11 Steps to the No Kill Equation

Transcription

1 11 Steps to the No Kill Equation The No-Kill Equation by Nathan Winograd and The No Kill Advocacy Center As published in his book and on his website, The No Kill Equation is the standard blueprint to follow that has been implemented successfully in many communities. Please visit his website to read more: Here is the equation: Attachment 5 I. Feral Cat TNR Program Many communities throughout the United States are embracing Trap, Neuter, Release programs (TNR) to improve animal welfare, reduce death rates, and meet obligations to public welfare. II. High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Low cost, high volume spay/neuter will quickly lead to fewer animals entering the shelter system, allowing more resources to be allocated toward saving lives. III. Rescue Groups An adoption or transfer to a rescue group frees up scarce cage and kennel space, reduces expenses for feeding, cleaning, killing, and improves a community s rate of lifesaving. In an environment of millions of dogs and cats killed in shelters annually, rare is the circumstance in which a rescue group should be denied an animal. IV. Foster Care Volunteer foster care is crucial to No Kill. Without it, saving lives is compromised. It is a low cost, and often no cost, way of increasing a shelter s capacity, improving public relations, increasing a shelter s public image, rehabilitating sick and injured or behaviorally challenged animals, and saving lives. V. Comprehensive Adoption Programs Adoptions are vital to an agency s lifesaving mission. The quantity and quality of shelter adoptions is in shelter management s hands, making lifesaving a direct function of shelter policies and practice. In fact, studies show people get their animals from shelters only 20% of the time. If shelters better promoted their animals and had adoption programs responsive to the needs of the community, including public access hours for working people, offsite adoptions, adoption incentives, and effective marketing, they could increase the number of homes available and replace killing with adoptions. Contrary to conventional wisdom, shelters can adopt their way out of killing.

2 VI. Pet Retention While some of the reasons animals are surrendered to shelters are unavoidable, others can be prevented but only if shelters are willing to work with people to help them solve their problems. Saving animals requires communities to develop innovative strategies for keeping people and their companion animals together. And the more a community sees its shelters as a place to turn for advice and assistance, the easier this job will be. VII. Medical and Behavior Programs In order to meet its commitment to a lifesaving guarantee for all savable animals, shelters need to keep animals happy and healthy and keep animals moving through the system. To do this, shelters must put in place comprehensive vaccination, handling, cleaning, socialization, and care policies before animals get sick and rehabilitative efforts for those who come in sick, injured, unweaned, or traumatized. VIII. Public Relations/Community Involvement Increasing adoptions, maximizing donations, recruiting volunteers and partnering with community agencies comes down to one thing: increasing the shelter s exposure. And that means consistent marketing and public relations. Public relations and marketing are the foundation of all a shelter s activities and their success. To do all these things well, the shelter must be in the public eye. IX. Volunteers Volunteers are a dedicated army of compassion and the backbone of a successful No Kill effort. There is never enough staff, never enough dollars to hire more staff, and always more needs than paid human resources. That is where volunteers come in and make the difference between success and failure and, for the animals, life and death. X. Proactive Redemptions One of the most overlooked areas for reducing killing in animal control shelters are lost animal reclaims. Sadly, besides having pet owners fill out a lost pet report, very little effort is made in this area of shelter operations. This is unfortunate because doing so primarily shifting from passive to a more proactive approach has proven to have a significant impact on lifesaving and allow shelters to return a large percentage of lost animals to their families. XI. A Compassionate Director The final element of the No Kill equation is the most important of all, without which all other elements are thwarted a hard working, compassionate animal control or shelter director not content to regurgitate tired clichés or hide behind the myth of too many animals, not enough homes. Unfortunately, this one is also oftentimes the hardest one to demand and find.

3 YCAS Evaluation by UCD Koret Shelter Medicine Program Presentation on 6/3/10; Transcribed notes from L.M. Lubin Present : Sheriff Prieto, Captain Faille, Vicky Fletcher, Barb & Ruth (Animal Control Officers), Sgt. Buckley, Laura Minnus, Dr. Rich Burch, Megan & Angela (adoption services), Drs. Hurley, Newbury & Wagner, Ken Bannaesh (Shelter Medicine), Kim Kinney & Shelley Bryant (YC SPCA), Deputy Christopher Lee, Margot Wilcox (volunteer), and Lori Lubin (former volunteer) Introduction by Dr. Hurley : Focus on improvements, not intended as criticism, lots of positives They had limited schedule, so focused and limited 1-day consultation. Shelter was not fully staffed at time of visit, did not see everything (including field services, customer service, adoptions) Looked at # of animals, # of kennels, and staffing Positives : Caring staff Priority on animal welfare Openness to cooperation Observations : Absence of Systems : o Unclear line of authority o Lack of important protocols (e.g. up for adoption or rescue? Only word of mouth) o Inadequate medical and treatment records o Underutilized computer records o Lack of daily accountability Inadequate staff and facilities for animal activities Blurred and inappropriate roles for vet and animal care staff High euthanasia rate for cats (3 out of 4) Resulting Problems : Haphazard or missed care ( irregular care and problems hurt animals ) Prolonged stays Frequent illness (majority of animals get ill diarrhea, upper respiratory infection) Unsanitary/dangerous conditions Needless expense (for illness and recurring treatment) Increased euthanasia (especially for cats)

4 Rommendations : Do best with what you have o Match roles with tasks o Develop efficient systems o Decrease time at shelter ( high priority ) o Identify limitations (need to pick and choose ) Develop plan to achieve o Increase staff ( what particular types ) o New facility / facility improvement o Spay and neuter program (decrease euthanasia) Shelter Staffing : Inventory Rounds Basic care (feed, cleaning cages, toy removal) Prep for cleaning Intake Walk through with owners Behavior evaluation Adoption visits Treatment Revaccination Euthanasia list Euthanasia Vet assist Spay/neuter assist Testing Dead body bin Morning Animal Care : Haphazard mixed authorities Fomite spread (mechanically spread) o no way of doing healthy animals and then handling dead ones etc o cross contamination occurring because hectic nature o all precautions for naught! Frequent interruptions Lack of follow thru Surgery : Minimal assistance for vet Interruptions Surgery area used for prep and recovery

5 Prolonged surgery time (1.5 hr) NOT meeting board requirements Intake : Protocol generally followed BUT o Officers not vaccinating all dogs on intake cannot do on truck done in same pens which hold sick dogs no computer near area for data input all officers not comfortable with vaccination o Dogs do not get weighed because (euthanasia) room busy BIGGEST ISSUE - same room is a common pathway for disease o Space inadequate for cats, unacceptable for dogs o No standard for revaccination or deworming Sometimes vet does but inefficient use of time o Add consistent deworming for moms, pups and kittens Ideally 100% of dogs + physical exams as well o Reconsider intake kennels o Use chameleon for revaccination reminders Treatments : Dogs have whiteboard plus blue sheets but NO clear info Cats no system, only blue sheets Medical notes on post-its Blue sheets often fall, misplaced Missed treatments No label on fluid bags Inadequate treatment and testing Need to have chameleon records and treatment sheet binders in EVERY room Feline Disinfection : Some cats from adoption placed in playroom for kennel cleaning o No disinfection between moving cats back and forth o Saw cats with diarrhea there o Mitigates all cleaning protocols o UCD cleaning study cages o Stray cats boxed during cleaning In small cages (cannot even turn around) for too long without food and water o No dates on trifectant cleaning solution (ineffective after 7 days)

6 Canine Disinfection : Dogs sprayed with water and chemical disinfectant Power sprayers spreading debris everywhere (chemicals, feces) Confusion about disinfectant strength o lots of chemicals in air o respiratory irritation for dogs and people Disinfectant dispensers (foaming machines) empty in adoption, almost empty in stray and intake / vehicle cleaning o Cleaning with WATER ONLY! o No time to check disinfectant levels o No system to make sure this does not happen! o Better signs, training so staff knows how to use the machines Disinfectant in water bowls Cages remain wet o From cleaning and leaking water bowls o Need to be towel dried Walkways not cleaned Use of inmate cleaning is not cost effective as they do such a poor job Feline Housing : Inadequate number of cages Inadequate size need two cages each in adoption Cannot use feral boxes for large cats cannot lay down or breathe Canine Housing : Serious rodent infestation Leaking water bowls Cages remain wet Damaged wires Damaged beds Windows do not open Use adoption area more Past Due : 10 out of 19 dogs past due out date could be released (adoption, rescue) but still in stray Same for 2 out of 2 puppies Same for 9 out of 51 cats

7 Behavioral Evalution : Done in dirty euthanasia room (visible debris) Takes ~90 minutes of staff time per dog Frequent interruptions Cat used for cat test is stressed o no support for efficacy of using cat this way to test dog s reaction They always stop at first fail in test o Need more information so can be considered for rescue or transfer o Do full evaluation so have all the information Recommendations : o New room o Develop shorter evaluation o Discontinue current cat use o Evaluate immediately for owner surrender or on intake Do temperament test first because just gets worse for dogs in this environment and get false fails (or passes) on exams if done much later Schedule owner surrenders to plan time when staff available for temperament testing Introduction by Dr. Newbury : Does intake match outcomes see if data works out Two years of data o Large number of cats in, smaller number out Very steady live release rate 50 (out) vs (in) per month intake going up from year to year dramatic issue with adults, but also kittens COMMUNITY ISSUE spay and neuter! o Dogs Significant number go to rescue or transfer Losing on adoption, lower numbers Live release rate of over 50% Length of stay (LOS) i.e. period until adoption floor, rescue, transfer o Need to decrease LOS, will then Decrease # in shelter Give them more space Better health o Need efficiency of flow through Currently 1-2 months from intake to adoption floor!! Lack of housing, staff, enrichment o Find places where there is unproductive time on animal s pathway

8 Time Issues : o Vicious cycle of animals waiting by that time they are sick and in ISO o Contacted Vicky Lotz (attorney) need to hold only for 72 hrs after intake, does NOT have to be business days even in Hayden Law Total hrs per day for flow thru only (does NOT include staffing hrs for basic care) o Dog intake, euthanasia, behavioral evaluation : 8-11 hrs o Feline flow thru : 2-4 hrs Basic care o BARE MINIMUM : 15 min / animal 9 min clean / 6 min feed o Requires 25 hrs per day of staff time (on top of flow thru) Not enough time limits capacity for care Need to decrease number of animals to care for Restructure and reevaluate system to achieve care without limits (HSUS regulations) NO ONE there to meet adopters, adversely affects adoptions Feline Model : Stray hold ONLY three days o Longer times DOES NOT help increase in return Get more like cats in house, then can cut house in cages to increase size 1 ½ lb healthy kitten can be spayed/neutered at six weeks increase health, welfare, manage capacity for care, increase funds for preventive programs If 10 day LOS, need about 10 cats in adoption o Choose kitten/adult ratio based on adoption statistics MAJOR ISSUE the community has NO low-cost spay and neuter! Canine Model : 3 day LOS o With 26 housing units (use every other), have dogs in adoption assuming typical stay 21 days o Release to rescue ASAP they pick up in a few days! Recommendations : Discontinue Deceased Animal Deposit against the law to leave cadavers Improve adoptions

9 o More marketing o Limiting number of choices, keep at recommended numbers to increase adoption o VOLUNTEERS no one there to help! Discontinue their foster program o Inadequate pre-screening, training, follow-up, emergency precautions o Takes away time and resources to no advantage Better PICK & CHOOSE what programs most important! o DO NOT DO EVERYTHING BADLY!! VOLUNTEERS! Streamline behavioral evaluation (critical point in flow) o More staff, shorter evaluation, on fewer animals o E.g. Sac County uses 15 min test Better communication Training in chameleon to improve efficiency Open stray to public so they can see all dogs o Public can find adoptable dogs that they would not otherwise o Wall off difficult dogs o Open selection (see e.g. Tampa, San Antonio) Daily Evaluation of every animal Methodical, must have STRATEGIC PLAN!!!

10 THE NO KILL ADVOCACY CENTER DOLLARS &SENSE A GUIDE FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS The Economic Benefits of No Kill Animal Control $ Reduce Costs $ Increase Revenues Support Community $ Businesses

11 THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF NO KILL ANIMAL CONTROL Dollars&Sense $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ MYTH: No Kill is too expensive. Our community can t afford it. FACT: No Kill is cost-effective, fiscally responsible, and a great economic boon to local communities. Municipalities which want to enact good policy and improve the local economy should invest in lifesaving at their local shelter. Given the cost savings and additional revenues of doing so (reduced costs associated with killing, enhanced community support, an increase in adoption revenues and other user fees, and additional tax revenues), as well as the positive economic impact of adoptions, a community cannot afford not to embrace No Kill. Today, there are dozens of No Kill communities across the United States; in states as diverse as Kentucky, Virginia, Indiana, California, New York, Texas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, and elsewhere. These communities share little in common demographically. What they do share is leadership with a can do attitude and a passion for saving lives, as well as the model used to achieve it: the programs and services of the No Kill Equation (See No Kill 101: A Primer on No Kill Animal Control Sheltering for Public Officials, available for free at nokilladvocacycenter.org). These communities not only prove that No Kill can be achieved at open admission municipal shelters in both urban and rural, Northern and Southern, large and small, and both politically liberal and conservative communities, but also that No Kill is consistent with a municipal shelter s public safety mandate. They also disprove the idea that communities with high intake rates can t be No Kill because of the antiquated and disproven notions of pet overpopulation and the irresponsible public. 1 Dollars and Sense: The Economic Benefits of No Kill Animal Control

12 NO KILL EqUATION PROGRAMS: - Volunteers - Rescue Access - Foster Care - Comprehensive Adoption Programs - Pet Retention - Trap, Neuter, Release - Medical and Behavior Prevention & Rehabilitation - Public Relations/Community Involvement - High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter - Proactive Redemptions - Leadership This is good news because not only do the animals deserve it and alternatives to killing exist, but the public is increasing demanding it. In a national survey, 96% of Americans almost every single person across the social and political spectrum said we have a moral obligation to protect animals and that we should have strong laws to do so. Saving lives is not only good public policy; it is also good bipartisan politics. But at a time when economic challenges are being faced in communities across the country, legislators and policy makers are asking if they can afford to embrace a more humane alternative. Thankfully, many communities have already proven that No Kill animal control is cost-effective, saves municipalities expenses associated with killing, and brings badly needed revenues into public coffers and community businesses. In addition, while some of the communities which have embraced No Kill have also increased funding for animal services, not all of them have. Achieving No Kill does not necessarily require increased expenditures on animal control. Although costs vary somewhat, impounding, caring for, and ultimately killing an animal and disposing of his/her body costs approximately $ ($66 for impoundment and $40 for killing and disposal). The process is entirely revenue negative to the municipality in contrast to the No Kill approach which transfers costs to private philanthropy, brings in adoption revenue and other user fees, and supports local businesses. In just one community, a No Kill initiative yielded $250,000 in increased revenues at a time the shelter also significantly reduced expenditures. In addition, the positive economic impact to businesses due to subsequent spending by adopters on those animals totaled over $12,000,000 in sales annually. Over the course of the lifetime of those animals and subsequent adoptions, it is estimated that these animals will generate $300 million, bringing in over $20,000,000 in sales tax revenues. Does it make more economic sense to adopt out animals, transfer animals to private non-profit rescue organizations, and increase the number of stray animals reclaimed by their families, all revenue positive activities that save the costs of killing and bring in fees and other revenues? Of course it does. At a time when dozens of communities across the country have achieved No Kill, including those with per capita intake rates up to eight times higher than New York City, shelters which continue to kill in the face of lifesaving alternatives are not only engaging in morally bankrupt conduct (killing animals who have a place to go), they are bankrupting community coffers. No Kill animal control not only makes good sense. It makes dollars and cents. No Kill Advocacy Center 2

