Rescue 101: Getting Your Organization Off the Ground By Cimeron Morrissey. Becoming a 501(c)(3) non profit

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1 Rescue 101: Getting Your Organization Off the Ground By Cimeron Morrissey Becoming a 501(c)(3) non profit 1. Advantages of being a 501(c)(3) non-profit A. Credibility B. Donations are tax deductible C. You will be a tax exempt entity D. Grants are generally only given to 501(c)(3) orgs E. Many pet stores will only allow 501(c)(3) orgs to show adoptable animals at their stores It s easy and inexpensive: A. Get a Federal Tax ID number (aka, EIN) B. File Articles of Incorporation in your state C. Apply for tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Service Section 501(c)(3) D. Write your bylaws 2. How to become a 501(c)(3) It s easy and pretty inexpensive to become a 501(c)(3). Here s all you have to do: You can do it yourself most of what you ll need to do is listed at this link: or 1. Contact LegalFilings.com 2. Fill out the documents to form a charitable corporation in your state and have LegalFilings file it (cost varies between $25 to $100) 3. Have LegalFilings.com seek IRS approval for section 501(c)(3) status ($499 to prepare and file) 4. Get an IRS determination letter, which proves you re a tax exempt entity. See also the following handouts: Sample Articles of Incorporation and Sample Bylaws and Sample Bylaws with Instructions

2 Rescue 101: Getting Your Organization Off the Ground By Cimeron Morrissey Creating Your Mission Statement Content: 1. The importance of a mission statement. Page 1 2. Components of a solid mission statement... Page 1 3. Mission statement worksheet Page 2 4. How to stick to your mission statement.. Page 3 5. Samples from various rescue groups.. Page 3 1. The importance of a mission statement A mission statement is a roadmap. When you run a rescue group, you must decide where you re going first and determine the best route to get there so that you ll be able to get there faster, and without any time consuming, frustrating detours. Without a mission statement, it s like driving to a new destination without a map. 2. Components of a solid mission statement A useful mission statement should be operational, simple, and clear so that each person in the organization can judge his/her contributions against the organization s reason for existence. It conveys to people internal and external why the organization exists, what it does, the value it provides (to animals, the community, etc.) and implies why the organization is unique. (scroll down for the mission statement worksheet, which is on the next page) 1

3 3. Mission statement worksheet Take a deep breath. It s easy you can do this in a couple of hours. Ask for participation from a couple of others who have intimate knowledge of the organization and are passionate about it and do this worksheet with them in a brainstorming session. Write in your answers to the following questions, and be as succinct and brief as possible: a. Why does your organization exist? What is the problem or need your organization is trying to address? b. What is the ultimate result of your work? c. What are your organizations goals? Think of 1 high level goal (such as: create a nokill community; humanely reduce the number of kittens/puppies entering shelters) and 2-5 detailed goals (such as: offer free spay/neuter for pit bulls; provide temporary foster care for pets of people in crisis who want their animals back after they ve gotten their feet back on the ground). d. What are the top three services you provide, or your top three activities, that you plan to engage in to accomplish your goals? e. What geographic region do you serve, what kinds of animals do you help, and who do you serve (i.e. the whole community, low-income-only, businesses and municipalities, feral cat caretakers, dog-lovers, etc.)? f. What are the basic shared beliefs in your organization? g. What makes your organization unique? Now that you have the answers, read them aloud and then circle the key words and phrases that you feel truly define your organization. Then simply arrange those thoughts in paragraph form. You will find examples on the following pages. You can do this! Good luck! 2

4 4. How to stick to your mission statement a. Identify what you can t or won t do b. Develop contingency plans for those things (such as form symbiotic relationships with other organizations in your area, etc.) Develop a standard response for inquiries for help to show people where they can go for the help they need. c. When developing plans, or considering a new project, always re-read your mission statement and ask if the new efforts are in keeping with your mission. If not, don t do it! 5. Sample mission statements Washington Humane Society 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 As the only open-access shelter in the Nation s Capital, the Washington Humane Society provides comfort and care to over 30,000 animals each year through its broad range of programs and services including sheltering, adoption, spay and neuter, CatNiPP, humane law enforcement, lost and found, human animal therapy programs and humane education. Helen Woodward Animal Center Helen Woodward Animal Center is a unique, private, non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of animals and enriching the lives of people. For more than 30 years, our no-kill Center has provided humane care and adoption for orphaned animals, as well as animal-centered educational and therapeutic programs for people. The Center is a dynamic, evolving institution that is an agent of change for the animal welfare world. Not only are we operating innovative and beneficial programs for animals and people, but we are teaching others around the world how to successfully market and promote their programs and stop the senseless death of thousands of animals. NYC Feral Cat Initiative The New York City Feral Cat Initiative is a joint program of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals and Neighborhood Cats, two private non-profit organizations committed to solving New York City's feral cat overpopulation crisis through the humane, non-lethal method of Trap- Neuter-Return, or TNR for short. The NYC Feral Cat Initiative provides TNR Caretaker Training Workshops in all five boroughs; hands-on assistance at TNR projects in all boroughs; free TNR equipment loans; public advice by phone and ; feline educational events and information via our e-newsletter, web site, and printed materials. In addition, the NYC Feral Cat Initiative hosts the NYC Feral Cat Council, an alliance of organizations that work directly with feral cats and TNR in New York City. Wonder Dog Rescue We are a dedicated volunteer group, serving the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, and rescuing dogs from all over Northern and Central California. Wonder Dog Rescue has saved blind and deaf dogs, puppies as young as two weeks and seniors as old as 15! We offer hospice 3

5 to special needs and elderly dogs, caring for them until the end of their lives. Each animal has so much to offer and we learn so much by opening our hearts to these deserving companions. Performing Animal Welfare Society PAWS is dedicated to the protection of performing animals, to providing sanctuary to abused, abandoned and retired captive wildlife, to enforcing the best standards of care for all captive wildlife, to the preservation of wild species and their habitat and to promoting public education about captive wildlife issues. ARF ARF saves dogs and cats who have run out of time at public shelters and brings people and animals together to enrich each others lives. ARF strives to create a world where every loving dog and cat has a home, where every lonely person has a companion animal, and where children learn to care. To provide the rescue, adoption and population control services necessary to ensure all companion animals a stable and loving home in which to complete a natural lifespan. Strategies: To improve the quality of relationships between people and pets, with emphasis on populations like abused children, the elderly and others who gain comfort from the "healing connection" with companion animals. To support and lead other animal protection and human service organizations, locally and across the country, with solid program models that help save animals and bring the healing touch of animals to local communities. To create educational programs utilizing innovative methods to introduce the higher ideals of compassion toward animals and people, define responsible pet guardianship and make the case for the need to control companion animal overpopulation. A Rabbit Rescue Group We are a non-profit 501c (3) no-kill rabbit shelter staffed and run entirely by volunteers. Our goals include the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of abandoned rabbits, as well as public education regarding proper rabbit care and the importance of spay/neuter in battling the escalating overpopulation problem. Pit Bull Rescue Central Pit Bull Rescue Central envisions a compassionate world where pit bulls and pit bull mixes reside in responsible, loving homes and where their honor and positive image is restored and preserved. As an organization, Pit Bull Rescue Central (PBRC): Helps relieve suffering of and prevent cruelty to dogs identified as pit bulls and mixes thereof, through the public dissemination of educational information. Helps reduce the number of homeless pit bulls and mixes thereof, through the public dissemination of educational information. Facilitates the rescue and placement of homeless dogs identified primarily as pit bulls and mixes thereof, into responsible homes. Participates in fundraising in order to provide caretakers of pit bulls and mixes thereof, with the means to: o seek veterinary treatment 4

6 o o o spay or neuter provide food, shelter or other basic necessities assist a dog to prevent it from being treated in a cruel or inhumane fashion 5

7 Rescue 101: Getting Your Organization Off the Ground By Cimeron Morrissey Sample Articles of Incorporation The following is a sample of Articles of Incorporation that one dog rescue group filed in the state of Mississippi. Depending on your state s rules and regulations about Articles of Incorporation, you may need to include information that s not included in this sample. Be sure to check your state s rules and regulations for Articles of Incorporations, which can often be found online. Articles of Incorporation The following Articles of Incorporation are proposed. Concerned citizen and animal lovers who are interested in helping to establish GSD Animal Rescue and/or participate as volunteer members should contact Terry Lynch. State of Mississippi Articles of Incorporation Good Shepherd Dog Animal Rescue, Inc. A Not-for-Profit Corporation Pursuant to Section of the Mississippi Code of 1972, the undersigned hereby adopts and executes the following Articles of Incorporation: Article I: The name of the corporation is Good Shepherd Dog Animal Rescue, Inc., a nonprofit Corporation, which may be abbreviated GSDAR or GSD Animal Rescue, Inc. Article II: The duration of the Corporation shall be perpetual. Article III: The street address of the initial registered office is 120 Anderson Street, Quitman, MS 39355, and the name of the initial registered agent at that office is Terrence A. Lynch. Article IV: The names and addresses of the initial incorporator is: Terrence A. Lynch, President, at 120 Anderson Street, Quitman, MS terrylynch@aol.com Article V: The purposes of the corporation include all those activities, work and objectives as related to the adoption, rescue and/or humane treatment of dogs, cats and other animals and include but are not limited to the following primary purposes: 1. To provide for the rescue, foster care and adoption of homeless dogs, including but not limited to German Shepherds, and other animals, as means may permit; 2. To provide and operate an on-line website, network, newsletter, publication, and/or service to aid in the rescue, foster care and adoption of homeless dogs and other animals; to promote, advertise and encourage the adoption of dogs and other homeless animals through publications, videos, presentations, lectures, broadcasts, and/or the usage or production of other and various materials and media; 3. To help educate and inform the general public with respect to issues related to homeless dogs, cats and other animals through publications, presentations, promotions, advertising, and all other effective or available means; 4. To build, operate and/or maintain a shelter, home, office, clinic, or other facilities for homeless animals; to seek donations and volunteers to provide all the services required as relates to operation of an animal rescue and/or adoption service or other facility;

8 5. To provide workshops, educational programs, instruction, events, programs, training, research, scholarships, and other services or activities related to animal rescue and adoption; to generally aid and help individuals and the community with respect to all aspects of animal rescue, adoption, spay and neuter programs, and the humane care and treatment of animals; 6. To organize fund raising events, programs, or other efforts and activities to provide for the operation of a comprehensive local, regional, state-wide and/or national animal shelter, adoption and rescue service; to generally enable the establishment, construction, operation and maintenance of animal shelters, farms, centers and facilities; 7. To do all those things necessary for the operation of an animal adoption and rescue service, shelter, farm, and program which will help find homes for dogs and other animals which have been abandoned, abused, hurt, harmed, neglected or mistreated; to aid in the administration of care, treatment, rehabilitation and screening of people to find qualified individuals and new homes for dogs and other animals in need of adoption and/or rescue; 8. To engage in any and all other activities, business or enterprise which is legal and/or necessary for the conduct of business. Article VI: The Corporation is to be managed by Terrence A. Lynch, 120 Anderson Street, Quitman, MS 39355, who will serve until a successor is designated, appointed or established. Article VII: Membership in the corporation shall be open to all people who are in sympathy with the purposes of the corporation; membership shall consist of the President and all contributing members who have paid annual membership dues and/or made an equivalent or greater donation of in kind services, property or other equivalent donation. Article VIII: The corporation shall not discriminate based upon race, religion, national origin, ethnic group, sex, or physical or mental disability or impairment. Article IX: Said organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding sections of any future federal tax code. Article X: No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributed to its members, trustees, officers, or others private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the purpose clause hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of this document, the organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

9 Article XIII: Upon the dissolution of the organization, its assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principle office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes. Article XII: Any provision that is not inconsistent with the law for the regulation of the internal affairs of the Corporation is permitted by the Corporation. Article XI: For legal and tax purposes organization shall use the date of filing for incorporation. IN SO AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, the undersigned member/s executes these Articles of Incorporation on this 6th day of March, TERRENCE A. LYNCH, President Note: The Mississippi Secretary of State office uses on-line forms to simplify the incorporation process; hence, these Articles of Incorporation are a draft of the actually documents to be submitted for incorporation. Contributing members may send any suggestions, comments or recommendations for consideration with respect to these Articles of Incorporation to Terry. Correspondence received prior to incorporation may be used to help draft a stronger document. It is hoped that by being able to see how such Articles of Incorporation are authored, others may also be inspired to start their own notfor-profit corporation for the benefit of animals or other humane purposes.

