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Roxy23 web
Tuesday January 18th, 2022

5 Tips for Getting Staff and Volunteers on Board With Community-Focused Animal Services

Your staff, supporters, and volunteers represent your community. Getting them on board will be essential when you bring community-focused animal services to your community.

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IMG 0782 sara norman web
Thursday October 14th, 2021

5 Powerful Tips for Improved Mental Health in Animal Welfare

Your mental health matters, and you are not alone in this work.

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The Data's In: No, 'Pandemic Pets' Weren't Returned to Shelters—but Shelters Do Need Help
Thursday September 30th, 2021

The Data's In: No, 'Pandemic Pets' Weren't Returned to Shelters—but Shelters Do Need Help

New Shelter Animals Count data proves the panicked headlines were false. Adopters, fosters, and transport partners are still urgently needed.

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IMG 3593 web
Wednesday September 29th, 2021

10 Tips ALL Destination Shelters Should Know for Successful Transfer Partnerships

Whether you’re just starting a transport program or have been transporting for years, there’s always room for destination shelters to grow and maximize lifesaving impact.

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IMG 3430 web
Wednesday September 29th, 2021

10 Tips ALL Source Shelters Should Know for Successful Transfer Partnerships

Whether you’re just starting a transport program or have been transporting for years, there’s always room for source shelters to grow and maximize lifesaving impact.

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HRA volunteer web
Wednesday September 15th, 2021

Shelter Dog Behavior Assessments Don’t Work. Here’s What Does.

There's a better way to understand the dogs in animal shelters' care.

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Beryl Having Trouble Adopting
Thursday June 24th, 2021

So You're Having Trouble Adopting a Shelter Pet—Here's What To Do

We all know someone who's tried to adopt a pet, and been rejected.

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Dog with woman
Monday November 23rd, 2020

Telling Pet Owners Stories – A simple guide to photographing and writing about the people you’re helping

Wondering how to take photos and tell stories of the people and pets you support? Follow these steps and show the world the great work you are doing.

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Apa cat
Thursday November 19th, 2020

How COVID has Reshaped the Health of Shelter Cats

The shelter is a stressful place for animals, particularly cats which makes them more prone to illness. How has that changed in times of COVID? What’s the good news for cats?

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San Diego Humane Society
Friday October 2nd, 2020

Jerrica Owen on Community Resources at San Diego Humane Society

In just six months, SDHS has implemented a ton of community resources to better serve pets and families. Learn more about their efforts in this presentation.

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Monday September 28th, 2020

Ann Dunn on Implementing HASS at Oakland Animal Services

Oakland Animal Services is a HASS pilot shelter in Oakland, California. Learn about what they are doing to implement HASS in this presentation.

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EPAS Vaccine Clinic 1
Thursday September 24th, 2020

Paula Powell on the Impact of HASS in El Paso, TX

Hear Paula Powell speak on the huge impact HASS practices have made in El Paso.

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HRA volunteer 3
Thursday September 24th, 2020

Open Fostering: It's Time to Make Fostering Inclusive

Now is the time to make foster care at your organization more inclusive and truly reflective of your entire community!

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Live EC QA
Wednesday September 23rd, 2020

Live Q&A with the HASS Executive Committee

Learn the latest about HASS in this Q&A based webinar with the Executive Committee.

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Dog n dash
Tuesday September 15th, 2020

Dog N' Dash: An Innovative Approach to Fostering Big Dogs

Dog N Dash has changed the game for Austin Pets Alive!.

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HASS Myths vs Facts min
Tuesday August 18th, 2020

The Myths and Facts of Human Animal Support Services

We're clearing up some common misconceptions about HASS.

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Foster rescue resources 200813 195144
Thursday August 13th, 2020

A Free Foster & Rescue Resource: How to Use the Found Animals System to Benefit Your Lifesaving Efforts

In this webinar with Matt Ulrich, you will jump into a hands-on approach to using the Michelson Found Animals free registry to manage the animals you foster, or pull from local shelters.

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Get Your Long Stays Adopted Faster
Wednesday August 12th, 2020

How To Get Your Long Stay Dogs Adopted or Fostered, Faster

What's the best way to get your long stay dogs out of the shelter? Use these 5 tips!

