Thinking outside the box Emily Weiss, Ph.D. CAAB Senior Director of Shelter Research and Development 1 Saving Lives by Thinking Outside the Box 1
The Beginning Finding inspiration RTO Rate Transition Rate Adoption Rate Live Releases Measuring the risk and determining focus What species, breed, or age group is most at risk? What group might be low hanging fruit? Ask questions Identify the road blocks to increasing live releases and test solutions 2
QUESTION ASSUMPTIONS Collect baseline data before implementing change If it does not work Stop re evaluate and change course Measure Landlord Shmamlord Are the policies and processes you have in place effective in decreasing risk or are they inhibiting adoptions? Shelters that have eliminated landlord checks find returns do not increase while adoptions do Adopter Counselor Relationship improves, adoption process time decreases What policies might you have that are inhibiting adoptions? Fence? Income? Vet checks? 3
Less is More Really Less IS More Actual Adopters Research Question: Can decreasing the number of cats visible on the adoption floor increase the likelihood that potential adopters will adopt? Study Design: Conduct 2 week greeter survey to determine Baseline Transition rate Decrease visible cat population by 40 50% Conduct 2 more transition rate surveys Foot traffic = Transition Rate 4
Less IS More Data Collection and Analysis Complete in First tshelter Laboratory: Humane Society of Pikes Peak Region Baseline combined cat/kitten transition rate 7.1% Decreasedvisible cat population by 46% Transition rate more than doubled to 16.3%!! Promoting when they come 5
Expectations and the Bond Meet Your Match. We adopted a cat named Harrison (now Simba) lastweek week. He isthe most amazing cat I have ever owned. I have a 2 year old and a 3 1/2 year old who love animals, but are quite rowdy most of the time. Simba came home with us around 1pm and at 4pm I hosted a party with several other 2 year olds. Simba was laying in the middle of them, on his back, letting them all pet his belly. The following day he took a nap with my 2 year old in her crib and now takes turns in my kids beds. He is a wonderful, sweet and patient cat who is a perfect fit for our family. Thank you all at ARF for doing the assessments of the cats to help them find their new homes, it has worked perfectly for us! Azzolino Family Eye level and could cha move? Fantuzzi, Miller, Weiss (2010) Certain factors increased the amount of time a potential adopter viewed a cat Cats at eye level Cats with toys even if they were not using Cats that are moving 6
Satisfaction Guarantee Soul Mate or Forever Home BEWARE! Creativity may be controversial The Free Cat Story 7
Researching the bond Research conducted @ ARL of Westbrook Maine a Meet Your Match shelter Data collected during regular adoptions and fee waived promotions Standardized tool used to measure attachment (LAPS) And the Survey says Researching the bond No significant difference in the attachment Adoptions increased Length of stay decreased Revenue did not decrease Research is published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, Vol. 4, 2009 8
Charleston s Feline Frenzy Data 9
Read More on ASPCApro.org WAIVED FEE RTO Fee is eliminated for all RTO To be most effective language must be changed on website, printed materials etc. Possible to add free S/N for this population as well 10
Fosters as Adoption Agents ASPCA $100K Challenge contestant Louisiana SPCA innovated the program during the challenge Fosters as Adoption Agents Data is being collected now some early trends: Those that adopt through FAAs are significantly less likely to have adopted from a shelter before Those that adopt through FAAs report a better adoption experience Those that adopt through FAAs are finding their pets through non traditional means 11
GO GET EM And here is how Resources available NOW from ASPCApro.org! Meet the Adopters full facilitators guide http://www.aspcapro.org/meet the adopters workshop.php org/meet the adopters workshop php Naked Data Dashboard definitions and formulas available (see PDF posted to http://challenge.aspcapro.org/strategy/webinars/thinking outsidebox ) Meet Your Match video clips and other MYM resources http://www.aspcapro.org/aspcas meet your match.php Blog posts on Transition Rate, Less is More, Satisfaction Guarantee, and other innovative programs on the Shelter s Edge blog http://www.aspcapro.org/blog/ 12