10 SAMPLE BYLAWS FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION (formed under the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act) [Note: The bylaws of an organization state and interpret the general corporate structure and governance policies of a nonprofit organization. In preparing bylaws, make sure that you refer back to and are consistent with the general provisions laid out in the organization s articles of incorporation. The bylaws of an organization are always subordinate to the articles of incorporation; if there is a conflict, the articles will prevail. Bylaws need to be specific enough to provide a clear overall structure, but not so specific that changing needs of the organization would require frequent bylaw changes. Remember that the other tool of governance is Board resolutions. Board resolutions, which are raised and voted on at Board meetings, can be used for specific action items. These sample bylaws present required sections, typical language for sections, and identify places where organizations need to make decisions.] ARTICLE I Purposes of the Corporation Section 1.01 Purposes. As set forth in the Articles of Incorporation, the [organization name] is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. These purposes include: [Add: Mission statement and brief bulleted list of programs] ARTICLE II Offices [Note: For small, grassroots organizations that do not have regular office space, the language below is sufficient.] Section 2.01 Location. The principal office of shall be located within or without the District of Columbia, at such place as the Board of Directors shall from time to time designate. The Corporation may maintain additional offices at such other places as the Board of Directors may designate. shall continuously maintain within the District of Columbia a registered office at such place as may be designated by the Board of Directors. ARTICLE III Members Section 3.01 Members. shall have no members. ARTICLE IV Board of Directors 1

11 Section Power of Board. The affairs of shall be managed by the Board of Directors. Directors may be residents of the District of Columbia, other parts of the United States, or other countries. [State any residency requirements.] [Note: If the bylaws specify a range of Directors rather than a specific number, the Board has the flexibility to add directors as additional skills are needed, rather than to fill an arbitrary number of positions. In thinking about an appropriate range of Board members, think about both what you need and what you can manage. Also remember that the larger the Board, the more difficult it may be to get a quorum.] Section Number of Directors. The number of Directors of shall be not less than three nor more than [specify desired maximum number of board members]. The number of Directors may be increased or decreased from time to time by amendment to the Bylaws. No decrease shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director nor shall the number of Directors be decreased at any time to less than three. [Three is legal minimum in DC] Section Election and Term of Directors. (a) The first Board of Directors of the shall consist of those persons named in the Articles of Incorporation. Such persons shall hold office until the first annual election of Directors. [Note: Directors are typically elected at an annual meeting of the Board. You do not need to state when the annual meeting will be. It is recommended that you have staggered terms so as to minimize the possibility of complete Board turnover in nay given year.] (b) Election of Board members shall occur at each annual meeting of the Board of Directors. The terms of directors shall be staggered. Initial Board members shall serve staggered terms of [one and two years, or one, two, and three years]. Thereafter, Board members shall serve two-year [three-year] terms with approximately half [one-third] of the Directors elected at each annual meeting. Each director shall hold office until the annual meeting when his/her term expires and until his/her successor has been elected and qualified. Section 4.04 Qualifications. A majority of Directors must reside in the United States [or whatever residency requirements you want]. [Note: You can add any other requirements you wish, such as requirements related to diversity, skills, professions, etc. but it is not necessary]. Section Vacancies. Vacancies shall be filled by majority vote of the remaining members of the Board of Directors for the unexpired term. A director elected to fill a vacancy shall be elected for the unexpired term of his/her predecessor in office and shall serve until his/her successor is elected and qualified. Section 4.06 Removal of Directors. A director may be removed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, at any regularly scheduled or special meeting of the Board of 2

12 Directors, whenever in its judgment the best interests of the Corporation would be served thereby. Section 4.07 Resignation. Except as otherwise required by law, a director may resign from the Board at any time by giving notice in writing to the Board. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, and unless otherwise specified therein, no acceptance of such resignation shall be necessary to make it effective. [Note: Most organizations define a quorum as a simple majority of the directors. If you set quorum requirements higher, such as two thirds of the directors, it may be hard to get a quorum. Likewise, if you set it too low, such as one-third of the directors, you can end up with a very small number of directors taking action that binds the entire corporation.] Section 4.08 Quorum of Directors and Action by the Board. Unless a greater proportion is required by law, a majority of the directors then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum is present at the commencement of a meeting, a quorum shall be deemed present throughout such proceedings. Except as otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the act of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board. Section 4.09 Meetings of the Board. (a) Meetings of the Board of Directors, regular or special, may be held at such place within or without the District of Columbia and upon such notice as may be prescribed by resolution of the Board of Directors. [Sometimes more complex requirements are stated about notice of meetings.] (b) An annual meeting shall be held once a year at a time and location set by the Board of Directors. The Board shall hold at least [number] regular meetings a year, but may meet more frequently if circumstances require. [Note: Make sure that you do not set such tight meeting requirements, such as monthly meetings, that you could easily fall out of compliance with your bylaws, for example around summer or winter holidays. If the bylaws specify four meetings or six meetings per year, the Board is free to meet more frequently.] (c) A director's attendance at any meeting shall constitute waiver of notice of such meeting, excepting such attendance at a meeting by the director for the purpose of objecting to the transaction of business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. (d) Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of such meeting. Section 4.10 Informal Action by Directors; Meetings by Conference Telephone. (a) Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board may be taken without a meeting if a majority of the directors consent in writing through fax, mail, or by electronic mail 3

13 to the adoption of a resolution authorizing the action. The resolution and the written consents thereto by the directors shall be filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board. (b) Unless otherwise restricted by the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any or all directors may participate in a meeting of the Board or a committee of the Board by means of conference telephone or by any means by which all persons participating in the meeting are able to communicate with one another, and such participation shall constitute presence in person at the meeting. [If you want to be able to hold meetings in ways other than in person, bylaws need to say so] Section 4.11 Voting. Each Director shall have one vote. All voting at meetings shall be done personally and no proxy shall be allowed. Section 4.12 Compensation. Directors shall not receive any compensation from the [name of organization] for services rendered to the Corporation as members of the Board, except that directors may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to the Corporation, in reasonable amounts based on policies approved by the Board. [Note: Increasingly, Boards are amending bylaws to put stricter attendance requirements. Again, you want to make sure the bylaws are a tool for holing Board members accountable, but yet you don t want to make them so rigid that you lose good people.] Section Absence. Each Board member is expected to communicate with the Chair/President in advance of all Board meetings stating whether or not s/he is able to attend or participate by conference telephone or other agreed-upon means of communication. Any Board member who is absent from [three] successive Board meetings or fails to participate for a full year shall be deemed to have resigned due to non-participation, and his/her position shall be declared vacant, unless the Board affirmatively votes to retain that director as a member of the Board. ARTICLE V Committees [Note: This section should spell out requirements related to committees of the Board. There are two committees nonprofits must have: An Executive Committee and a Finance/Audit Committee (which is required by new nonprofit regulations). For all Boards, the Officers form the Executive Committee. Boards can identify and form other committees either standing or ad-hoc as needed by Board resolution. They do not have to be specified in the bylaws. The bylaws should state whether non-board members can serve on committees. It is common practice to have committees chaired by a Board member, but allow non-board members to serve on committees.] Section 5.01 Committees of Directors. The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the directors in office, may designate and appoint one or more committees, each consisting of two or more directors, which committees shall have and exercise the authority of 4

14 the Board of Directors in the governance of the Corporation. However, no committee shall have the authority to amend or repeal these Bylaws, elect or remove any officer or director, adopt a plan of merger, or authorize the voluntary dissolution of the Corporation. Section Executive Committee. Between meetings of the Board of Directors, on-going oversight of the affairs of the Corporation may be conducted by an Executive Committee, the membership of which shall include the officers of the Board. Section Finance/Audit Committee. The Finance/Audit Committee is responsible for ensuring that [name of organization s] financial statements and procedures are evaluated to determine that adequate fiscal controls and procedures are in place and that the Corporation is in good financial health. The Treasurer of the Board shall always be a member of the Finance/Audit Committee. [Note: If the organization is very small and does not have the resources for an outside financial review or an audit, then the Finance/Audit Committee should conduct a review of the procedures to ensure that controls are in place and practiced.] Section Other Committees and Task Forces. The Board of Directors may create and appoint members to such other committees and task forces as they shall deem appropriate. Such committees and task forces shall have the power and duties designated by the Board of Directors, and shall give advice and make non-binding recommendations to the Board. Section Term of Office. Each member of a committee shall serve for one year until the next annual meeting of the Board of Directors and until a successor is appointed, unless the committee is sooner dissolved. Section Vacancies. Vacancies in the membership of committees may be filled by the Chair of the Board. Section Rules. Each committee and task force may adopt rules for its meetings not inconsistent with these Bylaws or with any rules adopted by the Board of Directors. [Note: May want to add a section that specifies that you can have Advisory Bodies. If so, specify what bodies, how constituted, how members are to be selected, terms, etc. For example: The Board of Directors or the [Chair? Executive Director?] acting on behalf of the Board may from time to time appoint persons to act singly or as a committee or committees to provide expert advice to or to assist it in other ways. Groups of advisors may include an Honorary Board, an Advisory Board, a Friends Committee, and/or other advisory groups. Each such advisor shall serve at the pleasure of the Board for a period designated by the Board, and shall have only such authority or obligations as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. No advisor shall receive compensation for services rendered, except for payment of reasonable expenses in accordance with policies established by the Board of Directors, unless such compensation is authorized by a majority of the Board members then in office. A director may serve as an advisor, but may not receive compensation except for payment of reasonable expenses in accordance with the Corporation's policies.] 5

15 ARTICLE VI Officers, Agents, and Employees Section Officers. [Specify officers and indicate if one person can hold two offices and also how elected; if a membership organization, the full membership often elects officers at the annual meeting; if not, the Board usually elects its officers from among the membership] The Board of Directors of [name of organization] shall elect a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Officers shall not receive any salary and must be directors of the Corporation. Any two offices may be held by the same person, except that the Chair may not hold another office. Section 6.02 Term of Office. [Specify terms of office and how/when elected] The officers of [name of organization] shall be elected for one-year terms at the regular annual meeting of the Board of Directors. Vacancies may be filled or new offices created and filled at any meeting of the Board. Each officer shall hold office until a successor shall have been duly elected or appointed and qualified. Section 6.03 Removal. [Specify under what conditions and through what process an officer can be removed.] Any officer may be removed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors in office whenever in the Board's judgment the best interests of the Corporation will be served thereby. Section 6.04 Resignation from Office. [Specify methods of resignation] Officers may resign at any time by providing written notice to the Chair. Section 6.05 Powers and Duties. The powers and duties of the officers of shall be as follows: [Clearly specify responsibilities of each officer. If the organization is largely volunteer, these may be direct responsibilities; if staffed, then often the officers provide oversight for work done by staff e.g., handling funds] (a) Chair. The Chair shall preside at the meetings of the Board of Directors. In the absence of paid staff, the Chair shall ensure the supervision and administration of the business and affairs of the Corporation. The Chair shall play a major role in resource development and in representing the organization within and outside the community. The Chair, as well as any other proper officer or staff person of authorized by the Board of Directors, may sign any deeds, bond, mortgages, or other instruments and enter into agreements necessary to carry out the missions and programs of the, except where these Bylaws or policies adopted by the Board require the signature of some other officer or agent of the Corporation. The Chair shall communicate to other officers or to the Board of Directors such matters and make such suggestions as may in her/his opinion tend to promote the prosperity and welfare and increase the usefulness of, and, subject to the supervision of the Board of Directors, shall perform all duties customary to that office. 6

16 (b) Vice Chair. In case of the absence of the Chair, or of her/his inability from any cause to act, the Vice-Chair shall perform the duties of that office. Like the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall play a major role in resource development and in representing the organization within and outside the community. [May want to add other specific responsibilities such as chairing a committee or being liaison to an advisory group] (c) Secretary. [Specify duties; often includes both recording e.g., minutes and other communications e.g., notices of meetings, official communications] The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping an accurate record of all meetings of the Board of Directors, see that all notices are duly given in accordance with these Bylaws or as required by law, maintain the official records of the organization [usually required only when there are no staff], and in general perform all duties customary to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the Chair or by the Board. The Secretary shall have custody of the corporate seal of the Corporation, if any, and shall have the authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it, and when so affixed, it may be attested by his/her signature. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any officer to affix the seal of the Corporation, if any, and to attest the affixing by his/her signature. (d) Treasurer. [If there will be fiscal staff or paid consultants, the Treasurer s role is oversight; if not, the Treasurer may directly manage funds; be specific re role] The Treasurer shall be responsible for financial [management? oversight?], including [keeping all appropriate fiscal records? ensuring that appropriate fiscal records are kept?] and ensuring that all funds are recorded, spent, and monitored consistent with funder requirements, legal requirements, and sound financial management. Section Agents and Employees. [If an Executive Director is planned, specify his/her roles and responsibilities] The Board of Directors may choose to appoint an Executive Director, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Executive Director shall hire, direct, and discharge all other agents and employees, who shall have such authority and perform such duties as may be required to carry out the operations of the Corporation. [Specify at will rights based on DC law] Any employee or agent may be removed at any time with or without cause. Removal without cause shall be without prejudice to such person's contract rights, if any, and the appointment of such person shall not itself create contract rights. Section 6.07 Compensation. [Indicate plans for paying staff] The Corporation may pay compensation in reasonable amounts to agents and employees for services rendered. The Board shall determine the level of compensation of the Executive Director, and shall approve compensation guidelines for other categories of employees. The Board may require officers, agents, or employees to give security for the faithful performance of their duties. ARTICLE VII Miscellaneous 7

17 Section Fiscal Year. [Specify whether fiscal year will be calendar, federal, or other] The fiscal year of the corporation shall be the calendar year or such other period as may be fixed by the Board of Directors. Section 7.02 Corporate Seal. [If you want a seal, describe; it is used on official documents but is no longer required in DC] The corporate sea, if any, shall be circular in form, shall have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall contain the words "Corporate Seal" and "District of Columbia" and 1995, the year the Corporation was formed, in the center. Section [Indicate who has the authority to enter into legal contracts and under what circumstances; very important because this means committing the organization to carrying out specific activities, etc.] Contracts and Other Documents. The Board of Directors may authorize the Chair, the Executive Director, if any, and the Secretary in the absence of an Executive Director to enter into contracts or to execute and deliver other documents and instruments on the Corporation's behalf. Such authority may be invested in other officers or agents of the Corporation from time to time for specific purposes. Section Gifts. [Specify who is authorized to accept funds or other items of value on behalf of the organization] The Board of Directors may authorize the Executive Director and the Secretary, as well as the Chair, to accept on behalf of the Corporation any contribution, gift, bequest, or devise for the purposes of. Section 7.05 Checks, Drafts, Loans, Etc. All checks, drafts, loans, or other orders for the payment of money, or to sign acceptances, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Corporation and in such manner as shall be from time to time determined by the Board of Directors. In the absence of such determination, such instrument shall be signed by the [Chair? Executive Director?], except that disbursements over a specific amount, to be set by the Board from time to time, shall be considered "special disbursements" and must be approved in advance by the Board of Directors. Section Deposits. [Specify how funds will be deposited, including responsibility of Board to make this determination] All funds of the Corporation shall be deposited to the credit of the Corporation in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Board of Directors may from time to time select. Section 7.07 Books and Records to be Kept. [Indicate where official records will be kept] The Corporation shall keep at its registered office in the District of Columbia (1) correct and complete books and records of account, (2) minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors and any committee having any of the authority of the Board, and (3) a record of the names and addresses of the Board members entitled to vote. All books and records of the Corporation may be inspected by any Board member having voting rights, or his/her agent or attorney, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time. Section 7.08 Amendment of Articles and Bylaws. [Indicate requirements for bylaws and articles of incorporation changes; for a membership organization, usually the membership must 8

