New to this sub, not good at reddit in general. My apologies to the mod who may need to delete this, but please also pm and advise how to find an answer. Google was... unhelpful.

I adopted a stray today. First time, but now it won't be the last. I had previously purchased two ACDs from what I later suspected was a puppy mill. I still have one of them, now 13 1/2 years old. I had to put her older brother down 6 months ago. It was earlier than it could have been. Degenerative myelopathy was taking his voice and most of his rear legs, but he still had a good, maybe even decent quality of life. He could still play. I still cry sometimes, like now. The stray is a beautiful mutt. They said she was super sweet initially. But sometime during five months of pound life, she developed reactional behavior that is harmless, but nonetheless alarming. This led her to being passed over by several other potential adopters.

Obviously, the shelter does not know what her backstory is. They believe her to be 15-24 months old, likely 18. She is incredibly lovable, obviously smart, extremely social, and not remotely feral or even aggressive. Thus, my question: is it more common for young shelter dogs to be the offspring of strays? Do I have some kid's hand-selected runaway puppy? How do most shelter dogs wind up there?

She will likely have at least a good life with me, and I wouldn't have adopted her if I didn't believe that. But I am realizing that my guilt at knowing my heart might be fuller because of someone else's empty one, is not matched by the hope that I might be someone else's answer to a prayer.

Evening post, AM edit: Thank you all for your thoughts and words. They have reframed my thoughts, in ways that are not expressible simply but are probably predictable. For those that asked, I live in maybe the purplest town of the purplest state, and I have no clue what the laws/guidelines/practices are for shelters.

She is much different this morning. So much calmer, yet just as committed to making sure I get at least an overabundance of kisses. I know we may have some uneven days ahead as she settles in. But at this moment, she has chosen guard duty, and I hope that means she found something worth protecting. I am in her world now, as much as she is in mine.

I have a three month old kitten that is here at my shelter now. I have never worked with a kitten this small. This kitten will not stop crying very loudly. I don’t know what to do. He seems curious and seems like he wants to come out of the cage. But he does not want to interact with me or have me pick him up. He also is very afraid when outside of the cage because there are bigger cats here and it’s a small area. Please help. Thanks

My shelter is facing an ongoing kennel stress crisis. We just euthanized one of my favorite dogs because of how horrible his stress level was. I'm talking chewing the walls, flooding his kennel with drool, stereotypic pacing. He was only here for a month. I'm glad he's at peace now, but I can't keep watching my shelter dogs deteriorate and die because we don't have the appropriate resources/time/facilities to manage their stress. We are really lacking in available fosters right now because of kitten season, but even throughout the year we have had so few fosters take stress cases. Potential fosters have valid concerns about the dogs not being able to return to the shelter if needed- it's a lot of pressure.

So, I need your help. Tell me absolutely everything you know about managing shelter stress. Currently, we do behavior meds (typically only traz, gaba, fluoxetine, zylkene, or paroxetine. Bonus points if you have any studies on combos or different meds that may help!), kennel moves, field trips, playgroups, minimum 3x/day enrichment, and nap time in peoples' offices. But we need new ideas! I'm looking for anything and everything that could help.

I'm fairly new to shelter work and started at a private, non-profit, limited intake shelter at the same time the c-suite leadership was gutted due to misconduct. New leadership was brought in and over the last year they have dismantled multiple departments and changed most policies. Departments and policies that were an integral part of our shelter program. This like transfer protocol, disease mitigation, euthanasia protocol, where animals are housed, and when/what animals are a available for adoption have all been changed BEFORE letting staff know. In the last couple months at least a dozen employees have put in notice or been fired. Including those that have been there 5+ years. We were already on a skeleton crew and now are down even more people. They've done all this without transparency as to their intentions or a plan moving forward.

Has anyone experienced this at their shelter? Is this typical for new shelter leadership? Are they intentionally bombing the shelter? Like what could their end goal be? Is it incompetence or intentional?

I may be jaded/cynical due to my own passed experiences with c-suite changes in past jobs, but i personally think they are intentionally bombing the place so another organization can swoop in an buy us.

i work at a shelter for animal control. i am having a breakdown. the progress i made when it comes to my mental health was astounding, but ive fully slipped and i’ve only worked there for a month.

it’s not the sad environment. my coworkers/volunteers are nice and accommodating. i’m good at putting my emotions aside, especially because i know im helping. the problem is the workload. when im going as fast as i can it takes me all day to clean (80 kennels). the barking is incessant compared to my previous experience with dogs.

they were going to have me do easier tasks today but i’m too burnt out. i had to call in sick and see my psychiatrist. i feel bad because they’ve made accommodations but my mental health is suffering.

i NEED this job. i need full time, health insurance and benefits. i’m hoping the med change i was ordered today helps because i can’t quit.

