Additional Reading Material for

Adoptions Specialist

Volunteers

January 2019

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Table of Contents

Training Videos 2

Conversation Tips and Sample Language 2

Sample Language to Model Engaging Conversations 2

Examples of Open Ended Questions 4

HSUS Adopters Welcome 5

“Adopters Welcome” Adoption Policies 5

Relevant Articles 7

Support for Open Adoptions 7

People Do Not Suck. 8

Best Friends Blog: Scaring people away from rescue adoptions 11

Open Adoptions and Beyond: Strategic Pet Placement 12

More Acceptance for Open Adoption Policies 16

Return Isn’t a Dirty Word 18

Things to be aware of in the adoption contract 21

Tips for Reviewing Applications 22

The Value of an AWLA Cat Adoption 24

SHOPPING LIST FOR A NEW CAT: 24

The Value of an AWLA Dog Adoption 25

SHOPPING LIST FOR YOUR NEW DOG 26

Zoonotic and Contagious diseases 26

Shelter Medical Explained 26

Intake Vaccines and Treatments 27

Understanding Medical Notes 27

Common Animal Illnesses 27

FeLV 27

FIV 27

Kennel Cough/Upper Respiratory Infection 28

Ringworm 28

Parvo (Dog) and Panleukopenia (Kitten) 28

FIP – Feline Infectious Peritonitis 28

Types of Mange 29

Feline Herpes 29

Heartworms 29

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Training Videos Mythbusters: HSUS Finding the Perfect Home https://www.animalsheltering.org/mythbusters Tips on Communicating with Adopters https://youtu.be/cRj_fXX67wI Customer Service for Social Change https://vimeo.com/85481716

Conversation Tips and Sample Language From animalsheltering.org/adopters-welcome

Sample Language to Model Engaging Conversations To help future counselors feel comfortable having meaningful conversations, incorporate examples and practice in to your training. The following is a cheat sheet with sample language to help with role-play exercises. Start with a warm “hello:” As silly as it may sound, a genuinely warm greeting can make a big difference to a potential adopter. Whether you are helping them get to know the animals in your adoption program or are meeting them after they’ve picked “the one,” introduce yourself and let them know you are happy to help them adopt. Visitors may be intimidated by the adoption process or may not know what to expect. They need encouragement to ask questions. “Hi, I’m Rosie. Thanks for being here today! Pepper is a real sweetie and very handsome. Can I help you meet him?” “Hi, I’m Rosie. I see you’ve fallen for Pepper. Thanks for getting started with our questionnaire. Let’s go over it together. Feel free to ask questions as we go!” Support gift adoptions: Make gift adoptions easy and meaningful. The HSUS sample questionnaire includes a prompt for anyone adopting a pet as a gift to answer from the perspective of the soon-to-be-owner. “I see you are adopting for a friend. What can you tell me about the lucky recipient? I can help you find a great pet and we can follow up with them in the future to let them know about our services. Is this a surprise? We don’t want to spoil it.” Engage adopters who rent: The HSUS sample questionnaire does not include a question about renting or owning a home. Instead, it provides a brief FYI about possible restrictions for renters who may not be aware of them. Encourage renters to be familiar with any pet policies, expose them to helpful advice and trust them to work through bumps. “If you rent, let me know if you have any questions about possible pet restrictions such as size limits or pet deposits. We don’t want you to be caught off guard!” Learn about household members: You have access to information about each animal, including historical information from owners or finders, observations from staff and volunteers and in some cases, results

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from a formal behavior assessment. Be transparent with this information and cover positive, neutral and negative interactions the pet has had with adults, children and strangers. Combine this information with the insights you gather from potential adopters to identify suggestions that can help the match succeed. “We’ve noticed that Sophie is a very active dog. Even the Good Samaritan who found her said she was friendly but very strong! You mentioned that your grandma stays with you and is a little nervous about your new family member. Do you want to look for a dog who is more low key, or would you like to discuss ideas to harness Sophie’s energy so she isn’t too much for your grandma while you’re away?” Learn about current household pets: Start the conversation about any pets already in their home, building on their answers. Pay attention to what information the adopter offers because it creates a picture of what they already do and what they are expecting with this new pet. Don’t be afraid to offer suggestions that can help them with a smooth transition. “You mentioned that your last dog stayed outside and it sounds like you have the same plans for Squeaky. We know from Squeaky’s former owners that he is used to living inside and might not do well outside, away from you. Dogs are very social and can actually develop problems when separated from their family. Would you be interested in some tips on keeping Squeaky inside with you?” “I’m so sorry your last cat ran away! That’s actually one of the reasons we try to help families keep their cats indoors. It’s safer and healthier for the cats and prevents heartbreak for owners. I can’t promise that Whiskers will stick around if you allow him to go outside, but I can help you keep him happy inside. How does that sound?” Share the new pet’s medical history and agency notes: Review any known medical history collected from the previous owner or finder, as well as medical information from the pet’s time in your agency’s care. Answer questions (or connect the adopter with someone who can) and share your perspective on the benefits of veterinary care. Clarify terms of any discounted or free veterinary visits that your organization may offer directly or through partnerships. I am not a veterinarian, but I will go over Bella’s medical notes with you and send you home with a copy of everything. According to her records, vaccines are not due until September of next year, but it’s a good idea to think ahead about who her veterinarian will be. Do you have a veterinarian you are used to, or would you like a list of local options? We know that finding the right veterinarian for your family is just as important as finding a doctor, so I can offer tips on what to ask, if you are interested!” Share the new pet’s behavior history and agency notes: Review any known behavior history collected from the previous owner or finder, as well as information from the pet’s time in your agency’s care. If you work with any certified pet dog trainers and/or cat behavior professionals, or offer these services directly, this is a good time to discuss what is available. “Rocco’s former parents told us that he got into trouble playing with cushions and shoes when he was just out of sight. Let’s come up with a few things you can do to manage things more easily. Have you used baby gates or crates with dogs before?” Cover additional topics that the adopter wants to discuss, even the tricky ones: In addition to covering topics important to the adopter, you can also check in on their understanding of certain topics they may not yet see as priorities.

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✔ Declawing cats: “You mentioned that you have questions about declawing. We’ve found that many folks aren’t aware that the surgery is actually an amputation that can have some negative effects. We recommend alternatives that I’d be happy to go over with you. You might also want to consider a cat who is already declawed. What are your thoughts?” ✔ Heartworm prevention: “Heartworm disease is a big concern for dogs, so we always like to ask pets owners if they are aware of this disease and how to prevent it. How familiar are you with heartworm, which is different from other kinds of worms?” ✔ Introducing this pet to other pets: “Sounds like you are like me, with a whole crew of pets at home! Tell me more about them and I can offer suggestions for introducing the ‘new kid.’ I’ll also send you home with some tip sheets to help you stay on track over the next few days or weeks. Sometimes introductions take time, but they are always worth it!” Explain your return policy: Even though you aim for success, it’s a good idea to clarify return policies to adopters, including your approach to rehoming. “We expect everything to work out great, and are here if you have bumps along the way, but I want to make sure you know about our return policy. Are you familiar with our Good Match policy or how we can help if you need to rehome Scooter?” Offer follow-up support: Be sure to let adopters know you are available to help after they take their new pet home. Follow-up programs will vary by agency, so let them know how yours works. The relationship built through your outstanding customer service and engaging conversations will encourage them to call before a problem is out of hand. Offer any extra services you can: Adopters are a captive audience. If your organization offers extra services such license tag sales, ID tags, microchip registration or low-cost spays and neuters, adoption counselors should be well versed in promoting these services and answering common questions about them. Remember that this is a pet lover in your community who may be able to take advantage of your programs, spread the word about them or even support your efforts with time and money. Wrap up with a “thank you:” This is a nice time to reinforce that your agency welcomes and appreciates adopters. Close with a sincere “thank you!”

Examples of Open Ended Questions From Boulder Valley Humane Society

What kind of pet are you looking for today?

What qualities are you looking for in a companion animal?