18 approve; for a non-membership organization, the Board approves; sometimes a certain number of days of notice will be required or a super-majority such as two-thirds of Board members in office may be required to approve bylaws changes] The Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the Corporation may be adopted, amended, or repealed by a majority vote of the directors then in office, provided that at least ten days' written notice has been given each member of the Board of the intention to adopt, amend, or repeal the Articles of Incorporation or the Bylaws. Section 7.09 Loans to Directors and Officers. No loans shall be made by the Corporation to its directors or officers. Section 7.10 Indemnification and Insurance. [The required terminology changes periodically, based on new legislation, but this information is required to protect Board members from suits associated with their governance roles; check for required language based on local laws] (a) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the shall indemnify any director or officer, any former director or officer, any person who may have served at its request as a director or officer of another corporation, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, and may, by resolution of the Board of Directors, indemnify any employee against any and all expenses and liabilities actually and necessarily incurred by him/her or imposed on him/her in connection with any claim, action, suit, or proceeding (whether actual or threatened, civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, including appeals) to which s/he may be or is made a party by reason of being or having been such director, officer, or employee; subject to the limitation, however, that there shall be no indemnification in relation to matters as to which s/he shall be adjudged in such claim, action, suit, or proceeding to be guilty of a criminal offense or liable to the Corporation for damages arising out of his/her own negligence or misconduct in the performance of a duty to the Corporation. (b) Amounts paid in indemnification of expenses and liabilities may include, but shall not be limited to, counsel fees and other fees; costs and disbursements; and judgments, fines, and penalties against, and amounts paid in settlement by, such director, officer, or employee. The Corporation may advance expenses to, or where appropriate may itself, at its expense, undertake the defense of, any director, officer, or employee; provided, however, that such director, officer or employee shall undertake to repay or to reimburse such expense if it should ultimately be determined that s/he is not entitled to indemnification under this Article. (c) The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to claims, actions, suits, or proceedings made or commenced after the adoption hereof, whether arising from acts or omissions to act occurring before or after adoption hereof. (d) The indemnification provided by this Article shall not be deemed exclusive to any other rights to which such director, officer, or employee may be entitled under any statute, Bylaw, agreement, vote of the Board of Directors, or otherwise and shall not restrict the power of the Corporation to make any indemnification permitted by law. 9

19 (e) The Board of Directors may authorize the purchase of insurance on behalf of any director, officer, employee, or other agent against any liability asserted against or incurred by him/her which arises out of such person's status as a director, officer, employee, or agent or out of acts taken in such capacity, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify the person against that liability under law. (f) In no case, however, shall the Corporation indemnify, reimburse, or insure any person for any taxes imposed on such individual under Chapter 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now in effect or as may hereafter be amended ("the Code"). Further, if at any time the Corporation is deemed to be a private foundation within the meaning of o 509 of the Code then, during such time, no payment shall be made under this Article if such payment would constitute an act of self-dealing or a taxable expenditure, as defined in o 4941(d) or o 4945(d), respectively, of the code. (g) [Protection of bylaws from suit] If any part of this Article shall be found in any action, suit, or proceeding to be invalid or ineffective, the validity and the effectiveness of the remaining parts shall not be affected. [Bylaws approved by the Board of Directors on XXX date] 10

20 Sample bylaws without members The following bylaws are intended only as a model. They show some of the most general ways of writing bylaws. An organization has a great deal of latitude in shaping its bylaws, and does not need to follow this model. Keep in mind that the organization can and should amend its bylaws as often as necessary to keep up with changes to the organization.organizations are free to reproduce all, or parts of the samples provided in this section. Note: Organizations with voting members, should see the sample bylaws provided on page 42 of this handbook. BYLAWS OF ABC NONPROFIT ARTICLE I NAME AND PURPOSE Items highlighted in bold type signify information specific to the organiza - tion. Other information provided in this sample may not be adequate for all types of nonprofits and are provided only as an example. Article I must be included. For organizations not incorporated, state that the nonprofit is organized in compliance with the laws of Minnesota. The purpose statement must maintain the standards stated in IRS Publication 557 and give a brief description of the organization s goals to ensure approval of Federal tax exemptions. Organizations with a voting membership should use the sample bylaws on page 42 of this publication. Minnesota law requires a minimum of three directors. The statutory limit for a board term is ten years. Section 1 Name: The name of the organization shall be ABC Nonprofit. It shall be a nonprofit organization incorporated under the laws of the State of Minnesota Section 2 Purpose: ABC Nonprofit is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific and education purposes. The purpose of this corporation is: to support and conduct non-partisan research, education, and informational activities to increase public awareness of juvenile delinquency; to combat crime within neighborhoods; and to prevent community deterioration. ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP Section 1 Membership: Membership shall consist of the board of directors. ARTICLE III BOARD OF DIRECTORS Section 1 Board role, size, and compensation: The board is responsible for overall policy and direction of the association, and delegates responsibility of day-to-day operations to the staff and committees. The board shall have up to 20, but not fewer than 16 members. The board receives no compensation other than reasonable expenses. Section 2 Terms: All board members shall serve two-year terms, but are eligible for re-election for up to five consecutive terms. A board of directors must meet at least once during a fiscal year. For more information on board governance, see page 18. Section 3 Meetings and notice: The board shall meet at least quarterly, at an agreed upon time and place. An official board meeting requires that each board member have written notice at least two weeks in advance. Section 4 Board elections: During the last quarter of each fiscal year of the corporation, the board of directors shall elect Directors to replace those whose terms will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This election shall take place during a regular meeting of the directors, called in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Handbook for Starting a Successful Nonprofit Page 39

21 Sample bylaws without members Section 5 Election procedures: New directors shall be elected by a majority of directors present at such a meeting, provided there is a quorum present. Directors so elected shall serve a term beginning on the first day of the next fiscal year. Minnesota law requires a quorum of directors for the purpose of conducting transactions, consisting of at least one-third of the directors currently holding office. According to Minnesota law, a board must consist of at least a chair/president and a treasurer. Other offices can be created as needed. Section 6 Quorum: A quorum must be attended by at least forty percent of board members for business transactions to take place and motions to pass. Section 7 Officers and Duties: There shall be four officers of the board, consisting of a chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer. Their duties are as follows: The chair shall convene regularly scheduled board meetings, shall preside or arrange for other members of the Executive Committee to preside at each meeting in the following order: vice-chair, secretary, treasurer. The vice-chair shall chair committees on special subjects as designated by the board. The secretary shall be responsible for keeping records of board actions, including overseeing the taking of minutes at all board meetings, sending out meeting announcements, distributing copies of minutes and the agenda to each board member, and assuring that corporate records are maintained. The treasurer shall make a report at each board meeting. The treasurer shall chair the finance committee, assist in the preparation of the budget, help develop fundraising plans, and make financial information available to board members and the public. Section 8 Vacancies: When a vacancy on the board exists mid-term, the secretary must receive nominations for new members from present board members two weeks in advance of a board meeting. These nominations shall be sent out to board members with the regular board meeting announcement, to be voted upon at the next board meeting. These vacancies will be filled only to the end of the particular board member's term. Section 9 Resignation, termination, and absences: Resignation from the board must be in writing and received by the secretary. A board members shall be terminated from the board due to excess absences, more than two unexcused absences from board meetings in a year. A board member may be removed for other reasons by a three-fourths vote of the remaining directors. Section 10 Special meetings: Special meetings of the board shall be called upon the request of the chair, or one-third of the board. Notices of special meetings shall be sent out by the secretary to each board member at least two weeks in advance. Handbook for Starting a Successful Nonprofit Page 40

22 Sample bylaws without members ARTICLE IV COMMITTEES Committees are assigned by the board of directors to work on specific issues facing the organization. Standing committees, such as an Executive Committee or Finance Committee, should be outlined in the bylaws, whereas ad hoc committees can be created for a time period set by the board of directors. Section 1 Committee formation: The board may create committees as needed, such as fundraising, housing, public relations, data collection, etc. The board Chair appoints all committee chairs. Section 2 Executive Committee: The four officers serve as the members of the Executive Committee. Except for the power to amend the articles of incorporation and bylaws, the Executive Committee shall have all the powers and authority of the board of directors in the intervals between meetings of the board of directors, and is subject to the direction and control of the full board. Section 3 Finance Committee: The treasurer is the chair of the Finance Committee, which includes three other board members. The Finance Committee is responsible for developing and reviewing fiscal procedures, fundraising plan, and annual budget with staff and other board members. The board must approve the budget and all expenditures must be within budget. Any major change in the budget must be approved by the board or the Executive Committee. The fiscal year shall be the calendar year. Annual reports are required to be submitted to the board showing income, expenditures, and pending income. The financial records of the organization are public information and shall be made available to board members and the public. ARTICLE V DIRECTOR AND STAFF Though not required, it is highly recommended that the executive director be required to attend all board meetings. This will ensure the executive director is aware of all board discussions and the board is aware of the executive s activities. Section 1 Executive Director: The executive director is hired by the board. The executive director has day-to-day responsibilities for the organization, including carrying out the organization s goals and policies. The executive director will attend all board meetings, report on the progress of the organization, answer questions of the board members and carry out the duties described in the job description. The board can designate other duties as necessary. ARTICLE VI AMENDMENTS It is necessary for the bylaws to detail how they are to be amended. Because the bylaws are more detailed than the articles of incorporation, they should be updated and changed in accordance with the organization s growth and change. Section 1 Amendments: These bylaws may be amended when necessary by two-thirds majority of the board of directors. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the secretary to be sent out with regular board announcements. CERTIFICATION A copy of the original articles and bylaws should be filed for the organization s records. These bylaws were approved at a meeting of the board of directors by a twothirds majority vote on May 22, Secretary Date Handbook for Starting a Successful Nonprofit Page 41

23 Rescue 101: Getting Your Organization Off the Ground By Cimeron Morrissey Building and Managing Your Board of Directors Contents: 1. Overview 2. Creating a board of directors.. 3. Roles and responsibilities for board members and other staff 4. Board-specific policies and procedures. 5. Goal development.. a. Goal Development Worksheet 6. Strategic planning and resources for strategic planning. 7. Finance and operating budgets 8. As you grow. 9. Robert s Rules of Order.. Page 1 Page 1 Page 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 4 Page 4 Page 5 1. Overview Whether your organization has 50 people or 5,000, you need a board of directors to help guide the organization s efforts, and you need rules to help guide the board of directors. Your board is responsible for setting policies and procedures for the organization, insuring that the organization sticks to its mission, that it uses its money appropriately, it determines the efforts and projects that your group will undertake to fulfill your mission and goals, and it oversees the operations of your organization to ensure its success. It s a tall order and often a thankless job for the people who do it, especially if they are unpaid volunteers. But it s incredibly important work, which can be enormously fulfilling for those who are given the trust and honor of running a rescue group. The following tips, rules and guidelines will help you establish and run an effective board of directors: 2. Creating a board of directors Generally speaking, boards fall into two broad categories: working boards and strategic guidance boards. Smaller groups generally have working boards in which the members are all active volunteers within the organization who have hands-on responsibilities. Larger groups often have strategic guidance boards which are mostly composed of non hands-on members, but often have at least a few hands-on volunteers to balance strategic thinking with an understanding of day-to-day operations and needs. As you build your board, and as your organization grows and evolves, consider which kind of board is most appropriate for your group and expect to make changes over time. 1

24 3. Roles and responsibilities. Clearly define roles and responsibilities for board members and committee heads even if you don t yet have the people to staff the positions. This clarity will help board members understand their positions and commitments, which is imperative. Managing expectations is essential. 4. Board-specific policies and procedures. If you develop a basic set of rules that govern your board, it will streamline your board meetings and the way your board operates (and eliminate headaches in the future). Usually will be your bylaws (which most states do not require non-profits to make public, but many do for transparency purposes). For sample bylaws, see the two bylaws handouts. Decide on some basics guidelines, such as: How many people will be on the board. You can specify a minimum/maximum range or specific numbers. How to add/dismiss board members. You will likely experience times when you need new board members, so decide if they get nominated and voted in, appointed, etc. Also, you will likely have board members who are dead weight, and you should have a policy for how to excuse them from the board without creating ill-will. Sometimes the easiest way to deal with this issue is to set terms for board members, and at the end of the terms, the other board members can vote and choose to renew another term (or not) for the person whose term is up. Compensation. Will board members be compensated or not, and if so, how? Meeting frequency. Structure is essential to boards of directors. Decide up front how frequently your board will meet and stick to your schedule. Absences. Require board members to provide ample notification for absences, and also rules around how many meetings can be missed before the member will be dismissed. Meeting agendas. Develop a standard format for the agendas and a process that allows members to add agenda items in preparation for meetings. Voting/quorums. Decide how voting will take place and how many people are necessary for a quorum. Appropriate/inappropriate discussion items. To use the time of the board members most effectively, decide which kinds of topics are appropriate for discussion, and which aren t. For most boards, the best use of their time is to discuss higher level topics relating to the overall operations of the organization (such as: the health and direction of programs), and not the details (such as: the health and direction of individual animals within the programs). Board reports. Determine a note-taker for your meeting who can summarize and report out to all board members about what was discussed, what decisions were made, etc. Robert s Rules of Order. (See point 9 below). Use Robert s Rules of Order as sharedrules to govern your meetings. 2

25 5. Goal development. The board must decide the best way to carry out the organization s mission. To do that, you have to develop and clearly define your organization s goals. The following goal development worksheet will help you do just that and don t worry, it s pretty simple!: Goal Development Worksheet Answer the following questions for each goal that you want to develop: a. What do you want to accomplish? Why is it important? b. Outcome: How will you know when you have accomplished it? What should the end result be? (Try to develop quantifiable answers whenever possible) c. Timeline: What is the deadline for completion? d. Measures: What efforts are necessary to accomplish the desired outcome, and how will it be known that progress is being made? What are some milestones along the way? e. Resources: What resources will be needed to accomplish this goal? f. Use all your answers to write a complete goal statement. 3