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First COVID 19 Dog Dies
Monday August 10th, 2020

First COVID-19 Dog Dies, But Not Likely from COVID-19: What We Know So Far About Pets with COVID-19

Buddy's death wasn't necessarily caused by COVID-19. But, his contraction of COVID-19 begs the question, are animals with pre-existing conditions more susceptible to COVID-19?

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Facebook groups for animal welfare professsionals
Friday July 31st, 2020

Facebook Groups Where You Can Connect with Other Animal Welfare Professionals

Gain connection and support by joining these Facebook pages and groups for animal welfare professionals.

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20 Ways to Thank Your Fosters
Wednesday July 29th, 2020

20 Ideas to Thank Your Fosters

Showing your fosters appreciation is so important to keep them coming back! Try out these ideas to thank your fosters.

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Eviction Crisis
Monday July 27th, 2020

Keeping Families Together During the Eviction Crisis: Three Things Animal Shelters Should Do Now

As mass eviction proceedings begin, we predict animal shelters are less than two months away from seeing marked increases in owned pet intake. So, what do we do?

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How to Help Your Dog with Separation Anxiety
Wednesday July 15th, 2020

How to Help Your Dog with Separation Anxiety

With more pet parents potentially going back to work soon, depending where you’re at in the world, separation anxiety might be a more prominent issue for your pets! Use these tips to help your dog with separation anxiety.

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Return to owner-expanded community chat
Friday July 3rd, 2020

Return to Owner: Expanded Community Chat

Return to Owner expert and innovator, Gina Knepp of Michelson Found Animals Foundation reviews the most recent best practices and recommendations from the national organization dedicated to getting more pets reunited with their owners.

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MASONRY 6
Friday July 3rd, 2020

Foster on Deck: It Really Works!

Hear from Jennah Billeter, Director of Foster Programs at Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, DC, about this innovative idea in fostering.

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Working remotely dog
Thursday July 2nd, 2020

Could Remote Work be the Best Thing Ever for Our Pets?

Since more pet owners have been working from home, our animals have been getting to spend record amounts of time with us and all accounts point to one piece of great news.

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HRA adoption
Tuesday June 30th, 2020

Keeping Pets Safe During Fireworks

The fourth is right around the corner. Fireworks are often scary to animals because of the loud noises and bright lights, and it's important to keep them safe and secure to avoid any Fourth of July mishaps. Take these precautions to help keep your pe...

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The Future of Helping Lost Dogs 3
Friday June 19th, 2020

The Future of Helping Lost Dogs

It is time for a more proactive and humane approach in reuniting lost dogs with their families.

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Behavioral Euthanasia Decisions
Tuesday June 16th, 2020

The Only Protocol You’ll Ever Need for Making Behavioral Euthanasia Decisions

If you want to decrease behavioral euthanasia, these four steps are all you really need to know.

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New Research on Parvovirus
Friday June 12th, 2020

New Research on Parvovirus Means Saving More Lives Than Ever Before

Puppies with Parvo are very at risk for euthanasia. But they don't need to be. A study about Austin Pets Alive!'s successful Parvo treatment practices was recently published in Animals. This blog covers what you should know about Parvo.

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Foster Centric Sheltering Webinar
Thursday June 11th, 2020

Foster Centric Sheltering: Seven Guiding Principles

What does it mean to be foster centric? This webinar will lead you through the seven guiding principles of foster care and help you move forward in creating an organization where animals are housed in homes, and out of the shelter.

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Pivoting Community Programming
Tuesday June 2nd, 2020

Keeping Families Together: Pivoting Community Programming to Support People and Pets During COVID-19

This webinar focuses on ways rescues, shelters, and animal welfare agencies can provide support to families experiencing hardship, with the goal of keeping pets out of the shelter system and in their homes with families that love them.

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Live QA Follow Up The Future of Animal Sheltering
Tuesday June 2nd, 2020

Live Q&A Follow Up: The Future of Animal Sheltering

With dozens of unanswered questions at the end of the first webinar, we decided to host another, this time just for Q&A!

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6 Tips for Successful Rescue Transports During COVID 19 min
Friday May 29th, 2020

6 Tips for Successful Rescue Transports During COVID-19

Now more than ever, rescue transport is a critical part of saving pets in under-resourced shelters. Here’s how to safely run a strong transport operation in the age of sanitizing and social distance.

