Upload
trinhtruc
View
215
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
1
Working the System
Scott Giacoppo Vice President, External Affairs – [email protected]
The Washington Humane Society (WHS), the only Congressionally-
chartered animal welfare agency in the United States, has been the
area’s leading voice for animals since 1870. As the open-access shelter
in the Nation’s Capital, the Washington Humane Society provides
comfort and care to over 43,000 animals each year through its broad
range of programs and services
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
2
Since the 1980s, WHS has
held the contract with the
DC Government to provide
all of the animal control
services for the city.
In 2007 WHS began a
transformation that
started with a new
President and CEO
2007, What We Had To Work With
• 30% Live Release Rate
• Strict adoption procedures
• No Pit Bull adoptions
• TNR was a “pilot program”
• Limited off site adoptions
• Limited foster program
• Limited transfer program
• Free pick up of unwanted animals, no questions asked
• Outdated facility
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
3
Turnaround
• Reverse Pit Bull adoption policy
• Formalize TNR program
• Identify “animal friendly” city officials
• Change laws
• Build positive relationship with Dept. of Health
• Internal procedures/policies
• Increase reputation in the community
Enacting Laws
• Animal Protection Amendment Act of 2010
– Mandates the reduction in euthanasia
– Reasonable and enforceable Dangerous Dog law
– TNR provision
– Other vital cruelty related updates to current law
• Wildlife Protection Act
– Prohibits cruel traps
– Regulates wildlife control businesses
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
4
Adoptions
• Checklist vs Questionnaire
• Interrogation vs discussion
• Landlord consent
• References
• Home checks
• Pets as gifts
• Hidden Gems
Reverse Pit Bull Adoption Policy
• Current legislation pending in City Council to
ban Pit Bulls from DC was in the works. WHS
key supporter of bill…until now
• Staff and volunteer fears
• Behavior/training staff concerns about
evaluations
• Worries over increased animals being held
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
5
Off-site adoptions, bringing the
animals into the community
Increase Reputation in the Community
• Media relations
• Social media/marketing
• Public relations
• Branding
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
6
PR Strategy
• No negative images – No animals behind cage bars
– Images are meant to show what it would be like to have the animal in a home environment
• No desperate pleas – No “Adopt or else…”
– Exception – “we are in desperate need of foster homes”
• Share happy adoption stories/photos– That could be me!
• Rescues are highlighted– Before and after once available for adoption
Branding
From this
To this
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
7
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
8
Aggressive
distribution
of Pet of the
Week Flyers
• Social media
• Volunteers
• Local List Serves
• E-news
Customer Service• Managed intake
• “Put the human back in humane”
• Customer service training
• Follow up from adoptions with special care for hidden gems
• Including behavior plan in home plans
• Self rehoming resources.
• Returns are handled by adoptions team to ID match
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
9
Changing Minds To Save Lives:
The Staff
• It’s harder to save lives than to take them, but
we are here for that reason
• Can’t just “throw the switch”, that didn’t work
• Let’s share a common goal
• Own your mistakes, even if public then learn
from them
• Make them part of the solution
Animal Care
• Treat every animal as an individual
• Provide medical care for special cases
• Population Management Team
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
10
Out in the Field
• Community Policing model
• Provide necessary resources
• Work with the community to solve problems
• TNR
• Revised wildlife policy/Procedures
• Education vs Enforcement
Community Outreach
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
11
TNR• Loosen restrictions on “feral” management
• Staff program appropriately ($$$)
• Apply for grants
• Change laws
• Focus on conflict resolution
Changing Laws To Save Lives
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
12
Wildlife – Conflict Resolution
• Proper training for call takers
• Wildlife Specialist
• Firm stand on policy
– Leave them be unless sick, injured or orphaned
– Put baby birds back in nest or make new one
– Will not remove nuisance wildlife
– Will not refer to inhumane trapping company
Wildlife – Rescue & Release
Working the System: Understanding Good Policies
and How to Get Them in Your Community
(Arlyn Bradshaw, Scott Giacoppo)
Best Friends National Conference,
July 16-19, 2015
13
Combine all this together….
* WHS transformation began in November of 2007
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
YTD
Live Release Rate 30.47 31.16 39.15 47.47 50.48 68.08 80.28 85.83 90.23
Washington Humane Society