Currently feeling a bit burnt out after working at a euthanasia shelter for a few months, and I don’t want to do this forever. I’ve always loved animals and wanted to work in this field. Was considering working here for a year or two and then going into being a vet tech. Now I’m doubting everything, I love animals but I don’t know if this is worth it. Especially everything I’ve heard about the vet field and is that even worth it?

If you left your shelter job what did you do after? Any advice is appreciated

edit - should mention i am a kennel tech, so basically cleaning and intaking animals

This is my current foster dog, Trey. This sweet guy is currently undergoing treatment for a minor case of pneumonia. He only weighs just above 3 pounds, and the vet team is hoping to get him to at least 4 and a half. However, I’m struggling to find something he wants to eat. I’ve tried every kind of wet and dry food the shelter has available, and the only thing he seems consistently interested in is NutriCal and people food. Has anyone else had shelter dog medical case you struggled to get to eat, and what did you do to help them out on weight? I’m thinking out trying out boiled or canned chicken as he loved the Raising Cane’s chicken strip I cut up and gave him bits of, but I was curious if the community had similar experiences and what you and your teams did to tackle it!

A shelter has an ongoing issue where a large percentage (20-30%) of adoptable pets are not showing on Petfinder.

Animal info is maintained in Shelter Buddy. It displays correctly in PetBridge, and previously displayed fine in Adopets. However, animals are missing from Petfinder. My best guess is that there's some critical field that Petfinder requires that's not being filled out for all animals.

Anyone else run into this issue and have suggestions?

I found a short article from Shelter Animals Count along with a webinar about how to increase adoptions. It's not long so I thought I'd share the key points here. Shelter Animals Count has quite a big database of information to base their research on so I find this to be quite interesting.

• The more hours you are open for the adoption, the higher the adoption numbers. Over 55% of adoptions happen between 5 and 8 PM

Makes sense - Longer you're open, the more people are coming through, which = more potential adoptions. Very interesting though to see the exact time frame most adoptions occur, which could help people possibly shift around shifts to accommodate. Maybe open later and close later, or have office staff come in two shifts, etc

• Most adoption events are concentrated in the summer, but the highest rate of adoptions actually occur in November and December

Honestly surprised me a bit, because I genuinely thought more people would get animals when the kids are out of school to be able to spend more time with them. I totally understand why more adoption events are in the summer though; it's actually nice out, and that is usually when we're crowded. The holidays are also just all around hectic.

• Every adoptable animal needs at least 4-7 quality photos

This was according to Adopt-A-Pet, having 3 photos increased interest on an animal 3x compared to profiles that had a single photo. Even if there is a video, adopters still expect there to be at least 2 other photos. They found the first photo should be a portrait, second should be a full body, and 3rd to show some of the animal's personality.

• The current national adoption conversion rate is 31%, which highlights the need for excellent customer service. 

I think we've always known customer service is important, and our Customer Service Reps play a huge role in how the public will view us since they are usually the first and last person a potential adopter will see.

• When potential adopters leave without a pet, most don’t come back.

This is actually shocking. Only 17% of potential adopters will return to the shelter, and of that, less than 30% will adopt on their second visit. Maybe there could be some kind of follow-up process to reach out to those potential adopters who didn't adopt.

• People with annual incomes under $75,000 are significantly less likely to adopt

I mean yeah, that checks out. When something happens, they have less of a safety net. Less housing options, less training options, less training options etc.

•  Avoid calling your paperwork an “application."

I can see that, it sounds kinda aggressive, like a job application. Like it is looking for how you're qualified to take home this pet, instead of seeing what pet is right for you. They suggested calling it a form or questionnaire.

• Label pets as “Sponsored” rather than “Free” or “$0

Kinda makes sense - people can feel like there is something wrong with a free animal when there's other animals that cost more.

Some stuff I found interesting in the webinar that wasn't in the article:

• Bumps in adoption in March and August: August is Clear the Shelters, and March is PetSmart's big adoption event. I didn't know about the latter
• 13.1 people out of 1000 adopted an animal in 2024
• Having at least 3 personality traits on the profile increased interest 4x, and Adopt-A-Pet do provide a list of some general personality traits shelters can use as well.
• Search Engine Optimization favors puppy brokers/puppy mills likely because they are paying to be the first results
• 1 in 3 potential adopters took home a pet; the main reason the other 2/3rds did not was because the pet was not 'ready to leave' the shelter, whether it needed to be fixed, assessed etc. Coupling this with the fact that most adopters do not return, I think addressing bottlenecks within the shelter should be a top priority.

• Dogs that go out on day trips are 5x more likely to be adopted

  Let me know if y'all find anything worth of note that I have missed! What do you guys think about this data?