26 6. Strategic planning. Strategic planning simply means that you re taking time to determine what your organization needs to do to realize its goals, but as simple as that sounds, it can be a complicated process. First you have to determine your goals, outline what your assets and strengths are that will help you achieve those goals, and then identify the obstacles that stand in your way. The problem is that many organizations cannot find the time to do this important work, or they just don t know how since they ve never done strategic planning before. If your organization can afford it, my suggestion is to hire a strategic planning consultant who specializes in helping animal welfare organizations, such as Nicholas Gilman ( The cost of a consultant-lead strategic planning session usually starts at about $1500, but it s well worth it since the session will likely help you streamline your efforts and raise more funds for your organization! 7. Finance, and operating budgets. If you re like most groups, you ll need money to fund your efforts. Financial management can be a fairly simple affair for smaller organizations, but it gets more complicated as your donations grow and the needs for your money expand. It s important to develop an operating budget based on your organization s expected income. The easiest way to do this is to do it in bite-sized pieces, that is, develop a budget for each branch, department or realm within your organization (such as: fostering program, rescue operations, spay/neuter services, etc). There are many free online resources to help out (search for: nonprofit management designing a budget ). Here are a couple of very helpful online resources for finance and budget development: There is also software that can help you develop a budget, which you ll find on the links listed above. As for bookkeeping, there are several effective tools on the market, such as Quickbooks. 8. As you grow As your organization grows, you will find that it gets harder and harder to keep a handle of all that s going on within the organization, which creates a lot of stress for board members and volunteers alike. This is natural, but you can avoid these growing pains with some simple solutions, such as: o Create committees with committee leaders for various departments, programs and realms within your organization. Each committee should develop their own sets of goals that map to your mission. Example committees: fund raising; communications; fostering and adoption; rescuers; finance, etc. The committee leaders will be responsible for providing a regular report to the board of directors, which should summarize the committee s activities, measurable results, issues, concerns, etc. 4

27 o Suggestion box for volunteers to have a voice. As you grow, your volunteers will feel more disconnected from the board since the board will naturally be drawn away from day-to-day operations. Give the volunteers a voice by providing methods for them to give their ideas and opinions to the board. o Develop ways to communicate relevant board meeting decisions to volunteers. o Create succession and back-up plans. You do not want to be stuck in an emergency, and you don t want your programs and efforts to grind to a halt because the person who runs the program/effort is suddenly unavailable. For every key person who runs a program or committee within your organization, develop back-up plans so that people can cover for them in the event of emergencies, vacations, unplanned leaves, etc. Also, develop succession plans just in case the person must quit the organization. 9. Robert's Rules of Order Robert s Rules of Order provides common rules and procedures for deliberation and debate in order to place the membership on the same footing and speaking the same language. Robert's Rules provides for constructive and democratic meetings, to help, not hinder, the business of the assembly. Under no circumstances should "undue strictness" be allowed to intimidate members or limit full participation. The fundamental right of deliberative assemblies require all questions to be thoroughly discussed before taking action. The assembly rules - they have the final say on everything. Silence means consent. Obtain the floor (the right to speak) by being the first to stand when the person speaking has finished; state Mr./Madam Chairman. Raising your hand means nothing, and standing while another has the floor is out of order. Must be recognized by the Chair before speaking. Debate cannot begin until the Chair has stated the motion or resolution and asked "are you ready for the question?" If no one rises, the chair calls for the vote. Before the motion is stated by the Chair (the question) members may suggest modification of the motion; the mover can modify as he pleases, or even withdraw the motion without consent of the seconder; if mover modifies, the seconder can withdraw the second. The "immediately pending question" is the last question stated by the Chair. Motion/Resolution - Amendment - Motion to Postpone The member moving the "immediately pending question" is entitled to preference to the floor. No member can speak twice to the same issue until everyone else wishing to speak has spoken to it once. All remarks must be directed to the Chair. Remarks must be courteous in language and deportment - avoid all personalities, never allude to others by name or to motives. 5

28 The agenda and all committee reports are merely recommendations. When presented to the assembly and the question is stated, debate begins and changes occur. The Rules Point of Privilege: Pertains to noise, personal comfort, etc. - may interrupt only if necessary. Parliamentary Inquiry: Inquire as to the correct motion - to accomplish a desired result, or raise a point of order Point of Information: Generally applies to information desired from the speaker: "I should like to ask the (speaker) a question." Orders of the Day (Agenda): A call to adhere to the agenda (a deviation from the agenda requires Suspending the Rules) Point of Order: Infraction of the rules, or improper decorum in speaking. Must be raised immediately after the error is made Main Motion: Brings new business (the next item on the agenda) before the assembly Divide the Question: Divides a motion into two or more separate motions (must be able to stand on their own) Consider by Paragraph: Adoption of paper is held until all paragraphs are debated and amended and entire paper is satisfactory; after all paragraphs are considered, the entire paper is then open to amendment, and paragraphs may be further amended. Any Preamble can not be considered until debate on the body of the paper has ceased. Amend: Inserting or striking out words or paragraphs, or substituting whole paragraphs or resolutions Withdraw/Modify Motion: Applies only after question is stated; mover can accept an amendment without obtaining the floor Commit /Refer/Recommit to Committee: State the committee to receive the question or resolution; if no committee exists include size of committee desired and method of selecting the members (election or appointment). Extend Debate: Applies only to the immediately pending question; extends until a certain time or for a certain period of time Limit Debate: Closing debate at a certain time, or limiting to a certain period of time Postpone to a Certain Time: State the time the motion or agenda item will be resumed Object to Consideration: Objection must be stated before discussion or another motion is stated Lay on the Table: Temporarily suspends further consideration/action on pending question; may be made after motion to close debate has carried or is pending Take from the Table: Resumes consideration of item previously "laid on the table" - state the motion to take from the table Reconsider: Can be made only by one on the prevailing side who has changed position or view Postpone Indefinitely: Kills the question/resolution for this session - exception: the motion to reconsider can be made this session Previous Question: Closes debate if successful - may be moved to "Close Debate" if preferred 6

29 Informal Consideration: Move that the assembly go into "Committee of the Whole" - informal debate as if in committee; this committee may limit number or length of speeches or close debate by other means by a 2/3 vote. All votes, however, are formal. Appeal Decision of the Chair: Appeal for the assembly to decide - must be made before other business is resumed; NOT debatable if relates to decorum, violation of rules or order of business Suspend the Rules: Allows a violation of the assembly's own rules (except Constitution); the object of the suspension must be specified 7

30 Rescue 101: Getting Your Organization Off the Ground By Cimeron Morrissey Policies, Procedures and Forms Contents: 1. Policies, procedures and standard forms list. Page 1 2. Guidelines and tools list... Page 1 3. Samples/examples of policies, procedures, guides and forms a. Expense report form Page 3 b. Decision making procedures. Page 4 c. Lead management. Page 5 d. Intake criteria, exclusions and exceptions... Page 9 e. Liability release form Page 10 f. Volunteer application form. Page 11 g. Code of conduct agreement. Page 13 h. Social networking policy Page 15 i. How to guide to trapping for TNR.. Page 17 j. Fostering program guide.. Page 21 So you know what you want to do and how you want to help animals in need. Now you need policies and procedures to streamline how you help those animals and ensure that all of them are treated with the same high level of care. This may seem cumbersome, but it will actually save you so much time and frustration in the long run. It ll keep you and your volunteers on the same page, which will help you retain them. It ll help you keep track of opportunities and potential adopters to make sure no one slips through the cracks. (And don t worry, you can steal all of these samples for yourself no need to reinvent the wheel!) 1. Policies, procedures and standard forms list Here are some of the procedures, policies and standard forms that you should consider developing: (samples are below, starting on page 3) o decision making procedures o lead management o intake criteria o exclusion criteria o overflow procedures o what to do for special needs cases o o o o veterinary protocol (i.e. when to treat in home/shelter and when to take to vet; do volunteers pay vet bills and get reimbursed or is there an account?; which vets are approved providers; what tests, vaccinations and procedures are required for every animal in your care?; do you require prior authorization from board member for procedures over a certain dollar amount?) liability release, and procedures for volunteers who are injured while volunteering volunteer application form code of conduct agreement 2. Guidelines and tools list The following is a list of guidelines and tools that you should consider developing, which will allow your volunteers be somewhat independent and let them do their jobs effectively: o Reimbursement guidelines

31 o o o o o Guidelines for foster parents: clear fostering guidelines (cover socialization, veterinary, separating litters, max number of fosters, marketing the animals for adoption, etc.); adoption applications and contracts; home check evaluation form and questions for adopters, etc. Guidelines for adoption center and shelter volunteers: roles, responsibilities and expectations for each position; suppressing communicable diseases; how to market the animals to potential adopters; how to represent the organization; how to prevent injuries, etc. Guidelines for rescuers and volunteers in the field: expectations; how to guides, such as for trapping, recovery, etc.; injury prevention guide; interfacing with animal control, etc. Adoption flier templates so they can create and post their own fliers for their fosters Educational fliers and door hangers that they can distribute to members of the public when they are out in the field doing their jobs (such as information about humane care for feral cats, information about upcoming low cost spay/neuter events in the area, etc.) 2

32 Sample expense report form 3

33 Sample: Decision Making Procedures The Adoption Center committee will make decisions to ensure (in this order): a. Decision are made in the best interest of our organization and its mission, goals and objectives, and that the decisions strengthen the organization and minimizes the risks of harm to the organization and its reputation. b. Decisions are made in the best interest of the Adoption Center cats. c. Decision are made in the best interest of the Adoption Center and its mission and goals d. Decisions are made in the interest of retaining volunteers Decisions that must be made by the committee with joint approval include decisions involving: Setting objective criteria for determining when a cat is unadoptable Deciding when to find sanctuary options for specific unadoptable cats And when making changes to: Adoption Center procedures and policies Building and/or configuration changes of the cat living space sare Intake criteria Medical procedures Volunteer training changes 4

34 Sample: Lead management procedure Lead Management This process is to ensure that HCN follows up with all people who contact us until they either adopt, or are no longer interested. To do this, you must keep track of: 1. Who contacts us 2. Status--where they are in the adoption cycle 3. Closed--when they are no longer looking Details for each step follow. 1. Who contacts us? Contact information needed: About them. Name, phone number (note cell, work or home and any preferences), address. Also, date they contacted us and if they came from the web ( W ), hotline ( Ph ) or an adoption fair ( F ) or other ( O ). About the cat. This is information to help HCN match them to an appropriate cat in our network. Keep it brief, but include details that will help us find a match. Note the cat they are interested in (if specified), description of what they are looking for (color, gender, age, indoor/outdoor, temperament), their situation (other pets, kids, last cat). Example: Wants M&F playful siblings, SH, prefers tabbies, has 5 yr old male, no kids, indoor 2. Status. There are two main types of inquiries. Inquiries about a specific cat. When the potential adopter has specified a cat or cats, you can just forward all of the information to the fosterer of that cat. (With , you can respond to the adopter and also send it to the fosterer.) Example: Yes, Buttons is still looking for a home! I m forwarding your inquiry to the volunteer who cares for Buttons. She can let you know more about him and set up a meeting if he seems like a good match for you. Otherwise, you can or call the fosterer with the adopter information (often, all you have is the name and contact information.) It s the responsibility of the fosterer to find out more about the adopter, if their cat would be a good match and screen them. General inquiries. A potential adopter may also describe what they are looking for but hasn t seen or doesn t indicate any of the HCN cats. Or, they might specify a cat who is no longer available. In many of these cases, they have not provided enough information to find a match for them and you ll need to contact them and ask for more details. Example: If you can let me know more about the type of cat you d like, I can look for a match in our network. Do you have a preference on age, color, or gender? Do you have any other pets or children? Will this be an indoor or outdoor cat? (The automatic reply requests this information, so first look for a follow up message from the potential adopter.) You can also suggest that they look at the website if they haven t, or attend an adoption fair. Once you have more information, you can use the Foster List provided by Maria to find cats who would be a good fit. Or, you can send an to 5

35 asking for anyone with a possible match. Forward the potential adopter information to the fosterer (or fosterers) to follow up on. For all leads. It s important to note the date of your last correspondence with them so you ll know when you need to check back. You ll also need to note where you are in this process. Are you waiting for more info from the adopter? Did you send the lead to a fosterer? If you don t hear back after a week you should follow up. Statuses: note date Examples: (to potential adopter) You contacted Homeless Cat Network recently looking for a cat. Are you still interested in adopting? If so, please let me know and I can look for a match in our network. (to fosterer) Did you have a chance to follow up with John Doe who was interested in your kitty Buttons? Let me know what happened and if I need to look for a different cat for him. Contacting asking for more information Matching looking for a match in our network Following Up gave info to the fosterer and they are following up 2 nd try never heard back so checking one last time Pending adoption in progress 3. Closing Inquiries. Once the potential adopter is no longer looking (or you haven t heard back in a week or more after a 2 nd try), the status is closed. Note the date and what happened: AD adopted (note which cat and fosterer) FOC found other cat NM no match (we didn t currently have the type of cat they wanted, ie. declawed, Maine Coon, outdoor) CM change their mind (also no longer interested or said they will call us later) W added to waiting list (include all specifics on type of cat they want) NR no response O other (list any significant details) Other correspondence notes. In the first correspondence, always thank the potential adopter for supporting the Homeless Cat Network. In addition, always ask them to contact us again if they haven t heard from anyone within a week. Many things can happen (the didn t go through, the fosterer forgot to contact them, etc) so we want them to let us know if they are still waiting. But allow a week as often people are just busy. Example: Thanks for supporting Homeless Cat Network. Please let me know if you have any questions or don t hear from us by next week. For those interested in a Center cat, follow the same process but send the inquiry to Cookie McCrory and cc Jim and Tonya. 6

