The Post-Adoption Black Hole
You did the counseling. You matched the dog. You high-fived the team when the adopter walked out the door with a leash in one hand and a folder of paperwork in the other. Then the dog disappears. Not literally, usually. But from your shelter's perspective, that...
The Headlines Say the Shelter Crisis Is Getting Better. Your Kennel Count Says Something Different.
Everyone keeps sharing the good news. Save rates are up. More shelters are going no-kill. The national numbers are moving in the right direction. And if you work inside a shelter right now, you are probably reading those headlines and feeling like you are losing your...
Thinking of Adopting: The First 72 Hours Is Critical
The first thing to understand is this: your adopted dog has no idea what is happening. They do not know if they are staying. They do not know who you are. They do not know where the food comes from, where the water is, where they are supposed to sleep, or what the...
Why Your Volunteer Dog Rescue Is a Dumpster Fire
8 Fixes That Actually Work A volunteer at a small dog rescue messaged me recently. She said her team is snippy, the owners are burnt out from repeating themselves, grant applications keep slipping through the cracks, and nobody can figure out why everything feels like...
Open Intake vs. Managed Intake: What is the Difference?
In animal sheltering, many phrases sound good until they hit the front counter. “Managed intake” is one of them. On paper, managed intake sounds thoughtful, humane, and organized. It suggests planning, capacity awareness, and better outcomes. And in some cases,...
Shelter Dogs Are Not Aggressive. They’re Overwhelmed.
If I had a dollar for every time someone said,“That one seems aggressive,”while pointing at a barking dog behind kennel bars… I could fund a behavior team in every municipal shelter in the country. Let’s say this clearly: Most shelter dogs are not aggressive or...
Shelter Dogs Are Not Damaged. People Are.
We need to talk about the word “damaged.” It's used in shelter work as if it were a diagnosis. “She’s in a shelter, so something must be wrong with her.”“He’s been returned twice. Probably damaged.”“I don’t want a broken dog.” Let’s correct that narrative. Shelter...
Transparency Scares Shelters (And Why It Shouldn’t)
Transparency is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot in animal welfare. Everyone agrees it’s important. Everyone says they value it. And yet, many shelters actively avoid it. Not because they’re hiding something evil.Not because they don’t care. But...
How to Get, and Keep Fosters Who Don’t Bail at the First Hiccup
Let’s be honest:People fail at fostering for various reasons, one of which is our failure to set expectations and onboard them effectively. We’ve all been there, grateful someone’s offering to foster, so we rush to place a dog before they change their mind. A few days...
How We Do Adoptions (The Right Way)
Let’s face it, adopting out animals isn’t just about finding a home. It’s about finding the right home. At our shelter, we don’t rush the process. We guide it, with intention, care, and a little matchmaking magic. Every pet that enters our building has already been...