How would you describe your lifestyle?

What age range are you interested in?

What are your plans for the pet when you are gone during the day?

Tell me about your past experience with pets?

How much do you know about our training and behavior programs?

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How long has it been since you’ve had a puppy or kitten?

I noticed you are looking for a declawed cat. What are your concerns with taking home a cat with claws?

Would you be interested in looking at adult animals that have been training?

What type of sleeping arrangement are you able to provide for your pet?

Where will the animal be when kept when you are not home?

How do you plan on exercising your dog?

What are you most concerned about in adopting a pet?

What would you do if this dog didn’t get along with your current pets?

What would you do if your cat didn’t use the litter box?

What behaviors do you think you can’t be tolerated or would be difficult for you to manage?

Tell me about the types of activities you’d like to do with the dog.

What questions do you have for me?

HSUS Adopters Welcome From animalsheltering.org/adopters-welcome

“Adopters Welcome” Adoption Policies Adoption policies should not include automatic “no’s” or “must-haves.” These are giant barriers that limit options for animals and drive a wedge between you and potential adopters.

Use the following examples to identify and remove barriers in your current policies and develop a better approach.

“Adopters Welcome” policies…

Approach

support renters instead of policing them.

Alert adopters to the fact that pet policies and requirements may exist and trust them to take it from there.

use persuasion, not policies, to help cats live indoors.

Many cat owners believe that it’s better for cats to go outside. Others don’t know how many easy options there are for indoor cat fun. An adoption relationship can help you share perspectives and give cat lovers the insights they need to make good decisions. Take some time to explain how cats can live longer, healthier lives indoors, with reduced risks to themselves and wildlife. Be proactive by sending cats home with a collar, tag and microchip. This approach leads to adoption, plus a more informed pet owner.

promote veterinary care, without requiring proof.

Talk to adopters about vaccines and medical procedures provided to animals in your care. Use this time to find out about the adopter’s veterinary history. If pets at home are not vaccinated, find out why. Reasons could include worries about over-vaccination, bad vaccine reactions or even a mistaken due date. Use this opportunity to explain how veterinary care can help new pets (and pets at home) live happy, healthy lives.

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Good adopters can be on a tight budget, which highlights the need to offer low-cost options. Share information on any veterinary perks you offer such as free wellness visits for adopted pets. Some organizations have on-site clinics, but many rely on partnerships with local veterinarians who appreciate the chance to gain new clients.

treat all dog breeds and types equally.

Adoption policies should treat dogs as individuals and use a selection process based on history, observation and, if applicable, results of formal behavior assessments.

All dogs and adopters should be set up for success through:

● Counsel and access to veterinary care. ● Counsel on socialization, training and the dangers that can result

from chaining or separation from family members.

welcome the giving of pets as gifts.

We know that puppies and kittens (and older pets!) can be wonderful presents for children, loved ones and friends during the holidays and for birthdays, too. Instead of sending adopters to pet stores, questionable breeders and classified ads because of unfounded fears, support these gift adoptions by helping the gift giver find the best match for their lucky recipient. Let your continued support for the pet and new guardian be a gift that keeps on giving.

provide tips on how to introduce a new pet, but don’t require a “meet and greet” unless the adopter requests one.

Unless an adopter wants help physically introducing dogs, skip this requirement. Instead, offer guidance on how to successfully and gradually introduce new pets to resident pets at home.

allow adopters to determine if they would like all members of the home to meet a new pet before adoption.

It makes sense to want everyone in a household to be on the same page. It doesn’t make sense to hold up an adoption in order to prove it. Instead of forcing the issue, which wastes time and goodwill, make it a part of your adoption conversation. Some pet owners will want to take the extra time to include all members of the home in their decision, but leave that up to them.

use persuasion to address declawing, not punishment.

Find out why declawing is being considered and introduce adopters to effective alternatives like nail caps, scratching posts and scratching deterrents such as Sticky Paws. Have these resources available on-site to make it easier for adopters to do the right thing and remind them that you'll be available to help if problems come up at home. Let pet owners know why declawing should be a last resort. You can also encourage them to adopt cats who are already declawed.

support homes long-term instead of investigating them once.

Trade the time that would otherwise be spent on home visits for helping more animals find good homes and supporting pets and families post-adoption. You are far more likely to guarantee a good home when you have a close connection to adopters!

help adopters keep their dogs happy and healthy,

What makes fences so appealing? Safety? Freedom from chains? Off-leash exercise with their family? All of these needs can be met without a fence.

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whether or not they have a fence!

Instead of relying on a physical object that may not actually serve your goals, focus on the needs themselves and help adopters meet them, no matter their living environment.

help pets live happily with people of all ages.

Share insight with adopters. If you know that the 70-pound dog is an active jumper who has a history of knocking down small children, tell adopters your concerns and ask them about their own. Together, you may be able to make these matches work, or find one that is even better.

support spay and neuter for pets at home, without requiring it.

If pets at home are not spayed or neutered, take advantage of a great opportunity to do some outreach. Ask why. Have a conversation about the benefits of spay/neuter and take time to answer questions and concerns. Letting adopters know what options are available locally or through your organization may add spay/neuter success to your adoption success.

don’t delay in sending pets home.

Sending animals home at adoption requires smooth operations that start at intake. Look at your process to make sure animals have what they need to go home at adoption, including spay or neuter surgery. Anticipate bottlenecks such as weekends and holidays or increased volume for upcoming events. Make sure staff and volunteers at offsite events and satellite locations have what they need to send animals home.

Many shelters are making it possible for adopters to consider stray animals before their hold is up. If these animals are not reclaimed, they can find their new homes faster. Get a head start on unavoidable delays such as post-hold spay or neuter by proactively scheduling them ahead of time. Communicating your efforts to adopters can help them manage the wait.

Relevant Articles

Support for Open Adoptions https://www.uwsheltermedicine.com/library/resources/support-for-open-adoptions

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People Do Not Suck.

I work in an animal shelter. An open access animal shelter. I see a lot of stuff. Lots of stuff I’d rather not

see and even more stuff that makes me proud of where I work, the people I work with, the volunteers

who show up daily, and the work we do. I love my job.

I refuse to think people suck. Not because I live in some la-la fantasy world, but because it doesn’t

support my end goals. My end goals are simple: save as many lives as possible, make those lives as good

as possible and be able to stay in the game. Because I love my job.

I love dogs. Thinking that the people who surrender them suck does not support my goals. In fact,

thinking about them does the opposite: it puts me in a place of sadness and anger, which for me can

lead to depression. Depression does nothing for me other than make me feel helpless. I refuse to feel

helpless. Or hopeless. I can feel sad for a while, but I need to move on from there and focus my

attention on the dog. That’s pretty crucial. Walking around thinking people suck takes up brain space

and it takes up heart space. Space I’d rather give to the dog. Space I’d rather use for a better future for

that dog. And you know what? Dogs aren’t thinking about the past, or even the future. They’re focused

on what’s happening now. That’s my job: to help the now be as comfortable as possible. Are dogs sad

and confused and sometimes depressed? Yes. But I can help with that. My coworkers can help with that.

Volunteers can help with that. And we do. To some pretty fantastic outcomes for dogs. Wow.

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Do I have moments of gut-wrenching sadness? Head-exploding anger? Yes. Of course I do. But I don’t let

myself stay there. I do that for me, I do that for the dogs, I do that for the people who give up on them

and for the people who step up for them. I don’t always do it perfectly and I sometimes fail, but I want

to stay in this industry. I want to help dogs. I want to help people. Thinking people suck completely

defeats that purpose.

Thinking people suck also puts us in an “Us vs. Them” position. Based on what we see in politics, I think

we can all agree that this is not a favorable condition in which to get stuff done. If anything, it gets us

focused on how different we are, rather than what we all have in common. The truth is, most people are

doing the best they can. It may not be your best or my best, but that part isn’t up to us. What is up to us,

to a large extent, is what comes next. I don’t add enrichment to the lives of shelter dogs to spite the

people who surrendered them, I do it to help the dog. This doesn’t make me better than anyone else,

but it does make me feel better about me. And at the end of the day, I have to feel good about what I

have done. Condemning someone else for what they have (or haven’t) done doesn’t help. Helping helps.