36 Example: I m forwarding your inquiry to a volunteer at our Center where Buttons lives. She can let you know more about him. Your job is to match leads with fosterers, not to screen them. Each fosterer has different criteria for their cats and it is their decision as to who can adopt their cats. Make an effort to find a match for every request unless there is strong evidence of an unsuitable situation (ie. wants to declaw the cat, wants an outdoor cat on a busy street where last cat was killed, surprise gift for someone else not involved in the adoption process, etc.). In this case instead of turning them down directly (and risk them passing on negative opinions about our organization) you can not follow up as diligently and hope they are served elsewhere or change their mind. If you can t find a match you can suggest they contact other organizations (PHS, Pets In Need). Also, you can let a fosterer know if you have reservations about a lead and suggest they screen them carefully. In many situations, including those that may sound less than ideal, (indoor/outdoor, elderly or young family wants a young kitten, has dogs, etc) the adopters are open to suggestions, so feel free to offer advice for a better match. Many people are looking to us as experts and are very open to suggestions for a happier cat. Examples: Would you consider an older kitty months? They often do better with children but are still playful, Would you consider making this an indoor cat? Younger cats are much happier with an other cat to play with would you consider adopting two? or A kitten would not do well with a large dog like yours, however an adult cat might work out. You can always suggest they visit our adoption fairs or events to meet kitties in person. Example: You can meet many of our kitties at the adoption fair this weekend. Details are available on our website at: When sending leads to fosters, always remind them to let you know what happens. Also, if you haven t heard back, feel free to send a note asking for the status, but be aware they are often busy with several fosters and leads, so allow time for a response. Example: What happened with Jane Doe who was interested in your male orange tabby kitten? And Sue Jones who liked Sammy? Did you have a chance to follow up with them? If you forward a lead to a fosterer and it doesn t work out, check with the lead to be sure they are still looking and start he process again Sometimes a request will come from out of the Bay area (look at the area code). Let them know we are located in San Mateo so an adoption would be difficult. Offer to help them find a shelter in their area if they are unable to. Process Notes: When accessing the account, move the s you are handing into a folder with your name. This way others know you are following up with this person. Move any additional correspondence from the In into your folder as well. You can use the spreadsheet provided or create you own. Feel free to develop a system that works for you. At the end of the month, I ll ask you to send me your closed leads. Send any additions to the waiting list to me as you get them. 7

37 If you are contacted with leads from an adoption fair or other event, or the hotline, treat them as you would a lead from web site. Just do your best you can t stay on top of every lead at all times. Keep in mind that everything you do is helping the organization, even if you forget to follow up with someone. Feel free to contact me with any question or if you need help. 8

38 Sample intake criteria, exclusions and exceptions Intake Criteria, Exclusions and Exceptions Intake The Adoption Center only admits dogs that are currently adoptable or can be rehabilitated within a reasonable timeframe, i.e. dogs with social, medical or behavioral challenges that can be solved within a year. A balance between adoptability and dogs in danger will be considered. The following is a prioritized list of criteria that will be applied to each Adoption Center application: Exclusions Exceptions Age Only dogs over 4 weeks of age will be considered for the Adoption Center. Situation Is the dog in danger of being hurt or killed? Adoptability How much care will the dog require to interact comfortably with people and to be adoptable? What are its adoption impediments? Health How much time and cost will be involved in getting this dog healthy enough to be adopted? If it is an adoption return, has the adopter tried to find another home for the dog? Would the adopter be willing to foster the dog and use our adoption tools to find it a home? What are the reasons why the adopter wants to return the dog? The Center cannot consider dogs that are from outside our county unless a special exception is made -see exceptions below. The Center cannot consider taking in dogs that pose a serious health risk to its volunteers or other dogs at the Center. The Center cannot take in a truly feral dog. The Center cannot take dogs with any of the following conditions: incurable incontinence; kennel cough; parvo virus. The Center will consider dogs coming from outside the county only if: o There is a favorable exchange brokered with another rescue group (for example, transferring an unadoptable dog to a sanctuary in exchange for accepting adoptable dogs in return). o Our board agrees to provide temporary disaster relief for dogs that have been impacted by a natural catastrophe. o A donation over $2,000 is made for an adoptable dog. The Center may consider taking in a terminally ill dog (without a contagious disease) and provide hospice care for that dog, which will be granted on a case-by-case basis. No more than 1 hospice dog can be accommodated at any given time. 9

39 Sample: liability release form Homeless Cat Network Volunteer s Agreement and Release from Liability 1. Voluntary Participation: I acknowledge that I have voluntarily applied to assist Homeless Cat Network (HCN), an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, feline rescue organization working to humanely reduce the homeless cat population in the San Francisco Peninsula through spay/neuter, adoption, public education and responsible colony management. I understand that as a volunteer that I will not be paid for my services, that I will not be covered by any medical or other insurance coverage provided by Homeless Cat Network (HCN), and that I will not be eligible for Worker s Compensation Benefits. 2. Release: In consideration of the opportunity afforded me to assist in the Program, I hereby agree that I, my assignees, heirs, guardians, and legal representatives, will not make a claim against Homeless Cat Network (HCN), or any of its affiliated organizations, or either of their officers or directors collectively or individually, or the supplier of any materials or equipment that is used by the Program, or an of the volunteer workers, for the injury to me or damage to my property, however caused, arising from my participation in the Program. I hereby waive and release any rights, actions, or causes of action resulting from personal injury to me, or damage to my property, sustained in any connection with my participation with HCN. I further consent to the unrestricted use by Homeless Cat Network and/or person(s) authorized by them of any photographs, interviews, videotapes, visual recordings of me, or any materials written by me pertaining to Homeless Cat Network and its operations. Volunteer (Signature) Date: Volunteer Name Address City / State/ Zip Telephone and address 10

40 Sample volunteer application form Homeless Cat Network Volunteer Application Form Since our inception over a decade ago, HCN has rescued thousands of cats and kittens, and is the only Peninsula organization focused on spaying/neutering feral, stray and abandoned cats, which humanely reduces the homeless cat population. You can help make a difference by volunteering today! Please mark the area for which you are interested in volunteering: Rescue kittens and/or trap cats for spaying/neutering Foster kittens or adult cats Help socialize and care for cats at our Socialization Center in San Mateo or at our PetSmart Adoption Centers in San Mateo & San Carlos Feed homeless cats at established feral cat colonies Help show adoptable felines at HCN adoption centers and fairs Drive cats to adoption fairs or veterinarians Provide shelter, food and water for cats recovering from spay/neuter surgery Answer hotline calls Distribute and post fliers Assist at events and/or fundraisers Recruit volunteers Please mark your availability: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening 11

41 Homeless Cat Network Volunteer Application Form Your name Date Street Address City Home Phone Alt. Phone Best way to reach you: Emergency contact: Please list any physical or psychological limitations or disabilities that might hinder you from participation in some activities (such as a heart condition, back injury, epilepsy, allergies, etc): 12

42 PO Box 6, San Carlos CA Volunteer Application Form The Homeless Cat Network (HCN) is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, feline rescue organization working to humanely reduce the homeless cat population on the San Francisco Peninsula through spay/neuter, adoption, public education and responsible colony management. You can help make a difference by volunteering today! HCN does not discriminate in soliciting volunteers or treat unequally any volunteer because of race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender, and will comply with all federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws. Please complete this Application, printing clearly. Return completed application to the Homeless Cat Network (HCN). Volunteer Name: First Middle Last Address: City: Zip: Date: Home phone: Cell phone: Best way to reach you: Emergency Contact Name: Phone: If you are under the age of 18, you must complete consent/release form signed by your parent or legal guardian, and must be supervised by your parent/legal guardian during volunteer services, at the request of HCN. Please note any physical or psychological limitations or disabilities that might hinder you from participation in some activities (such as a heart condition, back injury, epilepsy, allergies, etc): Please mark the area for which you are interested in volunteering:! Rescuer (Trap-Neuter-Return)! Feral Colony Feeder! Spay/Neuter Recovery Caregiver! Foster Caregiver! Adoption fair coordination/transit! Adoption promotion! Care for cats at Petsmart Adoption Centers (San Mateo, San Carlos)! Socialization Center! Events! Fundraising! Marketing, Public Relations Please note your general availability (circle items): Weekday / Weekend; Morning / Afternoon / Evening Experience & Skills Current Occupation; Related Skills: Have you done volunteer work in the past? Where? How long? Please describe your responsibilities. Have you had any formal education or training in animal rescue or welfare? " Yes " No If yes, please describe the type of training or education, by whom and where it occurred. Indicate any additional information regarding your skills, experience, or interests, which you think may benefit the Homeless Cat Network (e.g. professional skills, interests, groups, clubs, memberships): Form: Volunteer Agreement Copyright 2011 Homeless Cat Network Rev

43 Homeless Cat Network Volunteer Agreement & Waiver, Release and Indemnification Homeless Cat Network ( HCN ) and ( Volunteer ) agree that in consideration for the opportunity to volunteer in the programs of Homeless Cat Network, and the covenants and conditions set forth below, HCN and Volunteer agree as follows ( Volunteer Agreement ): 1. Volunteer Participation; Insurance. Volunteer understands and agrees that Volunteer will not be paid any compensation for Volunteer services, and will not be covered by any medical or other insurance by HCN. Volunteer understands and agrees that Volunteer is not eligible for worker s compensation benefits, or any other benefits. 2. Volunteer Conduct. Volunteer agrees to adhere to all the policies, procedures, and safety protocols of HCN ( HCN Policies ), including the HCN Volunteer Code of Conduct. Volunteer will adhere to all safety procedures to the best of my ability, and will not hold HCN or anyone else accountable for my safety in the course of services for HCN. Volunteer acknowledges that Volunteer is not authorized to issue any communications, in print or on the Internet including social media sites, to any news media or any governing agency, or private citizen, regarding (i) the operations and management of HCN, or (ii) for the purpose of soliciting funds, materials, or donations to HCN, unless directed in writing by HCN s Officers. Any communications intended for HCN received by me shall be immediately re-directed to HCN s Officers. If Volunteer breaches or violates any of HCN s Policies, Volunteer understands that Volunteer s position as a volunteer may be terminated at HCN s sole discretion. 3. Termination. HCN has the right to request that Volunteer leave HCN at any time for any reason, and Volunteer has the right to leave HCN at any time for any reason. If Volunteer chooses to terminate volunteer services to HCN, Volunteer must provide notice to HCN as soon as possible and remit any HCN-related materials, property, authorizations to access business accounts/online presences, keys, codes, and passwords, upon terminating volunteer participation. HCN also reserves the right to terminate Volunteer for breach of this Agreement or any HCN Policies, or take other corrective action for Volunteer misconduct. 4. Waiver and Release of Liability; Indemnification. HCN is a non-profit organization solely administered by volunteers. Volunteer fully understands that Volunteer s participation in working directly with animals entails inherent risks of accident, loss, illness, disease, personal injury including death, to Volunteer, or any loss or damage to Volunteer s property, and Volunteer fully accepts and assumes all such risks and responsibility that Volunteer may incur as a result of participation as a Volunteer. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, VOLUNTEER HEREBY WAIVES, RELEASES, DISCHARGES, AND COVENANTS NOT TO SUE HCN, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AGENTS, VOLUNTEERS, AND REPRESENTATIVES (EACH OF THEM, RELEASEES ) FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY, CLAIMS, DEMANDS, LOSSES, OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO VOLUNTEER S PARTICIPATION IN HCN, WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT OR TORT, INCLUDING ACTUAL, COMPENSATORY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES. If, despite the Waiver and Release, anyone makes a claim against any of the Releasees, Volunteer agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Releasees from any and all claims, demands, losses, attorneys fees, costs, liabilities or damages against HCN arising out of Volunteer s work with HCN. 5. Media Consent. Volunteer authorizes and gives permission to HCN to take, use, reproduce, and distribute photographs, video, and/or audio recordings of Volunteer, and any materials written by me pertaining to HCN and its operations ( Media and Materials ), for promotional and educational purposes, in any media including print, radio, television, and the Internet, without any compensation to Volunteer. Volunteer agrees that use of such images, recordings, and materials may personally identify Volunteer by name, unless Volunteer notifies HCN otherwise in writing. Volunteer agrees to waive and release any and all claims related to the use of these Media and Materials. HCN owns the sole copyright to these Media and Materials, except as otherwise agreed in writing by the parties. HCN may provide a credit line where requested, while retaining sole copyright. 6. Volunteer Fitness. Volunteer certifies that Volunteer is physically and psychologically fit to work safely with animals and the public as required in Volunteer s role for HCN. Volunteer also understands that some volunteer roles could involve lifting objects ranging from 15 to 40 pounds, walking up and down stairs in buildings, or walking over moderate terrain for periods of up to two hours. Volunteer will notify HCN immediately if Volunteer is unable to fulfill any or all of Volunteer s duties. 7. Confidentiality. Volunteer understands and agrees that the HCN Website and other online presences, internal files and records, including names, addresses, and contact information of volunteers, donors, applicants, membership lists, and similar data are the sole property of HCN, and that unauthorized use of such information may constitute a criminal offense. 8. Arbitration; Limitation of Monetary Damages. In the event of a claim or disagreement ( Dispute ) arising from this Agreement or Volunteer s participation at HCN, HCN and Volunteer shall use best efforts to settle the Dispute. If HCN and Volunteer do not reach such solution within sixty days, then upon notice by either party to the other, all Disputes shall be finally settled by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with the provisions of its Commercial Arbitration Rules, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court jurisdiction thereof. Volunteer fully understands and agrees that as a condition to Volunteer s participation as a volunteer, Volunteer shall not be entitled to recover any monetary damages against HCN in tort or contract, except to a maximum amount determined by an arbitrator, which shall not exceed the amount Volunteer has paid for membership, participation, or out-of-pocket costs incurred and approved of by HCN in the course of providing volunteer services. HOMELESS CAT NETWORK: VOLUNTEER: By: Date: By: Date: Melissa Riofrio, President By: Jim Lynch, Secretary Date: Form: Volunteer Agreement Copyright 2011 Homeless Cat Network Rev

