Video Length: 45:04
Attendees will learn about the experiences of people who successfully broached 80% and beyond save rates. This presentation was recorded by Maddie's Fund® at the 2019 American Pets Alive! Conference.
Rebecca Guinn left behind a successful law career after visiting a county shelter where the majority of animals had been euthanized. Thinking there had to be a better way for a community to address its homeless pet population, she founded LifeLine Animal Project in 2002 and implemented a long-term strategy to redefine metro Atlanta's practices and philosophies regarding caring for companion animals. In 2013, LifeLine was awarded the management contracts for Atlanta's Fulton and DeKalb County animal shelters, where the organization has more than doubled lifesaving rates and positioned Atlanta to become a no-kill community.
Currently the National Director for Leadership Advancement for Best Friends Animal Society, Tawny has more than 30 years of experience in the public service arena, creating and implementing programs and services for people and their pets, working effectively with appointed and elected officials, creating and leading teams focused on professional excellence and lifesaving best practices. Tawny currently leads Best Friends' leadership advancement initiatives with a focus on strengthening existing leaders' skill sets for the goal of ending the killing of shelter pets in their communities.
The animal situation in Dallas has been the center of scrutiny over the years due to large roaming dog populations, high profile dog attacks, and low positive save rates from the shelter. With over 34,000 dogs and cats entering Dallas Animal Services yearly, the city has the 4th largest intake in the United States. Since 2017, Ed has been tasked with increasing public safety by getting lose animals off the streets while at the same time increasing positive outcomes. To accomplish that, he is leading a staff of around 200 employees, maximizing the relationships with the rescue community, rebuilding the volunteer base, and instituting new, progressive programming. Prior to coming to Dallas, Ed was the Chief Animal Control Officer for the City of Cleveland, Ohio, but he entered the Animal Care & Control World in the mid 2000's while he was the Animal Warden for the City of Garfield Heights, a suburb of Cleveland
Prior to leading Animal Services, Paula spent 24 years serving the City of El Paso in various operational positions. Before that, Paula served as a 1st Lt in the US Army and was stationed at Fort Bliss. She began her college education at the United States Military Academy and culminated it with her master's in public administration at the University of Texas at El Paso. She received her certification in Shelter Management in 2018 and continues to look for new ways to learn and grow in order to save more of the lives that need us most.
As the Mid-Atlantic regional director for Best Friends Animal Society, Makena works with coalitions and partners in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia to establish lifesaving programs and policies to help them reach no-kill status by 2025. In her home state of Virginia, she is a board member for the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies and has been working toward a no-kill Virginia for many years. Before joining Best Friends, Makena was the executive director of the Lynchburg Humane Society and was recognized by Maddie's Fund as a recipient of the 2018 Maddie Hero Award.