13 D I S P R O V I N G PET OVERPOPULATION Think there are too many animals and not enough homes? Think again... Nationally, roughly four million animals are killed in shelters every year. Of these, roughly 95% of all shelter animals are healthy and treatable. The remainder consists of hopelessly ill or injured animals and vicious dogs whose prognosis for rehabilitation is poor or grave. That would put the number of savable animals at roughly 3.8 million. At the same time, over 23 million Americans will get a new pet every year, and 17 million of those households have not decided where they will get that animal and can be influenced to adopt from a shelter. Even if upwards of 80 percent acquired an animal from somewhere other than a shelter, U.S. shelters could still stop killing all healthy and treatable animals. On top of that, not all animals entering shelters need adoption. Some will be lost strays who will be reclaimed by their family (shelters which are comprehensive in their lost pet reclaim efforts, for example, have demonstrated that as many as two-thirds of stray dogs can be reunited with their families). Others are unsocialized feral cats who should be neutered and released. Still others will be beyond a shelter s ability to medically save. In the end, a shelter only needs to find new homes for roughly half to 60% of all incoming animals to end the killing. And in more and more communities, that is exactly what they are doing. 3 Dollars and Sense: The Economic Benefits of No Kill Animal Control

14 NO KILL ANIMAL CONTROL IS CONSISTENT WITH A MUNICIPAL SHELTER S PUBLIC SAFETY MANDATE A No Kill community is one where no healthy or treatable animals are killed. Unfortunately, there are some animals who are hopelessly ill or injured, irremediably suffering, or in the case of dogs, vicious with a poor prognosis for rehabilitation. These animals are often not adoption candidates and, at this time in history, are killed, unless hospice care and sanctuaries are available. And while many shelters are having great success placing animals many would have considered unadoptable in years past and those efforts will continue and accelerate in the coming years with greater innovation in veterinary and behavior medicine, because the No Kill philosophy does not mandate that vicious dogs be made available for adoption, it is wholly consistent with public safety. ECONOMIC COSTS OF NO KILL Many of the programs identified as key components of saving lives are more cost-effective than impounding, warehousing, and then killing animals. Some rely on private philanthropy, as in the use of rescue groups, which shifts costs of care from public taxpayers to private individuals and groups. Others, such as the use of volunteers, augment paid human resources. Still others, such as adoptions, bring in revenue. And, finally, some, such as neutering rather than killing feral cats, are simply less expensive both immediately and in the long-term, with exponential savings in terms of reducing births. In addition, a national, multi-state study found no correlation between per capita funding for animal control and save rates. One community saved 90 percent of the animals, while another saved only 40 percent despite four times the per capita rate of spending on animal control. One community has seen killing rates increase over 30 percent despite one of the best-funded shelter systems in the nation. Another has caused death rates to drop by 50 percent despite cutting spending. Nationally, per capita funding ranged from $1.50 to about $6.30. Save rates ranged from 35% ($2.00 per capita) to 90% ($1.50 per capita), but their lifesaving rates did not follow any predictable pattern. There were shelters with an 87% rate of lifesaving spending only $2.80 per capita, and shelters with a 42% rate (less than half of the former) spending more than double that (at $5.80 per capita). No Kill Advocacy Center 4

15 A multi-state study found there was no correlation between rates of lifesaving and per capita spending on animal control. The difference between those shelters that succeeded at saving lives and those that failed was not the size of the budget, but the commitment of its leadership to implementing alternatives to killing. In other words, there was no correlation between success/failure and per capita spending on animal control. The difference between those shelters that succeeded and those that failed was not the size of the budget, but the programmatic effort of its leadership: the commitment of shelter managers to comprehensively implement a key series of programs and services. While communities should provide adequate funding, simply throwing money at the problem of shelter killing will do very little without leadership committed both to lifesaving and to accountability. Between , King County, Washington commissioners spent millions of additional dollars on the animal services program after three independent evaluations revealed rampant illness, deplorable conditions, and high rates of killing. In fact, during this period, the County Commission never denied a funding request for the agency. But no improvement in animal care resulted despite the allocation of millions of additional dollars. In Portland, OR, likewise, an analysis of shelter expenses to lifesaving found that: Over the course of the past few years (fiscal years 2003 through 2008), a period during which the total number of animals brought into the shelter increased by only 5 percent and the agency s budget increased by 50 percent (to a current $4.6 million), nearly every measure of the agency s performance documents failure. Adoptions are down by 40 percent (dogs) and 18 percent (cats). Nearly half of the dogs not returned to owners are killed; so too are nearly two-thirds of cats. The kill rate is now well above rates in neighboring counties facing far more severe budget limitations. Thousands of dollars are squandered on adversarial enforcement efforts that have achieved no meaningful improvement in the public s safety. The number of animals saved by cooperating with life-saving organizations and individuals, a number widely recognized as a key measure of community support, has dropped by 40 percent. That doesn't mean that governments should continue underfunding their shelters. Shelters with low per capita spending claimed difficulty sustaining programs. As a result, the study should not be used as an excuse to reduce shelter budgets. It does mean, however, that to really make an impact, communities do not generally need to allocate millions of dollars more to animal control. By investing in progressive leaders willing to embrace 5 Dollars and Sense: The Economic Benefits of No Kill Animal Control

16 PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS SAVE LIVES, SAVE MONEY & IMPROVE PUBLIC SATISFACTION WITH GOVERNMENT A WIN-WIN-WIN In 1998, California passed a law making it illegal for public (and private) shelters to kill animals when qualified rescue groups were willing to save them. It passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority 96 to 12, as close as possible to unanimity in a state as large as California. In 2010, a similar law passed both houses of the Delaware legislature unanimously. In both of these states, it made no sense to legislators of either party that taxpayers were paying to kill animals when qualified non-profit rescue groups were willing to spend their own money (private, philanthropic dollars) to save them. In just one California County, the number of animals saved, rather than killed, went from zero (before the law was enacted and enforced) to 4,000 per year. At roughly $40.00 per animal killed, the municipality saved $160,000 in expenses associated with killing. A similar study in the City and County of San Francisco found the City realized an annualized cost savings of $486,480 by working with rescue groups and No Kill shelters, rather than killing the animals these groups wanted to save. In fact, the number of animals saved, rather than killed, by forcing shelters to work cooperatively with rescue groups increased in California from 12,526 before the law went into effect to 58,939 in 2010 a lifesaving increase of over 370%, and a potential cost savings of $1,856,520 statewide for killing and disposal (these savings do not include additional savings relative to cost of care). In addition, because the law specifically allows shelters to charge these organizations up to the standard adoption fee, partnering with rescue groups potentially brings in millions of dollars in additional revenues. In New York and Florida, by contrast, statewide surveys found that 71% and 63% of non-profit rescue organizations respectively have been turned away from shelters, which then killed the very animals they offered to save. This is not only unethical killing animals when those animals have an immediate place to go it is economically irresponsible. Not only can these shelters save on the cost of killing and disposal, they can bring in badly needed revenues to lower public expenditures on animal control or use the additional revenue to enhance services also realizing the intangible benefit of improving public satisfaction with the job government is doing. In short, adoption programs resulting in increased lifesaving also increase revenues; while continued killing costs money. No Kill Advocacy Center 6

17 the cost-effective and revenue-producing programs and services which make No Kill possible and to embrace public-private partnerships which save lives and save money, communities that provide funding within national norms can end the killing of savable animals (roughly 95% of all intakes) without raiding public coffers.* Moreover, as most shelter costs are fixed, keeping additional animals alive does not dramatically increase costs. Since it takes roughly the same amount of time to clean a kennel as it does to kill an animal, staff increases often prove unnecessary, with the added financial benefit that cleaning requires less-skilled, less-expensive labor and can be augmented through unpaid volunteer support. Not only do the costeffective programs that make No Kill possible benefit a municipality s bottom line, they can be enhanced with the free support of non-profit organizations and volunteers. In San Francisco, for example, volunteers spend over 110,000 hours at the shelter each year. Assuming the prevailing hourly wage, it would cost the agency over $1,000,000 dollars to provide those services. All too often, however, volunteers and rescuers are prevented from assisting by regressive policies in shelters across the country. Even in those communities that allow volunteers, traditional shelters find it Municipalities which invest in prevention programs that prevent surrenders and impounds, increase reclaim rates and reduce births realize short and long-term economic benefits. difficult to recruit and retain volunteers who do not want to work in an environment of killing. By adopting the No Kill philosophy, shelter volunteer rates increase dramatically, allowing more lives to be cared for and saved. In Reno, Nevada, the local shelter increased the number of volunteers from 30 to over 7,000 after launching its No Kill initiative. In addition, the number of foster homes increased from a handful to almost 2,500, all of whom help save lives at little cost to the shelter. The services volunteers provide reduce expenses, while increasing capacity, and the animals they save are then adopted out, bringing in adoption revenue to the shelter. AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION Municipalities which invest in prevention programs also realize short and long-term economic benefits, such as programs to proactively reclaim more animals, pet retention initiatives to keep animals from entering the shelter, as well as subsidized spay/neuter. Preventing Surrenders: In Reno, a full-time staff member and volunteers manage an Animal Help desk where people calling to surrender their animals are offered no-cost advice and guidance on solving the challenges relating to their animals. A survey found that of those who agreed to participate in the program, 59% did not surrender their animal after one year, saving the shelter from having to take in * Municipalities that charge high adoption and reclaim fees in order to increase revenues as much as possible are working at cross purposes with their goals of greater lifesaving the higher the fees, the lower the number of adoptions and reclaims that occur. Municipalities can balance their animal care with their animal control goals by lowering fees, but increasing volume. 7 Dollars and Sense: The Economic Benefits of No Kill Animal Control

18 and care for those animals and more than offsetting the cost of the program. Increasing Reclaims: A proactive effort to ensure that lost animals are reclaimed has led to stray redemption rates in Reno that are seven times greater than the national average for cats and over three times the average for dogs, reducing the costs of care, killing, and disposal. Over 60% of stray dogs are being reclaimed by their families compared to the national average of roughly 20% and less than 10% for poorly-performing communities because the agency has invested in pro-active efforts to get more animals home. This includes officers going door-to-door to locate the owner when animals are picked up in the field thereby avoiding the costs of impound, holding, and potential killing; waiving fees or billing citizens rather than holding their animal on threat of execution if they cannot afford the fees or fines; uploading photographs and full descriptions of found animals onto the agency s website so that people can identify their animals online from any computer 24 hours a day/seven days a week; and more. By returning thousands of animals every year to their homes in the field and helping thousands more get home after they have been impounded, the shelter does not spend additional money caring for and potentially killing those animals. Moreover, those animals no longer compete for kennel space or homes with other animals, allowing more resources to be allocated to those remaining animals. Reducing Births: Research shows that investment in spay/neuter programs not only provides immediate public health and public relations benefits but also long-term financial savings to a jurisdiction as well. Reductions in animal intakes, fewer animals killed, and fewer field calls associated with free-roaming, unaltered animals have been reported in communities which have invested in spay/neuter. Moreover, spay/neuter and release of feral cats has an immediate measurable lifesaving impact, in addition to immediate cost savings. ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF NO KILL Beyond the increased revenues and associated savings of No Kill animal control, there are even wider economic benefits to the community. Americans spend $50 billion annually on the care of their companion animals, an amount which is growing every year even as other economic sectors decline. Spending on animal companions is now the eighth largest sector of the economy. And giving to animal related charities is the fastest growing segment in American philanthropy. This embrace of animals cuts across all political, economic, and social demographics. And communities which adopt a No Kill orientation for animal control are reaping the economic benefits. Before Reno s No Kill initiative, the shelter adopted out less than 5,000 dogs and cats every year. The remainder was put to death at great cost to taxpayers and $ $ $ $ $ $ Animals who are adopted into a community become a valuable source of revenue for local businesses. Groomers, boarding facilties, pet sitters, veterinarians and businesses which sell products for pets such as treats and toys all benefit from the consumer needs of those who adopt shelter pets. No Kill Advocacy Center 8

19 WE ARE A NATION OF ANIMAL LOVERS Spending on companion animals is one of the mainstays of the American economy. On average, Americans spend approximately $1,696 per dog and $1,105 per cat annually as follows: D O G S Food: Treats: Toys: Veterinary Care: Medications: Grooming: Boarding/Pet Sitting: Miscellaneous: $254 $96 $148 $368 $159 $66 $273 $332 TOTAL: $1696 C A T S Food: Treats: Toys: Veterinary Care: Medications: Boarding/Pet Sitting: Miscellaneous: $220 $47 $126 $226 $53 $255 $178 TOTAL: $1105 * According to figures based on averages calculated from the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Bloomberg Report, and others. donors. In 2010, as death rates declined, the number of animals adopted doubled to just under 10,000 adoptions. In addition to a cost savings of roughly $200,000 associated with killing, adoption fees brought in almost $250,000 in additional revenues. Moreover, the positive economic impact of economic spending by adopters on those animals to community businesses totaled over $12,000,000 in annual sales. With an average lifespan of roughly 11 years per animal, the total revenues to community businesses over the life of those pets could potentially top $120,000,000. The number is substantially higher given that those impacts are exponential (in Year Two, businesses would benefit from two years worth of adoptions; in Year Three, they would benefit from three years of adoptions; etc.). In addition, not only do those businesses then employ people who turn around and spend even more, all these activities also bring in badly needed tax revenues. At an average 6% rate, adoptions over a ten-year period could potentially bring in over $20,000,000 in sales tax alone. While many of these economic benefits will be realized regardless of where people get their animals, cost savings and other revenues will not be realized. For one, many commercially-sourced animals come from puppy mills, which contribute to animal cruelty. In addition, the animals will not be sterilized before adoption, requiring the shelter to absorb the costs of taking in the offspring of some of those animals. Moreover, the municipality will not benefit from the decreased costs and increased revenue associated with adopting the animals to those homes. Finally, a successful adoption marketing program not only results in citizens who are more likely to adopt from a shelter, but it can increase the number of available homes as well by empowering 9 Dollars and Sense: The Economic Benefits of No Kill Animal Control