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The Future of Animal Sheltering Webinar
Thursday May 21st, 2020

The Future of Animal Sheltering: Elements of the Animal Social Services Coalition Model

We are long overdue for a new approach that is in line with human social services and social justice movements and considers animals as part of family systems. Watch this webinar to find out what AmPA! is doing about it.

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You Really Should Keep Fostering
Wednesday May 20th, 2020

You Really Should Keep Fostering. Here's Why.

Caring for foster pets while you were home all day was a breeze, but can you give a foster pet what they need if you’re working 8+ hours a day? You can.

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Keeping families together pet support at the shelter min
Tuesday May 19th, 2020

Keeping Families Together: Pet Support at the Shelter During COVID-19 and Beyond

How can animal shelters support keeping pets with their people through COVID-19? How have programs at one of the largest No Kill shelters in the country pivoted to keep the community and pets safe through this trying time?

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SN clinic volunteers
Tuesday May 19th, 2020

How Austin Pets Alive! Safely and Methodically Reopened Spay Neuter Services: 10 Things to Consider

Are you itching to reopen or increase spay/neuter operations? If you are like those of us in Austin, I am guessing the answer is YES! How will you reopen and maintain safety for our staff, volunteers, community members, and pets?

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Animal Social Services Model
Thursday May 14th, 2020

The Elements of the Animal Social Services Coalition Model: We Need Your Feedback!

Over the past several months, animal welfare leaders across the nation have been envisioning a new world of animal services, where most pets are housed in homes and communities, not in the shelter. We want your feedback!

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Now that animal shelters are empty
Thursday May 7th, 2020

Now that animal shelters are empty, can we ever go back to the way things were?

The answer is no, we can't go back.

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Guiding Principles of the Animal Social Services Model
Wednesday May 6th, 2020

Guiding Principles of the Animal Social Services Model: Tell Us What You Think

Out of this pandemic is emerging the foundation for a better world for pets and the people who love them. Animal social services, a model that takes the best lessons learned from human social services, public health, education, animal welfare, and ot...

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MLA Pivots with COVID 19
Monday May 4th, 2020

Maddie’s® Lifesaving Academy Pivots with COVID-19: Plans to Support and Teach the Future of Lifesaving Together

During COVID-19, Maddie’s® Lifesaving Academy has seen shelters and rescues make brave choices to save animal lives, and find ways to engage communities, all while keeping people safe. But, what happens next?

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Kick Ass Shelters Embracing Change During COVID 19
Thursday April 30th, 2020

Kick Ass Shelters that are Embracing Change During COVID-19

COVID-19 has forced animal shelters to make a big change and a few shelters have impressed the hell out of us.

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Preparing Neonates Webinar
Tuesday April 28th, 2020

Preparing Neonates Live Q&A Webinar

Whether you are brand new to kitten season, or a seasoned veteran, this webinar is for you.

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Why Two Pet Cats with COVID 19 in New York
Wednesday April 22nd, 2020

Why Two Pet Cats with COVID-19 in New York Shouldn't Worry You

With the latest CDC announcement stating that two pet cats in separate parts of New York have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, (the virus that causes COVID-19), we want to remind the public that American Pets Alive! is committed to bringing you the fa...

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Healthy Kittens
Wednesday April 22nd, 2020

What to Do When You Find Kittens and the Shelter is Closed

When you find kittens, your first reaction shouldn't be to move them or take them to the shelter! In fact if you found a kitten or kittens, pause, and follow these easy steps.

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Emergency Plan for Pets 4
Monday April 20th, 2020

Make an Emergency Plan for Your Pet in 3 Easy Steps

Have you included your pets in your emergency plan? Use this blog to learn how!

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What Large Shelters Would Have Done Differently min
Sunday April 19th, 2020

What Large Shelters Would Have Done Differently, Had They Known

Many shelters have said that they would have done things differently had they known how the COVID-19 pandemic would affect them and their communities. What are those things?

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COVID 19 L Ive QA Series min
Saturday April 18th, 2020

COVID-19 Live Q&A Series

For answers to your burning COVID-19 questions, watch this three part webinar series with Dr. Ellen Jefferson and Kristen Hassen-Auerbach.