And so I try my very best to help.

Having a tender spot for animals is something all of us who advocate (albeit in different ways, perhaps)

on their behalf have in common. The fire that fuels us may be different. The fire in me works towards a

better outcome for the dog in front of me. That fire is dampened by the “people suck” rhetoric. It is

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fueled by action, not talk. It’s fueled by the kennel attendant willing to go to the mat for an extremely

scared dog. It’s fueled by the rescue partner who takes the elderly dog and hugs us and thanks us for

reaching out. It’s fueled by coworkers who rally around and accept every single dog I bring into our

office to let decompress and relax. It’s fueled by the volunteer who says that even though he could pick

the dog up to get her in and out of the car, he’d rather teach her to feel safe walking up and down a

ramp. It’s fueled by coworkers who say treat buckets on the kennel doors make a huge difference in the

dogs behavior. It’s fueled by the coworker who gives extra blankets to dogs. It’s fueled by the dog who

was growling at the back of the kennel, but is now wagging his tail at the front thanks to kindness and

compassion. It’s fueled by volunteers who show up and get every dog out regardless of the weather. It’s

fueled by my boss who allows me to implement things like enrichment, training and education. It’s

fueled by little kids who “ooh, awwww” when I bring a dog into an educational presentation. It’s fueled

by doing, not by talking.

But, mostly it’s fueled by dogs. By dogs who try their very best to trust and to love. By dogs who don’t

hold it against the people who gave them up and instead wag their tail, accept a treat, give kisses, lean

in for petting, make new friends and by and large, learn to be happy despite their current circumstances.

Dogs are my model for living. And loving dogs does not have to mean hating people. At least not for me.

Hating people does not make for better animal advocacy, advocating for dogs does. In my experience,

and not just in working with and for animals, negative thoughts eventually do me in. They chip away at

my soul. They steal my thunder. At my age, I’ve decided that I get to choose how I feel, and I won’t give

that power up to anyone else. That’s been hard fought for. And I’m not giving it up easily.

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Animal advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. For me, thinking that people suck does not get me closer to

the finish line. Focusing on what a dog has been through doesn’t get me closer. Focusing on what can be

done for that dog does. Do I sometimes look at a dog and think “Who could give you up?” Sure. But, I’ve

tried to change my thoughts to “What could cause someone to feel like they had to give you up?” And

then recognize that I may never know, that what’s said on the surrender sheet is usually a pithy write-up

of circumstances that I can’t possibly understand. What I can understand is that illness, death, loss of a

job, loss of housing, lack of understanding of animal behavior or money problems can happen to

anyone. I understand those things because all of them have happened to me. While I have never had to

give up an animal because of them, I know all too well what the insecurity of those things feels like.

Maybe you are thinking I give people too much credit. That’s okay. I probably would have in the past,

too. But, what I have found and believe in my heart of hearts to be true is that I am not here to

condemn. I am not here to hate. And I can not allow myself to feel those things. There’s too much work

to do. And the dogs need us.

By Lori Nanan|February 28th, 2016

About the Author: Lori Nanan

Lori Nanan is a certified pet dog trainer through Jean Donaldson’s Academy for Dog Trainers (CTC) and

Animal Behavior College (ABC-DT), as well as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer- Knowledge Assessed

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(CPDT-KA.) Lori is the Canine Behavior Education Coordinator at Women's Humane Society in Bensalem,

PA. and is the co-founder of Your Pit Bull and You. She lives with her husband, Paul, their dog Hazel and

cat, MooMoo. She is committed to creating a world in which all dogs are trained without pain.

Best Friends Blog: Scaring people away from rescue adoptions JULY 17, 2014 - BY FRANCIS BATTISTA @ BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY

I had an eye-opening experience last fall when a very popular and highly regarded Los Angeles area magazine contacted us about doing an in-depth article on Best Friends’ NKLA initiative. It sounded like a great opportunity to get the story out in a comprehensive way and reach another demographic to help achieve the mission of making Los Angeles a no-kill city.

However, when I sat down with the award-winning journalist assigned to the story and laid out the scope and successes of NKLA, along with the history of sheltering in Los Angeles over the last 15 years, I was surprised that he wasn’t taking any notes. It was all very cordial, though, and we made preliminary arrangements for him to meet with and interview other driving NKLA Coalition partners, such as Found Animals Foundation and Downtown Dog Rescue. We were expecting to hear back from him in a few days to set up the meetings, follow-up interviews and a return visit to the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Mission Hills.

Crickets! Apparently, the writer intended to take a solid look at our work, NKLA and the rescue community, but the magazine’s editors wanted him to do a story on the wacky world of animal rescue and the difficulties involved in pet adoption. His boss wanted something about why people who run pet adoption organizations are so strange in the way they go about their business. It was going to be an article about animal welfare weirdness, as opposed to an informative story about how the NKLA Coalition, in partnership with Los Angeles Animal Services, was saving lives at a record pace and was on track to achieve our goal of a no-kill Los Angeles.

In the writer’s words: “My editors and I are at odds concerning the tone of my story. I’d say they want to see a piece along the lines of ‘Those kooky, nutty rescue folks: Why do they give Yuppies such a hard time during the adoption process?’ That’s a story I’m not interested in producing, and it would be a waste of everyone’s time for me to show up this afternoon.” That kind of a reputation — and I’m afraid it’s not isolated to Los Angeles — is literally killing animals. If the public is soured or turned off by rescue organizations when they try to do the right thing by adopting, they will go elsewhere to acquire a pet. Hopefully, they will go to the city shelter, but they are more likely to go to a pet store, a breeder, Craigslist or the family down the street whose dog or cat just had a litter. That means the rescue group doesn’t open a slot for the next shelter pet, and the likelihood of another shelter death goes up.

We need to do better at representing the animals and learn to treat the public as our allies and friends in saving lives. Word of mouth is the best way to build a good reputation.

I understand entirely the rescue mindset. That’s where I — and most of us here at Best Friends — began our work in animal welfare. A dog or cat comes into your care. He was lost or abandoned and was either on the clock in some shelter or figuring out how to survive on the street. As a rescuer, you make an implicit promise to the animal that you will do your best to ensure that, on a quality-of-life scale of 1 to 10, you’ll help him go from somewhere in the minus range to at least a plus five.

As more rehab and care go into getting that animal back on track, the higher your expectations are for his new home. Potential adopters are put through the ringer and asked to pass a battery of tests. Their

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homes, lifestyles and children are scrutinized and evaluated and, despite their compliance and desire to adopt, they are often denied.

Of course, that doesn’t mean they won’t get a pet; it just means that they will give up trying to get one from a rescue group. Whether or not they would provide a good home is anybody’s guess, because such stringent adoption protocols do little to determine the potential of a home and probably do harm to the all-important relationship between rescuer and adopter if the adoption goes forward. There is an alternative to the standardized test and interrogation that many rescue groups employ. For lack of a better term, it is called “open adoptions” and rather than go into an analysis of it here, I refer you to a recent blog post by our friend at KC Pet Project, Brent Toellner, in which he lays out a great analysis of the issue.

The truth of the matter is that animals are dying in shelters because of outdated and discredited draconian adoption policies that are designed to protect the emotional well-being of the rescuer rather than to ensure a safe future life for a dog or cat.

It can be an emotionally challenging decision to move from an exclusive to an inclusive approach to adoptions, but it can be done. Shelter animals need us to get over our angst and get those adoptions rolling.

Open Adoptions and Beyond: Strategic Pet Placement Best Friends Animal Society

The world of sheltering and rescue is characterized by abundance in many ways: abundant caring, good will, bright ideas, and plenty of opportunities to create positive change. Alas, we are also endowed with an abundance of challenges: in many areas, unwanted and homeless animals still abound, and the community’s need for education and assistance with basic pet care can seem bottomless. The one thing most shelters are not blessed with is an over-abundance of resources. In the context of limited resources and virtually limitless challenges, wise allocation of time, space, energy and money becomes literally a life and death issue.

