blog

Now is the time to send an end-of-year mailer for your animal organization!

October 14, 2021

This guest post is written by Caitlin Daly, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Lollypop Farm. In a recent interview, she stressed the importance of end-of-year mailer (appeals). We asked her if it was too late to send one, and while it’s cutting it close, it can be done! Below are her tips.  [Note: This originally…

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Million Cat Challenge: Going Home

Dr. Sara Pizano, DVMSeptember 3, 2020

Learn how to take your matchmaking game from the adoption floor to the worldwide web.

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What Qualities Do Emerging Leaders Need to Succeed?

Tawny Hammond, National Director for Leadership Advancement, Best Friends Animal Society and Denise Deisler, Director, Jacksonville Humane SocietyApril 2020

This presentation outlines a foundation for understanding how to cultivate the leadership abilities that will enable your or your staff to reach their highest potential.

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How to Get Your Story Told: Effective Engagement with Local Media

Sarah Collica, Director of Marketing and Communications, Austin Pets Alive! and Nikki Reck, Communications Specialist, Pima Animal Care CenterApril 2020

Learn how to cultivate relationships with news sources and tips and tricks from a marketing director and an Emmy-Award winning newscaster.

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Adopters Are Out There! Market Your Way Out of Space Crises

Teresa Johnson, CEO/Executive Officer and Chief Lifesaving Officer, Kansas City Pet Project and Cheryl Schneider, Director of Animal Services, Williamson County Regional Animal ShelterApril 2020

Learn how adopters can be your biggest lifesavers when your shelter is experiencing space crises.

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Statewide Advocacy

Ryan Clinton, Laura Donahue and Katie JarlApril 2020

Learn from expert advocates as they share their success stories for state-wide efforts to transform to No Kill.

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Moving Through Adversity

Kristen Hassen-Auerbach and Paula PowellApril 2020

This session will shed light on the last 2 years as Paula Powell fights for animals and the people who love them.

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Empowering Volunteers to Help Solve Every Challenge

Monica Dangler, Maddie's Fund® Executive Leadership Fellow, Pima Animal Care CenterApril 2020

Learn how to create a volunteer program that works to the specific needs of your rescue, shelter or community.

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Fundraising for Survival: Lessons for Any Sized Organization, Part 1 of 2

Maggie Lynch, Director of Development, Austin Pets Alive! and American Pets Alive!April 2020

Join fundraising innovator Maggie Lynch and learn how to raise money and how to get scrappy when you need to! (Part 1 of 2)

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Fundraising for Survival: Lessons for Any Sized Organization, Part 2 of 2

Maggie Lynch, Director of Development, Austin Pets Alive! and American Pets Alive!April 2020

Join fundraising innovator Maggie Lynch and learn how to raise money and how to get scrappy when you need to! (Part 2 of 2)

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Workshop: Marketing and Branding to Engage Your Community

Kasey Spain and Nikki ReckApril 2020

Learn from shelter branding experts how to identify steps to create and market your No Kill brand to your community.

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The Leader's Guide to Communicating with Stakeholders: How, When and What

Stephanie Bilbro, Director, Shelter Lifesaving Operations, Austin Pets Alive! and Sarah Collica, Director of Marketing and Communications, Austin Pets Alive!April 2020

Learn how to own your narrative and communicate your vision with major stakeholders.

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Return to Field you say? Tell that to my community/commissioners!

Kate Hurley, DVM, MPVM Co-founder, Million Cat Challenge and Director, Koret Shelter Medicine Program @UC Davis School of Veterinary MedicineNovember 13, 2019

Does your county worry about the optics of having ACOs putting cats back where they came from? In this webinar, we invite you to partake in a little old-fashioned role reversal where YOU get to be on the other side of the counter.

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How to Get Things Done with the NYS Legislature! The Good, the Bad & the Money!!

Libby Post, Executive Director, NYS Animal Protection FederationJuly 2019

Join the New York State Animal Protection Federation's Executive Director, Libby Post for the answers to these questions and more. This presentation was recorded at the 2019 ASPCA Maddie's® Cornell Shelter Medicine Conference.

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Cash and Counting: The Importance of Data in Grantmaking

Jodi Buckman, ASPCA and Shelly Thompson, Maddie's FundJuly 2019

In this session you'll hear from two grant makers, Maddie's Fund® and the ASPCA, about the importance of data in grant evaluation and funding decisions. This presentation was recorded at the 2019 ASPCA Maddie's® Cornell Shelter Medicine Conference.

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Fundraising for Animal Welfare Organizations - Part 7: Getting to the Close and Creating an Action Plan

Kim KleinMarch 2019

This presentation is appropriate for quick-learning beginners as well as seasoned fundraisers who are eager to learn how to engage others in fundraising. Part 7 of 7: Getting to the Close and Creating an Action Plan.

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Fundraising for Animal Welfare Organizations - Part 2: Build Relationships

Kim KleinMarch 2019

This presentation is appropriate for quick-learning beginners as well as seasoned fundraisers who are eager to learn how to engage others in fundraising. Part 2 of 7: Build Relationships.

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Fundraising for Animal Welfare Organizations - Part 3: Setting Goals and Building a Team

Kim KleinMarch 2019

This presentation is appropriate for quick-learning beginners as well as seasoned fundraisers who are eager to learn how to engage others in fundraising. Part 3 of 7: Setting Goals and Building a Team.

