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...
Visiting the vet – why your role as a dog or cat parent is so essential to optimal care
As a dog or cat parent, you play a vital role for your veterinarian when you take your four-legged friend in for a check-up. Your participation in the appointment isn’t just helpful – it’s crucial for providing the best care for your animal companion. Let’s explore how you can be the perfect partner to your vet on your dog or cat’s healthcare journey. Before the Visit: Be Prepared Your responsibilities begin before you even step into the clinic. Keep a record of your dog or cat’s behavior, appetite,...
Keep families & pets together with safety net programming
“What we’re talking about is people. And working with people equally as much as we work with pets,” said Matt Pepper on a recent Community Conversations call. Pepper, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Michigan Humane spoke of the importance of meeting the community where they are at. While Michigan Humane held events in the community, Pepper questioned whether or not they were actually part of the community. Following that, they held several well-attended listening sessions in the community and truly listened to...
Holistic Remedies for Motion Sickness in Dogs
If your dog struggles with motion sickness, they’re not alone. It isn’t just about car rides; some dogs experience discomfort on boats or even during short walks. Motion sickness in dogs is a complex issue involving the inner ear, vision, and sometimes anxiety. Recognizing the signs — drooling, whining, vomiting, or excessive lip-licking — is the first step in helping your four-legged companion. Holistic Approach: Treating the Whole Dog, Not Just Symptoms When we talk about a holistic approach, we’re looking at...
Build Stronger Bonds with Your Dog or Cat by Understanding Their Motivations
Understanding our companion animal’s behavior goes beyond the surface level of naughty or nice. Every motivation has a physical, psychological, and energetic component. By observing and identifying these components, you can better understand the underlying causes of their behaviors and address them more effectively. An Animal’s Motivations Are Multi-Faceted Dogs and cats have complex motivations driving their actions. These motivations can be rooted in physical needs, psychological states, or energetic imbalances. For instance, a...
Maddie’s Weekly Roundup: Shelter Animals Count mid-year report, engaging pet fosters and more!
Happy Monday! Below is a brief roundup of resources added over the past week. New research shows how to best engage more diverse communities in the pet fostering process Is your animal organization trying to reach a more diverse audience for pet foster care? Research published by the pet product retailer, Chewy, found pet fostering has increased by 17% over the past year, with 8% of U.S. households fostering pets (HumanePro, 2022). However, little research has addressed… Learn More Shelter Animals Count releases 2024 mid-year...
Using Aromatherapy to Help Ease Canine Anxiety
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts known for their therapeutic properties. When used correctly, they can help with canine anxiety. You can help your dog live a happier, more peaceful life by understanding their needs, selecting the right oils, and applying them safely. This article will explore how aromatherapy can help reduce anxiety in dogs, including what oils to use and how to use them safely. Understanding Canine Anxiety and Its Triggers Canine anxiety can manifest in many ways. It can cause excessive barking, destructive...
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...
6 Things to Know When Your Cat Has a Ringworm Infection
Ringworm is a common infection cat parents must deal with. Luckily, there are steps you can take to protect yourself, your cat, and other family members. Here are the top six things to know about ringworm infections and how to deal with them. If you’re a cat parent and aren’t familiar with ringworm, consider yourself lucky! Ringworm is a common fungal infection that impacts cats. The name comes from the characteristic ring-shaped rash it causes, rather than a type of worm. In fact, this infection has nothing to do with worms at...