In most communities, we simply can’t afford to solve every social, environmental, ethical and humane issue associated with companion animals. In fact, we most likely couldn’t even agree on what all those problems are and the best solution for each one. Nor can we afford to provide unlimited care for every animal that is temporarily without a home, or find a traditionally defined “perfect forever home” for every animal, of every temperament and in any condition, that might appear on a shelter’s doorsteps. However, in any community, no matter how few resources exist, we can do something. Even capture, transport, minimal care, euthanasia and disposal of an animal is not free. In many cases, better care and better outcomes can be equally or more cost effective. Best of all, affordable practices that save lives are accessible to every community, not just a lucky few. This is what we need to achieve if we are to truly create the No Kill Nation that many of us aspire to.

Getting farther by letting go

Most of us are familiar with the “Serenity Prayer”, which implores “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” It’s interesting that this prayer is often – though inaccurately - attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. In our world of serving homeless animals, accepting the things we cannot change often feels like it takes more courage than changing the things we can. It can certainly be more painful. However, the animals and communities we serve rely on us to make this difficult distinction. If

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we are to succeed, we cannot afford to pour our precious resources into attempting to control situations that simply can’t be controlled, or trying to fix problems that can’t be fixed with the tools we currently have at hand.

While difficult, setting aside the struggle to achieve the impossible immediately releases our resources to invest in the possible – and suddenly broadens the horizon of what “possible” includes. Doing what we can, rather than endlessly struggling to do what we can’t, is more humane for our staff and volunteers as well as the animals. Every success can galvanize yet more energy and investment from the enormous pool of good will and concern for animals that is nascent in every community. In time, the very thing that was once so far out of reach may even become attainable. And the shelter and community can both be happier places in the meantime.

Open adoptions: from deciding to guiding

When I started out in animal sheltering as an adoption counselor, careful adoption policies were the gold standard. I labored to ensure that every animal I placed went to an “ideal” home: a caregiver with the time, money, space and knowledge to provide optimally for that animal. People without fenced yards, who didn’t have their landlord’s permission, those who lacked the wherewithal to provide high quality food and expensive veterinary care or had plans to let their cats outside, all were summarily rejected. Those who were unwilling to labor through the hour-long paperwork and interview process or who shied away from our adoption fees were likewise easily dismissed as lacking the commitment to care for a pet. I loved the feeling that I was safeguarding the animals in our care and holding up a model of pet ownership from which our community could learn.

As fun and empowering as it was to feel like “the decider” of who could and couldn’t have a pet, there were some problems with this approach. Most obviously, we weren’t able to find “ideal” homes for every animal in our care. As much as I was committed to our tough screening process, it broke my heart when an animal for whom I’d denied an adopter ended up being euthanized when no other home could be found. And as hard as I tried, I couldn’t screen out all the “bad” adopters – I could only screen out the ones who didn’t lie or couldn’t fake paperwork. Sometimes our process actually seemed to encourage people to lie, in which case I lost the opportunity to even have a conversation about plans to chain a dog, declaw a cat, or whatever other situation might have concerned me.

The other problem, which now seems so obvious, was that I couldn’t stop all those rejected adopters from getting pets. I just stopped them from getting a pet from our shelter. Like it or not, there are plenty of free and cheap pets available, especially of the species and breeds that fill shelters. If we find them on the street, so can anyone else. There is no long line to wait in, no lengthy forms to fill out. There is also no interview with a caring adoption counselor, no spay/neuter surgery or vaccination, no microchip or ID tag thoughtfully provided. Our rejected adopters may even maintain a market for the breeding we most hope to discourage. If they can purchase a pit bull pup for $50 down the street, and if someone can make a cool few hundred by breeding their pit bull, our generous offers of “low cost spay/neuter” or even “pay to spay” are more likely to fall on deaf ears.

The “open adoption” concept was developed to address exactly this dilemma. Rather than screening applicants to decide if they’re worthy, adoption counselors have conversations that aim to match the person with the right pet. Removing barriers to adoption will benefit “good” pet owners because all the barriers were un-necessary anyway - good pet owners will take good care of their pets no matter how many or how few hoops they jump through. Having good pet owners adopt shelter pets instead of purchasing them obviously benefits the animals and the shelter as well. Open adoptions also may

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increase the number of pets adopted to “bad” pet owners. This will also benefit shelters, people and pets, perhaps even more! Hard to believe? Here’s how this works…

Strategic adoptions: building bridges with at-risk pet owners

People who are likely to be considered “bad adopters” are those with limited resources or knowledge to provide important elements of care for their pets. They might be people with a different cultural background than most of the folks working in animal welfare, with different ideas about the role of domestic animals in our lives. Many of “these people” do love animals and want pets, however. When they obtain a pet, where I live it is relatively likely to be a pit bull, Chihuahua, or cat – the same animals that tend to overpopulate shelters are also the most likely to be widely available for free or cheap in the community. If not adopted from a shelter, often these pets will be un-vaccinated, un-altered, and un-identified (since someone who does not do these things is a big part of our definition of a “bad pet owner”, right?). They will not have been screened for behavioral soundness and the owners, again by definition of being a “bad adopter”, are unlikely to have the wherewithal to train them – so these pets are more likely to create problems for the owner and neighbors. They will be subject to the health risks associated with being intact and unvaccinated, and will belong to people with the least ability to deal with the resulting problems (parvo, pyometra, hit by car when out looking for a mate...).

Unidentified, intact animals who have behavioral problems and whose owners don’t know much about taking care of them are also at most risk for ending up where? In the shelter, of course. Since they didn’t adopt from the shelter, it’s likely that the owner will never have had a positive experience of a shelter (or perhaps any experience of a shelter) and will therefore be unlikely to come reclaim their pet. At best, we will have to work to spay/neuter, vaccinate, microchip and rehome the animal. At worst (and commonly in many communities) the pet will be euthanized – it will be just another unruly, intact, young adult pit bull, or yet another sickly, pregnant cat in the height of kitten season.

On the other hand, consider this scenario: we remove all obstacles for “bad” pet owners to adopt a pet from a shelter. In fact, we actively go out and seek these owners with marketing and offsite adoptions. This does not cause them to get pets when they otherwise wouldn’t have, but may cause some to get a shelter pet instead of a pet from another source. If they do get a shelter pet, they may be relatively likely to adopt one of the pets we have a harder time placing: in California, that would often be a pit bull, Chihuahua, or cat. At any rate, whatever pet they adopt will be screened for behavioral soundness, vaccinated, microchipped and altered. Even if the new adopter has no further ability to provide veterinary care, these factors remove the great majority of serious health risks for young animals. If they do have problems with the pet or the pet gets lost, the adopter will at least be aware that the shelter exists and will have had one positive experience there. As a result they are more likely to contact the shelter for help before a behavior problem escalates, or to come looking for their pet should it become lost.

In the worst case scenario, the “bad pet owner” will be unable to keep the pet and they will return it to the shelter. This is less likely than if they had gotten the pet from another source, so it does not result in additional pets entering the shelter. It just means that some pets entering the shelter will have been adopted from there in the first place rather than purchased or acquired somewhere else. This should not be seen as a failure. The pet will be vaccinated, altered, and microchipped – so at least we can know its history and be able to more promptly rehome the animal.

Accepting the risk

There will always be people who adopt animals and then don’t take good care of them or even abuse them. It’s devastating when this happens: when I worked in adoptions, I personally did the counseling

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for a black and tan rottie-mix puppy whom the adopters subsequently relegated to the back yard, allowing the little pink collar I placed on her at adoption to embed deeply into her neck as she grew. The adopters were convicted of animal cruelty, and the dog was returned to our care much the worse for wear. This happened in spite of my best efforts, our stringent adoption standards, substantial fees and the many hoops people had to jump through to adopt.