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Fundraising for Animal Welfare Organizations - Part 4: Understand Your Prospects

Kim KleinMarch 2019

This presentation is appropriate for quick-learning beginners as well as seasoned fundraisers who are eager to learn how to engage others in fundraising. Part 4 of 7: Understand Your Prospects.

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Fundraising for Animal Welfare Organizations - Part 5: Who is a Prospect?

Kim KleinMarch 2019

This presentation is appropriate for quick-learning beginners as well as seasoned fundraisers who are eager to learn how to engage others in fundraising. Part 5 of 7: Who is a Prospect?

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Fundraising for Animal Welfare Organizations - Part 6: How to Ask For Money in Person

Kim KleinMarch 2019

This presentation is appropriate for quick-learning beginners as well as seasoned fundraisers who are eager to learn how to engage others in fundraising. Part 6 of 7: How to Ask For Money in Person.

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How to Start and Grow Major Gift Fundraising for Your Non-Profit - Part 1: How Big is Big? Getting Your Board on Board and Identifying Prospects

Amy EisensteinMarch 2019

In this seminar you will learn how to ask and receive more major gifts this year. Part 1 of 4: Getting Your Board on Board and Identifying Prospects.

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How to Start and Grow Major Gift Fundraising for Your Non-Profit - Part 2: Cultivation: Relationship Building

Amy EisensteinMarch 2019

In this seminar you will learn how to ask and receive more major gifts this year. Part 2 of 4: Cultivation: Relationship Building.

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How to Start and Grow Major Gift Fundraising for Your Non-Profit - Part 3: Solicitation: Asking for the Gift

Amy EisensteinMarch 2019

In this seminar you will learn how to ask and receive more major gifts this year. Talk 3 of 4: Solicitation: Asking for the Gift

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How to Start and Grow Major Gift Fundraising for Your Non-Profit - Part 4: Setting a Goal and Staying on Track

Amy EisensteinMarch 2019

In this seminar you will learn how to ask and receive more major gifts this year. Part 4 of 4: Setting a Goal and Staying on Track.

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Fundraising for Animal Welfare Organizations - Part 1: Introduction to Fundraising

Kim KleinMarch 2019

This presentation is appropriate for quick-learning beginners as well as seasoned fundraisers who are eager to learn how to engage others in fundraising. Part 1 of 7: Introduction to Fundraising.

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The First 72 Hours: A Model Intake and Animal Flow Process for Disease Prevention

Faith Wright, Ellen Jefferson DVM, Jordana Moerbe, Paula Medrano and Amelia NusbaumMarch 2019

Join American Pets Alive! staff as they discuss an intake and animal flow process designed to help you prevent outbreaks and ensure live outcomes.

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Animal Protection Officers: Using a Community-based Approach to Measurably Reduce Intake in the Field

Mark Sloat, Program Manager, Austin Animal Center and April Moore, Engagement Manager, Austin Animal CenterMarch 2019

This session will teach approaches that value the human-animal bond, redefine 'animals in need,' and engage community members, shelter staff, and volunteers to solve problems together.

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Solutions for the Top Five Reasons Dogs are Dying in Shelters

Mike Kaviani, Director, Orange County Animal Care and Aaron Caldwell, Dog Behavior Co-Manager, Austin Pets Alive!March 2019

The presentation will provide you with practical and manageable solutions for the top five reasons dogs are dying and being killed in shelters today.

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Analyzing Length of Stay: Make Your Animals Ready and Move Them Fast

Teresa Johnson, CEO/Executive Officer and Chief Lifesaving Officer, Kansas City Pet Project and Michele Figueroa, Operations Manager, Pima Animal Care CenterMarch 2019

Time wasted means animal lives lost, leave this session with a plan to move animals through your shelter more quickly.

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Why Are Big Dogs So Hard to Save? Identifying and Maintaining Adequate Capacity

Ellen Jefferson, DVM Executive Director, Austin Pets Alive!March 2019

Learn about the essential programs, best practices, and core philosophies needed to start saving big dogs in your communities.

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Nuts and Bolts of Large-scale Cat and Dog Foster Programs

Kelly Duer, Monica Frenden, Regan Goins and Lorian EpsteinMarch 2019

Learn from experts the details of setting up and implementing a large-scale foster program.

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Proactive Return to Owner Programs

Shyanne Schull, Director, Washoe County Regional Animal Services, and Paula Powell, Director, El Paso Animal ServicesMarch 2019

Learn about how two very large animal shelters reached higher live release rates by attaining Return to Owner rates over 25% - way above best practice!

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Save Lives in Space Crises

Michele Figueroa, Christi Metropole and Faith WrightMarch 2019

Learn how to not end lives due to temporary space shortages by pulling other levers that will decrease the pressure that you feel.

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Saving Dogs with Behavioral Challenges

Aaron Caldwell, Dog Behavior Co-Manager, Austin Pets Alive! and Mike Kaviani, Director, OC Animal CareMarch 2019

Viewers will learn about cutting edge ways to solve non-shelter created behavior problems in shelter dogs.

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Scrutinize and Market the Euthanasia List

Clare Callison, Canine Lifesaving Advisor, Maddie's® Lifesaving AcademyMarch 2019

This talk explores why it's important to understand exactly which animals are dying in your municipal shelter and how to let people help you get them out alive.

