Resources
Adoptions
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Turbocharging Pet Adoptions and Community Engagement by Bonney Brown (PDF)
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Marketing to Dramatically Increase and Sustain Adoptions by Bonney Brown for ASPCAPro (webinar – external link)
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The True Cost and Value of Pet Adoptions by Bonney Brown for ASPCAPro (webinar – external link
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Creating Adoption Processes That Truly Support Saving Lives by Bonney Brown for ASPCAPro (webinar – external link)
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10 Top Tips to Save More Lives by Increasing Pet Adoptions from Your Shelter or Rescue Group by Bonney Brown and Diane Blankenburg for Embrace Pet Health Insurance (PDF)
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Marketing Treatable Pets: Every Creature Has a Story by Bonney Brown for Maddie’s Fund (video – external link)
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Adopting a New Dog? Here Are Tips for a Smooth Transition by Kelley Bollen (PDF)
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Adopting a New Cat? Here Are Tips for a Smooth Transition by Mark Robison (PDF)
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Adopting a Feral Cat? Here’s Why You Might Want To and How To Keep Them Safe by Mark Robison (PDF​)
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Seeking a Pet This Holiday Season? Try Adoption by Bonney Brown (PDF)
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Examples of adoption promotion videos – all external links:
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Adopt a Black Pet for Nevada Humane Society (video)
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Adopt a Hamster by Humane Network's Ryan Petersen for Nevada SPCA (video)
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Adoption Entrance Dance for Nevada Humane Society (video)
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Bruce, a handsome cat from Nevada Humane Society who will do tricks for treats! (video)
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How to Save a Life for Nevada Humane Society (video)
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Home for the Holidays PSA: Cat for Nevada Humane Society (video)
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Home for the Holidays PSA: Dog for Nevada Humane Society (video)
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Home for the Holidays PSA: Trooper Chuck Allen for Nevada Humane Society (video)  
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June Is Adopt a Cat Month at Nevada Humane Society (video)​
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Animal Behavior
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Best Ways to Ways to Enrich Lives of Animals in Shelters – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Kelley Bollen (Listen)
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Best Ways to Reduce Stress in Shelter Animals – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Kelley Bollen (Listen)
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Cat Behavior webinar by Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC for Alley Cat Allies
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Managing Destructive Scratching Behavior in Cats by Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC for Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine
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Welcome ​– Part 1 of 6 (video – external link)
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Why Do Cats Scratch – Part 2 of 6 (video – external link)
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Selecting a Scratching Post – Part 3 of 6 (video – external link)
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Placing the Scratching Post – Part 4 of 6 (video – external link)
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Positive Reinforcement and Discouragement – Part 5 of 6 (video – external link)
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Managing Claws – Part 6 of 6 (video – external link)
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More Than Just A Pretty Face – The Amazingness of Our Feline and Canine Friends by Kelley Bollen (video – external link)
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How to Help People Resolve Some Common Behavior Problems and Keep Their Pets - conference presentation by Kelley Bollen (video – external link)
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Stress Recognition and Enrichment for Shelter Cats and Dogs by Kelley Bollen (video – external link)
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Articles to help adopters with pet behavior questions by Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC:
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Adopting a New Dog? Here Are Tips for a Smooth Transition (PDF)
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Can My Cat Go Outside? Yes, If Done Safely (PDF)
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Does My Dog Know the Difference Between Right and Wrong? (PDF​)
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How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Jumping on People? (PDF​)
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How to Enrich the Life of a Bored Indoor Cat (PDF​)
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How to Handle Chewing by Your New Dog (PDF​)
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How to Make Vet Visits Less Scary for Your Dog or Cat (PDF​)
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How to prepare pets for arrival of a new baby (PDF​)
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How to stop your cat from scratching furniture (PDF​)
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How to teach your dog come and stay commands (PDF​)
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How to teach your dog to bark less (PDF​)
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Resource Guarding Tips for Dogs Who Growl Over Toys or Food (PDF​)
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Tips for dogs with separation anxiety (PDF​)
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What to do when your dog pulls on the leash (PDF)
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Why Does My Cat Keep Attacking Me – and How Do I Redirect Her? (PDF​)
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Why Your Cat Is Hiding and How to Help Her Feel Safe (PDF)
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Animal Services