I can still see that dog’s face. However, when this happens, we need to go back to the first principle that we can’t control whether or not people get pets, only to some extent whether they get pets from us or somewhere else. People who are going to abuse animals, will abuse animals. Obviously we would never adopt to someone with a known history or obvious risk for animal abuse, but beyond that the best we can do to protect animals is to give each pet-owner combination the best possible chance, under their actual life circumstances, to forge a successful bond. Intact, badly behaved pets whose owners know little about pet care are at most risk for abuse. By encouraging shelter adoption, we can help ensure that those with the least ability to cope with these problems obtain altered, friendly pets and know that we are here as a resource should problems arise.

Meanwhile, the conditions in most “bad adopter” homes are still far better than either death or life in a cramped kennel or overcrowded cat room. Even if we were not euthanizing behaviorally sound animals in shelters, it would still make sense to try and support those least able to provide good care by ensuring that they adopt from a shelter rather than purchasing or adopting from another source. However, especially in the context of the true alternatives we can offer at least some categories of animals in our care (pit bulls, Chihuahuas, and cats again), targeted adoptions to a wide range of pet owners are a clearly preferable alternative for animals, adopters, shelters, and communities.

More Acceptance for Open Adoption Policies From KC Dog Blog

http://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog

About a decade ago, long before we ever conceived of the idea of KC Pet Project, or running a shelter, or writing this blog, or me ever being much involved in the idea of advocating for animals, I had several run-ins with some of the challenges people often have in adopting from shelters or rescues.

And over the course of many of these run-ins, I had an epiphany about shelters, rescues, and how many of them were actually hurting the animals they were claiming to help, by actually preventing them from going into homes that were readily available to them.

During a fairly short amount of time:

1) My father-in law was denied from adopting. He lives in the country, and has horses. He spends most of the daylight hours outside tending to his land and horses and was looking for a dog to be his partner in his work. The dog would spend all day with him at the farm, and would sleep at night in the heated horse barn after a long day of running free. He was denied because he wanted an "outside dog".

2) Some friends of ours were asked if their last dog (a Cocker Spaniel that died at the age of 19 after a great life) was kept up-to-date on all of its shots. He said "no", and that at the advice of his vet, quit giving his elderly dog shots because as an inside dog the shots would be more harmful to the dog than the likelyhood of her getting a major disease. He was denied for not providing proper vetting to his previous pet.

3) Another friend was an avid runner. He lived in an apartment, but ran a couple of times per day and was looking for a running partner that he would give plenty of exercise to and would help make sure he

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stayed motivate to run every day. He was denied adoption because the rescue didn't believe a high-energy dog shouldn't live in an apartment.

4) Another friend was denied adopting because she didn't have a fenced in yard, and her upscale historic neighborhood wouldn't allow people to put up a fence.

5) Another person we met, a very successful, young professional woman, was denied from adopting because the rescue thought her job as a lawyer would be too demanding and that she wouldn't be able to have time to properly care for the dog.

6) One rescue group I volunteered with for a while completely refused to ever do same-sex adoptions, even though nearly every foster home for this group had 3 or more dogs in the home and were able to manage those same sex dogs just fine.

You get the idea. Even as someone who was barely involved in rescue (or maybe because of that), I saw the strangeness of claims that animals were dying in shelters because no one wanted them, and then realizing that many homes that seemed like great homes (and a couple that I knew for a fact were great homes) were unable to adopt because they were getting denied adoption.

Then, a few years later, I was at the Best Friends Conference in Las Vegas, and one of the speakers was talking about the idea of open-adoptions. That speaker (and for the life of me I can't remember who it was) said something that really resonated with me. She noted that when they approach adoptions, they looked for ways to turn people into good homes, instead of trying to look for reasons why they should be denied from adoption.

Over the years, I've attended a lot of sessions and read a lot of materials about open adoptions, and the overwhelming theme is that all shelters have a diversity of animals in them, and that the needs of those animals is as diverse as the adopters that come in. So making appropriate matches is what is important.

It is also important to note people who come to your shelter to adopt have already made a decision that they want to do a good thing by adopting. If we make that an unpleasant experience, it is no good for the adopter, no good for the animal who needs a home, and no good for the concept of adopting as a whole. And if you turn an adopter away, they will still most likely get a pet from somewhere, but you are making sure that it most likely won't be from a shelter (and definitely not your shelter), and may or may not come vaccinated, altered, etc. And in the process, you are pushing people who WANT to adopt to buying dogs, which increases the demand, and revenue, for bred dogs.

Now let me clarify one more thing about how I describe "open adoptions". This doesn't mean that every person who wants to adopt a pet gets a pet. Most shelters that practice open adoptions do deny adopters who just have no business owning a pet. But those people are going to be a very small minority of the people who come to your shelter.

While many people may not know a lot about pets when they come there (that's why they came to you, YOU"RE the expert on pets, not them), they genuinely want to do the right thing (that's why they came in the first place) and with a little help are going to be pretty good pet owners.

Open adoptions means that you look for ways to get to 'Yes" instead of reasons to say no. It means educating (when necessary) instead of interrogating. It means understanding that most people want to do the right thing, and want your help in doing it. It means removing blanket adoption restrictions that artificially minimize the pool of potential adopters and treating each adopter and adoption on an individual basis. It means that "no, adoption is not for you" should be a rarity.

Last year at the Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Conference, Dr. Ellen Jefferson of Austin Pets Alive made a great statement -- and I'm paraphrasing, but it went something like this: "If I'm in a pond and there are a lot of animals drowning in the pond, I'm going to jump in and start giving those animals to

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the people who come to the shore to help me. I'm not going to ask the guy trying to help me if he has a fence or if I can do a home check first, I'm going to get him the pet and save the next one as soon as possible."

Folks, the pond is our American Shelter System. And animals are drowning in our shelters. We have the power and ability to save them, but we need to quit turning away the people who come to help us.

For a long time, I've felt like Open Adoptions were, for reasons I can't quite understand, one of the most controversial parts of the No Kill Equation. However, recently, a lot of more mainstream organizations have begun to open up to the idea and are even now promoting it.

Last month, HSUS held it's annual sheltering conference. While I've oft been critical of HSUS having to be drug into more modern thinking by other outside influences, I've heard from several people who were at the HSUS Conference this year that it was a completely different tone and feel and that it was by far the most progressive HSUS conference thus far.

One of the sessions was about open adoptions. The session included speakers from HSUS, the ASPCA and from Petsmart Charities. I think it's a very good sign for the movement to have these three major organizations pushing for more open shelter (and rescue) adoption policies. Such policies will find more animals homes, and thus, cause fewer to die in shelters.

Here's that presentation in its entirety. It's an hour long, but make sure you take the time to watch. Because it's solid. It talks about how there is no "we" and "them" -- but that We are them. It talks about "free" adoptions. Pets as gifts? What happens when policies are replaced with dialogue? There is also a lot of great research here about people in under-served communities -- only 3% of whom adopt from shelters (compared to 30% of pet owners nationally) and are open to the adoption/rescue message. This section on adopting to low-income pet owners is particularly insightful and valuable (it's the 2nd half of the presentation).

Open adoptions are what all of us (shelters and rescues) need to be doing to ensure that more animals are finding homes instead of drowning in our shelters. People want to help us. And we should let them.

Return Isn’t a Dirty Word September 26, 2017 By Inga Fricke

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Photo by JBryson/iStock.com

When I travel the country sharing the Adopters Welcome philosophy with shelters and rescue groups, there’s one refrain I hear over and over: “But if we eliminate our home checks, landlord checks and other hurdles and actually embrace people who want to adopt, rather than scrutinize and judge them, the animal might get returned!”

My standard response: "So what?"

Now, stay with me here: I'm not suggesting we don't all share the desire for a lifelong, loving home for every pet—we do! But the notion that an adoption has to be perfect and last the animal’s entire natural life or else it’s a complete and utter failure may not be realistic, and it may not be useful in terms of saving lives.