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The Modern Municipal Animal Agency

Sarah Aguilar, April Moore, Lee Ann Shenefiel and Mark SloatMarch 2019

Learn how modern shelters develop targeted neighborhood programs that serve the larger community's desire to be no-kill while serving the public safety needs of specific areas.

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The Pet Resource Center: A Better Alternative to the Intake Department

Mark Sloat, April Moore and Bennett SimonsenMarch 2019

How "The Pet Resource Center" is a modern model for a successful alternative to traditional intake centers.

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Transport Programs: Get Pets to Safety

Clare Callison, Canine Lifesaving Advisor, Maddie's® Lifesaving AcademyMarch 2019

Hear how your average "Texas brown dogs" are making a big splash in places as far as Oregon, Connecticut, and even Italy!

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Building No-kill Culture Throughout Your Organization - panel

Shelly Thompson, Rebecca Guinn, Tawny Hammond, Marc Peralta and Makena Yarbrough, March 2019

In this panel discussion, animal welfare leaders discuss how to instill a positive, no-kill culture in our shelters, rescues, and service centers.

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Conquer Fear and Doubt: Managing Your Team Through Change and Controversy - panel

Tawny Hammond, Jose Ocano, Mike Kaviani and Paula PowellMarch 2019

Learn how to be a motivating people manager and help your team reach their goals - even through change and controversy.

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Contagious Diseases: Euthanasia is Not the Answer

Alexis Bardzinski, DVM Medical Director, Austin Pets Alive! and Jennifer Wilcox, DVM Director of Vet Services, Pima Animal Care CenterMarch 2019

In this session, two veterinary experts will discuss how to handle disease outbreaks medically, handle the PR, and handle the operations that must continue.

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Dog Medical Care on a Shoestring Budget

Alexis Bardzinski, Medical Director, Austin Pets Alive! and Jennifer Wilcox, DVM Director of Vet Services, Pima Animal Care CenterMarch 2019

How to spend the least amount of money as possible so that your medical resources can be spread among all those pets that need you.

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High Volume Foster Programs for Cats and Dogs

Monica Frenden, Regan Goins and Lorian EpsteinMarch 2019

Learn how to rethink foster care in terms of capacity and expand the concept of what animals should be considered for foster.

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How to Run A Sustainable, Low Budget, No Kill Municipal Shelter

Cheryl Schneider, Director of Animal Services, Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter and Lindsey Huffman, Director of Lifesaving Programs, Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCAMarch 2019

Successful shelter leaders share their knowledge on how to run a no-kill organization even when you have a very limited budget.

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Momentum in Texas Sheltering Communities

Michael Bricker, Jay Garrett, Jr., Steven Greene, Paula Powell, Ed Jamison and Dr. Michael WhiteMarch 2019

Learn from animal welfare experts about how Texas is getting to no-kill status.

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Shelter Data: How to Get It, Use It and Read It

Rory Adams, Executive Director, Tucson Pets Alive!March 2019

This is an in-depth presentation on shelter data: how to get it, read it, and use it to influence change.

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Social Science: Informed Animal Welfare

Katy Loughney, Economic Impact Advisor, University of Denver's Institute for Human-Animal ConnectionMarch 2019

This talk covers research aimed at connecting animal welfare policies and programs to human and community health.

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State Level No-kill Advocacy

Debra Griggs, Deborah Schutt and Davyd SmithMarch 2019

This discussion revolves around states in the U.S. that have had state-wide efforts to transform to no-kill.

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Combatting Anti-No Kill Extremism

Debra Griggs, President, Virginia Federation of Humane Societies, and Davyd Smith, President, No Kill ColoradoMarch 2019

Watch this presentation to learn what anti no-kill extremism looks like and how to cope with it.

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Demystifying No-kill Laws: The Nuts and Bolts of Ordinances

Ryan Clinton, Attorney and Founder, FixAustin.orgMarch 2019

Viewers will learn the nuts and bolts of various animal welfare ordinances, including stray holds, caretakers, and Austin's No Kill plan.

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Effective Negotiation Skills and Techniques to Achieve Lifesaving

Saskia Boisot, MD, Founder of the No Kill Shelter Alliance and Co-Founder of Save More Kill Less, and Paula Powell, Director of Animal Services, El Paso Animal ServicesMarch 2019

Know when to stand your ground, when to compromise, and most importantly, how to communicate effectively so that people want to help you achieve your goals.

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Know the Law: Liability in Shelters and Rescues

Ryan Clinton, Attorney and Founder, FixAustin.orgMarch 2019

Learn how shelters and rescue groups can implement strategies to limit their liability for saving lives.

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Legislative Advocacy: Influence Laws and Ordinances

Laura Donahue, Katie Jarl and Lorri MichelMarch 2019

This session will teach you how to move legislation towards supporting lifesaving efforts.

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Lifesaving in the Deep South

Karen Sheppard, DVM, Director, Huntsville Animal Services, and Ginny Sims, Executive Director, Southern Pines Animal ShelterMarch 2019

Hear the heartwarming and touching tales from two incredible leaders who have transformed seemingly impossible parts of the U.S. into true lifesaving communities.

