City and Tompkins County, New York have in common? While very different in size and demographic, each of these no-kill and adoption guarantee communities has met their unique challenges and is working to create sustainable systems for the future. See how they did it in this video from Maddie's Fund® day-long session at the 2010 HSUS EXPO Conference.
Prior to being named the Chief Animal Services Officer in Austin, Texas in 2011, Abigail Smith was Executive Director of the Tompkins County SPCA, which has operated as an open-admission, no-kill shelter for the past decade. Abigail worked with Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine Program to implement a comprehensive shelter medicine program; created and strengthened collaborative partnerships, including those with civic organizations and animal rescue groups; expanded humane education programs; and secured funding for the Trap Neuter Release Program for feral cats. Before her position in Ithaca, Abigail served as Director of Development/Marketing and Manager of the Volunteer Program for the New Hampshire SPCA from 2004 - 2007.
Jane Hoffman has been the President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals since its inception in 2002. The Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, which acts as a liaison between the government of the City of New York and the NYC animal care community, is a coalition of more than 100 NYC animal rescue groups and shelters that have joined together to reduce the killing of cats and dogs in NYC shelters. Thanks in part to Jane's leadership, the live release rate for New York City has jumped from 37% in 2003 to 77% in 2010. Jane is a founding member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York's Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals. The Committee, which formed in 1990, is one of the first animal law committees in the country. Jane was the inaugural recipient of the 2007 Annual Excellence in the Advancement of Animal Law Award from the American Bar Association (ABA) TIPS.