The Importance of Building Trust:How to Build Better Outcomes For All

Presented By: April Moore, Engagement Manager, Austin Animal Center

Engagement-based animal control programs:

• Support a community lifesaving ethic

• Positively affect lifesaving within the shelter

• Promote and enhance public safety

• Effectively address neglectful situations

Restructure your program so that you are prioritizing around what is important.

• Maximizing opportunities for lifesaving

• Redefining animals in need

• Building community capacity

Create a culture in which you empower animal control officers to identify and resolve root cause of issue when possible.

• Hire the right people• Make it easy for officers to connect

community members with resources• Eliminate unnecessary internal

barriers

Build community capacity by creating a team of connectors.

• Identify and hire for core soft skills

• Understand the importance of building rapport

Any individual’s ability to connect is dependent on their ability to build rapport.

Guzman & the Boxers

The necessity of building trust and rapport extends to every interaction, not just those you engage in with ease.

Sometimes, building rapport helps keep you

safe enough…until you can get safe

and get help.

Experiences shape our approach to situations and individuals.

An understanding of our triggers, as well as our use of coping mechanisms, can affect an outcome.

Connectors that are connecting means:

• Being present and engaging, • Empowering through

information sharing, and• Meeting people where they

are

By aligning your program with your communities expectation, as well as building capacity through pet retention, Animal Control Officers:

• Maximize lifesaving, • Create healthier environments

for all• Promote safety

Animal Control Officers have the unique ability to build safer and healthier environments for all through their commitment to stay connected and remembering:

• Be deliberate in your work.

• The shelter is a reflection of the community.

THANK YOU

April MooreEngagement Manager

Austin Animal Center

April.Moore@austintexas.gov

www.austintexas.gov/aac