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No-kill Political Advocacy: How to Gain and Keep Political Support

Ryan Clinton, Attorney, Founder, FixAustin.orgMarch 2019

Learn how animal advocates in Austin, Texas put No Kill on the city's public policy agenda and how you can do the same in your community.

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Save Rate: Upward Bound - Exceed the 50% Benchmark - panel

Marc Peralta, Sgt. Karl Bailey, Michele Figueroa, Teresa Johnson, Jose Ocano and Cheryl SchneiderMarch 1, 2019

This lively panel discussion will shed light on the experiences of the expert leaders who brought their communities past a 50% live release rate.

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Save Rate: Exceed the 80% Benchmark - panel

Makena Yarbrough, Rebecca Guinn, Tawny Hammond, Ed Jamison and Paula PowellMarch 2019

Attendees will learn about the experiences of people who successfully broached 80% and beyond save rates.

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Becoming No-kill

Ryan Clinton, Attorney and Founder, FixAustin.orgMarch 2019

Join attorney Ryan Clinton, founder of Fix Austin, as he kicks off the conference by sharing the obstacles, challenges, successes, and strategies that Austin faced on their journey to no-kill.

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Blueprint to a Successful No-kill Journey

Ellen Jefferson, DVM, Executive Director of Austin Pets Alive! and American Pets Alive!March 2019

Join Dr. Ellen Jefferson as she guides you step-by-step through what are considered Best Practice metrics in outcomes, intakes, and the 12 programmatic ingredients of lifesaving.

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Enlightened Leadership: Daily Decisions and Beyond

Kristen Auerbach, Rebecca Guinn, Tawny Hammond, Paula Powell and Cheryl SchneiderMarch 2019

Join us in this panel discussion as some of the most integral no-kill leaders share what it means to them to lead with a no-kill philosophy.

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Keynote: The Transparent Shelter, Building Trust with Your Community

Kristen Auerbach, Director of Pima Animal Care CenterMarch 2019

In this session, no-kill leader, Kristen Auerbach, will tackle two separate but important topics in order for you to be one with your community.

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Key Performance Indicators: Resources, Responsibility and Results

Ellen Jefferson, DVM and David MeyerMarch 2019

In this fundamental session, join Dr. Ellen Jefferson and David Meyer as they explain how to prioritize goals and benchmark against them all along the way so that you can achieve success.

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Build Team Resilience - panel

Rebecca Guinn and Ed JamisonMarch 2019

Join this presentation and get the insider tips on how to cultivate a team of resilience and how to build strong teams that will rally around you.

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Create Leaders from Within: Build a Succession Plan

Lisa Ward and Ed JamisonMarch 2019

So, you're a no-kill shelter leader, but what will happen in your community if the next shelter director who takes your place is not?

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Every Life Matters: Using Past Data to Plan Better Outcomes

Monica Frenden, Maddie's Director of Feline Lifesaving, Austin Pets Alive!March 2019

Data is a key piece of the lifesaving puzzle, but how do we use it to save the lives of the animals in our care?

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Fundraising Fundamentals for Scrappy Organizations, Part 1

Ellen Jefferson, DVM, Executive Director, Austin Pets Alive! and Maggie Lynch, Development Director, Austin Pets Alive!March 2019

Join fundraising innovator, Maggie Lynch, and APA! Executive Director, Dr. Ellen Jefferson, to learn how to raise money and how to get scrappy when you need to!

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Fundraising Fundamentals for Scrappy Organizations, Part 2

Maggie Lynch, Development Director, Austin Pets Alive!March 2019

What do you need to raise funds effectively as you grow your organization?

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Get Them on Your Team: Engaging and Leveraging Activists to Reach Your Goals

Ellen Jefferson, DVM, Executive Director, Austin Pets Alive! and Kristen Auerbach, Executive Director, Pima Animal Care CenterMarch 2019

This session will teach you skills to help you view activists as partners and to inspire them to work with you, not against you.

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How to Be the Boss of Your Organization's Save Rate

Paula Powell, Director, El Paso Animal Services and Lee Ann Shenefiel, South Central Regional Director, Best Friends SocietyMarch 2019

In this session, you will learn what the Shelter Director's role is in stopping unnecessary death in the shelter, how to do it, and how to be successful.

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Leading with Resilience in Extreme Crisis

Ellen Jefferson, DVM, Kristen Auerbach, Mike Kaviani and Lars RabbeMarch 2019

Join an impressive group of experts, who together will teach you the tools needed to save lives even when the deck is stacked against you.

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Maddie's® Lifesaving Academy: How Austin is Shaping Tomorrow's Leaders

Lisa Ward, Director of Education, Maddie's Fund and Jessica Powers, Maddie's Director of Education, American Pets Alive!March 2019

Success stories from students of Maddie's® Lifesaving Academy and how apprenticeships are helping shape tomorrow's animal welfare leaders.

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Managing Staff to Ensure Accountability - panel

Tawny Hammond, Ed Jamison, Marc Peralta, Makena Yarbrough and Rachel LunaMarch 2019

What does it mean to have an accountable staff and why is this important to no-kill shelter and rescue leaders?

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Municipal Shelter Leadership: Getting and Starting the Job - panel

Sarah Aguilar, Marian Cannell, Jordan Craig and Mike KavianiMarch 1, 2019

Join this session for expert tips and tricks and leave with a strong understanding of how to apply for, land and start a leadership position at a municipal shelter.