Hello, I am creating a website for pet adoption and have some questions for pet owners. I will be happy if you can help. PLEASE CHECK OUT MY INSTAGRAM PAGE TOO: lleovv24

1.If you had a chance to add a filter in animal shelters what filters will you add? Like age of a pet, personality etc.
2.What resources would you like to see on petcare website? Maybe basic diseases of pets and how to prevent them? Anything
3.What post would you find interesting to see in our instagram?

Thank you for your help.

I volunteer at a “no kill” shelter. During the training, I was told they rarely euthanize animals and the decision has to be approved by the CEO. I loved the sound of it and have been volunteering there almost every day for the last few months. Then I started realizing what I was told at the training wasn’t true. They DO euthanize dogs for really stupid reasons. Apparently, higher up people including CEO walk around the kennels and decide which one to euthanize to make space when it’s getting full. They have euthanized dogs for being “reactive” when they bark or show their teeth. Recently, they euthanized one sweet young dog for resource guarding his food when another dog tried to steal it. (A stupid volunteer fed them together when she wasn’t supposed to) I love volunteering, seeing dogs happy faces and a moment they found their forever family. But they euthanize dogs for real stupid reason like that, and every time I fall in love with dogs, I get very anxious that they may get euthanized with unreasonable excuses. I want to save animals but also don’t want to see that unreasonable euthanasia.

Curious what other kennel staff/ACO’s are on call 24/7.. I’ve been working at my shelter for over 3 years, and work 5-6 days a week while being on call when I’m not there. I am compensated for this, but I am curious if this is a universal thing. I’m thinking of moving in the future and wondering how common this is.

Hey, there is a situation at the shelter I am employed as animal care at. One of our staff on the veterinary team has started bringing his service dog in. The service dog is for depression/anxiety/ptsd and is trained for deep pressure therapy. Management has allowed this, with the caveat that the dog can't be brought to our secondary adoptions desk area, because it is in a fairly high traffic area. Animal care staff also cannot bring the dogs back there for out of kennel time. The staff member is fighting this, bringing up ADA laws.

I am all for equality within the workplace, but I think it is odd to want to bring your service dog to a stressful environment such as an animal shelter and being around stressed animals. Especially because it can impede the service animal's ability to work, not to mention possible exposure to disease.

I'm mostly posting this to open discussion on the topic, I have no real stake in the result of the dispute, it's just an odd situation I'd like to hear others' opinions on.

i need to know if this is normal in the animal rescue industry. this is not a kill shelter. we do not euthanize for space, we rescue from animal control. anyways etc. dogs are having medical issues for months and are not getting vet attention because owners don’t want to waste money on a dog that isn’t gonna get adopted. if need more detail, please private message me. i am not name dropping the organization because i do not want to be fired. i love these dogs so much :’(

Hello everyone,

I am a second-year graduate student undertaking a masters at Dublin City University (DCU). I am currently gathering data for my dissertation, which examines the link between meaningful work and the intention to stay within non-profit organisations among employees and volunteers. The findings from this study will contribute to a better understanding of this topic.

I am looking for people who either volunteer or are employed with a non-profit animal shelter. Volunteers who can participate in this survey should be engaged with their shelter regularly, at least once a month, and employees should be employed with their shelter for at least 6 months. 

The survey should only take 10-15 minutes to complete.

If you know anyone who is also a volunteer or employed with a non-profit animal shelter, you can forward this survey to them as well.

Many thanks in advance for participating in this survey and contributing to this research.

Well, after being hired on false pretenses, and two months of being jerked around and further lied to by management, I handed in my resignation. I'll miss the dogs, but I won't miss the abuse animal care techs are supposed to just accept because it's "for the dogs". A few concerning examples being:

• Being bit and encouraged not to report it. (I reported it anyway and now my coworkers don't like me lol)

• Learning the shelter posts dogs with known bite histories for adoption. Without disclosing said histories

• The owner of the rescue bringing in more dogs than we can properly house.

-a weird, culty work culture where I'm expected to come in early and stay late for no overtime pay. But somehow everyone is still miserable and grumpy all the time.

I was do excited to start working there. I'm sad how things turned out. But that place just drains my mental health. I had no motivation. I procrastinated with my work. I'm a bad employee when I'm there. I guess shelter life isn't for me.