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What About Complaints? Managing Communications When Your Organization Adopts a TNR or SNR Policy by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)
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Win-Win for Animal Services - Reducing Costs While Improving Customer Service and Public Support by Mitch Schneider presented at the Alliance for Innovation Conference and No-Kill Conference (PDF)
Boards of Directors
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Humane Network’s Board Recruitment and Development Sample Documents by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg
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Nonprofit Board Meeting Minutes – What Needs to Be in Them (Word)​
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Template: Ballot for Officers of Nonprofit Board of Directors (Word)​
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Template: Nonprofit Board Candidate Information packet (Word)​
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Template: Nonprofit Board Meeting Agenda (Word)​
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Template: Nonprofit Board Member Agreement (Word)​
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Template: Nonprofit Board of Directors Candidate Application (Word)​
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Template: Nonprofit Board of Directors Candidate Final Interview Form (Word)​
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Template: Questions to ask nonprofit board candidates Round 1 and 2 (Word)​
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Template: Spreadsheet for assessing nonprofit board member applicants (Excel)​
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Having 'The Talk' With Your Board of Directors by Bonney Brown from Animal Sheltering magazine (PDF)
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​Newly added: More Effective Meetings Using Martha's Rules of Order by Humane Network (PDF)
Community Assessment
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Assessing Your Community to Save More Animals’ Lives by Bonney Brown – originally for Maddie’s Fund (webinar)
Community Cats/RTF/TNR
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Addressing Common Concerns About Outdoor Cats - One-Page Solution (Word download)
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Adopting a Feral Cat? Here’s Why You Might Want To and How To Keep Them Safe by Mark Robison (PDF​)
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Cats in the Neighborhood FAQ - for sharing with concerned neighbors (Word download)
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Conflict Resolution Tips for Community Cat Disputes (Word download)
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Got Outdoor Cat Complaints? Try These Tips by Mark Robison (PDF​)
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How to Support TNR in Your Community Without Doing It All by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)
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Reducing Shelter Admissions and Saving Lives with a Cat Help Desk (includes a Cat Help Desk handbook) by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)
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Resolving Neighbor Disputes - solutions to common concerns about outdoor cats (Word download)
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What About Complaints? Managing Communications When Your Organization Adopts a TNR or SNR Policy by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)
Fundraising/Development
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Best Fundraising Strategies During COVID-19 – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Amy Eisenstein (Listen)
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Best Ways to Turn Small Donors Into Bigger Donors – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Kim Klein (Listen)
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End-of-Year Fundraising Ideas webinar
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Fundraising for Animals in Challenging Times – Even a Pandemic by Bonney Brown and Dianne Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (webinar - external link)
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How to Get Over Dislike of Asking for Donations – Shelter Success Simplified podcast Episode 17 with Michael Mountain (Listen)
- Instructions for Donor Cultivation Thank You Calls (PDF)
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One Good Story Can Raise Funds to Save Lives by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)
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Pawsome Strategies for Raising More Money by Bonney Brown for Alley Cat Allies (webinar - external link)
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Sharing Stories to Raise Funds and Find Homes for Pets With Special Needs by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering magazine (PDF)
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Virtual Fundraising Event Planning for Animal Welfare Organizations by Bonney Brown and Dianne Blankenburg (PDF)
Hiring and Recruitment
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How to Hire for Executive-Level Positions – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Bonney Brown (Listen)
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Humane Network's Hiring and Recruitment sample documents for animal welfare organizations
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​Humane Network hiring philosophy and process (PDF)
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​Template: Applicant tracking form for Executive Director or CEO (Excel)
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Template: Comparison overview for Executive Director or CEO candidates (Word)
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​Template: Employee improvement plan (Word)
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Template: Employment offer letter (Word)
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​Template: Humane Network recruitment process and core competencies (Word)​
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​Template: Interview questions for an animal shelter rescue Executive Director (Word)​
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​Template: Job description and recruitment package Executive Director CEO animal shelter rescue (Word)
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Template: Job interview form and guidelines for animal welfare organizations (Word)
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​​Template: Orientation recommendations for Executive Director or CEO new hires (Word)