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Using Your Data for Strategic Planning

Ellen Jefferson, DVM, Lars Rabbe and Lee Ann ShenefielMarch 2019

By the end of the presentation, you will be ready to make and implement strategic goals based on your organization's data.

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The Surprising Science of Meetings: Key Learnings and Implications for Shelter Success and You as Someone Who May Lead Meetings

Steven G. Rogelberg, PhD, Chancellor's Professor, University of North Carolina at CharlotteThursday, March 28, 2019

This webcast delves into the research leading to an evidence-based path that will help you conduct a more productive meeting.

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Access to Veterinary Care: A National Family Crisis

Dr. Michael Blackwell and Dr. Susan KrebsbachThursday, February 21, 2019

The lack of access to care is the most significant animal welfare crisis affecting owned pets in the United States. Learn more about this important issue in this webcast.

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Unleashing the People Potential: How to Develop an Extraordinary Volunteer Culture for Winning Organizations

Gina Knepp and Bobby MannOctober 2018

Learn how a small municipal shelter attracted over 2,000 volunteers who give over 100,000 hours of service annually.

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The Yellow Brick Road: A Map to Fundraising Oz

Don Jennings, Consultant, Humane NetworkOctober 2018

This talk will put your feet on the path to practical and sustainable strategies that even the busiest nonprofit group can use (wizard not included).

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Hills, Hollers and Humane Officers

Chelsea Staley, Executive Director, Kanawha-Charleston Humane AssociationOctober 2018

How a shelter in poverty-stricken Appalachia inspired change in the unlikeliest of places, and how you can, too.

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How to Help People Resolve Some Common Behavior Problems and Keep Their Pets

Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC, Owner and Executive Director, Kelley Bollen ConsultingOctober 2018

This talk reviews the most common behavior problems in dogs and cats and provides practical advice that can be shared with the pet owner to help keep pets in their homes.

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Leadership Requires Attention

Gina Knepp, Animal Care Services Manager, Front Street Animal Shelter, City of SacramentoOctober 2018

Leadership takes a special skillset and mindset. How your staff and volunteers are managed is but one key to success. It takes courage, hard work and creativity but the pay-off is well worth every effort.

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Leadership - The Who, How, What and When

Susanne Kogut, President and Executive Director, PetCo FoundationOctober 2018

In order to create a lifesaving community, our leadership needs to create a workshop of possibilities...the who is you, the how is together, the what is a positive attitude and the when is now.

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Saving More Lives with Best Practices

Cynthia Delany, DVM, UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program; Supervising Shelter Veterinarian - Yolo County Animal Services; Executive Director - California Animal Shelter Friends, Inc.October 2018

This talk discuss how you can save more animals while emphasizing welfare (both for the animals, yourself and your staff) by following best practices.

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Accessible Veterinary Care: Service Learning Programs to Help Animals & People

Emily McCobb, DVM, MS DACVAA, Clinical Associate Professor, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University December 2018

This talk discusses the Tufts at Tech program and other aspects of Tufts Community Medicine that bring students from multiple training programs together to help community members access veterinary care and other services for pets.

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An Evidence-Based Look at Compassion Fatigue: Diagnosing the Doctor and Healing the Healer, Part 1 of 2

Brian A. DiGangi, DVM, MS, DABVP, Senior Director, Shelter Medicine, ASPCA December 2018

This presentation explores the various definitions of compassion fatigue, reviews the evidence of its impact on healthcare professions and the symptoms of compassion fatigue in ourselves and others.

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An Evidence-Based Look at Compassion Fatigue: Diagnosing the Doctor and Healing the Healer, Part 1 of 2

Brian A. DiGangi, DVM, MS, DABVP, Senior Director, Shelter Medicine, ASPCADecember 2018

This presentation continues the deep dive into the research behind compassion fatigue among animal caregivers and offers methods for managing stress.

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Creating a Culture of Philanthropy

Jill Beckwith, Chief Philanthropy Officer, EmancipetDecember 2018

This presentation discusses the importance of creating an organization-wide culture of philanthropy that extends beyond the development team

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Evolution of the Animal Welfare Movement

Jim Tedford, President and CEO, The Association for Animal Welfare AdvancementDecember 2018

In this presentation, you will hear thoughts on how animal welfare is changing, from a veteran in animal welfare.

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Effective Communication for Staff and Volunteers, Part 1

Susan Britt, Senior Director of Shelter Training, Interim Director of Operations, ASPCA December 2018

This workshop covers techniques to keep a conversation productive and respectful.

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Effective Communication for Staff and Volunteers, Part 2

Susan Britt, Senior Director of Shelter Training, Interim Director of Operations, ASPCA December 2018

This interactive workshop on honing communication skills in the shelter (or any) workplace continues from Part 1.

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Engaging the Community: How to Make Your Organization a Vital Presence in Your Community

Bonney Brown, President and Founder, Humane NetworkDecember 2018

In this presentation, learn how to get the word out about your organization, develop strong relationships, ways to create memorable communication and how people become engaged, the pitfalls to avoid, and things you can do right away.