20 and inspiring local citizens to feel like valued allies in the shelter s lifesaving mission, thereby encouraging them to open their homes to additional animals. DOING WELL BY DOING GOOD In order to avoid accountability despite growing No Kill success across the country, shelters and municipalities offer various excuses as to why their community shelter continues killing. These excuses include pet overpopulation, public irresponsibility, and the claims that open-admission shelters cannot be No Kill and that No Kill is inconsistent with a municipal shelter s public safety mandate. All of them have been proven false. No Kill has been and will continue to be embraced, achieved, and sustained in municipal shelters serving every possible geographic location and public demographic. (See No Kill 101: A Primer on No Kill Animal Control Sheltering for Public Officials.) No Kill is also good policy that reduces costs associated with killing, enhances community support, increases user fees such as adoption revenues, and brings in additional tax revenues. It has a long-term beneficial community economic impact, as well. In short, No Kill is a humane, sustainable, cost-effective and economically beneficial model that works hand in hand with public safety. The successes and benefits of this approach across the country prove it. In communities across the country, animal lovers are clamoring for change. There are legions of potential volunteers ready, willing, and able to assist at no cost to municipalities. There are non-profit rescue organizations willing to take on not just the care of the animals, but the costs of care, shifting the burden from taxpayer to private philanthropy. But they are prevented from doing so by antiquated policies that favor killing. The cost in both animal lives and wasted taxpayer expenditures is staggering. These larger costs include unspayed animals cruelly-sourced from puppy mills supplanting adoptions, and reduced markets, resulting in lost revenue to local businesses. All the tools, resources, caring, and compassion that make it possible for any shelter to achieve No Kill already exist in every community. If a community harnesses that compassion by embracing the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services which make it possible, it can save more lives and improve the bottom line a classic win-win : for the animals, for animal lovers, for community businesses, and for taxpayers. THE KEY TO GREATER LIFESAVING: HARNESSING COMMUNITY COMPASSION All the tools, resources, caring, and compassion that make it possible for any shelter to achieve No Kill already exist in every community. If a shelter harnesses that compassion by embracing the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services which make it possible, it can save more lives and every community stakeholder comes away a winner: the animals, animal lovers, community businesses, and taxpayers. No Kill Advocacy Center 10

21 ALSO AVAILABLE: NO KILL 101: A Primer on No Kill Animal Control Sheltering for Public Officials ThE COmPANION ANImAL PROTECTION ACT: model Legislation to Improve the Performance & Life-Saving of Animal Shelters YOU CAN DO IT! ADOPT YOUR WAY OUT Of KILLINg: A No Kill guide for Animal Shelters COUNTERINg ThE OPPOSITION: Responding to the Ten Predictable & Recurring Excuses of No Kill Opponents WhAT S IN A NAmE: Why hsus, the ASPCA & PETA Lobby AgAINST Shelter Reform And more If every animal shelter in the United States embraced the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services that make it possible, we would save nearly four million animals who are scheduled to die in shelters this year, and the year after that. It is not an impossible dream La Salle Ave. #837, Oakland, CA nokilladvocacycenter.org facebook.com/nokilladvocacycenter A No Kill Nation Is Within Our Reach

22 A PUBLICATION OF THE NO KILL ADVOCACY CENTER No Kill 101 A Primer on No Kill Animal Control Sheltering for Public Officials

23 NO KILL 101: A Primer on No Kill Animal Control Sheltering for Public Officials A Revolution Begins In the last decade and a half, several shelters in numerous communities have comprehensively implemented a bold series of programs and services to reduce birthrates, increase placements, and keep animals with their responsible caretakers. As a result, they are achieving unprecedented results, saving upwards of 95 percent of all impounded animals in open admission animal control facilities. Some of these communities are urban, others rural, some are politically liberal, and others are very conservative. Some are in municipalities with high per capita incomes, and others are in those known for high rates of poverty. These communities share very little demographically. What they do share is leadership at their shelters who have comprehensively implemented a key series of programs and services, collectively referred to as the No Kill Equation. The fundamental lesson from the experiences of these communities is that the choices made by shelter managers are the most significant variables in whether animals live or die. Several communities are more than doubling adoptions and cutting killing by as much as 75 percent and it isn t taking them five years or more to do it. They are doing it virtually over-night. In Reno, Nevada, local shelters initiated an incredible lifesaving initiative that saw adoptions increase as much as 80 percent and deaths decline by 51 percent in one year, despite taking in a combined 16,000 dogs and cats. In addition to the speed with which it was attained, what also makes Reno s success so impressive is that the community takes in over two times the number of animals per capita than the U.S. national average and as much as five times the rate of neighboring communities and major U.S. cities. In 2010, 91 percent of dogs and cats were saved, despite an economic and foreclosure crisis that has gripped the region. They are proving that communities can quickly save the vast majority of animals once they commit to do so, even in the face of public irresponsibility or economic crisis. This is consistent with the results in Charlottesville (VA), Tompkins County (NY), and others. Unfortunately, many shelter directors remain steadfast in their refusal to embrace the No Kill paradigm. Among the various excuses for why it cannot be done, the three most common are that there are simply too many animals for the available homes ( pet overpopulation ), that shelters are not given adequate Communities can quickly save the vast majority of animals once they commit to do so, even in the face of public irresponsibility or economic crisis. 1 No Kill 101

24 funding by local governments to get the job done without killing, and that the No Kill philosophy is inconsistent with their public safety obligations. Rethinking Conventional Wisdom In the United States, however, review of the data, as well as the experiences of the most innovative, progressive, and best performing shelters nationwide, prove that our movement needs to re-evaluate both the notion as to who is to blame as well as what shelters can do about it. To put it bluntly, shelters have the ability to save animals who are not irremediably suffering, hopelessly ill, or truly vicious dogs (which, combined, apprise less than ten percent of all impounds), and they can do so very quickly. And the two most often cited reasons pet overpopulation and lack of resources have not shown to be true barriers to success. No Kill Is Cost Effective To begin with, many of the programs identified as key components of saving lives are more cost-effective than impounding, warehousing, and then killing animals. Some rely on private philanthropy, as in the use of rescue groups, which shifts costs of care from public taxpayers to private individuals and groups. Others, such as the use of volunteers, augment paid human resources. Still others, such as adoptions, bring in revenue. And, finally, some, such as neutering rather than killing feral cats, are simply less expensive, with exponential savings in terms of reducing births. In addition, a 2009 multi-state study found no correlation between per capita Many of the programs identified as key components of saving lives are more cost-effective than killing animals. funding for animal control and save rates. One community saved 90 percent of the animals, while another saved only 40 percent despite four times the per capita rate of spending on animal control. One community has seen killing rates increase over 30 percent despite one of the bestfunded shelter systems in the nation. Another has caused death rates to drop by 50 percent despite cutting spending. In other words, there was no correlation between success/failure and per capita spending on animal control. The difference between those shelters that succeeded and those that failed was not the size of the budget, but the programmatic effort of its leadership. In other words, the amount of per capita spending did not seem to make a difference. What did make a difference was leadership: the commitment of shelter managers to implement a key series of necessary programs. The Data Disproves Overpopulation The second reason often cited for failure to embrace and/or achieve No Kill is the idea of pet overpopulation, but the data here has also not borne out the claim. It is important to note that the argument that there are enough homes for shelter animals does not also include any claims that some people aren t irresponsible with animals. It doesn t mean it wouldn t be better if there were fewer of them being impounded. Nor does it mean that shelters don t have institutional obstacles to success. But it does mean that these problems are not insurmountable. And it No Kill Advocacy Center 2

25 does mean shelters can do something other than killing for the vast majority of animals. In the United States, current estimates from a wide range of groups indicate that approximately four million dogs and cats are killed in shelters every year. Of these, given data on the incidence of aggression in dogs (based on dog bite extrapolation) and save rates at the best performing shelters in the country from diverse regions and demographics, better than 90 percent of all shelter animals are savable. The remainder consists of hopelessly ill or injured animals and vicious dogs whose prognosis for rehabilitation is poor or grave. That would put the number of savable dogs and cats at roughly 3.6 million. These same demographics also tell us that every year, roughly 23 million Americans are considering bringing a new dog or cat into their home, and 17 million of those households have not decided where they will get that animal and can be influenced to adopt from a shelter. Even if the vast majority of those 17 million (upwards of 80 percent) got a dog or cat from somewhere other than a shelter, U.S. shelters could still zero out the deaths of savable animals. On top of that, not all animals entering shelters need adoption: Some will be lost strays who will be reclaimed by their family (shelters which are comprehensive in their lost pet reclaim efforts, for example, have demonstrated that as many as two-thirds of stray dogs can be reunited with their families). Others are unsocialized feral The data shows that every year there are six times more people looking to acquire an animal than there are animals being killed in shelters. cats who need neuter and release. Some will be vicious dogs or are irremediably suffering and will be killed. In the end, a shelter only needs to find new homes for roughly half of all incoming animals. From the perspective of achievability, therefore, the prognosis for widespread No Kill success is very good. But let s put all this aside. Let s assume pet overpopulation is real and insurmountable. To do that, we have to ignore the data. We also have to ignore the experiences of successful communities. In the United States, to accept the No Kill is impossible argument requires pretending the knowledge and the results do not exist. How does this change our support for the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services that make it possible? Even if pet overpopulation were true, it doesn t change the calculus. In the United States, shelters nationally are killing roughly half or more of all incoming animals. To borrow an overused sports analogy: that puts the save rate at the 50- yard line. And although the evidence is overwhelming to the contrary, let s say that shelters can never cross the 90% save-rate goal line because of pet overpopulation. What is wrong with moving the ball forward? If all shelters put in place the programs and services that brought rates of shelter killing to all-time lows in communities throughout the United States, they can save millions of additional lives nationally, regardless of whether they ever achieve an entirely No Kill community. That is worth doing and worth 3 No Kill 101

26 doing without delay. Because every year they delay, indeed every day they delay, the body count increases. No Kill Is Consistent with Public Safety And finally, a No Kill community is one where no savable animals are killed. Unfortunately, there are some animals who are hopelessly ill or injured, irremediably suffering, or in the case of dogs, vicious with a poor prognosis for rehabilitation. These animals are not adoption candidates and sadly, at this time in history, they are often killed, unless hospice care and sanctuaries are available. But since the No Kill philosophy does not mandate that vicious dogs or irremediably sick animals be made available for adoption, it is wholly consistent with public health and safety. In fact, today, No Kill is a humane, sustainable, cost-effective model that works hand in hand with public health and safety, while fulfilling a fiscal responsibility to taxpayers. The success of this approach across the country proves the viability of the No Kill model and the above principles. The No Kill Equation Two decades ago, the concept of a No Kill community was little more than a dream. Today, it is a reality in many cities and counties nationwide and the numbers continue to grow. And the first step is a decision, a commitment to reject kill-oriented ways of doing business. No Kill starts as an act of will. Following a commitment to No Kill is the need for accountability. Accountability requires clear definitions, a lifesaving plan, and protocols and procedures oriented toward preserving life. But accountability No Kill is a humane, sustainable, cost-effective model that works hand in hand with public health and safety, while fulfilling a fiscal responsibility to taxpayers. also allows, indeed requires, flexibility. Too many shelters lose sight of this principle, staying rigid with shelter protocols, believing these are engraved in stone. They are not. Protocols are important because they ensure accountability from staff. But inflexible protocols can have the opposite effect: stifling innovation, causing lives to be needlessly lost, and allowing shelter employees who fail to save lives to hide behind a paper trail. The decision to end an animal s life is extremely serious, and should always be treated as such. No matter how many animals a shelter kills, each and every animal is an individual, and each deserves individual consideration. And finally, to meet the challenge that No Kill entails, shelter leadership needs to get the community excited, to energize people for the task at hand. By working with people, implementing lifesaving programs, and treating each life as precious, a shelter can transform a community. The Mandatory programs and services include: TNR Program Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) programs for free-living cats allow shelters to reduce death rates. No Kill Advocacy Center 4

27 High-Volume, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter No- and low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter reduces the number of animals entering the shelter system, allowing more resources to be allocated toward saving lives. Rescue Groups An adoption or transfer to a rescue group frees up scarce cage and kennel space, reduces expenses for feeding, cleaning, and killing, and improves a community s rate of lifesaving. Because millions of dogs and cats are killed in shelters annually, rare is the circumstance in which a rescue group should be denied an animal. Foster Care Volunteer foster care is a low-cost, and often no-cost way of increasing a shelter s capacity, caring for sick and injured or behaviorally challenged animals, and thus saving more lives. Comprehensive Adoption Programs Adoptions are vital to an agency s lifesaving mission. The quantity and quality of shelter adoptions is in shelter management s hands, making lifesaving a direct function of shelter policies and practice. If shelters better promoted their animals and had adoption programs responsive to community needs, including public access hours for working people, offsite adoptions, adoption incentives, and effective marketing, they could increase the number of homes available and replace killing with adoptions. Contrary to conventional wisdom, shelters can adopt their way out of killing. Pet Retention While some surrenders of animals to shelters are unavoidable, others can be prevented but only if shelters work with people to help them solve their problems. Saving animals requires shelters to develop innovative strategies for keeping people and their companion animals together. And the more a community sees its shelters as a place to turn for advice and assistance, the easier this job will be. Medical & Behavior Programs To meet its commitment to a lifesaving guarantee for all savable animals, shelters need to keep animals happy and healthy and keep animals moving efficiently through the system. To do this, shelters must put in place comprehensive vaccination, handling, cleaning, socialization, and care policies before animals get sick and rehabilitative efforts for those who come in sick, injured, unweaned, or traumatized. Public Relations/Community Development Increasing adoptions, maximizing donations, recruiting volunteers and partnering with community agencies comes down to increasing the shelter s public exposure. And that means consistent marketing and public relations. Public relations and marketing are the foundation of a shelter s activities and success. Volunteers Volunteers are a dedicated army of compassion and the backbone of a successful No Kill effort. There is never enough staff, never enough dollars to hire more staff, and always more needs than paid human resources. That is where volunteers make the difference between success and failure and, for the animals, life and death. Proactive Redemptions One of the most overlooked areas for 5 No Kill 101

28 reducing killing in animal control shelters are lost animal reclaims. Shifting from a passive to a more proactive approach has allowed shelters to return a large percentage of lost animals to their families. A Compassionate Director The final element of the No Kill Equation is the most important of all, without which all other elements are thwarted a hard working, compassionate animal control or shelter director not content to continue killing, while regurgitating tired clichés about public irresponsibility or hiding behind the myth of too many animals, not enough homes. No Kill is simply not achievable without rigorous implementation of these programs. They provide the only model that ever created No Kill communities. It is up to us in the humane movement to demand them of our local shelters, and no longer to settle for the excuses that shelters often put up in order to avoid implementing them. Comprehensive Implementation To succeed fully, however, shelters should not implement the programs piecemeal or in a limited manner. If they are sincere in their desire to stop the killing, animal shelters will implement and expand programs to the point that they replace killing entirely. Combining rigorous, comprehensive implementation of the No Kill Equation with best practices and accountability of staff in cleaning, handling, and care of animals, must be the standard. In 2004, for example, one SPCA in a city of 1.5 million people conducted fewer than 200 free spay/neuter surgeries for the pets of the community s low-income population. Shelter leaders can boast of a low-cost and free spay/neuter program, but 200 surgeries in a large city, with one in four people below the federal poverty line, will not impact the numbers of animals entering city shelters. By contrast, another city with roughly half the population performed approximately 9,000 surgeries a year throughout the late 1990s, roughly 84 percent of them were free. Similarly, animal control in yet another community allowed only employees to participate in its foster care program. The shelter can say it is implementing the programs of the No Kill Equation, but it is excluding thousands of animal lovers from participating in the effort, seriously limiting its lifesaving potential. A shelter committed to No Kill does not send neonatal orphaned kittens into foster care sometimes, but rather every time. A shelter committed to No Kill does not merely allow rescue groups access to animals some of the time, but every time a legitimate rescue group is willing to take over care and custody of the animal. Indeed, a No Kill shelter actively seeks these groups out and contacts a particular rescue organization whenever an animal meets its criteria. In short, shelters must take killing off the table for savable animals, and utilize the No Kill Equation not sometimes, not merely when it is convenient or politically expedient to do so, but for every single animal, every single time. A half-hearted effort isn t enough. It is primarily the shift from a reactive to proactive orientation and from a casual, ad-hoc, limited implementation to a comprehensive one, which will lead to the greatest declines in killing, and fix our broken animal shelter system. No Kill Advocacy Center 6