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Foster On Deck It Really Works min
Saturday April 18th, 2020

Foster On Deck - It Really Works!

Jennah Billeter, Director Of Volunteer & Foster Resources at Humane Rescue Alliance shares her thoughts about Foster on Deck and how it works for them.

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Ten Steps Shelters Can Take Now to Build Better Animal Services min
Thursday April 16th, 2020

The Future is Here: Ten Steps Shelters Can Take Now to Build Better Animal Services

COVID-19 brought an immediate need for shelters to change everything. As communities begin to talk about ‘re-opening,’ should we go back to the old system or use lessons learned from the past few weeks to create a whole, new world for lost and homele...

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What to Do When You Find a Lost Cat
Wednesday April 15th, 2020

What to Do When You Find a Cat and the Shelter is Closed

The city shelter should actually be your last place to take a found animal, not your first option.

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What to Do When You Find a Lost Dog
Wednesday April 15th, 2020

What to Do When You Find a Dog and the Shelter is Closed

What should you do with a lost or found dog? Believe it or not, the shelter shouldn't be your first step.

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How the New CARES Act Offers Federal Help to YOU min
Monday April 13th, 2020

How the New CARES Act Offers Federal Help to YOU

For the first time, nonprofits are being extended the same critical resources given to (other) small businesses in a time of crisis. Do you know what the CARES Act does for you?

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MASONRY 127 1
Friday April 10th, 2020

Redefining Animal Sheltering

This important webinar will walk you through the ways we're redefining animal sheltering now!

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Shifting Our Marketing Focus to Fosters
Tuesday April 7th, 2020

Shifting Our Marketing Focus to Fosters

KC Pet Project is shifting their entire marketing strategy to promoting pets in foster and allocating resources to their foster program and those who manage it. How exactly are they doing this?

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PACC Marketing 1
Wednesday April 1st, 2020

Steal This! What the Nation’s Largest Shelter Pet Foster Program Wants You to Know About Finding Fosters during COVID-19

PACC wants you to ‘steal’ these ideas and make them your own. Because they work!

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Shelters have emptied their kennels
Tuesday March 31st, 2020

Shelters have emptied their kennels, so now what?

Every day, we receive dozens of photos like these - empty kennels that prove, without a doubt, the community IS the solution. In reality, the answer was always there.

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MASONRY 62
Monday March 30th, 2020

Balancing the Two Ninety Percentiles in Human and Animal Welfare: 90% Social Distance with 90%+ Shelter Lifesaving

We can accomplish a 90% reduction in social activities, while maintaining the goal of a live outcome for every animal in shelters, but how? Read this explanation by Dr. Ellen Jefferson.

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MASONRY 128
Monday March 30th, 2020

NACA Statement on Essential Animal Services During COVID-19 WITH AmPA! Links

NACA released a statement asserting that animal services should be considered essential public service, and therefore should continue throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But what services may be considered essential? Use the AmPA! Preparedness Guide of...

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MASONRYD 21
Saturday March 28th, 2020

Because Not Feeling Alone Makes this Crisis a lot Easier.

As this global pandemic worsens, what will happen to homeless pets and those entering our shelters?

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COVID 19 Daily Digest 3 24 1 min
Wednesday March 25th, 2020

COVID-19 Daily Digest | Tuesday, March 24

The most current, up-to-date, shelter and rescue info at-a-glance.

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Our Collective Responsibility to Homeless Pets During COVID 19
Wednesday March 25th, 2020

Our Collective Responsibility to Homeless Pets During COVID-19

In this moment of fear and uncertainty, and trepidation about what will happen for pets and people in the coming months, there is also an outpouring of love, kindness and compassion happening that is changing everything.

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Daily Digest March 23
Tuesday March 24th, 2020

COVID-19 Daily Digest | Monday, March 23

The most current, up-to-date, shelter and rescue info at-a-glance.

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Getting to Yes 1
Tuesday March 24th, 2020

Getting to Yes! Making Great Matches Between Pets and People

This webinar will help you increase adoptions in your organization by making adoption easy for everyone!

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March 22 Daily Digest
Monday March 23rd, 2020

COVID-19 Daily Digest | Sunday, March 22

The most current, up-to-date, shelter and rescue info at-a-glance.