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Grantseeker Best Practices: Getting Your Organization's Ducks Cats & Dogs in a Row

Michael Barrett and Adriana JiménezDecember 2018

Discover how following best practices is key to helping your organization have the most impact on the lives of vulnerable animals.

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Hiring the Right Person for the Job

Bonney Brown, President and Founder, Humane NetworkDecember 2018

This presentation shares strategies to find and hire people who not only have the skill, ability and drive to do the job, but are going to be a good fit for your organization, as well as how to set them up to be successful in the role.

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How to Make Your Board More Effective for Your Organization and More Rewarding for Board Members

Bonney Brown, President and Founder, Humane NetworkDecember 2018

This presentation helps address many common challenges and concerns and how to transform the board into a more effective high-functioning group.

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Influencing Local Policy

Jill Beckwith, Chief Philanthropy Officer, EmancipetDecember 2018

This presentation offers a step-by-step process on forming strategic relationships with policy makers to help inform their decisions.

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The Role of Public Health in Animal Sheltering

Jeanette O'Quin, DVM, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor, Shelter Medicine and Veterinary Public Health, Ohio State University College of Veterinary MedicineDecember 2018

This presentation discusses how sheltering practices in the U.S. are impacting public health internationally, in particular Ethiopia.

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Lifesaving Webcast Series: Intake Mitigation and Managed Intake

Sarah Boyd and Joe HellebrandThursday, November 15, 2018

In this webcast, Brevard County Sheriff's Office Animal Shelter personnel Dr. Sarah Boyd and Joe Hellebrand let you in on the secret that Animal Control shelters can operate as no-kill.

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Lifesaving Webcast Series: Saving Lives Through Transport Programs

Colleen HarringtonThursday, November 1, 2018

Hear an overview of the key elements of a good transport program, transport best practices and how to get started on a lifesaving transport program that benefits not only the animals but the sending and receiving partners as well.

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Million Cat Challenge: Helping vs Enabling: Knowing the Difference Made All the Difference!

Shelly SimmonsThursday, October 18, 2018

Learn how the largest open-admission shelter in South Carolina decreased cat intake in their shelter by nearly 60% and increased the feline save rate from 30% to over 80% in less than three years!

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Lifesaving Webcast Series: Where are you with Lifesaving in your Shelter? Your Data is the Lifeline

Dr. Mike GreenbergThursday, October 4, 2018

Your data is a powerful tool for decision making. We partner with Shelter Animals Count and Humane Dash to bring you charts and graphs of your data, fast!

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Community First: Alan Graham on Impact and Homelessness

Alan GrahamMarch 2018

In this keynote address, Alan Graham, founder and CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes and the groundbreaking Community First! Village, discusses the issues surrounding human homelessness and how our human institutions are much like those for animals.

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How Austin Did It - Roadmap to Saving More Lives

Ellen Jefferson, DVM, Ryan Clinton, Lee Ann ShenefielMarch 2018

This presentation is designed to give you context about the obstacles, the challenges, the successes and the strategies that made Austin, TX the largest No Kill (counting all animals entering the shelter) City in America.

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Maddie's Idea Lab: Saving Lives and Spreading Good Ideas

Sheila Segurson D'Arpino, DVM, DACVBMarch 2018

Maddie's® Idea Lab supports the implementation and assessment of innovative ideas that have a high likelihood of advancing lifesaving of dogs and cats, the utilization of foster care for dogs and cats or animal welfare leadership. Come to this lecture to find out what we've learned and how these ideas are saving lives.

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Overcoming Obstacles: Wisdom of the Warrior with David Meyer

David MeyerMarch 2018

How can you better motivate the public to take the actions you need them to take? David Meyer shows you how to use the subtle principles of Jiu Jitsu to build support and overcome obstacles in all aspects of life in this presentation.

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Strategic Planning To No Kill - No Duplication Of Effort In Your Community Is Key

Ellen Jefferson, DVM, Brent ToellnerMarch 2018

This session is a step-by-step tutorial on focusing your work so that it is additive, not duplicative, or worse yet, inconsequential. We show you exactly how!

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Humane Education - Shaping the Future for Animals

Pam StonebreakerJanuary 2018

This presentation covers the basics of humane education, including considerations when launching a program, developing programs for different age groups.

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Animal Shelter Volunteer Management

Laura FrankJanuary 2018

Want to learn some of the ASPCA's best practices around volunteer management?

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Advanced Foster Program Management: Taking Your Foster Program to the Next Level

J. Scarlett KingsleyJanuary 2018

If you have an established shelter foster program, learn how to establish clear pathways and procedures for moving fosters in and out of the shelter; how to recruit fosters on the cheap, and much more!

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Best Practice Strategies for Redefining Animal Sheltering

Dr. Sara PizanoFebruary 2017

Hear a fresh perspective with regards to the way animals may enter the shelter and key practices that help the most leave alive, all by working smarter, not harder.

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Positive Alternatives to Shelter Surrender (PASS)

January 2017

How wonderful would it be if you could prevent animals from ever coming into your shelter in the first place?

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Surefire Ways to Start and Grow a Volunteer Program

January 2017

Are you interested in learning how to grow, implement and inspire a volunteer program at your shelter or rescue?

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Opitmizing Volunteer Engagement

December 2016

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Lifesaving Programs for Shelters

Scott GiacoppoJanuary 2017

Is your shelter's policies saving lives or costing them? This session shows how one shelter underwent a complete transformation with one goal in mind, to save lives.