44 Homeless Cat Network Volunteer Code of Conduct To help HCN achieve its mission, we ask all our volunteers to abide by the following: Volunteers must exercise a duty of care to act in a reasonable and informed manner in the course of performing volunteer services, by:! acting in the best interests of the organization, and not in their own personal interests! treating all animals, people, and property with respect and courtesy! being on time for scheduled assignments! carrying out volunteer duties promptly and reliably! immediately reporting any problems or incidents regarding animals or volunteers by informing the appropriate program coordinator volunteer, or in the event there is no coordinator, a member of the HCN Board of Directors! refraining from using alcohol or prescription/other drugs that may affect volunteer s ability to safely perform duties for HCN, unless otherwise necessitated by physician s orders to treat an existing medical condition Volunteers must exercise a duty of loyalty in supporting the mission and purposes of HCN by:! following HCN s policies, procedures, and safety protocols! maintaining the dignity and integrity of HCN to the public! following instructions and requests from HCN managers! not making any written or verbal statements, or encouraging others to make any written or verbal statements, that defame or disparage the personal or business reputation, practices, or conduct of HCN, its directors, officers, employees, or volunteers, including but not limited to, the news media, news agencies, partners, adopters, prospective adopters, or to the community and public on the Internet, including social media.! not disclosing any confidential information regarding HCN, its customers, staff, or volunteers that is gained in the course of performing volunteer services I have read, accept, and agree to this Volunteer Code of Conduct, and fully understand and agree that if I do not follow or breach the terms of the Code of Conduct, I agree to rectify or remedy the situation in accordance with HCN s policies to the extent possible, and/or my position as a Volunteer may be terminated at HCN s sole discretion. Volunteer s Signature: Date: Print Name: Form: Volunteer Agreement Copyright 2011 Homeless Cat Network Rev

45 Sample Code of Conduct Agreement S.O.S. Rescue Relief, Inc. Code of Conduct Agreement By becoming a partner member, affiliate and/or volunteer, you are making a commitment to collaborate with others to help animals in need. Working together, we can help bring about the day when there will be No More Homeless Pets! Our Code of Conduct Agreement clarifies the expectations and principles for volunteers, affiliates and partner rescue group members who participate in S.O.S. Rescue Relief, Inc. and Adopt A Pet Shop programs, events, and temporary animal sheltering at our adoption facility. Should a volunteer, affiliate or partner rescue group member display behavior that violates any aspect of this Code of Conduct, the person will be asked to leave the premises. Such behavior could be grounds for termination of volunteer status and/or revocation of other privileges in relation to S.O.S. Rescue Relief, Inc. and the Adopt A Pet Shop. As a partner rescue group member, affiliate and/or volunteer, I pledge to: Respect Respect others even though I may not agree with them Display courtesy, sensitivity, consideration and compassion for animals, staff members, fellow volunteers, other rescue groups and customers Recognize the scope of authority of staff members Commitment Strive to promote a positive environment Respect and support all people and animals Recognize that commitment comes from within Respect that people and animals count on me to honor my commitments Work together with staff and other volunteers to meet our common goal to find homes for the animals at the Adopt A Pet Shop, educate the public about animal welfare issues and promote the humane treatment of animals Value my role in the maintenance and growth of the organization Avoid conduct that could jeopardize the effectiveness of S.O.S. Rescue Relief, Inc. and the Adopt A Pet Shop Safety Keep safety at the forefront of all volunteer activities Follow the rules, policies and procedures presented to me in training Respect and use equipment and supplies as they are intended Report all injuries or illnesses (of both human and animals) immediately to a staff person Quality Perform all tasks to the best of my ability Ask for help when needed Recognize training is essential to maintain safe practices Self Discipline Meet the commitments I make and be accountable for them 13

46 Recognize my limitations and those of others Set boundaries for myself know my limits with the animals and other activities Communication Recognize I communicate both verbally and non verbally Listen to the needs of others Advise staff of relevant information regarding the animals and my involvement at the Adopt A Pet Shop And while at the Adopt A Pet Shop, I will not: Use vulgar, offensive or inappropriate language Gossip Disparage other rescue groups, volunteers, staff members, customers, or animals Use or be under the influence of illegal drugs Consume or be under the influence of alcohol or consume tobacco while volunteering Discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status or disability, and/or sexual orientation Publicly use any S.O.S. Rescue Relief or Adopt A Pet Shop affiliation in connection with the promotion of partisan politics, religious matters, or positions on any issue not in conformity with the official position of S.O.S. Rescue Relief, Inc. Disclose or use any confidential S.O.S. Rescue Relief or Adopt A Pet Shop information Date: Volunteer Name Volunteer Signature 14

47 Sample Social Networking Policy Summary Social networking is an efficient method for quickly and inexpensively disseminating information to a large number of people. Social networking can be a highly effective way for non-profits to attract donors, volunteers and adopters. Individuals are generally receptive to the posts of pages they join, and are exposed to them when they log in. General Objectives This Plan will coordinate Social Networking efforts to provide policy for fostering cooperation, and ensuring consistency, appropriateness and the our group s identity across all accounts. Structure The communications committee oversees all social media efforts, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube videos and other networking efforts. The passwords for these accounts must be held by two volunteers in good standing with the organization, and one board member. Posts can be made by any of the password holders, and a posting schedule will be managed by them. Methods Our organization s pages will coordinate with each other and with our newsletter, our website, and volunteer group mailing lists to create complementary traffic. These efforts will require cooperation with the website administrator and newsletter editor. Our Organization s Identity Our Facebook pages will contain the following information on their Info pages: Info Tab About Section o Main page: mention that we are an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to humanely reducing the homeless pet population in our area. When possible, we will include our mission statement. o Program/Project pages: when pages are created for specific programs within our organization, a description of the program or project must be listed as being that of our organization. Website section the main website of our organization. Contact Info o Main website link o addresses Our main address for general inquiries Volunteer address for volunteer opportunities o Address o Main phone number Description/Overview o Program/project information o Links to our Network for Good and Paypal donation sites o Links to partnership programs that our organization participates in Mutual Linking All of our Facebook pages will link to each other on their Info tabs and encourage members to Like each-other on their walls once a month. 15

48 Our main website will add a Like us on Facebook link for each our Facebook page and Follow links for Twitter. Content Content on our social media pages should reflect our mission, activities, programs and projects in a positive, upbeat manner. Page administrators should keep in mind that due to the organization s nonprofit status, neither the organization nor its representatives may endorse political candidates or participate in political lobbying. Posts should: Highlight our programs, projects and volunteer opportunities Celebrate successful efforts Highlight efforts that prove we re fulfilling our organization s mission Inspire the public to get involved and provide them with easy ways to do so Promote adoptable pets that our organization has rescued Promote our events Educate the public about humane ways to help animals including TNR, spay/neuter, adopt versus buy, etc. Provide resources for helping people find low-cost spay/neuter options Include photos and videos as often as possible. Visual media must always be of high quality (sharp focus, no red-eye, etc), the animals within the photos/videos must look healthy and happy, and if people are featured in the media, their consent must be obtained prior to posting Program pages will be more focused on their specific activities: Provide program/project-specific information and updates Promote cohesion among program volunteers Promote program-related and appropriate organizational events Appeal for program needs To promote fan retention, no more than one post per day shall be made. Preventing Dilution Beyond the main identity, program and project accounts on social networking sites should be limited to our largest and most visible programs. Approving new pages will be at the discretion of the PR/Marketing Committee, or the Board in the absence of such a committee. Evaluation Social networking success can be seen in the growth in the number of followers over time, page activity and appeal responses. Also, we can track success based on the number of volunteer, adoption and donations that result from our posts. 16

49 Sample, How to guide to trapping for TNR Homeless Cat Network Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Workshop TNR is a comprehensive plan in which homeless, stray and feral cats are humanely trapped by members of the public, then evaluated, vaccinated, and neutered by veterinarians. Adult feral cats are returned to their familiar habitat to live out their lives under the watchful care of the people who trapped them. TNR stabilizes feral cat populations, and then the populations gradually reduce over time through natural attrition. Nuisance behaviors associated with breeding, such as the yowling, fighting and spraying, are virtually eliminated by TNR. Once the cats have been sterilized, they live healthy, safe, and peaceful lives in their territories. Here s how it works: Step 1: Take stock - Identify cats that need to be trapped, neutered and returned. Step 2: Obtain vouchers San Mateo County has a free voucher program which allows you to get feral cats spayed/neutered and vaccinated for free at a participating veterinary clinic. To obtain vouchers, call: You can request up to 5 vouchers at a time, but please note, vouchers expire within 30 days of being issued, so only request what you can realistically use within 30 days. When you call the voucher hotline, leave your name, address, phone number, driver s license number, and the number of vouchers you need. Step 3: Rent a humane trap You can rent a humane trap from Homeless Cat Network for free with a deposit for the trap, or you can rent a trap from Peninsula Humane Society. Step 4: Trap those cats! Once your vouchers have arrived and you ve rented a trap, you re ready to humanely catch the cats. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this document to help you trap. ONLY trap cats when you can take them in for spay/neuter the same day, or the next morning. Please be aware of the intake days/times (below) as you make your plans for trapping. Step 5: Get cats spayed/neutered Your vouchers will contain a list of approved locations where you can get free spay/neuter with your voucher. Most people take cats to Peninsula Humane Society for this service. Please note that animals are admitted Tuesday through Friday by appointment only. Animals are discharged between 4pm-5:30pm. Step 6: Recovery and release Recover the cats in a safe, quiet, enclosed, weather-proof location (such as a garage or storage shed) overnight, and be sure the trap is completely covered with a towel, blanket or sheet. When the cat is alert and awake (usually the next morning), release the cat exactly where it was trapped. Step 7: Feed the cat Be sure to provide food for the cat so that it can peacefully live out its life! Thank you for caring about the cats! Trapping Guidelines The following procedures were developed by Homeless Cat Network volunteers to assist in the humane trapping of feral cats. The methods outlined in this document are the result of several years of trail and error, observation, cat behavior research, and the analysis of successful (and not-so-successful) trapping techniques in an incredibly hard-to-trap locale with very trap-savvy and leery cats. Good luck and Happy Trapping! Pre-Trapping Preparation 17

50 Buy tuna, mackerel, or any canned stinky fish. You will need about 2 small cans of tuna per trap. An inexpensive alternative is to buy the huge cans at Costco. Other effective bait includes Trader Joe s Cat Food Tuna, which works for some cats, and some junk-food-junky-cats are very attracted to Kentucky Fried Chicken. For skittish cats that are used to a particular food that you feed them (such as a particular brand of kibble), sometimes using that same food in the trap works well. Buy a small bag of dry food (not to feed with, but to shake to gain cats interest). Rinse and wash trap. Spray with water, then cleaning agent (such as a 10% solution of bleach), then rinse with water thoroughly after cleaning. Neutralize cage odor with Nature s Miracle, or a similar enzymatic cleaner. This is crucial, as a cat s sense of smell is several times more acute than ours, and they will not enter a trap that has even the faintest scent of urine. Even if you can t smell it, they can. We ve found that this step is essential for trapping efforts. Cut paper bags to line the entire bottom of each trap. Withhold food prior to trapping. You ll only catch cats when they re hungry, so withhold food for 24 hours prior to trapping. Trapping Logistics Early and late are best. Cats are most active and searching for meals in the morning and late evening hours. Your best shot is to set your traps during the following hours: sunrise until 3 hours after sunrise; one hour prior to sunset until 2 hours after sunset. Feral cats feeding patterns often change with the seasons, so spend some time studying their behavior to determine the best trapping hours. It s very helpful to pick your trapping hour and start regularly feeding the cats at that hour for at least a week prior to trapping, which gets them used to being fed at that time. Trap location. Place the trap as near as possible to their regular feeding areas. The surface must be flat they are scared by rocking traps. If possible, place as far away from sidewalks, roads and noisy areas as possible they like secure, quite, protected areas. Spread out traps if using more than one trap. They should be far enough apart so that cats won t hear each other being trapped. Downwind orientation. If there is a breeze, place the trap opening downwind so they are further enticed to enter the trap. (When the wind is blowing in your face, that s the direction in which the back of the trap should be facing you want the wind to blow over the food and carry the scent to the cats). If it s windy, use clothes pins to clip the paper bag to the bottom and sides of the trap. Cats are scared by flapping paper, but if you secure the paper bag to the trap with clothes pins, you ll eliminate any paper movement. (Be sure that the clothes pins do not impede the front door from closing). Keep trap uncovered at first, however, you may find that some cats prefer the top of the trap to be covered, which creates a protective environment for them. If you cover the trap, do so with dark fabric wrapped around the sides and top, but be sure that none is covering the back of the trap (they like to see out the back) and make sure that the front door and trapping mechanism is not obstructed by fabric. Setting the Trap Line the bottom of the trap with paper bag, all the way from the front to the back. Make sure that the trip plate doesn t cause the paper to tent up (and if so, place a lot of tuna on it to make it lie flatter). Make a breadcrumb trail of bait from the cage s opening all the way to the back. The best bait is really stinky wet cat food with gravy, or tuna. Put out a small spoonful 18