Think about it: If I were to put you in a room with 20 potential mates and tell you that you have 30 minutes to choose the man/woman you’re going to spend the rest of your life with, that you’ll be legally

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married when you walk out of that room, and that divorce will simply never be an option, would you sign up for that? No way! You’d (wisely!) tell me that a decision like that can't be rushed into, that it takes time to get to know someone and be sure you want to spend the rest of your lives together, and that even then there are no guarantees the relationship will last.

So why, then, do we expect lifelong adoption bonds to be made within minutes? And why, if the relationship doesn’t work out, do we condemn the person who returns the pet and call it—and them—a failure? Granted, committing to share your life with a pet should be easier than committing to share your life with another human being (at least in theory!), but you see my point. Life happens, circumstances change, and even with the best of intentions, things don’t always work out. So why are we so sanctimonious as to think that can never be the case when it comes to pets?

If we are honest about it, I'm guessing a number of you reading this have actually returned pets yourselves—maybe ones you said you were going to “foster,” but in your heart of hearts you believed were going to be permanent additions to your home, only to realize that they weren’t such a good fit, so with some measure of relief, back to the shelter they went. Don’t tell anyone, but I have done exactly that. Years ago, I fell in love with the most adorable little shih-tzu mix and just knew he was coming home with me to stay. The problem was, minutes after he walked through the door he had my 175-pound Irish wolfhound cowering and shivering in the corner, and the situation did not improve. So the shih-tzu mix went back to the shelter, and Grady was able to walk safely around the house again. Am I a terrible person because I returned the shih-tzu mix? I hope not (although I’m sure had I been a member of the public, rather than a shelter employee, there would have been more than a few choice words said about me behind my back). Was the shih-tzu mix a terrible, unadoptable dog? Of course not! He just needed to be placed in a home without 175 pounds of quivering Jell-O! The point here is, my adoption failure actually provided a ton of information about what kind of home was right for that dog, and what kind of new pet was right for me. And that can’t be a bad thing! It’s all in our perspective--are we going to choose to look at that return as a failure, condemning everyone involved? Or will we see it as a unique opportunity to acquire new insights and information we couldn’t have obtained any other way?

Still not convinced returns aren’t inherently bad? What if I told you they can actually be good for the animal’s mental and physical well-being? A study being conducted by Lisa Gunter, a doctoral candidate studying behavioral neuroscience at the Arizona State University's Canine Science Collaboratory, hints at just that. In her work, Gunter measured cortisol (stress indicator) levels in shelter dogs before they left the shelter, during their temporary stays in homes and after they were returned. Not surprisingly, she found elevated levels of cortisol present before the dogs left the shelter. When the dogs got to their temporary placements, their levels decreased dramatically; in fact, they had what was probably their first good, uninterrupted night’s sleep since entering the shelter. There is no question that “downtime” is likely incredibly beneficial for the dogs’ health, since it gives them a chance to regroup and bolster their natural defenses. What happened after the dogs were returned to the shelter? Their cortisol levels went up, to no one’s surprise—but those levels never exceeded their original baseline, meaning the act of returning to the shelter didn’t cause them to suffer any more stress than they would have experienced had they never left. The takeaway from this? Not only were the dogs no worse off for having been out of the shelter temporarily, they actually benefitted tremendously from their time away. So maybe, just maybe, being adopted and returned isn't such a bad thing for animals after all?

Without question, getting the call that an animal you thought had been permanently placed is now on his way back is a bummer, and if you don’t have a space available, it can become a real burden. But if you've built a relationship with the adopter instead of viewing the adoption process as a one-time-and-

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done transaction, as we recommend in the Adopters Welcome approach, you can have an open and honest discussion about that burden and try to work with the adopter to make it as painless as possible. And then you can use all of the new information you’ve gathered and try to make an even better match for them down the road.

So go ahead, loosen up! Let go of those adoption barriers! Tell your adopters that you understand that life happens, and you’ll be ready to help them when it does! Maybe even try some placements you’re not 100 percent sure will be lifelong successes. Just by changing our view of returns and seeing them as opportunities, not failures, who knows how many additional lives we can save?

About the Author

Inga Fricke is Director, Sheltering Initiatives and Outreach, at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). She has served on the Board of Shelter Animals Count, a non-profit organization formed to create and share a national database of sheltered animal statistics, and as Chair of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators’ CAWA Exam Preparatory Resources Committee. Prior to joining The HSUS, Inga served as Administrator of the Wyandot County Humane Society/H.O.P.E. Clinic, helping to found the Wyandot County Equine Rescue, and as Shelter Manager for Loudoun County Animal Care and Control.

Things to be aware of in the adoption contract Please review the below contract/AWLA adoption items, when/if appropriate, with any adoption

applicant.

Indoor Only Requirement

Any animal adopted from the League must be an indoor-only pet. This means that though the animal

may have supervised time outdoors, it should live as an indoor pet and not be kept outdoors for

extended periods of time. An adopted cat or rabbit may only go outside if on a harness/leash, penned in

area, etc. and when under the pet owner’s supervision.

Dog doors

Due to the risk of an animal being trapped outside in the elements, or escaping an enclosed yard, dog

adoptions are only permitted to homes with pet doors where families intend to lock access to the doors

when the animal is home unsupervised. Homes with dog doors should also have properly enclosed

fencing.

Declawing

We will not adopt a cat to an applicant who plans to declaw the cat, to do so would be a violation of our adoption contract. The applicant may, however, apply on a cat that is already declawed.

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Ear Cropping/Tail Docking

Our adoption contract States that adopted dogs will not be subjected to any surgical procedure such as

ear-cropping or tail docking that is not medically necessary.

Adoption restrictions

Adoption restrictions are only placed on animals when the behavior or medical staff determine that, it is in the animal’s best interest, the community’s best interest or both to restrict the type of home a particular animal is adopted to. Information on the reason can be found in the Review with Applicant hold.

AWLA’s Bonded Pair Adoptions

For various reasons a particular pair or grouping of animals may be determined ‘bonded’ and adopted

out together to a single family. Animals designated as a bonded pair are determined by behavior staff

and approved by their supervisor.

Adoption of two puppies from the same litter

The League will only adopt one puppy from a litter to an adopting family. This procedure reflects the

veterinary and behavior/training fields’ opposition on adopting two or more puppies from the same

litter, due to the high risk of the pups developing behavioral issues.

Adoption of two puppies from different litters

In situations where an applicant is interested in adopting two puppies, each from separate litters,

applicants should be encouraged to choose one puppy and wait a minimum of three to six months

before applying on a second. Applications of this type will need final approval from a director.

Tips for Reviewing Applications

◻ Children

● How old are the children?

● Infant: should never be left alone with an infant or young children unsupervised.

● Have the children been around pets? How did the meeting go with the shelter pet?

● Are allergies of a concern? Ask if they’d like to take home a towel that has been rubbed on the cat and have the child interact with it to make sure.

● Are they adopting to teach the children responsibility? Discuss that this is not realistic, as it won’t be long before the children lose interest. It is ultimately the adult’s responsibility

◻ Why Do They Like This Particular Pet? ● Discuss the personality to ensure that the temperament and behavior are things that

the family is ready to handle.

◻ Daily Routine and Home

◻ Responsibilities and Possible Changes ● Look at life expectancy for the pet& discuss ● Ensure they have a realistic plan for when they travel, etc.

◻ Current Pets ● If they have a dog, has it ever lived with/met another pet? How did it go? ● Compare age, energy level and personality.

◻ Prior Owned Animals o If animal is not deceased, where is it? Items that warrant a discussion:

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▪ Moved and left/gave up animal ▪ W/ friends or family – was it a family pet or given away for a specific reason? ▪ Given up – discuss reason and what has changed to allow them to have a pet

now. o If they have rehomed or given up several animals, refer to supervisor

◻ Unacceptable Behaviors ● What will they do if this petshows those behaviors? Will they bring it

back or are they open to working with them? ● Stress that an adopter should call us ASAP if they have behavioral issues

so that we can help.