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Making Technology Work for You: How Smart Decisions Can Save Lives And Money

Greg LucasFebruary 2017

How properly managing data will save you more money.

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Integrating Volunteers into Your Animal Shelter Programs and Culture

Paula FasseasOctober 2016

Could your animal shelter use 5,000 volunteers?

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Building a Powerful No-Kill Team: How to Recognize and Cultivate Leaders

Marc PeraltaJuly 2016

Your team and and what positions you have - be they staff or volunteers - are all tactics to reaching your no-kill goals. Watch this presentation to find out how to build a success-driven team.

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Moving Forward: Creating a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Vincent MedleyJuly 2016

Knowing the talents of individual team members is key to setting them up for success. When a staff member is successful, their programs are usually successful.

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Successful Stewardship: Building Lasting Donor Relationships

Mark RovnerJuly 2016

Join this extremely engaging speaker as he helps you tap into your own wisdom, experience and passion to create lasting relationships with new and continuing donors.

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Ready, Steady, Go: Managing Change for Increased Success

Holly SizemoreJuly 17, 2015

Evolve and grow - that's the blueprint for a vibrant organization, but many of us resist change, especially when we can't see the need for it. How can we change and continue to move the ball forward?

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Learning to Lead: What Great Leaders Know and Do

Gregory CastleJuly 17, 2015

It takes leadership to save animals. There are many different ways to lead, and many different ways to make decisions. Find out how to maximize your leadership skills to affect the most change.

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Working for Peace: Effective Conflict Resolution

Karen GreenJuly 17, 2015

Conflict can actually strengthen relationships, increase creativity and lead to solutions. Learn how to turn disagreements into doorways for collaboration and teamwork.

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Create a Blazing Hot Brand: More Mission, Members, Media and Money

Julie CastleJuly 17, 2015

Brand your organization, stand out from the sea of nonprofits in your community, attract more donors, volunteers and community support.

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Strong on Top: Building and Engaging a Board of Directors

Sandy ReesJuly 17, 2015

You can unleash the best board of directors ever. Discover the traits of your ideal board members, learn to recruit the talented folks you most want, and plan ways to keep them meaningfully engaged.

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Creating and Sustaining a Dog Foster Network

Ann LindholmFebruary 2015

With a viable foster program it's possible to begin transforming your community to no-kill, even if you don't have a shelter. Learn how a one person position grew into a dog foster team of more than 35 volunteers. This team supports a network of over 1,000 approved foster parents.

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Rescuing Dogs from the Euthanasia List

Palmer NeuhausFebruary 2015

Fifty percent of the dogs in Austin, Texas were dying in 2008 when Austin Pets Alive! began saving lives. The rescue team had merely one- to two-hours to go through the euthanasia list, choose animals and save them before their time was up. Learn how the rescue team evaluated and chose dogs.

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Medical Treatment for Cats on a Shoestring Budget

Ellen Jefferson, DVM, and Jordana MoerbeFebruary 2015

Austin Pets Alive! Medical Clinic treats thousands of cats a year, many who are straight off of the euthanasia list because of medical conditions such as feline leukemia, FIV, renal disease, hepatic lipidosis, skin problems, viral diseases, and trauma. They save them all and this session is about how they do it.

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Creating and Growing a Successful Cat Foster Program

Ashley FerryFebruary 2015

Fosters often mean the difference between life and death for cats in the shelter. They are essential in addressing overcrowding issues, shelter behavior problems and providing personalized care for medical conditions.

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Rescuing Cats from the Euthanasia List

Frances Flower, PhDFebruary 2015

Learn how to create a sustainable rescue program that relies solely on volunteers to assess cats on the euthanasia list and save the most lives it can that are out of other options for a live outcome.

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DIY: Building a Nice Cattery on a Shoestring

Bruce Walker, PhD and Bob BreezeFebruary 2015

Desperate for cat adoption facilities but not enough funds to get a building? Build out "habitats” in your local pet store or vet clinic!

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How to Start and Grow a Large Bottle Baby Program in Your Community, Part 1

Casandra MensingFebruary 2015

In this is a two-part presentation, you’ll learn how to start and build a bottle baby nursery, plus how to create a foster network for neonates. In Part 1, Casandra Mensing will share her experience running APA!’s Nursery, from its meager beginnings to the groundbreaking phenomenon that it is today.

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How to Start and Grow a Large Bottle Baby Program Part 2

Rachel Sherinian February 2015

In this is a two-part presentation, you’ll learn how to start and build a bottle baby nursery, plus how to create a foster network for neonates. In Part 2, Rachel Sherinian will focus In finding, training, and retaining specialized foster families for kittens, whether you have a nursery or not.

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Taking Troubled Tabbies from Naughty to Nice

Sara Cookson and Kristin Hill February 2015

Every rescue encounters troubled cats with issues that go beyond tortitude. The Austin Pet's Alive! Cat Behavior Team will teach you how to prevent behavior problems before they start.

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Cat Adoptions 2.0 High Volume Cat Adoptions

Monica FrendenFebruary 2015

Too many cats, not enough adopters? Supersize your cat adoption program! In this Level 2 seminar, you'll learn how to manage a population of hundreds of cats in varying stages of your organization.