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How has COVID 19 Affected Shelters and Rescues 1
Saturday March 21st, 2020

How has COVID-19 Affected Shelters and Rescues?

If you run a shelter or rescue, or if you know a shelter in need of help, this is for you.

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If Pets Cant Get COVID 19
Friday March 20th, 2020

But Pets Don’t Get COVID-19? Why Animal Shelters Need Us Now More Than Ever

According to the Center for Disease Prevention and Control’s most recent update, “There is no evidence that companion animals including dogs and cats can spread COVID-19.” So, if pets can't get or give us the virus, why are animal shelters asking for...

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Friday March 20th, 2020

COVID-19 Daily Digest | Thursday, March 19

The most current, up-to-date, shelter and rescue info at-a-glance.

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Making Sense of Cat Intake Protocols During COVID
Thursday March 19th, 2020

Making Sense of Cat Intake Protocols During COVID

AmPA! released recommendations regarding feline intake, and they are what we believe are in the best interest for cats during this pandemic.

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Thursday March 19th, 2020

COVID-19 Daily Digest | Wednesday, March 18

The most current, up-to-date, shelter and rescue info at-a-glance.

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Antoni at Austin Pets Alive
Wednesday March 18th, 2020

COVID-19 Daily Digest | Tuesday, March 17

The most current, up-to-date, shelter and rescue info at-a-glance.

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Fundraising During COVID 19 Outbreak in 6 Easy Steps
Tuesday March 17th, 2020

Fundraising During the COVID-19 Outbreak in 6 Easy Steps

Many have asked about continuing fundraising during the COVID-19 outbreak, and the answer is a resounding YES.

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Tuesday March 17th, 2020

COVID-19 Daily Digest | Monday, March 16

The most current, up-to-date, shelter and rescue info at-a-glance.

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Open Fostering
Monday March 16th, 2020

Open Fostering: Removing Barriers to Fostering During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event and shelters and rescues must act urgently to place as many pets in foster homes as possible.

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MASONRY 130 1
Thursday March 12th, 2020

Engage Fosters in COVID-19: Easy Steps to Share with Your Community to Save Lives

Tell your community the easiest way to sign up to foster, when and if you need them.

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Love in the Time of Parvo
Friday February 21st, 2020

Love in the Time of Parvo

Love sometimes finds us in the most unexpected places. In the case of Dr. Nipuni Ratnayaka and Dr. Kevin Horecka, it was volunteering at the Parvo Puppy ICU at Austin Pets Alive!.

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Goodbye Licensing Hello Microchips 5 Steps Albuquerque Took to Change an Outdated Law
Friday February 14th, 2020

Goodbye Licensing, Hello Microchips: 5 Steps Albuquerque Took to Change an Outdated Law

Adam Ricci of the Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department replaced the decades-old mandatory licensing law with microchips to do just that. Do you have a mandatory licensing law you are looking to change in your community?

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Fostering dogs
Saturday February 8th, 2020

How Foster Programs grew up to 527,600% Thanks to Maddie’s Apprenticeships

Can teaching foster care increase the number of animals that go to foster homes? The answer is yes and we have the data to prove it!

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4 Effective and Inexpensive Ways to Save Cats with URI
Thursday February 6th, 2020

4 Effective and Inexpensive Ways to Save Cats with URI

Is your community saving all the URI cats?

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MASONRY 139 1 1
Wednesday February 5th, 2020

Ringworm Myths Broken: Send Them Home!

Do you let ringworm cats leave your shelter while they are still contagious? This webinar will teach you how to let them go home tomorrow!

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Austin Pets Alive and the Birth of a No Kill Vision 2
Sunday February 2nd, 2020

Austin Pets Alive! and the Birth of a No Kill Vision

American Pets Alive! is the national education and outreach division of Austin Pets Alive!. This blog is the story of how both came to be.

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Peony Vol
Friday January 24th, 2020

The Easy Guide for Adoption and Foster Best Practices

If you want to save more lives in your shelter or rescue, you don’t have to ‘re-invent the wheel.’ Here are the best practices being followed by the most successful lifesaving shelters.