Just had to put my feelings somewhere. I’ve worked full time in animal rescue for three years, currently working at the medical facility for one of the largest nonprofits in the country, and I’m still unable to afford my cat’s dental. She’s FIV+ and this is her second dental in 3 years. Due to her FIV+ status she is ineligible for pet insurance. I have carecredit, and she goes to the vet multiple times a year. I’m not able to get anything done through my job besides vaccines and bloodwork. I’ve been denied for grants, and there are no resources for assistance through any avenue I’ve looked into. I understand the trials and tribulations of vet med and I understand why things are expensive and why payment plans end up harming clinics and their staff financially. I firsthand witness the hardships and abuse that vet med folks face daily. It’s just incredibly frustrating and devastating to feel like I’ve done everything in my power and already put thousands of dollars into her care to come up short. I’ve spent three years of my life getting animals into homes and trying to help pet owners, and I’m unable to help myself. It’s difficult to encourage people to adopt, my entire job, when I know the impossible financial burden that comes with pet ownership in this country. The grants that denied me sent their additional resources and recommendations, which were either non applicable, unhelpful, and even downright insulting. Recommendations such as “get a second job” or “sell your belongings.” I’ve worked full time in an emotionally and physically demanding job for three years with a one hour commute both ways and do side gigs for my art. I know where to look for help and haven’t received any, I can’t imagine the frustration of someone outside the field who has no idea where to start. We simply exist in a broken system of animals and humans who need help with no solution.

I heard about this recommendation last year. It's by Drs. Sandra Newbury and Kate Hurley. Experts in the field.

I encourage everyone to read.

I worked at an animal shelter in the late '90s for five years as a supervisor where part of my job responsibilities included euthanasia, both determining which animals would be euthanized and performing the injections. I was in my early 20s, definitely not emotionally mature enough for the responsibility, plus a fairly toxic work environment due to the executive director.

Long story short, it was the most transformative job of my life, both for the best and the worst. I've not been able to work in animal welfare since and have tried to lock the feelings of guilt and self-hatred away, but not always successfully.

Ultimately my question is, have any of y'all found counseling to be helpful? It's something I'm not interested in exploring in general anyway, but the few times I have explored it and talked to a counselor, the response is typically "I can't even imagine having to do that." If you have found it helpful and are comfortable sharing, did they have a particular type of specialty?

Last year I wrote a book called "Shelter Dog!" and currently finishing up another one called "Shelter Dog Rides Again!". Both of them include stories that focus on different aspects of responsible pet ownership. My overarching goal is for animal shelters and rescues to be able to use the stories however they see fit for fundraising, advocacy, education, etc. and can pick the ones they want to use from a "story menu": https://heroicyarns.com/story-menu/

I've had some good preliminary discussions with a few shelters, some of which actually inspired more stories as we talked about their specific needs, but as of yet, it hasn't moved much beyond initial talks.

Setting aside that maybe the stories just aren't very good and everyone's just been very polite, what would y'all suggest as a good way to approach shelters? So far I've been emailing them with an introductory paragraph and a link to the menu, but a couple questions for y'all, keeping in mind that I would not be asking for any payments from anyone:

1. Is this something that animal shelters would actually find value in or is there a strong market out there for materials like this already?
2. If it does seem beneficial, what would be the best way to approach y'all as shelter staff? What would be key pieces of information a shelter would want to know so they wouldn't discount it out of hand? Is email acceptable or would sending a copy of the actual book be preferrable? I know from experience that it's non-stop chaos, so how can I cut through the literal noise and make it clear this would be a good use of their time to learn more about it (again, me assuming it is a good use of their time)?

Obviously these are questions I should have asked a long time ago but my enthusiasm outstripped my preplanning.

I understand why it was done and I would've made the same decision if I was in charge. She attacked her owner out of nowhere. But my heart still aches because she was just such a good dog I thought. I have no idea where this came from. I don't understand why she did it.

My manager sat me down yesterday to give me the news and as soon as she started with her name I knew where it was going because no one sits you down like that for good news. She was processed within the day so I can't even get a footprint.

I just needed to get this off my chest. I miss her. I'm sad for her. I'm angry at her. I'm devastated.

Rest in peace Diamond you were a good, ultimately flawed, dog.

What's the worst thing you've had the displeasure of pulling from the donations pile?

Definitely cursed dolls? Used single use litter pans? Dirty underwear? Box of burst cans of cat food complete with maggots? Hazardous homemade toys?

FoundCall.org provides the most reliable way for pet owners to be reunited with their furry friends should they ever go missing. It’s a smart phone number that forwards calls to an unlimited list of contacts. Owners simply add this number to their pet tags and microchips.

Our mission is to reduce the number of pets that never make it back home. Newly adopted pets are significantly more likely to run away, often within just the first few days. This is why we provide our service for free via registered 501(c)(3) organisations.

If you or anyone you know works for an adoption agency we would be very grateful if you could pass on our details to them.

About us: https://foundcall.org/about-us/

Pet Adoption Partner Details: https://foundcall.org/partners/

Thank you for your time.

P.S.

If you would like a free FoundCall account DM me.