51 at the cage s opening on the ground in front of the trap, then a small bit at the entrance. Create a small trail of bait toward the back, making sure to put a nice clump on the trip plate and a bowl of food at the far back (in a small disposable paper bowl if possible), beyond the trip plate. The breadcrumb trail should not have so much food that they ll be full before they reach the back. Note: they LOVE tuna juice and gravy from wet food. Attract cats by putting bits of bait around the normal feeding area and some leading to the mouth of the trap. Shake a bag of dry food, call the cats, pretend like you are feeding them as usual, and walk away. It s important that the cats don t see you, as they are often leery of the trap if people are standing nearby. Wait it out. If you are able to hide the trap, you can leave it for a few hours, but never leave a trap that s out in the open that others can see or access. If it s in a safe backyard, that s fine. What To Do About Super Tough-To-Trap Cats Entice cats to the back. For those cats that won t seem to go to the back of the trap, tie bait (such as bacon or a big piece of chicken) to the inside-back of the trap. They have to step on the trip plate to pull the bait off the back wall this works great! Feed inside the trap. You can also try to get the cats used to eating inside the trap by removing the back door of the trap and feeding inside the trap for several days. Then when you re ready to set the trap, they ll be used to going in and eating there. For a hard-to-catch mom cat, use her kittens as bait. If you have caught kittens, you can use them as bait to catch the mother cat, but you must do so with great care. Place the kittens in a small carrier and close it be sure to keep the kittens warm. Place the kittens right where you caught them, and place a lined trap in front of the carrier (so that the back of the trap is right next to the door of the carrier). Cover both the carrier and the trap together, so the only way the mom can see or get to the kittens is through the humane trap. NOTE: it s EXTREMELY useful to make an audio tape of the kittens crying I try to get at least 30 minutes of crying on tape and place it in the carrier with the kittens on the highest volume possible. This is exceptionally effective. Walk far away, but keep them in sight at all times. The mom should come running very quickly, but if she doesn t take the kittens away after 3 hours, take the kittens home and try again the next day. You can try again for up to 7 days after catching the kittens. Gotcha! What to do once you ve trapped a cat Immediately cover the trap entirely once a cat has been trapped. They can injure themselves in their post-trapping frenzy. Covering the trap with blankets and/or towels calms them. Check for ear-nips. Make sure they re not already fixed. Fixed feral cats have an ear nip (slice off the top of the ear). Watch the toes. When picking up the trap, put it down gently and make sure the cat s toes didn t slip through the wire to get stuck under the trap. Nursing moms are fine to spay as they will continue to lactate, but be sure to put out extra food for her kittens while she s being fixed. This is also a great time to catch her kittens. Note where she normally hangs out and hunt her kittens by listening for them they often will cry out if you meow for them. If the kittens are under 2-3 weeks old, they may not survive without their mom if she s away from them for more than 24 hours, so get her back to them ASAP. Take the cat to PHS or other authorized veterinarian for spay/neuter. PHS is open Tuesday through Friday by appointment only. 19

52 Terminal illness. If you ve trapped a cat that is terminally ill and needs to be put to sleep, take it to PHS. Call ahead to see if you need an appointment. Recovery and return Recover the cat in a secure, dry, quite location, such as a garage, and be sure that the trap is entirely covered with a blanket or towel. Many veterinarians recommend a one-night recovery prior to release, however PHS recommends several days of recovery. No matter how many days of recovery you decide to give the cat, whenever you plan to release the cat, make certain that they re no longer groggy or exhibiting any signs of still being under anesthetic. Always check the cats pupils and their general state of alertness prior to release. Also, try to see if the cat s sutures look fine, and aren t open or weeping. If a cat appears to have complications relating to the spay/neuter surgery, call PHS and arrange to take it back there immediately. Once the cat is ready to be released, release it at the exact spot where you trapped it. Thank you for caring about the cats and being part of a humane solution to solve cat overpopulation! 20

53 Sample Fostering Program Guide (for a cat rescue group) Fostering for Homeless Cat Network What To Do When And How To Do It Whom To Call For Help Read on for info about: Welcome, and Why We Foster: Mission statement; how fostering fits in First Steps: Getting started as a foster parent Preparing Your Fostering Space: Making space, getting supplies Fostering--First Days: Receiving, adjusting, and socializing Socializing Tips n Tricks Medical Musts: Deworming Vaccinations FIV/FeLV testing Microchipping Spaying/neutering Medical Advice Veterinary Services Adoption Resources: Finding a great home as soon as possible Promoting your cat online Adoption fairs; Petsmart Adoption Center Finding the Right Adopter for Your Kitty The adoption process Microchip registration Follow-up Interviewing and Home-Visit Tips Reimbursement Policy and Procedures When in Need or Doubt, Contact: Fostering Program Coordinator: Melissa Riofrio melrosrio@yahoo.com cell: (650) Revised June,

54 Foster Caregiver Handbook Welcome, and Why We Foster Thank you so much for opening your heart and your home to foster cats! You're making an invaluable contribution to HCN's mission! HCN's Mission Statement: The Homeless Cat Network is a volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, feline rescue organization working to humanely reduce the homeless cat population on the San Francisco Peninsula through spay/neuter, adoption, public education, and responsible colony management. Where Fostering Fits In: Most of our foster cats come from our own HCN colonies. Despite all of HCN's efforts to spay/neuter in our colonies, any adults we've missed will reproduce; or we find cats abandoned at our colony with their young family. If this happens, we try to trap the kittens and bring them into our fostering system (and we try to catch the parents as well, of course!). We also come across kittens and sociable adults in the course of trapping in other locations, and we try to foster them as space permits. HCN does not take surrendered cats ones that were found by a third party. Your job is to socialize the kittens and find them great homes! This guide will tell you everything you need to know to make that happen! How to become a Foster Parent: To be a foster caregiver for HCN, you will need to be a paid supporter of HCN (please see our brochure) and have signed and submitted the Foster caregiver Agreement. In return, HCN provides you with the following: Reimbursement for approved veterinary expenses Reimbursement for food and cat litter Adoption resources Fostering for HCN can take several forms. In most instances, we ask you to keep the cat until it's adopted, but we also have a need for temporary, relief foster homes for periods lasting from a few days to a month or more. If you have any questions about the fostering program or other aspects of HCN, please contact the Fostering Coordinator, Melissa Riofrio, at 650/ or melrosrio@yahoo.com. Thank you for helping our rescued kittens and cats, and welcome to our team! P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 22 of 34

55 Foster Caregiver Handbook First steps: Getting started as a foster parent First, connect with your mentor. Every new HCN foster parent will have a mentor to guide you through your first fostering experience and answer your questions. Next, sign up for our HCN Yahoo! group for foster parents to receive important notifications, exchange tips and ideas with other HCN volunteers, and post questions to the group. To sign up, contact Melissa Riofrio. Each kittens needs an official HCN foster number for reimbursements and to receive referrals. If no numbers were assigned, contact Melissa Riofrio. Preparing Your Fostering Space It s much easier to foster cats if you have a dedicated space that s separate from the rest of your home s activities. This is important for health reasons (to make sure the kittens don t get or give anything) and also for socializing. You want the foster cats to focus on you and not be distracted by other animals or goings-on in your home. At the least, plan to dedicate a room for 1-2 weeks to helping the foster cat adjust to its new location, before letting it out into the rest of the house. The ideal fostering room should have: A door that closes and a window that opens (with a screen) A floor and walls that you can clean easily A pleasant atmosphere, so you and the cat will enjoy spending time there! Basic supplies: One litter box per cat (or two per kitten); scoop it at least twice a day. Choose a natural litter made from pine, wheat, or paper. Clay-based clumping litters can be ingested by small kittens and should only be used for older kittens. Food and water bowls (one each for every cat, or one for every two kittens). Choose a high-quality food that has actual meat among its first five ingredients, and not too much corn or other grains. Bedding: A box or other enclosure, padded with towels or fleece Something for the cat to scratch: corrugated cardboard, carpet, or sisal Toys: several, varied cat toys for amusement and interaction Other equipment that would be nice includes: A cat tree or other elevated area for the cat to perch. It could be a chair with a securely attached pad, or a fancy carpeted cat tree from a store. A place at a window where the cat can watch outside activity A radio for playing soothing music or human voices at low volume Fostering--First Days P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 23 of 34

56 Foster Caregiver Handbook Receiving, adjusting, and socializing The first week you have the foster cat is an important one. It will likely be stressed from being trapped or moved. It has had little or no contact with people previously (unless it comes from another foster home), so you have to determine its sociability level and start working on any issues it still has. Before or when it arrives at your home, find out as much as you can about the cat from the trapper or the fostering coordinator. Questions to ask include: Where did it come from? What is its approximate age? What does it look like? How is it acting--scared, timid, friendly; hissy, hostile? Has it received any of the required medical care--vaccination, deworming, neutering, microchipping, FIV/FeLV test? Prepare the fostering room before the cat arrives for a peaceful welcome. *Make sure you get medical records & other documentation along with the cat.* Whenever the cat arrives at your home, plan to spend at least an hour with it getting it settled, interacting with it, or observing it. Most cats will be scared in a new environment, but how it expresses its fear, and how it responds to interaction, will help you begin to determine what you need to work on first. Here s a basic scenario for introducing yourself to the new foster cat: The most important thing to do is to hold each kitten so that they learn that being held and restrained by humans (their greatest natural fear) will bring no harm and is in fact pleasant. Hold your kittens at least twice a day even if is only for a short time. A pillow case works great for holding the shyer kittens. Talk to the kitty while you are holding him/her. Eye contact: Most animals interpret direct eye contact as an aggressive act. If you see the cat trying to look at you, make brief eye contact, then look away. A more sociable cat will not mind if you look for longer. Try playing with the cat using an interactive toy. If the cat responds, you can use playing to help it get comfortable with you. If the cat won t play, then you have to spend more time gaining its initial trust. For most cats, food talks. Use mealtimes as socializing opportunities, feeding in your lap or from your hand or a spoon. Gerber's Chicken or Turkey (just meat, no vegetables) is a great ice-breaker! P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 24 of 34

57 Foster Caregiver Handbook Socializing Tips n Tricks Socializing Goals: A well-adjusted, sociable cat would have the following traits: Can be picked up at any time, from any direction Can be held in your arms or on your lap without squirming Can be touched on the paws, belly, mouth Can be put in a cage or carrier without a lot of fuss Can ride in a carrier in the car without yowling or going ballistic Enjoys your company and enjoys meeting/interacting with strangers Does not pee or poop in unauthorized locations when stressed Not every cat will be able to do all these things; some will have their peeves or limits; but your goal, as a foster parent, is to make it as sociable as possible. As you socialize, keep these tips in mind: Time is of the essence: Please try to spend as much time socializing as possible. Holding the kittens while you watch TV, talk on the phone, read etc. After the initial days of adjustment, try keeping them in a busy, active area so they can benefit from being around people, strange sounds, etc. Food is your tool: Start petting and handling the kitten while it eats. Feed it in your lap or offer food from a spoon. Toys: Use playtime to help the cat get used to you and learn to trust you. If the cat is scared of getting close to you, see if it will come close or run over your legs if you dangle a toy nearby. Invite your friends: Once the cat is used to you, invite your friends and neighbors over to play with and handle the cat. This will help it get used to strangers and avoid having it bond only with you. I love car rides! Going on errands? Put the cat(s) in a carrier and take them with you! This will help them get used to riding in the car and not associate it just with vet visits. During convenient stops along the way, check in with the cats, talk to them, offer them a treat. Remember to park in the shade and leave a window open for air! Paws, claws, and teeth: Massage your cat s paws and teeth to get it used to being touched there. Start clipping claws as early as possible front AND back. You can also try rubbing enzymatic cat toothpaste on the teeth to get it used to brushing. Medical Musts P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 25 of 34

58 Foster Caregiver Handbook All of your foster cats must complete the following before they can be adopted: Deworming At least one FVRCP vaccination (ideally, two) A negative test for FeLV (feline leukemia)--usually a combo FIV/FeLV test Microchipping Spaying/neutering Please tell the Foster coordinator/mentor each time you complete a procedure so we can maintain accurate medical records for each cat. Details follow. Deworming We deworm all cats immediately after intake. We use Nemex (Pyrantel pamoate), Panacur (Fenbendazole), or Drontal. For medication and instructions, please call: Nicola Macfarlane: 650/ (Menlo Park to San Carlos) Melissa Riofrio: 650/ (San Carlos to Burlingame) Rose Shubin: 650/ (Burlingame and north) Vaccinations Kittens and cats should be vaccinated with 3-in-1 FVRCP (feline rhinotracheitis- Calici-Panleukopenia) as soon as possible after you receive them (minimum age is 6 weeks old. PHS requires one vaccination prior to spay/neuter. Kittens normally receive two vaccinations while in foster care (at least two weeks apart). Vet-administered shots are expensive and should be avoided. Other options: A low-cost mobile vaccination clinic (check local pet store for dates and times) If the kitten has an appointment to be neutered at PHS, you can get it vaccinated at the Spay/Neuter Clinic; call 650/ for details. Call Melissa Riofrio to arrange for a free vaccination. *Save the records! You will need to show proof of vaccination prior to spay/neuter, and you must give the records and test results to the adopters.* FIV/FeLV Testing (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Feline Leukemia Virus, aka the "combo test") Make sure this test for is done at the time of spay/neuter. Ask for a copy of the negative result for your records (otherwise they'll tell you only if it's positive). A positive FIV result in a kitten younger than six months is not reliable, so don't panic just call Melissa Riofrio to discuss further. Microchipping The insertion of a microchip between the cat's shoulder blades is normally done at the same time as the spay/neuter--please remember to ask for it. You can also have it done at PHS' front desk. Please keep the forms and the tag to give to the adopter, and tell them to register their adopted cat ASAP. P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 26 of 34

59 Foster Caregiver Handbook ***After the cat is microchipped, please call or send an to the Foster coordinator with the following information: the microchip number, and the name and location of the place organization that implanted it in the cat.*** Spay/neuter Kittens should be spayed/neutered as soon as possible--once they reach two pounds in weight, which is normally around eight weeks of age. Call PHS (650/ ) or PAAS ( ) to make an appointment as soon as you get the cat, so you don't have to wait any longer than necessary. The backlog can be long!!! Please have your foster cats/kittens spayed/neutered by one of the following low-cost spay/neuter clinics: Peninsula Humane Society (PHS): 650/ Mention that it is an HCN foster cat both when you make your appointment and when you bring in the cat/kitten, to make sure you receive the discounted rate ($20 for neuter, $25 for spay). Make sure to ask them to microchip and combo test (FeLV/FIV) the cat/kitten as well. Palo Alto Animal Services: 650/ It's the second-cheapest spay/neuter after PHS. Medical Advice If your cat or kitten is injured, or looks/acts/does something odd, please call: Nicola Macfarlane: 650/ OR Melissa Riofrio: 650/ ASAP! P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 27 of 34