29 ALSO AVAILABLE: DOLLARS & SENSE The Economic Benefits of No KIll Animal Control ThE COmpANION ANImAL protection ACT: model Legislation to Improve the performance & Life-Saving of Animal Shelters YOU CAN DO IT! ADOpT YOUR WAY OUT Of KILLINg: A No Kill guide for Animal Shelters COUNTERINg ThE OppOSITION: Responding to the Ten predictable & Recurring Excuses of No Kill Opponents WhAT S IN A NAmE: Why hsus, the ASpCA & peta Lobby AgAINST Shelter Reform And more If every animal shelter in the United States embraced the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services that make it possible, we would save nearly four million animals who are scheduled to die in shelters this year, and the year after that. It is not an impossible dream La Salle Ave. #837, Oakland, CA nokilladvocacycenter.org facebook.com/nokilladvocacycenter A No Kill Nation Is Within Our Reach

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60 Business Plan Animal Shelter Part 1 - Executive Summary A. The Plan 4 B. Mission Statement 4 C. Synopsis of Financials 4 D. Synopsis of Transition Plan 4 E. Keys to Success 5 Part 2 - Shelter History F. Brief History 5 G. Advantages of Non-Profit Transition 5 Part 3 - Description of Operations, Services & Fees H. Primary Operations 6 I. Services and Associated Fees 10 Part 4 - Market Research & Analysis J. Community Characteristics 10 K. Shelter History Research Annual Demand 10 L. Fund-raising Plan 11 M. S.W.O.T Analysis 12 2

61 Business Plan Animal Shelter Part 5 - Organization & Management N. Legal Structure 18 O. Organization Chart Position Descriptions 18 P. Volunteer Positions 18 Q. Board of Directors 19 R. Operations Manual Synopsis 19 S. Transition Plan and Timeline Synopsis 19 Part 6 Financials T. Pro Forma Budget for U. Pro Forma Budget Projections - 5 Years 21 V. Cash Flow Projection W. Financial Assumptions 22 Part 7 Appendix X. Transition Plan 23 Y. Position Descriptions 24 Z. Operations Manual 42 This document is confidential and proprietary. It may not be circulated or disclosed in whole or part without the written permission of F.A.A.S. No representations or guarantees are made or implied. Plans and projections are subject to change. All stated amounts are approximate and estimated. 3

62 Part 1 - Executive Summary A. The Plan This plan provides a significant win-win solution for the citizens and City Officials of The Animal Shelter will remain in and of service to the citizens of and the City will be able to reduce Animal Shelter expenses from $934,000 a year to $300,000 a year. This ongoing $300,000 expense is equal or less than what would otherwise be spent outsourcing Animal Shelter services to Hayward with a skeleton operation, but the bang for the buck the Animal services provided with the shelter here - are what the public wants and deserves. And this is a huge win for the animals, which is ultimately what this is all about. B. Mission Statement The Animal Shelter is dedicated to providing humane and compassionate care for all animals, making every effort to re-home adoptable domestic animals directly or through rescue organizations. We are staffed by a team of professional and courteous employees who are committed to providing a clean, comfortable environment for the animals in our care; and to providing excellent customer service for the citizens of our community. Compassion, adoption emphasis, professionalism and community service: by those principles. intends to be guided C. Synopsis of Financials 1. budget vs. FY 2011 budget The budget for its first year of operation is $595,170 vs. some $934,000 spent during the 2011 fiscal year in the current configuration. The bulk of the savings will be realized in staffing: moving from APD personnel to private-sector personnel, and at non-profit compensation that has been estimated from adjusted rates contained in the national survey of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators. Minor procurement economies are also anticipated. By contrast, the organization will have higher expenses related to fund-raising and the care-andfeeding and training of volunteers. We also anticipate some first-year expenses relating to hiring and systems set-up. 2. personnel budget anticipates a relatively flat organizational structure, with Animal Care, Office, Development, Volunteers and Finance positions reporting to an Executive Director. The anticipated annual personnel expense is $378,800, vs. $735,830, including upper management allocations, spent in FY Savings relate to different and fewer positions, as well as non-profit compensation scales for both cash compensation and benefits. D. Synopsis of Transition Plan has made some preliminary contacts with likely prospects for several staff positions. Upon City approval of the facility Lease and Shelter Services Agreement, will proceed to hire the Executive Director and his/her staff. Staff will train with incumbent personnel and the Operating Manual 4

63 during December 2011, anticipating a transition date of January 1, Specific transition tasks and completion dates are set forth in Part 7 Appendix, Section Y. Transition Plan. E. Keys to Success Financial Stability. The City s contractual commitment to underwrite one-half the shelter s anticipated budget is critical. This kind of public/private matching approach to animal welfare acknowledges the governmental responsibility to the community, while allowing the public to directly underwrite and shape the services residents require. Operating Capabilities. The shelter must continue to provide first-rate sheltering success, as measured operationally, financially and humanely. We are all fortunate that this operation has been a successful resource; is committed to the imperative that no decline in service quality must be allowed to occur in this transition, and operation. Continuing Community Support. Consistent with the first two keys above, believes that the community will continue to view the Animal Shelter as a valuable local resource, and will rally to the cause of matching the City s financial contribution. The non-profit organization may also allow the Shelter to broaden its mission over time, to deepen its contribution to life in done in keeping with the community s desires. Such services will further weave the operation into the fabric of the Community. Part 2 - Shelter History F. Brief History The original Animal Shelter was located at the foot of Grand Avenue, near the water. It was a traditional pound. The building flooded routinely, its equipment was primitive and its processes were brutal by today s humane standards. It was a disposal facility. Pursuant to leadership of the Humane Society of and others, the current structure was built in 1984 as part of the deal that developed the marina facility on the former shelter site. It has been in continuous operation, in service to the City since that time. Throughout its history, the Shelter has been operated under the Police Department. Under its current Director, Officer Diana Barrett since 2001, the Shelter has dramatically improved its customer service and humane performance, as measured by the standard Maddie s Fund recordkeeping protocol. That performance qualified the operation for a substantial life-saving award grant from the Maddie s organization, a leading national animal welfare organization headquartered locally. Maddie s has indicated that the Shelter will be in-line for such a grant after a period of management adequate to demonstrate its sustainability, assuming that its performance remains exemplary. G. Advantages of Non-Profit Transition By transitioning the Shelter operation to it appears that the City can save close to $600,000/year in expenses every fiscal year. The transfer will also allow APD personnel to focus exclusively on law enforcement, without the unrelated responsibilities of sheltering, care, and 5

64 adoption of abandoned and surrendered animals, and the administrative burdens of the licensing program for both the dogs and cats of a population of some 37,000 canine and feline members of families. Under non-profit management, anticipates redoubled emphasis on adoptions, including carefully managed off-site events and possible fostering, especially during kitten season. The Shelter may eventually broaden its mission to include such activities as pet training, humane education and other contributions to the community. Any such additions will need to be revenue neutral to demonstrate their value. It will immediately implement opportunities for volunteering in expanded roles. The community will benefit by retaining an important service within its city limits. Lost-andfound redemptions, adoptions of new companions into families and even the sad duty of surrendering a pet due to adverse circumstances will all be maintained locally. The community will also have direct input into the future of the operation, voting with its continued financial support. Conversely, if the sheltering function is relocated to another community, believes no one will be well-served. Other local shelters are over-burdened by their own pet populations; San Francisco Animal Care & Control recently closed its doors to its own city animals. We understand that several contacted shelters and their local communities have expressed disinterest. Any shelter that would accept the stream of new arrivals would inevitably face killing a higher percentage of their total population. Further, the likely shelters are 25-or-more miles remote from such that abandonments (vs. owner- surrenders) would increase, adding to the Animal Control burden. All logistics would be rendered inefficient, at best, and pet redemptions much more expensive, less practical, uncertain and more stressful for all concerned. Inevitably, lives would be lost; hearts broken. Further, believes that some savings anticipated for the outsourcing plan fail to account for the continuing expenses associated with maintaining the current building as a 24-hour staging area. The plan takes the building expense burden off the City s rolls for a nominal dollar/year. Last, the citizens of spoke out in record numbers this spring, strongly opposing the closure or outsourcing of the Animal Shelter. No single issue has galvanized the community as this issue has. The leaders and officials of have a dramatic opportunity to do the right thing here, thereby emerging as the heroes and winning the support of the community and reducing the City s expenses by close to $600,000 annually. Part 3 - Description of Operations, Services & Fees H. Primary Operations 1. Routine Animal intake, housing, evaluation and disposition Any sheltering operation may be viewed as a flow of animals through the facility, from intake through care and maintenance to their ultimate disposition. Animals will be taken-in primarily from several sources: strays, transferred from Animal Control, and owners surrendering their pets because of any 6

65 of a myriad of sufficient and insufficient reasons: deteriorating health and inability to care for them, economic catastrophe, behavior problems in the home, loss of interest in the animals, etc. Occasionally, but regularly, citizens of who have found an animal will bring it directly to the Shelter. Very occasionally, persons from other communities will bring animals in for transfer, often based on reputation as a humane facility. Those individuals will be referred to other sheltering facilities, such as East Bay SPCA s location not far from the Coliseum complex. Upon intake, animals will be evaluated for any gross health issues, photographed, assigned shelter identification and placed in an appropriate kennel or cage. A kennel card will contain descriptive information, including such matters as location found, likely breed and age, any microchip or other identification and date of arrival. Photos are posted to Lost & Found on-line. After the animal has settled-in to its new situation, it is evaluated for behaviors that may lead to particular kinds of placement. Dogs and cats are handled in ways that may elicit behaviors that suggest positive adoptive circumstances, and warn of other situations where the animal, adopter, other animals or the community may be placed at unnecessary risk. Particular behaviors like food, treat or toy guarding, animal or human aggression, shyness and their opposites are noted in the record, to guide the Shelter in seeking opportunities for the animal. After expiration of the Hayden Hold period, strays are spayed or neutered, as needed. They may then be put up for adoption, or transferred to interested Rescue Groups, who foster the animal and seek opportunities to place the pet in a proper home. Some basic behavioral interventions may be performed by Shelter staff and qualified volunteers, and follow-up evaluations are performed to determine assist any progress or regression. 2. Non-routine animal issues: medical, behavioral, contagion Occasionally, animals may require medical, dental or behavioral intervention from experts outside the Shelter staff and volunteers. Expert opinion and treatment may be requested from time-to-time. Medical and dental issues may include injuries, infections, infestations and other conditions requiring veterinary intervention. Behavioral interventions may address specific or general concerns across the spectrum of conditions, usually at either far side of normal. Some (e.g., timidity) may be addressed via contact or fostering; others will require precautions while the animal is being rehabilitated. Finally, shelters are routinely filled with animals under physical and psychological stresses that tend to reduce their immune system capabilities. Shelters must be ever vigilant to detect contagion, and limit its spread among the resident population. Some diseases tend to strike the young (parvo), while others will infect any animal exposed via the bugs preferred pathways. Prevention beats cure, as below, and cure beats pandemic. 3. Hygiene and building maintenance for healthy animals/contagion avoidance It is crucial for any shelter to have procedures that routinize concern for the health of the residents and prevent outbreaks of disease among animals living in close quarters. Care includes proper 7

66 hygiene via clean kennels and cages, good bedding, healthy nutrition and water, preventive evaluations, and stimulation that meets the animals specific physical and psychological needs. Care and cleaning solutions, techniques and intervals are established via protocol. Their adoption and flawless execution are important supervisory functions. Human visitors and potential adopters must be trained and/or reminded of the critical need for good hygiene as they move from animal to animal. Disinfectant creams for hands, and thresholds for feet are important preventive precautions. 4. Financial and Fund-raising Just as an army travels on its stomach, the shelter sustains because of funding from several sources: under contract with the City, licensing and other fees from animal owners and users of the shelter services, and because of the generosity of persons and institutions that care about its work. Primary jobs of the staff Executive Director, Development Director and many volunteers will be to ensure the financial well-being of the organization via fund-raising. All will contribute, however, as others will collect and account for monies, and economize appropriately in its spending. In its current pre-approval situation and during its first year of operation, will be fortunate to be able to rely on a contract sum from the general fund, and emergency contributions from many, many interested persons. Funds are also raised via numerous events (e.g., Mojito Mondays, and the upcoming After the Ball gala) and business sponsorships in the community. intends to sustain its budgetary needs by seeking charitable grants, continuing to ask and other institutions to support its work, and by trending its ongoing individual funding to a combination of events, memberships and fees for services performed. The ED must both direct the development of a financial plan and be an active emissary for the Shelter s work. The Development Director and some volunteers will also be primarily engaged in both planning and pursuit of valueadding promotional programs and events. Nothing is easy in this economy; it would be preferable to embark on this mission in better times. That said, has been gratified by support to-date, and believes that will continue to sustain this important work. 5. Staff and Volunteers will employ a relatively lean, flat, and, we anticipate, a cohesive staff. They will lead and facilitate the Shelter s several operations and administrative functions in service to our residents and the community. The Volunteer Coordinator will have the tasks of attracting, training(!) and engaging volunteers who provide diverse services to the organization. Volunteers will provide direct services such as exercising and socializing resident animals, as well as administrative functions such as event planning, fundraising and, of course, management via Board and Committee work. 8

67 Training will be crucial to a safe and effective sheltering operation. Classes and refreshers will be provided to maximize safe, healthy and compassionate handling of animals and effective interactions with the public. Volunteers are crucial in many ways, via both their regular and episodic work, and often their financial commitments And, they must be managed and directed in ways that contribute to the mission and avoid detracting/distracting from it. is fortunate to have Board and Steering Committee members who have written extensively and managed volunteer functions for humane organizations. We have also been encouraged by expressions of interest by wanting to volunteer. Both factors bode well for the success of the Sheltering operation. 6. Relations with Community and Public Communication of the message and keeping it positive in the mind of the community are tasks of the ED and Volunteer Coordinator, often working in tandem with the Development Director. Regular print and electronic communications are planned, and opportunities will be sought to speak before community groups, service organizations, schools and other interested bodies. Communications with individuals and businesses will also assist with both adoptions and redemptions of lost animals. anticipates development of services such as a behavior hotline, off-site adoptions, and, perhaps, training classes with a requirement that they be revenue-neutral. Community support will translate into services that the community values. also anticipates building strong relationships with other animal welfare organizations, especially shelters. Technologies like the advent of petfinder.com have greatly assisted in improving save rates at shelters. We believe that the further development of tools that will allow the sheltering community to operate as a network, versus many separate points of light, will further improve the prospect of our residents. Obviously, this Shelter must master its basics first, but we intend to participate in collaborations that will shorten shelter stays and maximize chances that our animals leave by the front door. 7. Relations with Government Obviously, most important interface is with the City whose contract we exist to perform. There will be direct, daily interaction with Animal Control and other APD personnel. will also welcome other members of City government to visit and become knowledgeable of our operations. With the growing acceptance of companion animals into the homes and families of kissing kittens may come in a close second to kissing infants of the Homo sapiens variety. We also welcome appropriate oversight of our operations and associated administrative and financial practices and results. also anticipates that there may be opportunities to participate in government processes at the County and State levels. From time-to-time proposals of-interest may be brought forth that we believe would benefit from our advocacy on behalf of our mission. We do not anticipate that such activities will create a burden on the Sheltering operation. 9