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​Template: Phone screening questions round 1 for job candidates (Word)
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​Template: Staff evaluation form for Executive Director or CEO job candidates (Word)
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​Template: Timeline and steps for job recruitment process (Word)​
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Tracking Document: Where to post job openings for Executive Director or CEO positions (Word)
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History of Animal Sheltering
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Speciesism - Alive and Well by Edward S. Duvin (PDF)
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In the Name of Mercy by Edward S. Duvin (PDF)
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The Killing Cure by Craig Brestrup, PhD (PDF)
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Unintended Consequences by Craig Brestrup, PhD (PDF)
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Prodigal Pets: A History of Animal Sheltering in America and the Origin of the No Kill Movement by Susan K. Houser (PDF ebook)
Keeping Pets in Homes/Pet Retention
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Nurturing the Bond: A sympathetic ear can go a long way to keeping pets in homes by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering magazine (PDF)
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Reducing Shelter Admissions and Saving Lives with a Cat Help Desk (includes a Cat Help Desk handbook) by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)
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Reducing Shelter Admissions With an Animal Help Desk by Bonney Brown for Maddie's Fund (PDF)
Leadership
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Bingo card sample for helping staff adopt new policies and procedures (PDF)
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Employee recognition
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How to Change a Judgmental Shelter Culture – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Gina Knepp (Listen)
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How to Get Your Staff to Function as a Team – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Diane Blankenburg (Listen)
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How We Did It - The Story of Nevada Humane Society's Successes by Bonney Brown and Diane Blankenburg
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Mission statements - explanation and samples by Humane Network (PDF)
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Organization self-assessment by Humane Network (PDF)
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Sailing Through the Changes: Lessons learned at Nevada Humane Society by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)
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Unleashing the Leader in You - keynote presentation by Bonney Brown at Maddie's Saving Nevada's Pets Conference
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Which Animal Are You?
Marketing & Communications
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Are Pets OK as Gifts? Sure, With Common Sense by Mark Robison (PDF​)
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The Art of Communication - Knowing What to Say to Boost Your Organizations Effectiveness by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)
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How to Get Media Attention for Your Animal Organization – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Mark Robison (Listen)
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How to Handle Haters on Social Media – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Gina Knepp (Listen)
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Lasting Impressions How to Get the Word Out About Your Organization by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)
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One Good Story Can Raise Funds to Save Lives by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)
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Sharing Stories, Saving Lives - Raising funds and finding homes for special needs pets by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)
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Tips for Taking Photos at Animal Shelters by Kimberly Wade, Mark Robison, and Bonney Brown (PDF)
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Why Free Pet Adoptions Are a Good Thing by Mark Robison (PDF​)
Operations and Programs
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Facial Recognition Technology Could Save Your Lost Pet by Mark Robison (PDF)
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How to Lower a Shelter's Animal Population and Keep It Down – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Denise Stevens (Listen)
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The Power of Taking a Walk by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)
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Newly added: Steps for planning an animal shelter (PDF)
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​Newly added: Creating a Plan for New Facility or Expansion of Services (PDF)
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Newly added: Volunteer ideas they can do at home during the pandemic (Word doc)
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Checklists:
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Template: Budget for an animal shelter or rescue group by Bonney Brown (Excel)
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Toolkit: Saving Cats and Kittens With a Foster Care Program by Diane Blankenburg and Bonney Brown for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)
Columns for General Public by Humane Network
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By Mark Robison, originally published in the Reno Gazette-Journal
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Is CBD Safe for Your Dog? Here’s What the Science Says (PDF)
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Adopting a New Cat? Here Are Tips for a Smooth Transition (PDF)
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Adopting a Feral Cat? Here’s Why You Might Want To and How To Keep Them Safe (PDF)
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Why Free Pet Adoptions Are a Good Thing (PDF)
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Should You Bathe Your Cat? Generally, No – Let Them Lick! (PDF)
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Pet Benefits: Dog Ownership Linked to 65% Drop in Death Risk After Heart Attack (PDF)