60 Foster Caregiver Handbook Veterinary Services You must contact the Fostering Coordinator (Melissa Riofrio, 650/ or before making any vet appointments. The exception to this would be a life-threatening emergency. When visiting a veterinarian, please make an appointment with one of our authorized veterinary clinics (listed below), some of which provide a discount to HCN foster parents. If you choose to use a veterinary office that is not on our list, we may only reimburse you for the amount that you would have been charged by one of our participating veterinarians. You must pay for all required services at the time they are performed, and then submit them to HCN for reimbursement. HCN s Veterinary Office List Adobe Veterinary Hospital, Los Altos, * call Nicola Macfarlane (650/ ) or Melissa Riofrio for authorization to use the HCN account. The first office visit for each HCN foster cat/kitten is free. Aragon Veterinary Hospital, San Mateo, 650/ Linda Mar Veterinary clinic, Pacifica, 650/ * Please mention that you are an HCN foster parent to receive a discount. Pacifica Pet Hospital, Pacifica, 650/ * Please mention that you are an HCN foster parent to receive a discount. San Mateo Animal Hospital, San Mateo, 650/ *There s no discount, but it s open Saturday and Sunday. Emergency Veterinary Visits - Emergencies for HCN foster cats after normal veterinary clinic hours do not require approval, authorization, or appointments, but please ask if they would be kind enough to give a discount for services for your HCN foster kitty. Advise the Fostering Coordinator (Melissa Riofrio, 650/ ) of the visit as soon as possible. P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 28 of 34

61 Foster Caregiver Handbook Adoption Resources Once you cat or kitten is sociable and neutered, it's ready to find a home! Here are the HCN resources available to help you do that: Posting to HCN s Web site and Petfinder.com Posting your cat online exposes it to a wider range of prospective adopters. HCN's Web site contains the same listings that we also post on Petfinder.com. To post your cat online, contact Melissa Riofrio with the following: A close-up of the cat's face, facing forward, looking relaxed and happy. A detailed description of your foster kitty and its unique personality traits. Adoption fairs Adoption fairs are a great place to find homes for outgoing and/or supercute cats, because they show well there; and they are good "practice" for shyer kittens who need exposure to more noise and people, but in a safe, controlled, environment. Our adoption fairs are held at various locations. To sign up, watch for notifications posted to our HCN Yahoo! group for foster parents, or contact the fair coordinator at any time. Our fair schedule is: Pet Club (1850 S. Norfolk, San Mateo): 1st/3rd Saturdays monthly, 11am-3pm. Contact Rita Gilreath at 650/ Petsmart-San Mateo (3520 S. El Camino Real (just south of Hillsdale Avenue): every Sunday, 1pm - 4pm. Contact Tonya Light at 650/ Petsmart-San Carlos (1225 Industrial Road, San Carlos): Twice a month; dates and times vary. Contact Melissa Riofrio for details. Cats and kittens brought to adoption fairs must be: Visibly healthy (no runny nose or eyes, no fever or sneezing) Vaccinated at least a week prior to the fair Spayed/neutered If your cat/kitten is sick or unvaccinated, please do not bring it to the fair. Food, water, litter box with litter and a blanket for the cage are provided. Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the fair. Fill out a description card for each cat. If you'd like, you may stay at the fair to talk with potential adopters. P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 29 of 34

62 Foster Caregiver Handbook Petsmart-San Carlos Adoption Center: At this store, we have space to keep a small number of cats. Volunteers visit the cats daily to clean and give them playtime. If your cat is completely tame and fairly outgoing, it can probably adjust to the noisy, busy atmosphere at the store. Contact Melissa Riofrio for more information. Other ways to promote your cat We encourage all the foster parents to promote the availability of their cat through every means possible, such as the following: Posting ads for your cat on craigslist. It's easy, and just requires weekly reposting to keep the listing fresh. Need help getting started? Ask Melissa Riofrio (melrosrio@yahoo.com, 650/ ) or Nicola Macfarlane (nicolam@mindspring.com) for advice. Posting flyers at work; at local veterinary hospitals; or at pet stores Carrying cute pictures of your cats to show to people you meet Finding the Right Adopter for Your Kitty We seek loving, responsible permanent homes for the animals in our care. We require committed adopters who will agree to: Provide the adoptive feline a regular program of preventative health care Provide an indoor environment or enclosed indoor/outdoor environment Not have the cat declawed Return the cat/kitten to HCN if the adopter is unable to keep it or abide by the terms of the adoption contract and has exhausted every avenue to place these companion cat(s) in an alternate situation. The Adoption Process Once you ve found an appropriate adopter, here are the steps to complete: Have the applicant complete the HCN Adoption Application. Conduct a home visit at the applicant s home. Please be considerate of the adopter s privacy, and assure them that you re only checking to make sure that their home is safe for the kitten/cat. If the applicant rents, call the landlord or obtain written authorization that they are allowed to have cats. If the applicant has a resident pet and has a veterinarian, you may wish to contact the veterinary office to ensure that the applicant has brought their pets in for routine care. If you approve of the adoption, please ask them to sign the Adoption Contract and provide a check for the adoption fee made out to Homeless Cat Network. P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 30 of 34

63 Foster Caregiver Handbook The adoption fee is $100 for one cat; $185 for two; and $270 for three. These fees are competitive with other private animal-rescue groups prices and come nowhere near covering our actual cost of caring for the cat; but they are cheaper than paying for a regular vet to do everything we do. If you have any questions about the fees, please contact Melissa Riofrio. Provide the adopter with HCN s Cat and Kitten care Guide for New Adopters, available from Melissa Riofrio or at the Socialization Center. If they have existing pets, please reiterate the need for proper introductions, details for which are outlined in the guide. Other things to give to the new adopter include: Medical record form (available from our Yahoo! Group Files section) Microchip information and envelope Some of its current food to ease transitioning to its new food Send the completed adoption application, contract, and check to: Homeless Cat Network, attn: Treasurer, PO Box 6, San Carlos, CA Notify Melissa Riofrio that the cat has been adopted. Microchip Registration: Remind your adopter to register the cat s microchip in their name as soon as possible. Follow-up An important last step is to follow up with the new adopters. Check in with them after the first week to ensure that the cat is happy and that the adopter is satisfied with the new addition to their family. Ask them if they have any questions or need advice; offer to visit again if they seem to want onsite advice. Continue to follow up as necessary; a final call after a month is reasonable. These follow-up calls demonstrate our concern for the cats, diligence in the adoption process, and also gives the adopters comfort knowing they can call if they have questions. Interviewing and Home-Visit Tips As the foster parent, you are the best person to decide whether a prospective adopter will be a good match for a particular cat. The home should, in your opinion, be a good match for the cat s sociability level, personality, and energy level. Useful interview questions include: Have you owned a cat before? What was that cat like, and what did it do? P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 31 of 34

64 Foster Caregiver Handbook Do you own any other pets? How do you plan to introduce a new cat to them? Do you live with family or roommates? Are they all OK with getting a cat? Will they be taking care of the cat or interacting with it? Do you have a small room or bathroom where you could keep the cat for the first part of its adjustment period? What would you do if you couldn t take care of the cat anymore? The trickiest questions to ask are: Do you plan to let the cat go outside? Do you plan to declaw the cat? Have you ever surrendered a cat? If the adopter answers yes to any of these questions, the adoption will very likely not occur, because HCN opposes all of these practices. To discourage lying, however, try not to tell the person directly that these issues are likely deal-breakers. Instead, you can diplomatically ask whether they ve considered alternatives: cat fences or outdoor enclosures; regular claw-clipping or glue-on tips, or anti-scratch strategies like double-sided tape. You can ask more about the circumstances of the surrender. To avoid getting into an argument, you can say that this cat is not a suitable match or that you have multiple applicants. During the home visit, do the following: Respectfully request to tour the house and meet everyone who lives there both human and animal. Look for safety issues such as unscreened windows, exposed electrical cords, and poisonous plants. Look for unsafe/inaccessible places kitty might hide, such as an open fireplace; spaces under or behind large pieces of furniture or major appliances; or garages. Discuss how to block or monitor these areas. Discuss where the cat will live when it first arrives. A separate room or bathroom would be ideal. The family should plan to keep the cat there for a week or more and interact with it in that room, so it can get used to them before it has to get used to the entire house. Emphasize the need for this adjustment period to ensure a smooth start to the relationship. Offer to lend them a cage if nothing more appropriate is available. Discuss how the cat will live once it s adjusted which rooms it ll have access to; where the litter box will be; and how much time people plan to spend playing with it. Make sure they will spend sufficient time with the cat. Discuss how the family will teach the cat No. Suggest gentle deterrents such as spraying water or making a loud hissing noise..make sure they know that hitting, screaming, or rubbing a cat s nose in something stinky will NOT work; that disciplining the cat anytime after the P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 32 of 34

65 Foster Caregiver Handbook fact is useless; BUT that rewarding or encouraging good behavior will turn it in the right direction. If the adopters are acceptable but their home needs some modifications, please discuss them with the family and tell them that you can deliver the cat once they've made the modifications. P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 33 of 34

66 Foster Caregiver Handbook Reimbursement Policy and Procedures Items eligible for reimbursement HCN reimburses for essential items such as food, litter and veterinary care. Items such as toys, carriers, litter boxes, etc. are not considered for reimbursement, however, many of these items are received through donations and are available to you by contacting Melissa Riofrio 650/ ). Reimbursement request form To request reimbursement for expenses incurred by fostering, fill out a reimbursement request form completely (cover page and worksheet), with the cat/kitten s HCN number, attach your receipts to it (for small receipts, please tape to a blank sheet of paper), and send it to: Homeless cat Network, attn: Treasurer, PO Box 6, San Carlos, CA ***Please keep copies for your records.*** Thank you! And Happy Fostering! Revised November 11, P.O. Box 6, San Carlos, CA (650) Page 34 of 34

67 Rescue 101: Getting Your Organization Off the Ground by Cimeron Morrissey Get help FAST! How to attract volunteers, donors and adopters If you re just getting off the ground, you ll need help fast. Here s how you can get it: General ways to get volunteers, adopters and donors: Create a page on the Best Friends network site (it takes 10 minutes) to find Best Friends supporters and volunteers in your area: Create a Facebook page and get a $25 Facebook ad to start building your fan base! And then post, post, post with adorable photos of the animals you re rescuing. For your status updates: focus on the solutions and how people can make a positive difference Create a Twitter account and post, post, post Specific ways to get volunteers: Ask friends, family, co workers to help When people ask for help with an animal situation, ask them to volunteer with you in return for the favor Troll for volunteers at vet offices o Post flyers o Talk with vet techs and customers literally sit in the lobby and chat with people about their pets and segue into the work you re doing and the help you need. Post ads on Craigslist (be upbeat and include cute animal photos!) Post fliers at high schools and college campuses many have community service credit programs Find fosters in creative places: students on summer break; prison inmates; seniors fostering senior pets Specific ways to find adopters: Call the program directors at local morning zoo radio shows and morning TV shows to see if you can bring in adoptable pets. Contact your local paper to establish a pet of the week program Set up adoption fairs/condos at pet stores Set up a PetFinder page for your group Specific ways to get donations and free supplies: Get free supplies from pet stores and vet offices by asking if you can have their damaged and returned bags of food and other supplies (such as kitty litter, puppy piddle pads, carriers, etc.) this adds up! Ask your favorite pet stores if you can set up donation bins near the front door of their store and donation jars on their counters. You can get lockable,

68 professional looking plexiglass donation boxes on Amazon. Here s a link to one in the shape of a dog house: Donation House Style Holder/dp/B0036VPZJQ Sign up your group for various search and donate websites, then encourage your fans and supports to designate your group as the beneficiary of the website s profits: o AdoptAShelter.com o GoodSearch.com o Sharingpet.org Get discounted veterinary services: Ask if they have a discounted services plan for rescue groups. Present a feasible plan that asks for a finite amount of help very few veterinarians are willing to help if it seems like a bottomless pit! Be specific, such as spay/neuter 3 cats/dogs per week for free or $10 puppy/kitten health checks, up to 10 per month Offer something of value in return, such as: o Free publicity Offer to write press releases about your partnership, or include them in your other PR efforts. o Free marketing recommend them in all of your adoption packets and include a thank you to them in your brochures, website and social networking efforts. o Find out what they need or what makes them smile and give that to them, such as: homemade sweets; volunteers to walk clients dogs; help with special spay/neuter events, etc.

69 Rescue 101: Getting Your Organization Off the Ground By Cimeron Morrissey Organizational Tools and Databases Keeping track of your volunteers, donors, and the animals you rescue is essential to the success of your organization. It s the difference between: - getting a one-time donation from a supporter, or getting regular checks from them - knowing how to track down one of the animals in your care (or that has been adopted), or pulling your hair out matching your volunteers skills to your needs so they can help, or doing everything yourself. These tools help you track animals and their records, donations, mailing lists, volunteers, etc. They re awesome! There are many, many tools available to you to help you keep organized. They fall into two general categories: online tools, which offer remote access (great for distributed organizations without a central office); and on-site software, which resides on individual computers (which is appropriate for central commands, offices and shelters). PetFinder.com has a fantastic comparison chart of all the rescue-related tracking tools that are available: (Here s a screen capture of the chart in PetFinder):

70 You can also visit to get FREE tracking tool technology products that were donated to TechSoup. Here are a couple of screen grabs from one online tracking tool software, Trackabeast.com, so you can see what kind of information you can capture, store and search in the tracking tool:

71 this one is of the people tab, which allows you to input information about your volunteers, donors and adopters.

72 This is a shot of a particular animal s page, which shows the cat s profile. (On a separate page it allows you to input the cat Here we have the donations tab, which shows donations made to your organization.

73 This is an example of the placement tab, which allows you to sort though all your group s adoptions.