68 I. Services and Associated Fees Shelter services to the community will include care and maintenance of strays and owner-surrendered companion animals, treatment of medical and some behavioral concerns and ultimate disposition of the animals under our care back into the and broader Bay Area communities, via redemption by their owners, adoption or transfer to approved Rescue Groups (themselves 501c3 organizations). In appropriate instances and as specifically approved by the Executive Director via protocol, may euthanize animals in its care. This will be done by qualified technicians, humanely administering lethal drugs in a manner intended to cause a quick and painless death. will only euthanize for intractable behavior issues that render the animal unadoptable as an unacceptable risk to humans and/or other animals, or for dire medical prognoses. will not kill animals for space or any other reason not directly related to the proper and compassionate interests of the animals and community we serve. will charge fees for licensing, microchipping for identification, necessary care such as spay/neutering, and adoption; will also charge redeemers for the care and feeding of their animals while in our care. It is anticipated that fines for any violations of law regarding animals will be paid at routine City of facilities. At the outset, will adopt the current fee schedule of the Shelter for such services as adoptions and redemptions of lost pets. Regarding adoptions, does expect to eventually vary its adoption fees over time and across individual animals circumstances, in order to maximize each animal s chances for a speedy exit out the shelter s front door. The experience of other shelters is that the attractiveness of some animals relates to their size, color, coat, age and breed, in addition to their specific temperament. Effective merchandizing of our used animals can significantly affect our throughput success. Part 4 - Project Research & Analysis J. Community Characteristics The City of is a well built-out urban/suburban community with a stable population of around 73,812 (2010 census) on Bay Farm and Coast Guard islands. There are approximately 31,000 households. Demographics reveal a diverse population by age and race, with a median income above the Bay Area average. Applying those human population statistics to formulas used by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, the owned dog-and-cat population is approximately 37,000, with various other species (bird and reptiles, in particular, and at least one pig) likely bringing the domestic animal population to roughly 40,000. There are also known colonies of feral cats of indeterminate number. K. Shelter History Research Annual Demand The Animal Shelter has typically hosted more than one-thousand animals annually, with recent recessionary pressures pushing that number to the 1,200-1,300 level. Animals arrive at the shelter via two primary routes: by stray pick-up from Animal Control patrols and by surrender of the 10

69 animals by owners, whose economic, health or interest circumstances no longer support their ownership. A smaller number are brought in by finders. We believe that the vast majority of sheltered animals are based, but recognize that some strays and others are dumped on the island by others not-surprisingly. The Shelter s reputation for compassionate care probably contributes to that number. Canine intake is relatively even throughout the year, with spikes in the early summer (vacations and 4 th of July escapees) and, remarkably, at year s end (the fresh starters for whom there s a special place in hell). Feline intake rises during the warmest months, known as kitten season, which duration appears to be lengthening every year. We anticipate a slow increase in fowl, as fashionable laying hen reach their less productive years, and may fall into the gap between pet and dinner. Sheltered animals are often very young puppies and kittens and eight-or-more years old, with a healthy group of young-mature animals who may have outgrown their situations or were not adequately trained or adapted to them. As with most shelters, the bully breeds and their mixes are the largest single type of dog in the shelter; that said, there are many mixed breed canines that resemble these terriers, but are not. L. Fund-raising Plan Fund-raising is comprised of 4 elements. Efforts in all of the elements are underway and have resulted in approximately $170,000 in cash and pledges successfully raised by in 4 months. (Approximately $25,000-$30,000 was money raised previously when its goal was merely to supplement the Shelter budget) Another $50,000, or more, is anticipated from the October 27th gala. expects to raise at least $300,000 each year through these efforts, as led by the Development Director. 1. Individual Donors. A variety of methods are used to solicit donations from individuals. A large number of residents have already self-identified as supporters of the Animal Shelter and this has been the first target group for donation requests. Several lead donors have made significant contributions and pledges to There have been several donations of over $1,000 with three such donations in the $10,000 range. This signifies major support among key donors. Once the list of people who have adopted or reclaimed their pet from the Shelter is available to those people will also be added to the solicitation list, as they all have first-hand experience with the shelter and are statistically more likely to donate. Volunteers have also distributed Flyers to stores, Vet Offices, Dr. Offices, schools and community centers throughout In addition to regular solicitations of prospective donors, a membership component will be initiated to both secure a readily identified source of revenue and to increase to the list of potential donors. The larger membership and donor lists will also be used as the basis for support for special event fundraising. 11

70 2. Corporate Donors. Local businesses have been exceptionally supportive in both supporting activities and in contributing funds and materials to efforts. Once firmly established, will be in a better position to solicit larger corporate entities associated with animal related services. Its status as a nonprofit entity will position to solicit donations that businesses can capitalize on for marketing promotion and tax benefits. 3. Special Events. The early results of special fundraising events have been very encouraging. These events include Mojito Monday s, Barbeques, Book Signings, Community Garage Sales, a large variety of events at and East Bay businesses. A special After the Ball gala is planned and expected to raise a significant amount for in late October. The gala will be an annual signature event. There will also be at least one other significant special event each year to raise funds and awareness. 4. Grants. As a non-profit, the Shelter will have more access to grants that are targeted for animal care facilities. Foundation and Corporate Grants will be pursued as a sustainable source of revenue. A professional grant writer has already initiated the grant process with several foundations and has also identified numerous other foundations that can be approached once the shelter is a separate non-profit organization. may be eligible for a variety of sustainability grants and equipment grants within the first year. Additional grants will be accessible as the organization s track record is established and verified by fundors. The shelter has already received funds from one of the nation s pre-eminent animal welfare foundations, Maddie s Fund, located in It is anticipated that this foundation will continue its support of the shelter once has demonstrated its competence. M. S.W.O.T Analysis Every business plan benefits from a specific consideration of internal Strengths to be employed, Weaknesses to be compensated-for, Opportunities and Threats to be pursued and anticipated, respectively, in the external environment. The Steering Committee has invested significant time and effort in such an exercise, as follows. 1. Strengths I. Commitment to Save the Shelter Since the signing of the MOU, the Steering Committee and its four Working Groups have invested over 1,000 hours in meetings alone, and untold further commitments in preparation and homework to get to this point in our process. has met regularly with City officials to keep them apprised of our progress and direction. Although not quite committed in the ham-and-eggs sense (the chicken is involved; the pig is committed), the organization is all-in, having devoted its best efforts and its treasury fully to this cause. II. Community Support Since the early Save Our Shelter demonstrations (which one official has called the single most effective display of community participation ever seen around here ), has been gratified by 12

71 community support both financial and emotional. Donations have flowed-in and volunteers have signed-up in good numbers. It seems likely that that support can be relied-upon and nurtured. III. Strong Volunteer Base and Experience In addition to existing active Shelter volunteers, has signed up or received interest from over 100 others. They are eager but on-hold pending approval of the plan, and eventual take-over of responsibility for the Shelter operation. IV. Infrastructure and Skills Predict Success Four members of the Steering Committee have directly applicable non-profit management experience, three in animal sheltering organizations. Others have brought depth of experience in business and decades of animal welfare advocacy in the community. The physical plant, though not modern, is in reasonable shape to continue its successful service. V. Existing Staff and Procedures It Ain t Broke Procedures are in-place that have demonstrated their value. Staff is experienced and will be encouraged to compete for similar jobs in the operation. VI. Coalition: Humane Society of / Friends of the Animal Shelter Humane Society of has been a local force for animal welfare for over forty years, contributing money where it s needed. is a more recently established organization formed to provide direct assistance to the City Shelter. The two groups have worked together effectively to bring this project forward; both will stay active in their respective ways after the Steering Committee s work is concluded. That both groups have kept eyes on the prize and respected each other s distinct approaches to the common goal has been a major source of progress. VII. Great Mission It is clear from many different sources of evidence that animal welfare advocacy is in ascendancy across the US. Prop 2 on food animal conditions passed overwhelmingly, shelter deaths have fallen by 2/3 since the dawn of the No-Kill movement, and companion animals are broadly considered to be family members. This humane mission is in direct line with that movement. VIII. Built-in Revenue Opportunities The Shelter operation does generate some revenue; it is likely that further monies can be generated by programs that might be undertaken eventually by the non-profit operation. Training and other outreach are prime candidates. Volunteers tend also to financially support causes to which they commit their time and effort. IX. Closed System (Island) Great Model Compared to most communities, natural barriers create a relatively closed system, especially as regards its companion animal residents. That raises opportunities to experiment with what can be done and applied elsewhere. Certain charitable funders have shown interest in funding demonstration projects. has the capability to move that ball, as a model for other communities. X. Important Resource in Community 13

72 believes that recognizes the value of a well-run local Shelter. That the community cares is a source of strength to take on a project such as this one. XI. Availability of Lists After Transition Every solicitor wants to segment the market into more or less likely supporters. believes that those who have patronized and benefited from the Shelter s operation in the past are among the likeliest future supporters. Availability of lists has been a concern; when the operation converts, they will be a useful source of good prospects not currently available in an organized way, nor readily compiled on the short notice has had. 2. Weaknesses I. Not Enough Money From a standing start a few months ago, has to determine how to develop the capability to raise some $300,000 during this time of economic recession, and then actually do it. The same fiscal pressures that have driven the City to seek a change animate this concern. II. Time Pressure The MOU was signed in June, 2011, against a November 1 due date for this plan. It s a lot to do in four months a fact recognized by Chief Noonan in indicating that November 1 was not set in stone. nuf said, we re here. III. Loss of Staff / Withdrawal of Knowledge Because of both a change in the distribution of work within a non-profit, and the contrast in pay scales, it is likely that the Shelter will have some turnover of staff. With the employees who leave will go a wealth of experience. Transition planning will be critical, and incumbent employees will be invited to compete for opportunities the operation creates. IV. Sustainable, On- going Fund-raising Needed While the fund-raising focus has necessarily been on Year One, sustainability will depend importantly on developing capabilities to return to existing donors and cultivate new ones. Hence the need for a specific position whose function that is. V. Building Limitations and Maintenance Cost In some ways, the building is tired; in other ways it was built to a different era s concerns. Thus, it has some inherent limitations, it is relatively costly to maintain and it will need some upgrading and repurposing. Cat room does not show-off its residents very well Specifically, believes that the cat room is a candidate for early upgrade, the better to maintain the health of its tenants to potential new homes. It will need an early upgrade. Euthanasia room vs. competing uses of space In prior eras, when most shelter killing had little to do with mercy, that space got a lot more use than it does now. Other places in the Shelter can be used, when necessary, to perform true euthanasia. That room also sends an unfortunate message to patrons of a Shelter believes should be a shelter and a place of renewal. It will need to be converted to another use. 14

73 Current use of shelter space and adoption-friendly environment Currently, get-acquainted space, and exercise places are severely limited. It will be important to consider expansions and alternatives. VI. Residential Setting of Shelter The Shelter building is set adjacent to relatively new residences, with further development under construction on the only route-in. anticipates that those residents will have concerns about the Shelter operation, including noise. While it s true that the shelter was there first, relationships with nearby neighbors will need to receive priority to address legitimate concerns. VII. Some New Systems The organization will need to develop many new-to-it systems to manage the shelter: animal care and adoptions, fund-raising, bill-paying and bookkeeping, volunteer training, etc. It will also need to come up to speed on existing systems, like Chameleon. It will be a process of prioritizing, development (and shameless stealing from other willing nonprofits), execution and continuous improvement. VIII. Dis-economies of Scale shelter is adequate to the demands of the community, and small relative to other facilities elsewhere. There will be some functions that it is simply not practical to undertake, given that scale. is building relationships with other Bay Area animal welfare organizations in anticipation of networking with them for the greater good of the shared humane goals. IX. Lack of Current Training Programs Both staff and volunteer training programs will require development, starting during the transition process. Fortunately, resources exist to assist that development. X. Feral Cat Programs will need to develop effective and humane feral cat programs. Luckily, there are several local groups, including Fix our Ferals and ICRA with successful Trap Neuter Release programs and loads of expertise to draw on. 3. Opportunities I. Adoption Events and Donations There are four local pet stores on the Island that host adoption events for rescue groups. These stores and other merchants will be approached to host adoption events in or near their locations for Shelter animals. Some merchants host shelter animals on long term bases, pending their adoption. Such events and setups may require forward planning, but they do represent a wonderful opportunity. Also, many of these merchants are potential sources of donations or sponsorships of special fundraising events. II. Media Interest The experience is, believes, a harbinger of similar situations in other locales. As public funds grow scarce, animal services is a relatively attractive place to cut in favor of human needs. 15

74 There is likely to be some ongoing media interest in this experiment, which will likely serve to assist fund-raising opportunities. III. Relationships, Partnerships with Rescue Groups Continued and expanded cultivation of rescues improves adoption opportunities for animals. IV. Local Animal Advocacy Groups Several of the nation s leading animal advocacy organizations are in the Bay Area, including Maddie s Fund, the Marin and Peninsula Humane Societies, BADRAP and the No-Kill Advocacy Center. There are likely to be opportunities to draw on their support, expertise, staff talent and innovations as technology works to help these facilities operate as a network, rather than separate points of light. V. Grants & Unique Setting As above, there are foundations like PetSmart Charities that like to fund projects that can yield useful conclusions, for possible application more broadly. setting makes it a good candidate for such demonstration projects. VI. School Volunteers Youngsters seem to have a particular affinity for animals, and an innate sense of their intrinsic value. That bond can be useful in drawing age-appropriate volunteers to Shelter work. VII. College of Volunteers and Vocational Programs There may be bases for exchanges with local colleges, for special projects, volunteers and vocational work. They will be pursued down-the-road. VIII. Talented Professionals for Board This community is awash in professional talent that may be brought to bear on intends to tap into it, to the benefit of all, especially the animals in care. Shelter needs. IX. Expanded Service Offerings The Shelter could be leveraged to expand its service to with animal training, adoption counseling, adoption selection and others. These services could expand the donor and fund-raising pool as well. X. Strong Sense of Community predicts that strong sense of community identity will generally lead residents to support the Shelter differentially vs. other communities support of similar institutions. It also bodes well for volunteering and fund-raising. XI. Veterinary Community has a large number of Veterinarians, which have largely been an untapped resource for the Shelter. This represents plentiful opportunities for partnering, fund-raising, service offerings, adoption events and more. XII. Greater Bay Area Concern for Animals has received support from outside the island, and as far away as Sacramento. 16

