CARE partners with community-based individuals & marginalized community organizations to identify needs & priorities, then develop & implement equitable, accessible, & community-led solutions for people & pets. We’ll discuss research behind this approach & suggestions for integrating community wisdom into evaluating your program. Attendees will understand how shifting community engagement to partnership, not servitude, advances health equity & promotes comprehensiv...

In this interactive session we will review the basics behind an intake exam and explore some of the most common findings in each species.

Let’s use real world examples of what it looks like when people can’t or don’t get needed medical care for their pets. We will examine cases and generate creative solutions to common barriers faced, then facilitate creative pathways of alternative approaches through REDI. These opportunities help increase awareness of barriers and motivate proactive steps to encourage inclusion of these communities. This results in increased preventive care, animal and human health, and pets staying home.

This session will cover basic dog body language and fear-free handling and is intended for those new to animal welfare or anyone looking to brush up on their knowledge. Back to Basics: Dog Behavior, Body Language & Fear Free Handling is good for 1 CEU for CPDT-KA certificants. Attendees must bring their certificate number to the session and check in with the N...

Are you guilty of policing poverty within the animal welfare industry? Let’s explore the impact of decisions made by animal control, shelters, and veterinary professionals on families in need of support. Challenge your mindset as we discuss alternatives to removing pets from homes, ticketing families with citations, and reactive practices, emphasizing resource provision over judgment. Attendees will gain insights on distinguishing malice from poverty in their practices, fostering positive tra...

Why do so many animal health care professionals dread working with cats?  Is the way we engage with cats and their owners creating a roadblock to care?  When we adjust how we handle and communicate with cats and their people, we will actually look forward to those interactions. This will open the door to developing a more successful relationship with this often misunderstood species and you will gain a reputation for being "c...

Join the discussion on how being a Disruptor is conducive to creating more inclusive, lifesaving programs. We will examine the positive impact of important Disruptors throughout history and the related social changes that positively influence our lives today. We will apply a Disruptor approach to Animal Welfare by reviewing practical steps for assessing programs and identifying opportunities for programmatic changes to support keeping companion pets with their families and embracing “well-bei...

Providing excellent client services is essential to building trust and positive partnerships between your agency and the community. But what if we took it beyond the front desk, and implemented a culture of hospitality across the entire organization? Attendees will leave the session understandingDifference between client services and hospitality  

AWOs and startups may sound very different from the outside, but on the inside, we look alike! We all have big goals and few resources to achieve them. We have impossibly long to-do lists. We operate in an environment where the only constant is change. From how we approach meetings, to prioritizing what work needs to be done now versus later, to staying focused on your goals in chaotic environments, this session will share practical st...

Do you struggle with volunteers who interact inappropriately with dogs? Are staff and volunteers often at odds over behavior or training? Is sharing a euthanasia decision with volunteers actively traumatizing them and you? This presentation will talk about how to build a strong dog volunteer program that gets everyone on the same team to help dogs without a toxic culture. Takeaways include concrete steps on recruitment, training, discu...

Caring for shelter animals involves making decisions, often challenging ones, day in and day out.  Whether you're working in shelter administration, operations, medicine, or behavior (or all of the above), you've likely experienced the fatigue that comes with decision-making.  Join us to recognize that we aren't alone and that we can implement strategies including effective communication techniques, collaborative decision-mak...

Have you ever been curious about what dogs do in the shelter when we’re not watching? How much are they sleeping, drinking, scratching, or even licking? We were too, so we put activity and health trackers (think Fit Bit for dogs) on thousands of shelter dogs to find out (and collected DNA samples too!). In this session, we’ll provide insights from thousands of data points collected. We’ll share how shelter dog behavior differs from in-...

Caring for shelter animals involves making decisions, often challenging ones, day in and day out.  Whether you're working in shelter administration, operations, medicine, or behavior (or all of the above), you've likely experienced the fatigue that comes with decision-making.  Join us to recognize that we aren't alone and that we can implement strategies including effective communication techniques, collaborative decision-mak...

Animal welfare organizations and the veterinary field are facing the urgent need for improved access to veterinary care (AVC) for underserved populations. Harnessing the expertise of the AVC community we developed 20 questions to prioritize their research efforts on key topics that will have the greatest impact, ultimately advancing AVC efforts around the country. This session will open a dialog with attendees to discuss the relevance ...

Join Shelter Animals Count experts to explore data's pivotal role in comprehending animal shelter operations in New England and nationwide. This session delves into precise data collection's significance, industry-shaping trends, and practical applications, empowering your organization to leverage data effectively. Uncover how data amplifies grant applications, boosts transparency, and garners donor support, showcasing its boundless po...

The merge between MSPCA and NEAS requires a new level of consistency among our four-shelter system to support fluid internal transfer of and communication surrounding our dog population. To meet our unique needs, we developed an evaluation process comprised of objective observations recorded during routine daily care and at natural checkpoints in an animal’s pathway. We aim to equip staff and volunteers with the skills to participate i...

To run a successful volunteer program, we need to create an environment where volunteers feel welcome and that they are contributing in a meaningful way. Investment in quality onboarding and training upfront will pay dividends in the end! Having staff buy-in is essential for building and maintaining a strong program with good volunteer retention. In this session, we will explore some strategies and best practices for getting staff inve...

During this presentation, attendees will learn how to identify potential threats and resources needed for their community and personal pet and animal preparedness. This program reviews the steps in Preparedness, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery relating to animals during a disaster. Attendees will leave with a roadmap on how to begin the work of preparing themselves and their communities for a disaster, as local animal welfare expert...