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Mara Hartsell
Thursday January 16th, 2020

Kick Ass Director Q&A: Mara Hartsell, Rosenberg Animal Control and Shelter

Dr. Ellen Jefferson sat down with Maddie's Lifesaving Academy student and Director of Rosenberg Animal Control and Shelter, Mara Hartsell to talk about how she's transforming her shelter to save more lives.

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10 Shelters That Kicked Ass in 2019
Monday January 6th, 2020

10 Shelters That Kicked Ass in 2019

These ten shelters kicked ass in 2019. Will you make the 2020 list?

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The Best Shelter Employees Display These Six Traits
Wednesday January 1st, 2020

The Best Shelter Employees Display These Six Traits

Spot your best shelter employees by looking for these six traits.

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Tips to Recruit More Foster Homes 1
Tuesday December 31st, 2019

8 Tips to Recruit More Foster Homes

You can recruit more foster homes by applying these tips today.

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What is the American Pets Alive Research Committee 2
Monday December 23rd, 2019

What is the American Pets Alive! Research Committee?

Have you heard of the American Pets Alive! Research Committee? Whether you have or haven't, you're probably wondering what it is.

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Santa with shelter dog
Tuesday December 17th, 2019

Top 5 Ways to Engage Your Community During The Holidays

'Tis the season to engage your community! Here are a few ways to do that.

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Three Simple Steps to Take Charge of Your Shelter or Rescues Workplace Culture thumbnail
Tuesday December 10th, 2019

Three Simple Steps to Take Charge of Your Shelter or Rescue’s Workplace Culture

This step by step guide will lead your shelter or rescue to creating the workplace culture of your dreams.

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Make this one change and watch your whole shelter transform
Wednesday December 4th, 2019

Make This One Change and Watch Your Whole Shelter Transform

What's the easiest way animal shelters could start saving more lives today? You probably did NOT guess this.

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Transport programs webinar
Tuesday November 26th, 2019

Transport Programs: How to Find & Cultivate Successful Rescue Partnerships

Does your community struggle to keep up with the number of animals entering your local shelter? Check out this webinar on transport programs!

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Jacksonville-Humane-Kittens-AmericanPetsAlive
Thursday November 21st, 2019

Finders Keepers: How Jacksonville Humane Partnered with Private Vet Clinics to Keep Kittens Out of the Shelter

Jacksonville Humane Society has increased the safety net for orphaned neonatal kittens with their ‘found to foster’ and Kitten Krusaders programs.

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BARC Staff
Wednesday November 6th, 2019

Texas Shelter Questions Killing; AmPA! Helps Save 26 Dogs

Joining the community of Palestine, Texas, we celebrate the changes made by the BARC Humane Society. When shelter leaders openly accept new ideas and make the choice to implement lifesaving solutions to stop the unnecessary deaths of shelter pets, we...

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Bernie1
Friday November 1st, 2019

Onboard Lifesaving: Shelter Jargon

In Shelter Jargon, we define over 30 of the most common terms used in animal shelters today.

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Kitten 1285341 1920
Tuesday October 22nd, 2019

Don't Fear FeLV: Feline Leukemia as the Next Frontier of Feline Lifesaving

Listen and learn from feline leukemia experts Monica Frenden and Natascha Hamman on the next frontier of feline lifesaving: FeLV cats.

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Tomek baginski V6n86 Ad JD9 U unsplash
Saturday October 19th, 2019

Turning No Kill Lessons into Law

Now, in a first ever move, Austin became became a model for complete transparency with the public. Austin City Council passed the most comprehensive set of laws to protect animals in the country.

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Seniordog
Monday October 7th, 2019

Surprise! This Overlooked Group of Pets May Be Your Most Adoptable

Many organizations are still struggling to get senior and geriatric pets adopted or fostered. Here are some easy, proven ways to reduce length of stay and increase the live release rate of your older pets.

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Pimaanimalcare2
Saturday September 28th, 2019

Rescues to the Rescue: 13 Ideas to Increase Lifesaving and Engagement in Your Community

What is the role of rescue groups in lifesaving? In part 1 of this 2 part series, we share 13 ideas for rescue groups to increase lifesaving and engagement in their communities.

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MASONRY 110
Wednesday September 25th, 2019

Saving FeLV Cats: Your FeLV Questions Answered

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions on FeLV.