75 4. Threats I. Current Political Climate As has been demonstrated by the need for this project, animals do not fare well in the City s current policy priorities. Animal welfare has low priority when human needs abound. It will be important to demonstrate the community s ongoing support for the Shelter operation, and to seek a long tern contractual commitment to a sum-certain for funding. II. City Funding Collapse In extreme circumstances, the City might seek relief from its funding obligations. does not foresee such circumstances as likely, but they have occurred elsewhere. Such a situation would force a drastic curtailment in shelter services. III. Competition for Dollars Good causes abound and needs are many. The Shelter will need to keep itself in the forefront of community attention via outreach and excellent service. IV. Natural Disasters Earthquakes, fire and flooding are natural disasters to which the Bay Area is prone. The shelter must have plans for both its own operation in difficult times, and also how it will cope with the heightened demand that such calamities bring. V. Contagion Parvo and other diseases can decimate a shelter whose animals are already inherently stressed by their situations. The Procedures Manual contains both prevention and contingencies coverage to minimize consequences. VI. Liability Issues Incidents involving animals under care are not uncommon in shelters, from scratches to serious bite injuries. Prevention, strong response and appropriate insurance coverage are all parts of the plan. VII. Negative Publicity Incidents associated with shelter, staff or organization that generate negative publicity can damage the Shelter s reputation, turn off donors and volunteers. As above, preventive training and wellunderstood standards of behavior, and candid, appropriate responses are keys to minimizing untoward consequences. VIII. Year 2 Issues: Compassion Fatigue The community is stretching this year to save its shelter. cannot become perceived as a constant harangue for handouts. Fund-raising planning must take into account the ongoing needs of the shelter and renew donors interest. IX. Building Gets Sold At some point, the building may need to be sold for other purposes. It is important that the planning account for that possibility. 17

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77 Fund-raising Event Volunteers Bookkeeping Office Volunteers Q. Board of Directors The Board is comprised of the following Directors: Nancy Evans-Bianchi, President Alison Botts, Vice President Chuck Bianchi, Treasurer Heather Lyn Wood, Secretary Christine Flaningam, Member-at-Large Cindy Shelby, Member-at-Large Tom Hyland, Member-at-Large Janet Davis, Member-at-Large John Lipp, Member-at-Large R. Operations Manual Synopsis The Operations Manual is a compilation of best practices of various animal shelters, starting from the existing Animal Shelter manual. A full copy of the Operations Manual is in Part 7 Appendix, Section AA. S. Transition Plan and Timeline June October End of October November December January 1, 2012 Develop plans, fund-raising underway Reach agreement with City on Lease & annual funding Appoint search committee, circulate position descriptions, hire staff Transition month, cross-train staff, train on Ops Manual Shelter operates as non-profit under A detailed Transition Plan and Timeline is included in Part 7 Appendix, Section Y. Part 6 Financials T. Pro Forma Budget for Calendar Year 2012 The annual budget starts from numbers contained in the City FY 2011 budget, and makes allowances for differences between a public and privately-run shelter operation. It is essentially balanced at just under $600,000 in expenses, vs. the $934,000 in the FY 2011 City budget. The City thus saves some $634,000, with the community also picking up a significant portion of the total cost. As to Revenue, it is divided evenly between City support and privately raised funds, at $300,000 each. As to Expenses, has been guided by the ongoing budget items for all except Overheads and personnel costs. As such, much of the savings in the Plan are personnel-related, and are offset by fund-raising and volunteer costs. 19

78 Animal Shelter : Budget Summary, 2012 REVENUE FY Budget Donations, Grants, Fees $ 300,000 City support $ 300,000 TOTAL Revenue $ 600,000 EXPENSES Personnel Regular Pay $ 264,000 OT $ 26,400 Workers Comp $ 22,400 Benefits $ SubTotal Personnel $ 378,800 Supplies Feed $ 15,000 Forms $ 7,000 Misc Op Supplies $ 6,500 Janitorial, Mtnce $ 4,950 Animal Meds, Treatment $ 11,000 Office, Copy Supp $ 5,100 Uniforms $ 1,500 Recruitment $ 2,500 Volunteers, Fund-raising $ 13,400 Subtotal Supplies $ 66,950 Services Contracts $ 35,000 Spay/Neuter $ 22,000 Electricity $ 13,000 Gas $ 10,500 Postage $ 8,000 IT, Mtnce Contracts $ 5,320 Cell Phones/Internet $ 3,000 Water $ 2,500 Sewer $ 2,000 Memberships $ 1,500 Equip Repair Svcs $ 2,500 Mtgs/Conf $ 1,000 Landline $ 1,200 Mobility $ 3,700 Bank Merchant Svcs $ 1,200 Subtotal Services $ 112,420 Capital, Equipment, Contingency Equip Replacement $ 7,000 Risk Mgmt Charges $ 11,500 Washer/Drier/Freezer Lease $ 4,000 Computer Charges $ 9,500 Contingency Fund $ 5,000 Subtotal Capital Chgs $ 37,000 TOTAL EXPENSES $ 595,170 Revenue $ 600,000 Expenses $ 595,170 Surplus or Deficit $ 4,830 20

79 U. Pro Forma Budget Projections - 5 Years It is anticipated that the Shelter s operations will be relatively stable over a five-year horizon, absent some fundamental change like a move of the operation, new and currently unanticipated legislation or some natural calamity. Any service expansions will need to be budget-neutral, or self-sustaining. anticipates, therefore, that expenditures of public funds will increase, if at all, via general economic inflation. We assume a 3% average inflation rate, taking the fifth-year total expenditures to $670,000, and the City s share to $335,000. V. Cash Flow Projection 2012 The annual budget, by month, is an attempt to anticipate revenue and expenditures over a one-year cycle, some of which are smooth (payroll), and others are episodic (insurance premiums). The Shelter must maintain a positive balance in its accounts, a particular challenge in the first year of operation. Further, the monies flow, rather than arrive at discrete intervals, and at some point fund-raising must turn their attention to Year Two financing. Thus, this analysis assumes that will commence operations with $100K in the bank, and will receive infusions from the City one the first day of each quarter. As you will see, the bank balance will vary markedly during the year, but it ends up roughly cash-neutral for the period. Of course, this initial year will be an adventure, and will bend every effort toward careful stewardship of funds, maximizing revenue opportunities and smoothing out the money flows in general. Animal Shelter : Pro Forma Budget, 2012, by Month Opening REVENUE FY Budget Balance Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total Donations Grants Fees $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 300,000 City support $ $ $ $ $ $ 300,000 TOTAL Revenue $ 600,000 $ 82,000 $ 9,000 $ 14,000 $ 96,000 $ 32,000 $ 22,000 $ 97,000 $ 32,000 $ 22,000 $ 142,000 $ 26,000 $ 26,000 $ 600,000 EXPENSES Personnel Regular Pay $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 264,000 OT $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 26,400 Workers Comp $ $ $ $ 22,400 Benefits $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 66,000 SubTotal Personnel $ 378,800 $ 40,900 $ 29,700 $ 29,700 $ 29,700 $ 29,700 $ 29,700 $ 40,900 $ 29,700 $ 29,700 $ 29,700 $ 29,700 $ 29,700 $ 378,800 Supplies Feed $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 15,000 Forms $ $ $ $ 7,000 Misc Op Supplies $ $ $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 500 $ 6,500 Janitorial Mtce $ $ 413 $ 412 $ 412 $ 413 $ 413 $ 412 $ 412 $ 413 $ 413 $ 412 $ 412 $ 413 $ 4,950 Animal Meds Treatment $ $ 917 $ 917 $ 917 $ 916 $ 917 $ 917 $ 916 $ 917 $ 917 $ 916 $ 916 $ 917 $ 11,000 Office Copying Supp $ $ 900 $ 200 $ 400 $ 400 $ 400 $ 400 $ 400 $ 400 $ 400 $ 400 $ 400 $ 400 $ 5,100 Uniforms $ $ $ 500 $ 1,500 Recruitment $ $ $ 2,500 Volunteers Fund-raising $ $ $ 640 $ 640 $ 640 $ 640 $ 640 $ 640 $ 640 $ $ 640 $ 640 $ 640 $ 13,400 Subtotal Supplies $ 66,950 $ 14,980 $ 3,919 $ 4,119 $ 4,119 $ 4,620 $ 4,119 $ 6,118 $ 4,120 $ 8,480 $ 4,118 $ 4,118 $ 4,120 $ 66,950 Services Contract $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 35,000 Spay/Neuter $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 22,000 Electricity $ $ $ $ $ 900 $ 900 $ 900 $ 900 $ 900 $ $ $ $ $ 13,000 Gas $ $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 875 $ 10,500 Postage $ $ $ $ $ $ 8,000 IT Mtnce Contracts $ $ $ $ $ $ 5,320 Cell phones/internet $ $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 250 $ 3,000 Water $ $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 208 $ 212 $ 2,500 Sewer $ $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 167 $ 163 $ 2,000 Memberships $ $ $ 500 $ 1,500 Equip Repair Svcs $ $ 300 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 2,500 Mtgs/Conf $ $ 400 $ 600 $ 1,000 Landline $ $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 1,200 Mobility $ $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 308 $ 312 $ 3,700 Bank Merchant Svcs $ $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 100 $ 1,200 Subtotal Services $ 112,420 $ 10,688 $ 8,258 $ 9,959 $ 9,587 $ 7,858 $ 9,859 $ 9,688 $ 7,857 $ 9,959 $ 10,188 $ 8,257 $ 10,262 $ 112,420 Capital, Equipment, Contingency Equip Replacement $ $ $ $ $ $ 7,000 Risk Mgmt Charges $ $ $ $ 11,500 Washer/Dryer/Freezer $ $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 337 $ 4,000 Computer Charges $ $ $ $ $ 9,500 Contingency Fund $ $ $ $ $ 5,000 Subtotal Capital Chgs $ 37,000 $ 11,333 $ 3,333 $ 2,333 $ 2,333 $ 333 $ 2,333 $ 11,333 $ 333 $ 333 $ 1,333 $ 1,333 $ 337 $ 37,000 TOTAL EXPENSES $ 595,170 $ 77,901 $ 45,210 $ 46,111 $ 45,739 $ 42,511 $ 46,011 $ 68,039 $ 42,010 $ 48,472 $ 45,339 $ 43,408 $ 44,419 $ 595,170 Cash Flow /- $ (595,170) $ 4,099 $ (36,210) $ (32,111) $ 50,261 $ (10,511) $ (24,011) $ 28,961 $ (10,010) $ (26,472) $ 96,661 $ (17,408) $ (18,419) Operating Balance, Cumulative $ 4,099 $ (32,111) $ (64,222) $ (13,961) $ (24,472) $ (48,483) $ (19,522) $ (29,532) $ (56,004) $ 40,657 $ 23,249 $ 4,830 Bank balance, Cumulative $ 100,000 $ 104,099 $ 67,889 $ 35,778 $ 86,039 $ 75,528 $ 51,517 $ 80,478 $ 70,468 $ 43,996 $ 140,657 $ 123,249 $ 104,830 to

80 W. Financial Assumptions City support for ½ of shelter operations, estimated at $300,000, paid in quarterly increments, with a settle-up to the one-half share in the first quarter of Year Two. Analysis assumes no fundamental worsening of economic conditions that would raise demand for shelter services, while reducing the community s capacity to support the Shelter. Analysis assumes no fundamental change to tax laws that would have the effect of discouraging charitable giving. Inflation assumed at 3% a year. City support will increase each year by this amount. 22

81 Part 7 Appendix X. Transition Plan and Timeline The detailed Transition Plan and Timeline will be provided once an agreement is in place between and the City. 23

82 Y. Position Descriptions The Position Descriptions follow. 24

83 Animal Shelter Executive Director $ 60, Yearly (FLSA exempt) Definition Under the general guidance and supervision of the Board of Directors, has primary responsibility for planning, directing and overseeing the general management functions at the Animal Shelter; ensuring that the Mission is achieved in all its dimensions, via strategic planning, management and successful execution of policies and plans. Supervision Exercised Supervises all staff and volunteers. Examples of Important and Essential Duties The duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this class and are not intended to be an exhaustive list. Essential duties and job responsibilities include the following: Humane Care and Shelter for animals in need 1. Oversee the care provided for the animals that come under the protection of the Shelter and ensure their humane treatment. 2. Implement short and long term strategies to address pet overpopulation in that responsibly reduce intake, increase adoptions, improve animal care, provide behavior and medical rehabilitation, encourage spaying and neutering, and help pets stay with their responsible caretakers. 3. Ensure responsible pet care through cooperation with enforcement of public compliance with animal care and control regulations, including nuisance, animal licensing, public safety, and animal cruelty laws. Program Development and Administration 4. Plan, organize, coordinate, review, evaluate, and direct the implementation of programs providing animal care and control services to the general public and other animal welfare agencies. 5. Direct through subordinate supervisors, the administration of such programs including, but not limited to: shelter management, adoptions, veterinary services, animal control, and animal welfare education. 6. Develop, interpret, and implement policies and procedures in relation to animal care and control programs; plan means of service delivery; develop multi-year plan for the direction of overall animal care and control activities for the City. 7. Ensure that the Shelter organization has a long-range strategy which achieves its mission, and toward which it makes consistent and timely progress. 8. Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the animal welfare and animal control

84 fields. Communications 9. Work with representatives of other animal welfare organizations, non-profit organizations, businesses, and community groups to develop and implement collaborative programs and services, to aid in overall Shelter goals. 10. Provide direction and technical advice and assistance to city agencies, community and volunteer groups, animal welfare organizations, and the general public. 11. Oversee marketing and publicity for the organization's activities, programs, and goals. 12. Define animal care and control program role in variety of health, education and public safety initiatives, as well as improving overall quality of life in the City. Staff Management and Development 13. Be responsible for overseeing the recruitment, employment, direction, retention, review, management and release of all personnel, both paid staff and volunteers. 14. Ensure that job descriptions are developed and updated as needed, that regular performance evaluations are conducted, that motivation systems are utilized and that sound human resource practices are in place that abide by local, state and federal law. 15. Analyze the organization's structure, staff responsibilities and staff response to demands for animal care and control services. 16. Expand existing programs and services, and develop new programs and services to meet changing demands. 17. Develop and implement initiatives intended to change and improve employees' provision of service to, and interaction with the public. 18. Communicate Shelter policy and philosophy concerning provision of service and relationship with the public to Shelter employees. 19. Participate in and lead interagency teams formed to develop programs, policies and solutions to specific problems. 20. Maintain a climate which attracts, retains, and motivates a diverse staff of top quality people by encouraging career development, continuing education, and professional growth for staff administrators, shelter employees, and others who support and promote the mission and goals of the agency. Budget and Finance 21. Be responsible for developing and maintaining sound financial practices. 22. Prepare financial reports, budgets and summaries, submit budgets for approval, and monitor compliance of