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Volunteer 1.0: Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement

Gerri KapplerFebruary 2015

Austin Pets Alive! is well known for its huge volunteer force (over 2,000 hours per week). But in 2008 APA! started with no funds for staff and relied solely on volunteers to do everything related to saving lives and building a huge organization. How did they do it?

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Marketing 2.0

Diane BlankenburgFebruary 2015

How do you get name recognition on a limited budget? What image do you want to create? What puts you on the map? What is the purpose of your marketing materials?

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Fundraising 1.0: Grass Roots Fundraising

Lindy Hardin and Katy BryantFebruary 2015

San Antonio Pets Alive! started in 2012 with some financial help, but the organization had to quickly get on its feet to raise the rest of the funds needed to save 5,000 animals. The presenters share what they did to hit the ground running, what worked, what didn’t work as well as expected and how to divide and conquer.

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Fundraising 2.0: From Grass Roots to a Multi-Million Dollar Organization

Diane BlankenburgFebruary 2015

Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) started off as a very grassroots organization, raising every dollar through word of mouth. Five years later, APA! has grown and the needs of fundraising have, too. This presentation addresses how to plan for bigger funds.

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The Value of Teamwork: Shelter Managers, Staff and Volunteers

Michael and Pam Kitkoski February 2015

Volunteers are a necessity for rescue and shelter organizations working to achieve no-kill. Volunteers must be treated as partners, offering meaningful work and appropriate autonomy. But even in an atmosphere of mutual accountability, conflicts with both staff and volunteers can arise.

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Why Creative Writing is Essential to Saving Lives

Elizabeth DoyleFebruary 2015

Learn how to get more pets adopted through better marketing and advertising using online venues and volunteer photographers.

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Data: Why It Is Critical to Success and How To Keep Up with It

Lindsay O'GanFebruary 2015

Believe it or not, data is the cornerstone of a healthy organization. Learn how Austin Pets Alive! keeps so many moving pieces in communication through end-of -day reporting, overnight data entry and checks and balances.

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Creating and Keeping a Stellar Lifesaving Team

Marc PeraltaFebruary 2015

Working together is the only way to achieve our lifesaving goals. This seminar concentrates on how to build and maintain a successful team focused on the techniques that result in successful high-volume adoptions.

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How to Keep Your Newsletters Out of the Spam Folder

Amy StarnesFebruary 2015

Email management and marketing is much more than simply opening a free Gmail account. You need a strategy and an email marketing platform.

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Exceeding Customer Service Expectations in Relation to Adoptions

Marc PeraltaFebruary 2015

Are doing all you can to help increase the number of animal lives saved? This seminar focuses on the impact of exceptional customer service.

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The Adoptline Team: Virtual Frontline of Austin Pets Alive

Patty Lepley Alexander and Gerri KapplerFebruary 2015

Austin Pets Alive!’s (APA) Adoptline Response Team provides email and phone mail responses to inquiries 365 days a year, 14 hours a day and has been critical in increasing APA's adoptions.

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Healing the Wounded Healer: Techniques to Reduce Stress in High-Intensity Practices

Michele Gaspar, DVM, DABVP (Feline), MAOctober 2013

If you're a shelter medicine professional, it's easy to begin neglecting your own well-being and balance. Because shelter medicine is one of the most emotionally demanding practices within veterinary medicine, clinicians face burnout, compassion fatigue and a wide range of mental health problems.

research

Orphaned Kitten Survey Results

September 2013

Orphaned kittens are the most fragile of homeless animals, and many shelters consider it too resource-intensive to care for them. For that reason, they often make up the largest single group of animals euthanized at many shelters. We surveyed shelters and rescue organizations to gather data on: care and housing, prevalence of health issues, training given to individuals who provide care, and challenges organizations may face in providing care for kittens.

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Staff and Volunteer Engagement Survey Results

September 2013

Research clearly links high staff and volunteer engagement to high performance and productivity. We surveyed shelters and rescue organizations to: assess overall levels of engagement, investigate potential drivers which may contribute to engagement or disengagement and provide resources to enable organizations to improve engagement.

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Reducing Shelter Admissions with an Animal Help Desk

Bonney Brown, Executive Director, Nevada Humane SocietyMarch 2013

Sixty percent of the callers who wanted to surrender one or more pets were convinced to try alternatives as a result of Nevada Humane Society’s free Animal Help Desk.

research

Training and Development Survey Results

November 2012

Research shows that attention to your workers' training and development can also lead to increased confidence, a deeper connection to the mission, accountability and retention, while reducing monotony and disengagement. We surveyed shelters and rescue organizations to: understand current training and development practices, identify common needs and challenges, and offer tips and resources to improve programs.

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Web-Based Educational Resource Survey Results

January 2011

We asked our funded partners and newsletter subscribers to complete an online survey regarding educational resources available on the web.

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Foster Care Volunteers are Lifesavers

Brenda Barnette2009

The Seattle Humane Society wanted to remain an open door private shelter, but the number of pets coming in exceeded the space it had to properly care for them. The solution: ask the community to help foster. The result: 3,001 dogs and cats in foster care in FY2008-2009.

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When the Adopters Show Up, Will Your Shelter Be Ready?

2009

The Shelter Pet Project advertising campaign may put shelter customer service to the test.