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MASONRY 98
Friday September 20th, 2019

5 Reasons to Send Ringworm Pets to Foster and Adoptive Homes

Ringworm should never be reason for euthanizing pets, but it should also not hold shelters or rescues back from sending pets to foster or adoptive homes. 

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Regan Rocket
Wednesday September 18th, 2019

Want to be a No Kill Leader?

If you have the passion and drive to build a future in which homeless pets’ lives are protected in shelters, you need to find a job where your lifesaving ideas will receive support from your leadership.

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Parvo Dog
Friday September 13th, 2019

Nine Groups of Savable Pets Still At Risk in Most Animal Shelters

In an average animal shelter, you are likely to hear from staff and leadership that they are saving most, if not all of the, ‘healthy and treatable’ animals in their care. Sadly, in the majority of shelters, animals that are classified as ‘unhealthy ...

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Dog and phone
Wednesday September 11th, 2019

AmPA! How To: The Basics of Building Your Social Media Presence

Social media has become essential not only to your brand awareness, but to the continued functioning of your organization. It provides an extremely beneficial – and necessary – outlet to fundraise, recruit volunteers, and gain general supporters.

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MASONRY 88
Friday September 6th, 2019

What should your community’s animal shelter be sharing publicly?

As we move towards a more transparent model of sheltering, data sharing is essential; not only to preserving one’s reputation, but also ensuring that as many lives as possible are being saved.

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Cats2
Friday August 23rd, 2019

How We Keep Cats From Losing Their Marbles While They Wait for Their Home

On any given day, we have 250 to 1,000 cats in our custody, with up to 400 housed at Pima Animal Care Center and the rest in foster homes. Here are a few of the ways we keep cats and kittens happy and healthy while they live in our shelter.

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Alexander2
Monday August 19th, 2019

How We Keep Dogs From Losing Their Marbles While They Wait for Their Home

At Pima Animal Care Center, the average length of stay in the shelter for a dog is about 12 days. However, some of our big dogs could wait for several months before being adopted – so we’ve tailored our shelter program to keep the 350 to 450 dogs hou...

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Tt
Friday August 16th, 2019

How You Can Keep Pets Cool During High Temps

With temperatures from coast to coast hitting over 100 degrees this week, finding ways to keep pets safe in the heat is a top priority! Heat can be dangerous for dogs and cats and even result in heat stroke. Whether you work or volunteer in a shelter...

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Pimaanimalcare2
Saturday August 10th, 2019

7 Ways Animal Care Can Help With Housing Crises

Housing crises exist all over the United States: from the Bay Area of California to the gulf coast of Florida. The lack of housing for people, coupled with the ability for property owners and managers to limit pets, increases the likelihood of pets e...

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RCPA2
Friday July 26th, 2019

AmPA! Helps Rusk County Transform Parvo Program

On May 22, Rusk County Pets Alive (RCPA) contacted American Pets Alive! (AmPA!) with an urgent request to assist with a suspected parvovirus outbreak in their city’s shelter. With lives on the line, AmPA! extraordinaires Jordana Moerbe and Jessica Po...

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Sheila
Wednesday July 24th, 2019

Public Information Request 101: Get the Information You Need

Do you want or need to access data or information from an animal shelter? Writing a public information request is easier than you think. Learn how in just 10 minutes!

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Felv award
Thursday July 11th, 2019

AmPA! and APA! Staff Members Named Shelter Medicine Heroes for FeLV Stewardship

In June, 2019, Monica Frenden, Maddie's Director of Feline Lifesaving at American Pets Alive!, and Natascha Hamman, FeLV Program Manager at Austin Pets Alive!, were named Shelter Medicine Heroes by the Association of Animal Welfare Advancement and Id...

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Michiana
Tuesday July 9th, 2019

Five Undeniable Signs that Foster Really is the Future of Animal Welfare

One of the many positive changes includes the way we house animals in our care, as shelters are becoming gradually more foster-centric. Eventually, foster care will be recognized as more than a luxury program and will become a foundation of our work.

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Monica cats
Tuesday July 2nd, 2019

Driving Up the Convenience: Pima Animal Care Center Offers Drive-Thru Style Microchipping

In just two weeks, over 800 dogs and cats were microchipped through the drive-thru clinic at Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson, Arizona. The shelter anticipates that over 1,000 animals will be chipped in total during the two week pop-up event ending ...