◻ Expenses

● Review the entire medical view report. We cannot guarantee future health. If the adopter is taking on an animal with a known, or unknown, health condition, the adopter is fully responsible for the care of the pet.

● Give them a copy of the “Approximate Yearly Costs of Having a ..” handout. ● Adoption fee covers everything we have done as well as free office visit w/in 10 days but not

medication (fecal test, follow up vaccinations) received at the visit. Go over sample vet bill for Initial Vet Exam. Please stress that Upper Respiratory Infections and Fecal Parasites are common for cats, especially kittens, and they should be prepared and able to treat these illnesses if they arise.

● Vet Care – aside from yearly expenses, has adopter thought about emergency care? Pet insurance or a savings account? Emergencies happen, and even a simple ear infection can cost upwards of $200. Other maintenance costs will also come up such as dentals, possible blood tests, and other illnesses.

◻ Contractual Obligations ● Obey State & Local laws.

▪ Vaccinate for rabies. ▪ Collar w/ current ID, rabies & county license tag (as required for County) ▪ Must take to the vet within the first 10 days after adoption. ▪ Must take to the vet annually, and provide any additional medical care needed. ▪ Must be an indoor pet and may not be declawed. ▪ Animal must be returned to us if they can no longer care for it.

◻ Signing the Application ● Ensure the application is signed, and that the applicant has initialed next to the

portion on regarding animal cruelty. ● Ensure the date/time is on the front of the application.

Taking the Animal Home

If the adopter still has some requirements to fulfill, please give them a status form so they are aware of what still needs to be done.

● Give the adopter a status form if they have not completed all requirements. ● We do not “hold animals” for weekend pick-up or vacation. Adopter must pick up the

cat within 24 hours of completing all requirements. ● They will need a collar, which they can purchase here. They can also purchase a used cat

carrier (subject to availability), or we will give them a cardboard carrier. ● Please radio ACT staff when animal is ready to go

Please write OK, NEED or N/A when completing a status form. For items that come later, such as PAC or Dog License (for dogs only) leave those items blank.

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The Value of an AWLA Cat Adoption The following is included with cat adoptions from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA). The value indicated is either the price charged by a representative Northern Virginia veterinary hospital or, the lower price charged by AWLA for those services or products provided to the general public by AWLA. Treatments unique to specific cats are not included.

First veterinary exam (after adoption) $ 58

Neuter surgery (including related costs) $404

or Spay surgery (including related costs) $555

Rabies vaccination $10

Feline Distemper/Rhinovirus vaccination $ 54

Feline AIDS/Leukemia test $ 75

De-wormer (average) $ 19

Pedicure $ 28

Topical flea treatment $ 15

Identification tag $ 6

Microchip (pet recovery ID) $ 30

Board $952*

Total Value $1651 - $1802

SHOPPING LIST FOR A NEW CAT: 1. Cat or Kitten Food-We feed a combination of wet and dry and we will give you a sample of dry food to gradually mix in with your new food. Choose a high quality, non-generic food. Avoid by-products, artificial colors, and preservatives. Check the ingredients, meat or meat meal should be the first ingredient.

2. Food and Water Dishes-Ceramic or stainless steel dishes are recommended over plastic ones. Be sure to get bowls that are wide and shallow enough for your cat’s face.

3. Litterbox and Litter Scoop-Make sure the box is big enough, cats like room to turn around. If you choose a covered box, make sure there is enough room for your cat to stand up straight and turn around in. If you have multiple cats, you should have one litterbox per cat, plus an extra one.

4. Litter-Most cats prefer fine-grained, unscented litter. Choose either scoopable, or a high-quality dust-free clay litter. Do not use clumping litter for kittens.

5. Toys-Examples of toys include: plastic rolling balls, catnip-filled toys, paper bags with handles removed, soft stuffed animals, cardboard boxes, and sisal-wrapped toys. Interactive toys include: cat

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charmers, feather wands, and laser pointers. Provide toys that offer a variety of uses: one toy to carry, one to “kill,” one to roll, and one to “baby.”

6. Scratch Post-Provide your cat with at least a flat or inclined corrugated cardboard scratching box. It is also important to provide them with a vertical scratch post made out of sisal, rope, or bark. It should be tall enough so the cat can fully stretch out (atleast 28 inches) and stabilized so it doesn’t fall on your cat.

7. Brush-Your cat may also enjoy getting brushed with a Zoom Groom, a rubber brush, or a regular slicker brush.

8. Nail Clippers-Get a well-made pair of clippers designed especially for cats.

9. Cat Carrier-We can provide you with a temporary cardboard carrier, but a sturdy plastic carrier is ideal for transporting your cat. AWLA sells used carriers for $5 each, while supplies last.

10. Safety Collar-Your cat needs to go home wearing a safety collars. These are collars that break open or slip off if they are caught on something. We have many here at AWLA.

The Value of an AWLA Dog Adoption The following is included with dog adoptions from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA). The value indicated is either the price charged by a representative Northern Virginia veterinary hospital or, the lower price charged by AWLA for those services, or products provided to the general public by AWLA.

First veterinary exam (after adoption) $58

Neuter surgery (including related costs) $573

Or Spay surgery (including related costs) $621

Distemper, Parvo combo vaccination $46

Bordetella vaccination $24

Rabies vaccination $10

Heartworm test $68

Dewormer (average) $19

Pedicure $28

Fecal test (when needed) $50

Topical flea treatment $20

Identification tag $6

Microchip (pet recovery ID) $30

Board $672

Total Value $1,604 – 1,652

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SHOPPING LIST FOR YOUR NEW DOG 1. Dog or Puppy Food-We will give you a sample of dry food to gradually mix in with your new food. Choose a high quality, non-generic food and avoid by-products, artificial colors, and preservatives.

2. Food and Water Dishes-Heavy, non-tip ceramic or stainless steel dishes are recommended over plastic ones.

3. Leash-We recommend a six-foot nylon or leather leash, no retractable leashes.

4. Collar & Harness-A well-made nylon collar, such as a martingale (non-slip) or buckle collar is preferred. Please, no choke chains or prong collars. Most dogs also do well with a walking harness.

5. Crate and/or babygate

6. Toys and Chew Toys-Get a variety of toys

7. Dog Treats

8. An Enzymatic Cleaner-Get a cleaner specifically made for pet stains and odors, such as Nature’s Miracle or Anti-Icky-Poo.

9. Dog Brush or Comb -There are many to choose from depending on the type, length, and texture of your dog’s coat.

10. Nail Clippers-Get a well-made pair of clippers designed especially for dogs.

11. Dog Bed-Choose a dog bed made of good, sturdy materials that is easily washable.

Zoonotic and Contagious diseases ● Zoonotic disease: A disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans

o Examples of zoonotic diseases: Ringworm, leptospirosis, giardia

● Contagious disease: A disease that is spread from one animal to another either by direct or

indirect contact.

o Examples of contagious diseases: Upper respiratory infection, ringworm, sarcoptic

mange (scabies), “kennel cough”

● Fomite: An object that may be contaminated with pathogens and contribute to spreading

disease.

o Examples of fomites: Dog & cat toys, door handles, food/water bowls, human hands,

human clothing

Shelter Medical Explained AWLA makes every effort to adopt healthy animals; therefore, all pets receive a minimum of one de-worming, some or all vaccinations, and test for some infectious disease, spay/neuter surgery and microchip.

All adult cats and kittens six months of age and over are tested for FeLV and FIV. Kittens under six months are tested for FeLV only. Adopters are encouraged to re-test their cats and kittens 2 months after their test at the shelter as this is the incubation period for these illnesses. Dogs over 6 months of age are tested for heartworm disease. This test should be repeated in 6 months as this is the incubation period for this disease. Test results are documented in the medical history of each pet.