85 expenditures within approved budgetary constraints. 23. Determine staffing needed to provide exemplary service delivery by the Shelter. 24. Meet with employees regarding obligations, grievances, and staff accountability. Compliance with Laws, Regulations, Policies, and Guidelines 25. Understand and implement operations in compliance with current federal, state, county, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines that affect operations. 26. Oversee record keeping practices for legally compliant adoptions, staff personnel files, budgetary accountability, and all other functions. 27. Maintain official records and documents. 28. Perform all tasks with utmost regard for personal, animal, volunteer and public safety. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities [need to develop these] Initial and continued employment is conditional upon the successful inspection a criminal background check and DMV driving report and reports may be requested on a periodic basis throughout employment. This position is subject to pre-placement drug screening. Experience and Training 1. Education: A BS or BA is required in Business, Public Relations, Communications, Public Administration, Public Health, Veterinary or Animal Sciences, Law, or a closely related field is preferred. 2. Experience: A minimum of five years experience in either senior management of an animal shelter or animal control facility and experience in a supervisory position with transferable skills such as business, law veterinary medicine, communications, public administration or other related field. Experience working in a union environment helpful, but not required. 3. Physical Requirements: Allergic conditions which would be aggravated with handling or working with animals may be a disqualification. 4. Compassion: Affection for animals, concern for their welfare and a willingness to accommodate animals in the work place. Prepared by TFC

86 Animal Shelter Animal Care Lead $18.00/hour (FLSA non-exempt) Definition Under the general direction of the Executive Director, exercises primary responsibility for planning, directing and overseeing the kennel operation of the Animal Shelter; ensuring the humane handling and care of shelter animals, and safe, sanitary and secure facilities for shelter animals and the public. Supervision Exercised Supervises Animal Care Attendants and volunteers. Examples of Important and Essential Duties The duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this class and are not intended to be an inclusive list. 1. Plans, directs and oversees the operation of the Animal Care Areas of the Shelter: ensures the safe and humane handling, kenneling and identification of all animals; ensures provision of food, water and proper care for all shelter animals; ensures that all kennels, wards, cages, equipment, runs and other areas of the facility are cleaned and disinfected in order to maintain a healthy, clean, safe and sanitary facility for shelter animals and the public. 2. Assesses productivity, sets goals and establishes work-related priorities for Animal Care Attendants; identifies and implements solutions to problems which develop in kennel facilities; assists in the development of policies and procedures for the Shelter; coordinates work with other divisions. 3. Schedules, assigns, and oversees the work of assigned staff and volunteers; trains, evaluates, counsels and disciplines staff; promotes a humane and caring attitude toward animals; completes and presents performance appraisals; leads Animal Care Group meetings; monitors staff interaction with volunteer programs. 4. Establishes and maintains contacts with City Animal Control personnel in relation to the functions of the Animal Care Areas; oversees the transport of selected animals to wildlife rehabilitation and occasionally for breed rescue and foster families. 5. Assists in developing and implementing a comprehensive disease prevention program; oversees basic health screening of all animals, including those that are isolated or quarantined, for signs of illness or unusual behavior; takes appropriate action and reports significant problems to Executive Director; monitors Animal Care staff performing treatment procedures, vaccination, and FIV/Felv testing of shelter animals. 6. Evaluates animals, performs regular behavioral assessments via established protocol, and participates in selection of animals for availability, rescue, adoption, transfer or euthanasia in accordance with established laws, Shelter policy and procedures; schedules spay/neuter surgeries; arranges euthanasia upon final approval. 7. Ensures availability of animal care supplies, food, office supplies and equipment, including ordering supplies, food and equipment, and maintaining contacts with outside vendors. 8. Ensures maintenance of accurate and legible case files and records for each animal in the shelter; uses a computer to input, update and access information regarding shelter animals and to produce written documents. 9. Provides information and assists members of the public who are relinquishing animals or in search of lost or adoptable pets; discusses and educates public on adoptions of domestic animals; interprets and explains laws, procedures and policies for subordinate staff and the public; answers questions and resolves problems as they arise.

87 10. Participates in management functions, including weekly management team meetings, special events and representing the department in the media if necessary. 11. Performs all duties with highest regard for personal, animal, volunteer and public safety.related duties as required. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of: principles and practices of supervising, training and evaluating staff; methods for safe, effective and humane handling and restraint of a variety of animals, including animals which may be ill, injured, quarantined, aggressive or difficult to control and wild animals such as snakes, skunks, pigeons and raccoons; physical and behavioral characteristics of different species and breeds of animals; occupational hazards and safety precautions for working with impounded animals; safe and effective methods and procedures for industrial cleaning and sanitation of kennels and other areas; techniques of administering vaccinations by injection; first aid techniques and symptoms of diseases common to domestic animals and wildlife. Ability to: plan, direct, schedule and oversee the operation of the Animal Care Division; assess productivity and set goals; coordinate work with other divisions; supervise, evaluate, train, counsel and discipline assigned personnel in the safe and humane care of impounded animals and cleaning of kennel facilities; effectively prioritize multiple tasks for self and others; work effectively under pressure, react quickly in emergency situations; learn laws and regulations governing the licensing, quarantining, impounding, care and disposal of animals; analyze information in order to identify and implement solutions to problems which develop in kennel facilities and assist in the development of policies and procedures to address these issues; deal courteously and effectively with staff, representatives of other departments and agencies, vendors, and members of the general public from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, including individuals who may be angry, hostile or distraught and/or in violation of the law; establish and maintain effective, cooperative and professional working relationships; speak clearly and effectively in order to give instructions and communicate work-related information to individuals and groups in a manner that is appropriate to the audience; listen and effectively elicit information; prepare clear and effective written instructions, memos, correspondence and reports; use a computer to access, input and retrieve work-related information and to prepare written documents. Please know that is a small shelter with limited employed staff. Every person hired needs to be ready and willing to do every other job in the organization on a pitch-in basis. Initial and continued employment is conditional upon the successful inspection a criminal background check and DMV driving report and reports may be requested on a periodic basis throughout employment. This position is subject to pre-placement drug screening. Experience and Training 1. Two years demonstrated hands-on experience as an animal care attendant or kennel attendant in an animal shelter, including one year training and supervising the work of staff; OR 2. Three years verifiable hands-on experience in the care, feeding and/or handling of animals in a facility that cares for and houses animals (e.g. veterinary hospital, boarding or pet day care facility, or pet store), working principally with dogs and cats, including two years training and supervising the work of staff. Substitution: 30 semester/45 quarter units of coursework in an animal husbandry, veterinary science or a related program at an accredited college or university may substitute for one year of non-supervisory experience for #2. Prepared by TFC,

88 Animal Shelter Animal Care Attendant $ Hourly Part-time/(FLSA non-exempt) Definition Under direct supervision, the Animal Care Attendant maintains safe and sanitary facilities for shelter animals and the public, and provides humane handling and care to shelter animals. Supervision Exercised None Examples of Important and Essential Duties The duties specified below are representative of the duties assigned to this class and are not intended to be an inclusive list. 1. Cleans and disinfects kennels, wards, cages, equipment, runs and other areas of the facility with appropriate cleaning agents in order to maintain a healthy, clean, safe and sanitary facility for shelter animals and the public; performs general janitorial duties as required. 2. Humanely handles and kennels all animals and identifies shelter animals with appropriate tags or bands before kenneling, including animals which may be ill, injured, quarantined, aggressive or difficult to control and wild animals such as snakes, skunks, pigeons and raccoons. 3. Provides food, water and proper care for all shelter animals by adhering to schedules and protocols within departmental policy. 4. Monitors all animals, including those that may be isolated or quarantined, for signs of illness or unusual behavior; makes notations and promptly reports information regarding health and behavior of animals to the Animal Care Supervisor. 5. Maintains accurate and legible case files and records for each animal in the shelter; uses a computer to input, update and access information regarding shelter animals and to produce written documents. 6. Provides information and assists members of the public, including individuals who may be angry, hostile or distraught, in search of lost or adoptable pets according to established laws and shelter procedures. Works with volunteers and staff to ensure a positive and professional environment in the shelter. 7. Exercises shelter animals and observes their behavior to assist and determine their health and well-being. 8. May assist management, the Veterinary Medical staff and other individuals, in animal husbandry, surgery or related procedures, as required by law and shelter policy. 9. Performs related duties as required. 10. Performs all tasks with utmost regard for personal, animal, volunteer and public safety.

89 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of: Industrial cleaning and sanitation, including safe and effective mixture and use of various cleansing agents and chemical compounds; methods for safe and humane handling and restraint of a variety of animals. Ability to: Deal courteously and effectively with co-workers, staff, volunteers and members of the general public from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, including individuals who may be angry, hostile or distraught; maintain effective, cooperative and professional working relationships; speak clearly and effectively, listen and elicit information in order to communicate work-related information; read and understand written instructions, procedures and memos; accurately document information in case records and files; prioritize and complete routine assignments with minimal direct oversight and within established timeframes; learn the characteristics of different species and breeds, symptoms of common animal diseases, animal first aid techniques and identification of symptoms which may necessitate medical attention; learn to use a computer to access, input and retrieve work-related information; bend, stoop, stretch, and crawl in the performance of assigned duties; lift and carry objects and equipment weighing up to 75 pounds; perform general labor duties for extended periods of time. Please know that is a small shelter with limited employed staff. Every person hired needs to be ready and willing to do every other job in the organization on a pitch-in basis. Initial and continued employment is conditional upon the successful inspection a criminal background check and DMV driving report and reports may be requested on a periodic basis throughout employment. This position is subject to pre-placement drug screening. Experience and Training 1. Six (6) months (1000 hours) verifiable experience as an Animal Care Attendant or Kennel Attendant in an animal shelter; OR 2. Six (6) months (1000 hours) verifiable hands-on professional or volunteer experience in the care, feeding and/or handling of animals in a facility that cares for and/or houses animals (e.g. veterinary hospital, boarding or pet day care facility, or pet store), working principally with dogs and cats; OR semester or 45 quarter units of coursework in an animal husbandry, veterinary science or a related program at an accredited college or university. Working conditions: exposure to strong and/or unpleasant odors, including those from animal excrement, cleaning agents and chemical compounds, and frequent exposure to noise. Prepared by TFC

90 Animal Shelter Shelter Office Manager $ 20.00Hourly /$40,000 Yearly (FLSA non-exempt) Definition Under the general direction of the Executive Director, oversees the office and customer service functions of the Animal Shelter and related clerical, general office and record-keeping functions, and supervises office staff engaged in providing services to the public and information regarding animals and the services of the Shelter. Supervision Exercised Supervises assigned clerical staff. Examples of Important and Essential Duties The duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this class and are not intended to be an exhaustive list. 1. Plans, directs and oversees the customer service and office functions of the Shelter: ensures that the public is courteously and effectively assisted at the Shelter when requesting information, as well as when surrendering, adopting and/or redeeming companion animals, in accordance with laws and procedures; ensures that clear and accurate information is provided, both in the Shelter office, on the telephone and on-line, to members of the public. 2. Ensures and monitors the effective and empathetic provision of information and assistance to members of the public who are relinquishing animals or in search of lost or adoptable pets; educates the public about animal issues and responsible pet ownership and promotes a humane and caring attitude towards animals; answers questions and resolves problems, including those involving hostile, irate or distressed members of the general public in a tactful and effective manner; interprets and explains laws, procedures and policies to subordinate staff and the public both verbally and in writing; and revises and produces institutional and informational forms for shelter programs and service areas. 3. Supervises, assesses, sets goals and establishes work-related priorities for Shelter office; identifies and implements solutions to problems that arise in office and customer service operations; assists in the development of policies and procedures; and coordinates work with others. 4. Schedules, assigns, and oversees the work of assigned staff; trains, evaluates, counsels and disciplines staff; promotes a humane and caring attitude towards animals; completes and presents performance appraisals. 5. Establishes and maintains contacts with City Animal Control and outside groups and agencies in relation to the functions of the Shelter. 6. Ensures preparation and maintenance of accurate and legible files and records; uses a computer to input, update and access information regarding shelter animals and to produce written documents. 7. Supervises the issuance of dog licenses and citations and the collection of fees; oversees daily reconciliation of receipts for accounting purposes. 8. Ensures availability of office supplies and equipment, and adequate supply of booklets, information sheets and other printed information for the public; orders supplies and equipment; ensures that all office equipment is kept

91

92 Animal Shelter Office Clerk $10.00 Hourly / $20,800 Yearly (FLSA non-exempt) Definition Under immediate supervision, performs routine clerical, general office work and related duties as required. Essential functions include: maintaining routine office records; indexing and extracting materials; opening, sorting and distributing incoming mail; processing outgoing mail; ordering materials and supplies; maintaining routine inventory records; performing routine cash, check and credit card transactions; checking accuracy of arithmetic computations; processing copying of large volumes of printed materials; operating routine office machinery and equipment; entering information into a computer database; answering phones; providing information; and transferring calls; greeting and assisting members of the public to visit the shelter. Supervision Exercised None Examples of Important and Essential Duties The responsibilities specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an exhaustive list. 1. Maintains routine office records by transferring data, calculating totals, compiling summaries, making routine entries and proofreading documents. 2. Indexes, inserts and extracts materials from established numerical or alphabetical files; prepares new file folders in accordance with specific instructions. 3. Opens, time-stamps and sorts mail. 4. Delivers mail, packages, messages, documents, memoranda and other materials and supplies to various recipients; prepares outgoing mail, registers mail and returns receipt when requested. 5. Maintains simple inventory records of office supplies and equipment; takes inventories as necessary. 6. Receives small amounts of money and issues receipts for adoptions, licenses, donations and fees. Checks accuracy of arithmetic computations. 7. Processes copying of large volumes of printed material. 8. Operates office equipment and machinery, such as photocopiers and fax machines; maintains and cleans equipment. 9. Enters routine information, regarding animals and transactions, for example, into computer databases. 10. May answer phones to obtain or provide routine information to the public, transfer calls, and take messages. 11. Professionally and politely welcomes members of the public and effectively assists them regarding their

93 reasons for visiting the shelter. 12. Maintains lobby area in neat, well-organized appearance. 13. Performs all tasks with utmost regard for personal, animal, volunteer and public safety. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of: standard alphabetical, numerical, and chronological filing systems. Ability to: efficiently and accurately file, retrieve, code and index a wide variety of documents; record information in a neat, legible and accurate manner; follow written directions; make arithmetic computations in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; effectively communicate and understand simple concepts, policies and procedures both to and from shelter representatives and the general public; proficiently read and review a variety of documents and forms for completeness and accuracy; exercise tact and maintain poise in resolving disputes and differences arising with the public and other personnel; use a personal computer in a network environment to enter and update data and create documents. Ability to be punctual and accurate in time record-keeping. Ability and inclination to work in close proximity to companion animals. Ability and versatility to work in fast-paced, cooperative non-profit service environment; inclination to pitch-in as necessary to help achieve shelter animal welfare and public service objectives. Please know that is a small shelter with limited employed staff. Every person hired needs to be ready and willing to do every other job in the organization on a pitch-in basis. Initial and continued employment is conditional upon the successful inspection a criminal background check and DMV driving report and reports may be requested on a periodic basis throughout employment. This position is subject to pre-placement drug screening. Experience and Training These minimum qualifications are a guide for establishing the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license which may be required for employment in this position. 1. High school diploma, via regular or GED, and 2a. Six (6) months (equivalent to 1000 hours) of verifiable clerical experience including preparing and maintaining a variety of records and/or documents, filing, use of office equipment, public contact and processing of incoming and outgoing mail: OR 2b. Completion of a clerical training program (240 hours); OR 2c. 15 semester units (or equivalent quarter units) of coursework from an accredited college or university Prepared by TFC