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Rooster
Monday June 24th, 2019

#Savetheroosters: Lifesaving Protocol for Placing Former Fighting Roosters

In 2016, Austin Animal Center decided to try to rehome 26 fighting roosters. They set out to save even just one rooster and asked the community for help. Within six hours of making these former fighting birds available, every single rooster was adopt...

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Unnamed
Thursday May 30th, 2019

What is No Kill?

No Kill means every pet’s life is worth saving. No exceptions. The authors? A group of expert, lifesaving animal shelter directors from around the country. The goal? Create an expansive definition for No Kill to carry us into the future.

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Friday May 24th, 2019

“Why did it take so long for us to realize that killing animals is not the solution?" El Paso Animal Services Director reflects on lifesaving change

In just over a year, El Paso Animal Services Director, Paula Powell has turned the municipal shelter into a beacon of hope for the more than 27,000 cats and dogs who come through its doors each year. Powell, who had managed the parks department in El...

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Tuesday May 21st, 2019

Should we use the term No Kill?

To some people, No Kill means saving 90% of pets who enter a shelter. Others think it means only saving pets considered ‘treatable’ and ‘healthy,’ or that only closed-admission shelters can be No Kill. Some critics of the term argue that it’s so mis...

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Friday May 17th, 2019

How to convince your boss that you should attend the American Pets Alive! Conference in 2020.

Ready to take the next step? Let your team know how essential the American Pets Alive! Conference is, and why you should be there to learn how to take your community to the next level of lifesaving?

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Friday May 10th, 2019

We Asked the Experts: What Traits Do You Look for When Hiring Shelter Leadership?

We asked a group of top lifesaving shelter directors to tell us what they look for when selecting people for leadership roles in their organizations. Here is what they’re looking for when hiring new leaders to manage their organizations.

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Bernie1
Sunday April 28th, 2019

529,733 and counting! Join the AmPA! Shelter Animals Count Coalition

Every year, American Pets Alive! teaches thousands of animal shelter directors, staff, volunteers and advocates how to save more animal lives. In 2019, at the AmPA! Conference alone, we hosted hundreds of attendees who together represented 33 state...

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Monday April 22nd, 2019

How much is enough? What to expect from your foster and volunteer coordinators

How many volunteers do you need to achieve your mission? Can one foster coordinator really send 1,000 pets to foster in a year? Learn what high performing foster and volunteer coordinators achieve and what you should expect from these two, critical p...

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Ryan Liability Blog
Wednesday April 17th, 2019

Could We Get Sued for That? An Introduction to Managing Liability Risks at Animal Shelters & Rescues

Could We Get Sued for That? An Introduction to Managing Liability Risks at Animal Shelters & Rescues provides insight into some of the biggest questions our industry faces. Repeatedly named a Texas “Super Lawyer” in Texas Monthly magazine, Ryan Clin...

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Email Headers
Monday April 15th, 2019

Meet the Next Top Model. And learn why dogs like her will one day be safe.

Jackie sure knows how to strike a pose, doesn’t she? Despite Jackie’s good looks and her bubbly personality, she's been overlooked by adopters at Gateway Pet Guardians (GPG) in St. Louis for far too long.

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Tuesday April 9th, 2019

5 ways to become a No Kill advocate

So, you want to be a No Kill advocate, but don’t know where to start? You have come to the right place! At American Pets Alive! (AmPA!) we know that everyone can be a No Kill hero.

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Friday March 29th, 2019

What's New, Pussycat? How Shelters Across the Country Are Learning to Save Cats With Feline Leukemia

At American Pets Alive!, we know that there are countless unnecessary deaths occurring in animal shelters across the country.

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Thursday March 28th, 2019

The Transparency Checklist: How to Know if Your Community’s Animal Shelter is Truly Transparent

Inspired by Kristen Auerbach's 2019 presentation at the American Pets Alive! Conference The word...

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Thursday March 21st, 2019

What Was Your Match? A Single Spark Can Start a Movement

Fourth-century philosopher St. Augustine once said that hope has two ingredients—anger and courage. Anger at the way things are, and the courage to make a change.

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