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Got Outdoor Cat Complaints? Try These Tips (PDF)
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Facial Recognition Technology Could Save Your Lost Pet (PDF)
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6 pawsome gift ideas for the dog lover in your life (PDF)
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Are Pets OK as Gifts? Sure, With Common Sense (PDF)
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Winter Pet Dangers: Some Ice Melts and Warm Engine Compartments (PDF)
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Simple Ideas to Improve Your Cat or Dogs Quality of Life (PDF)
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How to Help Pets With Your Personal Facebook Page (PDF)
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Pet Cremation: Here’s What to Expect (PDF)
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Want Your Dog to Live Longer? Studies Give Hints (PDF)
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Many Human Health Benefits Linked to Having a Pet (PDF)
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Want to help animals? Here’s what shelters want in a volunteer (PDF)
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Study: Cats bond with humans as much or more than dogs (PDF)
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Nevada shines in survey on cats and dogs (PDF)
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Spay neuter of 142 pets Wadsworth shows need in rural areas (PDF)
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By Bonney Brown, originally published in the Reno Gazette-Journal
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How to Include Pets in Your Family’s Wildfire Evacuation Plan (PDF)
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How to Make Your Garden Safe for Your Pets (PDF)
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How to Cope With a Pets Death (PDF)
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Tips From a Pet Detective on How Best to Find Your Lost Cat or Dog (PDF)
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What to do if you find a baby rabbit or bird (PDF)
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Cat’s Pajamas: Pets Find Their Way Into Everyday Expressions (PDF)
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Seeking a Pet This Holiday Season? Try Adoption (PDF)
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Can Animals Sense Impending Disaster? (PDF)
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Why People Often Look Like Their Pets (PDF)
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Cats’ Purring Found to Benefit Human Health (PDF)
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Podcast Episodes - Shelter Success Simplified
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Ep33 - New national initiative for lost-found pets — what it is, why join with Susanne Kogut of the Petco Foundation (Listen)
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Ep32 - How San Diego Humane Society developed successful virtual community engagement programs with Elkie Wills of San Diego Humane (Listen)
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Ep31 - When to release healthy, friendly free-roaming cats rather than adopting them out with Kate Hurley of Million Cat Challenge (Listen)
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Ep30 - How and why to expand access to veterinary care with Rick DuCharme, founder of First Coast No More Homeless Pets (Listen)
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Ep29 - When and how to change your logo and branding with Steve Goebel of Toe Shark Visual Communications (Listen)
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Ep28 - How shelter leaders can support their organizations' TNR programs with Becky Robinson of Alley Cat Allies (Listen)
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Ep27 - Developing partnerships with government agencies and other groups with Joy Smith of FieldHaven Feline Center (Listen)
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Ep26 - End-of-year fundraising tips and ideas with Diane Blankenburg and Bonney Brown of Humane Network (Listen)
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Ep25 - Basics to know about animal shelter finances and HR with Chelsea Staley of Petco Foundation (Listen)
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Ep24 - Tech solutions for animal foster care programs with Chris Roy, founder of Doobert (Listen)
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Ep23 - Safe animal handling advice for clinic and shelter staff with Kelley Bollen, CABC, MS (Listen)
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Ep22 - How to create a good nonprofit board of directors with Jill Vacchina-Dobbs of SPCA of Northern Nevada (Listen)
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Ep21 - Innovative animal shelter strategies inspired by COVID with Mike Arms of Helen Woodward Animal Center (Listen)
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Ep20 - What grant funders look for in grant applications with Chelsea Staley of Petco Foundation (Listen)
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Ep19 - Efficiencies and new processes for foster care with Cristie Kamiya of Humane Society Silicon Valley (Listen)
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Ep18 - How to better engage your community with storytelling about the human-animal bond with Carol Novello of Mutual Rescue (Listen)
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Ep17 - Ideas for animal shelter and rescue leaders to do now with Francis Battista of Best Friends Animal Society (Listen)
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Ep16 - How animal welfare organizations can improve access to veterinary care in their communities with Aimee St.Arnaud of Open Door Veterinary Care (Listen)
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Ep15 - Tips for shelter veterinary clinic efficiencies during COVID with Heather Sartorelli, Registered Veterinary Technician and founder of Clinic Mentorship Services (Listen)
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Ep14 - How Jacksonville (FL) Humane stayed open during COVID with Denise Deisler of Jacksonville (FL) Humane Society (Listen)
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Ep13 - Disaster preparation during COVID for animal shelters with Joe Elmore of Charleston (SC) Animal Society (Listen)
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Ep12 - Technology solutions and innovations for animal welfare groups with Stacy LeBaron of Community Cats Podcast (Listen)
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