Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Announces New Field Services Toolkits to be Included within HASS Playbook
The new resources were developed in partnership with NACA and other field services experts to create a united standard of care (AUSTIN, TX) December 10, 2024–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international project bridging the gap between human and animal welfare, announced today the inclusion of 11 new toolkits to the HASS Playbook. Developed in partnership with the National Animal Care Association (NACA) and other animal welfare industry experts within field services, the new resources aim to provide shelters with...
Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Announces Elkie Wills as Director
(AUSTIN, TX) December 9, 2024–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international project bridging the gap between human and animal welfare, announces Elkie Wills as Maddie’s® Director of Human Animal Support Services, bringing more than 20 years of animal welfare and community engagement experience to the project. Launched in 2020, HASS will reemphasize its commitment to supporting people and their pets under Elkie’s direction and continue to work with pilot and partner organizations to implement data-driven,...
Letter from the NEW HASS Director
Hello HASS Community, My name is Elkie Wills and I’m proud to share that I’m leading the HASS project as the new Maddie’s® Director of Human Animal Support Services. Formal titles aside–I really want to take this opportunity to introduce myself and share why I’m thrilled to be not only a part of this community, but to help mobilize the HASS movement this community has built! While I call the snowy state of Michigan home now, I had the honor of most recently hailing from sunny San Diego as the...
What We’re Learning from Community Programs
[embedded content] What are leaders of community-centered programs in Baltimore and Dallas learning as they work with people and pets beyond the shelter? Hear from them on the many issues they face and the questions their experience has raised: What societal factors contribute to shelter intakes? How do you work with your community members to understand what they need and to divert intakes by offering community resources; and how are these leaders reaching towards understanding their impact? Source: Human Animal Support...
Sharing Solutions to Support Lost Pet Programs
[embedded content] Stray pet intake is overwhelming animal shelters and there is a rising need for solutions to get those pets back home. In this webinar, industry experts from three HASS-supported shelters—Cincinnati Animal CARE, Greenville County Animal Care, and San Diego Humane Society, discuss their pet reunification programs and how their efforts can be replicated where you live to get more lost pets home. Access the presentation slide deck using the embedded Google Slides presentation below. Source: Human Animal Support...
Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Platform Pets.Findhelp Sees Nearly 200,000 Searches Since July 2023
(AUSTIN, TX) October 15, 2024–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international project revolutionizing the animal welfare industry by uniting human and animal welfare, launched the pet support services platform pets.findhelp.com two years ago. A first-of-its-kind search engine, the site connects users in need of free and low-cost pet support services such as veterinary care, food banks or crisis sheltering with local service providers. In the past year alone, pets.findhelp saw more than 195,000 searches–a new record of human...
Past, Present, & Future of Animal Welfare with HASS
[embedded content] Since 2020, the animal welfare industry has faced an increase of challenges unlike ever before. From overfilled kennels and a lack of municipal support to increased needs for mental health support in the workplace—and a decrease in community engagement. What is needed is a fresh, human-services-rooted perspective that rallies municipal and community support with ease. In this webinar, Dr. Ellen Jefferson, Co-Founder of HASS & CEO of Austin Pets Alive!, and Mike Wheeler, Director of Community Services at Cabot...
How to Support Shelter Staff’s Mental Health: Lessons in Social Work for Suicide Prevention Month
[embedded content] Animal welfare professionals face crises, traumatic experiences, and compassion fatigue daily. With staff shortages and maximum shelter capacity nationwide, many work unprecedented hours in often inhuman conditions leading to a significant risk to mental health. Animal rescue workers have the highest rate of death by self-harm among American workers–a rate only shared by firefighters and police officers. In this webinar, Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach, Director of Veterinary Social Work at Open Door Veterinary...
Standardized Shelter Intake Data Saves More Lives
While we are getting much closer to understanding the complex circumstances that lead to pets in need of homes, the data still has quite a ways to go to give us the actionable answers we are looking for. Gaining a better understanding of why and how pets enter animal welfare organizations and what we can do to support both ends of the leash has been a huge topic amongst animal welfare professionals for the last several years, but the conversation actually started much earlier than some may think. In 1992, animal shelter researcher and...
Is Customer Service Costing You Adoptions?
[embedded content] Did the animal welfare industry forget how to relate to the humans who walk through our shelter doors? Gina Knepp, National Shelter Engagement Director at Michelson Found Animals Foundation, walks through the importance of and immediate impact proper customer service, staff training, and relating to PEOPLE has in the adoption outcomes of pets. Find more information regarding best practices in customer service here. Source: Human Animal Support...