We rely on donations and grants to provide the care for the animals and cannot be responsible for the pet once it has been adopted. To ensure the continued health, adopters will be provided with a copy of

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the pet’s medical records. Pets should be seen by adopter's veterinarian for review of medical records and completion of any needed additional vaccinations, de-worming, tests or medical treatment.

Intake Vaccines and Treatments Minimum medical care is provided for during the Intake Exam. The following vaccines, treatments, and tests are administered during each animal’s Intake Exam. During intake, animals also receive a physical exam by an intake technician and receive a microchip if one has not already administered.

Understanding Medical Notes During the adoption process, adoption counselor will read and decipher medical charts for adopters and present them in laymen’s terms. It is important to recognize basic medical jargon and anticipate any questions adopter’s may ask. Adoption counselors are not medical professionals and cannot be expected to understand everything that is written in the animal’s chart nor should they entertain medical diagnoses when prompted. If for any reason, an adoption counselor does not understand what is in the medical chart, ask the Adoptions supervisor. Medical concerns should be documented in PP; this allows the Shelter Medicine team to evaluate each animal as concerns arise.

Abbreviations for physical exams:

● PE – Physical exam ● SOAP – subjective, objective, assessment, plan — a method of organizing medical records ● BAR – Bright, active, responsive ● QAR – Quiet, active, responsive ● NDR/ADR – Not/Ain’t doing right ● WNL- within normal limits ● NSF- no significant findings ● EENT- ears, eyes, nose, throat ● MSIN- musculo-skeletal system ● INTEG- integument (skin) ● H/L- heart/lungs ● Murmurs- can be a benign finding in KITTENS. Usually not benign in puppies or older cats/dogs.

Always recommend they get a work up by a veterinary cardiologist. Severe heart murmurs can cause heart failure and these will likely not be placed up for adoption. Murmurs can cause a shorter lifespan and may need to be on chronic medications for life.

● BCS- body condition score. 1-9 scoring system (1 is skinny, 9 is obese)

Common Animal Illnesses

FeLV – Feline Leukemia Virus o Very serious illness that can cause a shortened lifespan. (Average lifespan of an FELV+

cat = 2 yrs) o If FeLV is contracted as a kitten, their lifespan is expected to be much shorter (6 months) o Cats with FeLV have a compromised immune system; they eventually fall ill to an

infection, virus, or cancer which usually results in euthanasia o FeLV is often described as the “lover’s disease.” It is passed through saliva, grooming,

nursing kittens, or in utero. It cannot be passed by simple physical contact.

FIV – Feline Immunodeficiency Virus o Less serious condition that can cause a shortened life span, but typically cats that are FIV

+ can have a normal life span. o New studies condone FIV cats living with non-FIV cats as long as they can live amicably. o FIV is often described as the “fighter’s disease.” It is passed through bite wounds, in

utero, and sometimes by nursing kittens.

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o FIV + cats may also have stomatitis, URI, and a suppressed immune system ● Owners would need to be attentive to their pet getting sick

Kennel Cough/Upper Respiratory Infection ● Upper respiratory infections (kennel cough for dogs) is a contagious “cold.” It’s similar to

children catching a cold when going to “day care.” This is not contagious to humans, only animals of the same species.

● Symptoms: Nasal discharge, cough on tracheal palpation, watery eyes ● Typically treatable with antibiotics and supportive care ● If ignored, URI’s may develop into pneumonia which requires IV fluids, IV antibiotics, and

hospitalization. o Very costly to the shelter to treat

● Adopters should watch for these clinical signs after adoption. Pets may not show symptoms for the first few days after catching the “cold.”

● Canine kennel cough is primarily caused by stress and high population density

Ringworm ● Normally caused by Microsporum canis or a Trichophyton species. ● Typically manifests as hair loss, redness and crusting round the face and paws of kittens and

younger cats. ● Usually does not cause itching. HIGHLY contagious, never fatal, only presents as skin

lesions. ● Can be a major cause of euthanasia in shelters because of its ability to infect entire

populations. ● Diagnosed via Wood's Lamp (black light) and a DTM culture plate confirming species.

Treatment is a minimum of 3 weeks of itraconazole, an oral antifungal, +/- weekly topical treatments with lime sulfur.

● Difficult to do in shelters, requires isolation or fosters to ensure success. ● Dogs can get it too, but less commonly.

Parvo (Dog) and Panleukopenia (Kitten) ● Highly contagious virus that usually affects dogs and cats that have not been fully vaccinated. ● Symptoms: Vomiting, Diarrhea, Anorexia, Dehydration, and (sudden death in kittens) ● Passes through the fecal-oral route ● Present on hair (airborne!) ● Usually transmitted through fomites (us, kennels, food bowls) ● Can take 7 days to for animals to show symptoms. Can take 14 days to finish shedding once

parvo/panleuk has cleared o These numbers are variable

FIP – Feline Infectious Peritonitis ● Feline infectious peritonitis is a syndrome that results from wide-spread infiltration of the

body’s organs with a type of inflammatory tissue called pyogranuloma. ● Does not have a test for diagnosis; Diagnoses are made by ruling out other illness. ● Caused by the Corona Virus

o Mutates in susceptible cats and becomes FIP; Susceptibility determined by genetic composition.

o A common virus in catteries/shelters ● Clinical signs

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o Diarrhea, fever of unknown origin, anemia, failure to thrive, yellow viscous fluid in peritoneal (belly) cavity, anorexia

Types of Mange ● Demodex ( Demodectic Mange)

o Demodectic mange is caused by microscopic mites that are normal residents on the skin of dogs. In some dogs, there is an inherited sensitivity to this mite allowing it to cause hair loss and secondary skin infections. Demodectic mange is not contagious to other animals or to people. Diagnosable by looking at skins cells under a microscope.

o Symptoms: Generalized hairloss, if untreated can spread across the entire body and secondary skin infections can occur.

o Treatable with daily oral ivermectin and antibiotics for superficial pyoderma (rash). o May also be treated with Simparica tablet for skin. Can take 2-3 months to clear. o Caused by a weak immune system from being a juvenile (puppy)

● Sarcoptes (scabies) o Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease found in dogs, caused by

the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. These mites will burrow through the skin causing intense itching and irritation.

o Contagious to cats, dogs, and humans o Simparica will treat sarcoptes

Feline Herpes Uncommonly Seen in Shelter, and Here’s Why!

Herpes virus is one of several viruses that cause feline upper respiratory disease.

All of the viruses are indistinguishable from each other in most cases and it is not common practice at any shelter or clinic to perform additional testing since they receive the same treatment. When you go to the doctor for a cold, they don’t test for which cold strain you have, yet you still get appropriate care.

Studies indicate that between 80 and 97% of all cats are carriers for the herpes virus which causes upper respiratory disease. This is why testing can also be misleading. 90% of people get a cold sore in their life. This is the human strain, but they are now carriers for herpes virus.

With both cats and people, stress causes the herpes virus to become symptomatic. When cats go to a shelter, surgery, or a new home, it’s common for them to show signs of upper respiratory infection. Much like people develop cold sores when stressed.

Typically, upper respiratory infections only last about 7-10 days and many of the cases do not require any treatment at all. Even if they clear one episode in a shelter, the stresses of moving to a new home can cause a relapse.

Even though 80% or more cats have herpes virus, very few have long term complications. Once into a normal, steady, quiet home they appear 100% normal.

Heartworms Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused by foot-long worms (heartworms) that live in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels of affected pets. However, once it is treated the dog is likely to live a long and healthy life!

Mosquitoes transmit heartworms by biting a dog with heartworms and then biting your pet. This is very common in southern states due to the warm climate, a continuous mosquito population, and lack of education about heartworm prevention.

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If untreated, heartworms can cause lung disease, heart failure, and damage to other organs in the body, leading to death. Treatment is expensive and hard on the pet physically and emotionally.

EASILY and inexpensively prevented by a monthly heartworm prevention pill.

Cost to Treat: $500 to $3000+ VS. Cost to Prevent: $3 to $5 per month

ALL dogs should be on monthly heartworm prevention for life!