Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Announces 2024 Policy Platform & Agenda
(AUSTIN, TX) November 7, 2023–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international project revolutionizing the animal welfare industry by uniting the human and animal welfare approach, announced today its 2024 policy platform and agenda including the prioritization of the following policy initiatives: increasing equitable access to pet-inclusive housing and affordable veterinary care, expanding federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to include pet food, as well as addressing the way animal shelter conditions...
Creating Connections: How to Build Partnerships Between Animal and Human Organizations
[embedded content] Collaboration between animal welfare and human service organizations is key to successfully supporting people and pets in our communities. By working together and uniting our industries, organizations can bridge the gap and prevent the separation of families. View this panel discussion on just this topic, as well as insights into the HASS Community Connections project. Nichole Hazard, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications for HASS, shares about the partnerships HASS is cultivating between our pilot...
Data Insight: What We Learned from a Simple Question About Visible IDs and RTH Rates
Animal shelters are overflowing with pets that have become separated from their people. According to our HASS pilot data, as well as Shelter Animals Count (SAC), “stray” animals make up around 50% of 2023 shelter intake across the United States. It’s not surprising that organizations are looking for answers to the question, “how can we increase return to home (RTH) rates?” Here’s an example from one of the HASS pilot organizations: With stray pets accounting for nearly 80% of total intake and...
Letter From Vincent: A Q4 Dispatch From the Director of HASS
We were recently in Arkansas, visiting our HASS pilot shelter Cabot Animal Support Services. HASS staff and I were there primarily to support CASS in their data collection, so they can do the good things they’re doing even better — but I always learn from our pilots on these road show visits, which I told you about in my last Letter from the Director, and this was no exception. This time, I got to be part of a large-scale, low-cost drive-thru vaccine clinic that Cabot holds twice a year, and that is the HASS mission in...
Data Visualization Demystified: Heat Mapping 101 for Animal Shelters
[embedded content] Unlock the potential of the shelter data you already collect with heat mapping. Heat maps are visual representations of data that can provide insights into your community’s pet ownership and needs—and it’s not as difficult to get started as you may think! Join HASS team members Angela Gates, Data and Digital Tools Coordinator, and Gareth Meredith, Data Engineer and Analyst, to learn the fundamentals of heat mapping, including a demo. These data-savvy presenters cover everything from free and easy ways to...
Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Releases Community Values Survey Results
(AUSTIN, TX) September 28, 2023–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international project revolutionizing the animal welfare industry by cultivating a movement toward uniting the human and animal welfare approach, is sharing the preliminary results collected from its Community Values Survey. The survey, facilitated by the HASS Data and Research team, is the first step in introducing what the average citizen’s values are in relation to the human-animal bond and how it applies directly to animal welfare. “The HASS...
Data Insight: Microchips Work and They Could Work Better (Part II)
Does your shelter know how much of your lost/stray intake has a microchip already when it arrives? Many shelters don’t know, but this small data detail can offer big benefits in improving your Return to Home (RTH) rates. A key point to this article is that while we tend to focus on their intended end result—more happy stories of families reconnected with beloved lost pets—microchips, and the data associated with them, are also useful in managing shelter operations. Readers should also note that this post can be applied...
Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Announces New Resource Center
(AUSTIN, TX) September 18, 2023–Human Animal Support Services (HASS), an international, collaborative project revolutionizing the animal welfare industry by cultivating a movement toward recognizing that human services and animal services are deeply intertwined, has launched an online Resource Center to meet the growing industry and public demand for support that meets the needs of people and pets equally. “HASS recognizes there’s no supporting pets without supporting people,” said Vincent Medley, Director of...
All About Transport: Moving Animals to Create Lasting Positive Impact
[embedded content] Want to learn how animal transport can make a massive difference for people and pets in your community, and beyond? This discussion-style webinar will cover how the strategic transport of animals saves lives while fostering stronger community bonds, alleviating strain on shelters, creating lasting positive impacts, and more. Experts Clare Callison, Director of National Operations for Austin Pets Alive!, and Lindsay Hamrick, Director of Shelter Outreach & Engagement for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) will...
Lost and Found: Working with Your Community to Get More Lost Pets Home
[embedded content] How can we better engage community members in the lost pet reunification process, and get more lost pets home to their families instead of sitting in shelters? This is one of the most important and urgent challenges shelters face. Our panel of experts will help you develop ways to work hand-in-hand with your community, and reunite more pets with their owners. Tune in to hear from Gina Knepp, National Shelter Engagement Director for Michelson Found Animals; Heather Friedman, Chief Marketing Officer for LifeLine Animal...