94 Animal Shelter Volunteer/Outreach Coordinator $30,000-34,000 Yearly (FLSA exempt) Definition Under general direction of Executive Director, manages and oversees a volunteer services program and related outreach/public information functions. Supervision Exercised May supervise assigned staff, interns and volunteers. Examples of Important and Essential Duties The duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an exhaustive list. 1. Plans, directs and oversees the operation of a volunteer program, community affairs, and related public relations/information functions; assesses productivity, sets goals and establishes work-related priorities; recommends and implements policies and procedures for volunteer, community affairs and related public relations/information programs; works with managers to identify needs and opportunities for thorough, safe training and utilization of volunteers, and ensures that programs address and meet Shelter s humane objectives and operations needs. 2. Works with staff to identify needs and opportunities for utilization of volunteers, and to ensure that assigned program addresses and meets Shelter needs: and participates as a team member to support all areas of the volunteer program. The duties include working with youth in appropriate circumstances according to their maturity and capabilities, and adult volunteers in the Shelter and any fostering programs. 3. Recruits, screens and oversees the training and retention of volunteers; coordinates, schedules, monitors and evaluates their work to assure maximum program coverage and effectiveness; assures that all safety and operating procedures are followed; handles public inquiries and any problem situations that may arise involving volunteer programs or staff. 4. Designs, develops and implements training and orientation classes in a variety of areas including program procedures, applicable laws and Shelter policies, safe animal care and handling, adoption counseling, techniques for dealing effectively with the public, use of educational and interpretive materials, and other areas specific to Shelter and program mission and goals. 5. Establishes and maintains contacts and relationships with schools, community and corporate groups, City departments, community leaders, and representatives of outside agencies and the media; with Development Coordinator, develops and organizes community and media events, public service announcements, press releases and other publications to promote and publicize department functions and programs. 6. Organizes and implements service learning programs, educational workshops, events and presentations to local groups, schools and civic organizations; conducts tours for visiting professionals, the media and members of the public. 7. Contributes to, produces and distributes newsletters, information flyers and other written material, including

95 use of desktop publishing software, and is responsible for updating information on shelter/program website. 8. Maintains schedules, timesheets, files and records for volunteers, including basic database management and development of statistical data; orders and maintains supplies, tools and equipment for program. 9. Participates in fund development activities for program/department, such as organizing events, grant writing and development of partnerships with other organizations. 10. Performs all duties with highest regard for personal, animal, volunteer and public safety. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of: basic management, training and human/public relations principles and practices. Ability to: plan, direct, schedule and oversee the operation of a volunteer program; recruit, screen, select, train, supervise, retain, and evaluate volunteer staff; effectively prioritize multiple tasks for self and others; analyze information in order to identify issues and implement solutions; deal tactfully and effectively with staff, representatives of City, agencies and rescue groups, various community groups, the media, and members of the public from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds; establish and maintain effective, cooperative and professional working relationships; make presentations to the public in small and large groups and through the media; speak clearly and effectively in order to communicate work-related information to individuals and groups in a manner that is appropriate to the audience; prepare clear and effective work-related written material, including training materials and instructions, newsletters, information flyers and other written material; use a computer to access, input and retrieve work-related information and to prepare written documents. Familiarity with the workings of an animal welfare organization, animal shelter and City Animal Control program and the ability to learn laws and regulations relating to companion animals, animal shelter procedures and methods of safely and humanely handling animals. Please know that is a small shelter with limited employed staff. Every person hired needs to be ready and willing to do every other job in the organization on a pitch-in basis. Initial and continued employment is conditional upon the successful inspection a criminal background check and DMV driving report and reports may be requested on a periodic basis throughout employment. This position is subject to pre-placement drug screening. Experience and Training 1. Achievement of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND 2a. One year (2000 hours) of experience supervising, coordinating or directing volunteer services and/or community outreach services in an organization which provides services to the public, or 2b. Additional experience supervising, coordinating or directing volunteer and/or community relations services, as described above, may be substituted for up to two years of the required baccalaureate degree on a year-for-year basis. Prepared by TFC

96 Animal Shelter Development Director $40, to $45,000 Yearly (FLSA exempt) Definition Under the general direction of the Executive Director, has primary responsibility for planning, directing and overseeing the fund-raising, donor relations, gift record keeping and donor recognition functions at the Animal Shelter; ensuring that adequate funds are raised to support the operation of the Shelter, via strategic planning and successful cultivation and solicitation of individuals, writing and administration of corporate and foundation grant proposals, and implementation of special events. Supervision Exercised Supervises assigned staff and volunteers. Examples of Important and Essential Duties The duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this class and are not intended to be an exhaustive list. 1. Develop and maintain substantive relationships with existing donors through face to face meetings, missionrelated gatherings, donor education, donor recognition, gift acknowledgement and responsiveness to donor requests and inquiries. 2. Identify, cultivate and solicit prospective shelter supporters to expand the regular donor base of 3. Demonstrate superior oral and written communications skills to both articulate the shelter s mission and to solicit donations. 4. Develop, implement and manage a relationship oriented social media and internet giving strategy for existing donors and donor prospects. 5. Develop, plan and manage numerous fund-raising opportunities and other events that can have a fund-raising component, to maximize their contribution to the Shelter s Mission. 6. Participates in management functions, including regular management team meetings, special events, and representing the Shelter and in the media as necessary. 7. Performs all tasks with utmost regard for personal, animal, volunteer and public safety. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Annual fund-raising needs of shelter are in excess of $300,000 for current operations; long range plans call for development of an endowment fund for future capital and contingency needs. Demonstrated success in soliciting gifts of $1000 or more is essential in this role. Possession of superior interpersonal, communication and listening skills as well as the ability to engage people such that they feel included in the mission of the Animal Shelter. Exhibit a flexibility that accommodates donor needs such as local travel and evening and weekend hours. You will likely be requested to work weekends, evenings and holidays, consistent with Shelter and development

97 function needs. You should be highly organized and independent, able to balance multiple priorities and stakeholders while consistently meeting deadlines and maintaining productivity. Technical skill requirements include experience using fundraising and database software to track donor relationships, analyzing results and generating reports; high proficiency in the use of relationship-oriented social media tools and internet functions; and intermediate experience using Microsoft Office applications. You must be able to handle receipt, processing and documentation of financial gifts according to established Animal Shelter policies and protocols and maintain proprietary and confidential information according to shelter Standards of Conduct at all times. Finally, you must have a reliable vehicle for transportation; maintain a safe driving record throughout employment, hold current vehicle insurance and maintain a valid CA state driver s license. Please know that is a small shelter with limited employed staff. Every person hired needs to be ready and willing to do every other job in the organization on a pitch-in basis. Initial and continued employment is conditional upon the successful inspection a criminal background check and DMV driving report and reports may be requested on a periodic basis throughout employment. This position is subject to pre-placement drug screening. Experience and Training 1. A Bachelor s degree in communications, journalism, business or non-profit management preferred. 2. Ability to develop and maintain relationships with donor of all levels, especially those at $1, at least 3-5 years of experience working with donors at all levels and providing them with excellent donor stewardship. Prepared by TFC /edited TH

98 Animal Shelter Shelter Finance Director ½ Time Contract Position Definition Under the general direction of the Executive Director, performs the payroll, finance and financial reporting functions of the Animal Shelter. Supervision Exercised None. Examples of Important and Essential Duties The duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this class and are not intended to be an exhaustive list. 1. Prepare monthly financial reports including: Statement of Financial Position vs. Budget, current and YTD; Statement of Monthly Activities; Statement of Cash Flows - Monthly & YTD; Aging Summaries of Accounts Receivable and Payable; and Cash Accounts 2. Perform all accounts payable functions: enter and pay invoices, correspond with vendors, check invoices for accuracy and provide vendors with tax exempt forms & other miscellaneous information as needed. 3. Perform accounts receivable functions for each event including: invoicing customers or processing credit cards and providing customers with sales receipts or other correspondence including preparing statements as needed, and doing Past Due Customer collections on a Monthly basis. 4. Perform internal audits of accounts payable & receivables, payroll distribution, fixed assets, and cash. May make correcting journal entries in assigned areas 5. Assist at events with finances and other duties necessary to ensure event runs smoothly. 6. Data entry in QuickBooks or similar software for all revenue and expenses. 7. Assist in preparing grant applications and reports. Assist with record-keeping regarding donors and licensees. 8. Prepare miscellaneous spreadsheets and other reports for Shelter management information purposes. 9. Reconcile bank accounts, deposit cash receipts. 10. Assist outside auditor in yearly audit by compiling requested information, preparing reports, and corresponding with banks and customers. Gather required information and prepare Form Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. 11. Develop financial policies and procedures with Executive Director. Protect the assets of the organization. 12. Process bi-weekly payroll. Track all sick and vacation time for each employee. Prepare Workers Compensation

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100 Z. Operations Manual The detailed Operations Manual will be provided once an agreement is in place between City. and the 42

101 AEMORANDUM PAGE4 January 12, 2009 populations. Along with these programs there is the need to institute regulatory measures to track, monitor and encourage responsible pet ownership. Numerically cats are the largest segment of animals likely to enter the shelter. In the fiscal years 00/07 and 07/08 they exceeded 50% of animals processed by the shelter. In the first quarter of 08/09 they exceeded 60%. Woodland's contribution to these numbers mirrored these percentages. Cats being much more diffia.jit t e are m_ore likely to bred indiscriminately if not spay or neutered. A licensing system including both cats and dogs, with a tiered fee schedule providing lower fees for altered animals would encourage cat owners to have their pets spay or neutered. It would also produce a revenue stream which would off set animal services related to cats. lnduding cats in a licensing program would require amending the current County Animal Control Ordinance and would most likely need the support of all the Cities. There is not rurrently a strong group interest in cat licensing. The cost of spay and neutering can be a significant disincentive to pet owners who otherwise see these procedures as part of responsible pet ownership. A phone survey of three local veterinary dinics for spay and neuter services showed the average costs for these services to be: Cat- spay $205, neuter $141; Dog (under 50 lbs.)- spay $270, neuter $227. In many cases this amount exceeds the cost of the initial purchase of the pet. Instituting subsidized spay and neuter programs would provide a significant incentive for owners to alter their animals, ultimately resulting in a reduced unwanted pet population. This approach may initially increase rather than reduce current program costs and would take several years before overall sheltering services would see a decrease in animal numbers. The money spent in this program to offset altering cost for owners would be expected to have a proportionate effect on the rate of decrease in animal numbers. Implementation of a voucher or rebate system would facilitate a relatively short start-up period for such a program. Low cost spay and neuter programs are strongly support by animal advocacy groups. These programs are also often eligible for grant funding from private sources. Information gathered by groups promoting no-kill sheltering claim it is possible to see a 70% reduction in shelter populations within five year of establishing such program!). There are currently no low cost spay and neuter clinics or programs in Yolo County. - J In discussions with Animal Services personnel there was a strong interest in exploring and developing low cost spay and neuter programs in Yolo County as a whole. To this end we have committed to work collectively with Animal Control Service to develop County wide support and exploration of these programs. Although it may take some time to see.the benefits of these efforts they have the greatest potential for an overall reduction in animal control related costs. Although licensing does assist in identifying an animal's owner rurrent technology provides for a much more effident and reliable method. The procedure is commonly referred to as "chipping". A micro chip with information about the owriers of the animal is referenced by way of a unique chip code. This number is linked to a computerized record providing the identity of the owner. The information is available to anyone with ;t.micro-chip reader and a computer having internet access. Wtlen pared with licensing as a requirement for all cats and dogs this insures the owners of stray animals are readily identifiable and in cases of rabies control vaccination information can be located and verified. This also re-enforces the ownership commitment and responsibilities of pet owners. As with cat licensing this strategy would require changes to the rurrent County ordinances and political support from the partidpating Cities. There is not currently a collective interest in mandatory micro-chipping. Perhaps the most vital and most diffia.jit barrier to limiting the unwanted pet population and therefore the demand foranimal Services is personal attitudes about pet animals and the

102 Today, No Kill is a humane, sustainable, cost-effective model that works hand in hand with public health and safety, while fulfilling a fiscal responsibility to taxpayers. The success of this approach across the country proves the viability of the No Kill model and the above principles. And in every community where it is a reality, it has been achieved through rigorous implementation of programs and services which have come to be known as the No Kill Equation. In Yolo County, it is time for change. It is time to reject the failed philosophies and poor performance of the past. We have an unprecedented opportunity for a new beginning. The citizens of our community are kind, caring and generous. They deserve an animal shelter that reflects, rather than undermines, their values. In the last decade and a half, several shelters in numerous communities have comprehensively implemented a bold series of programs and services to reduce birthrates, increase placements, and keep animals with their responsible caretakers. As a result, they are achieving unprecedented results, saving upwards of 95 percent of all impounded animals in open admission animal control facilities. Some of these communities are in urban communities and others are in rural communities. Some are in politically liberal communities and others are in very conservative ones. Some are in municipalities with high per capita incomes and others are in communities known for high rates of poverty. Some are run by municipal shelters and others by private ones with animal control contracts. These communities share very little in common demographically. What they do share is leadership at their shelters who have comprehensively implemented a key series of programs and services, collectively referred to as the No Kill Equation. The fundamental lesson from the experiences of these communities is that the choices made by shelter managers determine whether animals live or die. Several communities are more than doubling adoptions and cutting killing by as much as 75 percent and it isn t taking them five years or more to do it. They are doing it virtually overnight. In Washoe County, Nevada, local shelters began a lifesaving initiative that saw adoptions increase as much as 80 percent and deaths decline by 51 percent in one year, despite taking in over 15,000 dogs and cats. In addition to the speed with which it was attained, what also makes their success so impressive is that the community takes in over two times the number of animals per capita than the U.S. national average and as much as five times the rate of neighboring communities and major U.S. cities. In 2011, however, 94 percent of dogs and cats were saved, despite an economic and foreclosure crisis that has gripped the region. They are proving that communities can quickly save the vast majority of animals once they commit to do so, even in the face of public irresponsibility or economic crisis. This is consistent with the results in other communities. There are now No Kill communities in California and New York, Michigan and Texas, Kentucky and Virginia, and elsewhere. In Austin, Texas, the municipal shelter takes in roughly 23,000 animals a year but is saving 91% of dogs and cats. In short, there are no valid excuses as to why our community cannot do the same if it chooses to. The leadership of Yolo County Animal Services (YCAS), however, remains steadfast in their refusal to embrace the No Kill paradigm. Among the various excuses for why it cannot be done are that the shelter does not have adequate funding to do so and such funding is not available in this economic climate, there are simply too many animals for the available homes ( pet overpopulation ), No Kill is not feasible in a municipal sheltering context, and the No Kill philosophy is inconsistent with their public safety obligations. These excuses are just that: excuses. We Can t Afford It. To begin with, many of the programs identified as key components of saving lives are more cost-effective than impounding, warehousing, and then killing animals. Some rely on private philanthropy, as in the use of foster homes and