Resources

Adoptions     Animal Behavior     Animal Services     Boards of Directors     Community Assessment     Community Cats/RTF/TNR

Customer Services     Disaster Preparedness     Fundraising/Development    Hiring & Recruitment     History of Animal Sheltering     

 Keeping Pets in Homes/Pet Retention     Leadership     Marketing & Communications     Operations & Programs

Columns for General Public by Humane Network     Podcast Episodes

Adoptions

• Turbocharging Pet Adoptions and Community Engagement by Bonney Brown (PDF)

• Marketing to Dramatically Increase and Sustain Adoptions by Bonney Brown for ASPCAPro (webinar – external link)

• The True Cost and Value of Pet Adoptions by Bonney Brown for ASPCAPro (webinar – external link

• Creating Adoption Processes That Truly Support Saving Lives by Bonney Brown for ASPCAPro (webinar – external link)

• 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)

• Marketing Treatable Pets: Every Creature Has a Story by Bonney Brown for Maddie’s Fund (video – external link)

• Adopting a New Dog? Here Are Tips for a Smooth Transition by Kelley Bollen (PDF)

• Adopting a New Cat? Here Are Tips for a Smooth Transition by Mark Robison (PDF)

• Adopting a Feral Cat? Here’s Why You Might Want To and How To Keep Them Safe by Mark Robison (PDF​)

• Seeking a Pet This Holiday Season? Try Adoption by Bonney Brown (PDF)

• Examples of adoption promotion videos – all external links:

  • Adopt a Black Pet for Nevada Humane Society (video)

  • Adopt a Hamster by Humane Network's Ryan Petersen for Nevada SPCA (video)

  • Adoption Entrance Dance for Nevada Humane Society (video)

  • Bruce, a handsome cat from Nevada Humane Society who will do tricks for treats! (video)

  • How to Save a Life for Nevada Humane Society (video)

  • Home for the Holidays PSA: Cat for Nevada Humane Society (video)

  • Home for the Holidays PSA: Dog for Nevada Humane Society (video)

  • Home for the Holidays PSA: Trooper Chuck Allen for Nevada Humane Society (video)   

  • June Is Adopt a Cat Month at Nevada Humane Society (video)​

Animal Behavior

• Best Ways to Ways to Enrich Lives of Animals in Shelters – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Kelley Bollen (Listen)

• Best Ways to Reduce Stress in Shelter Animals – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Kelley Bollen (Listen)

• Cat Behavior webinar by Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC for Alley Cat Allies

  • Understanding Your Feline Friend – Part 1 of 3 (webinar – external link)

  • Behavioral Enrichment for Your Cat – Part 2 of 3 (webinar – external link)

  • Common Behavior Problems in Cats – Part 3 of 3 (webinar – external link)

• Managing Destructive Scratching Behavior in Cats by Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC for Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine

  • Welcome ​– Part 1 of 6 (video – external link)

  • Why Do Cats Scratch – Part 2 of 6 (video – external link)

  • Selecting a Scratching Post – Part 3 of 6 (video – external link)

  • Placing the Scratching Post – Part 4 of 6 (video – external link)

  • Positive Reinforcement and Discouragement – Part 5 of 6 (video – external link)

  • Managing Claws – Part 6 of 6 (video – external link)

• More Than Just A Pretty Face – The Amazingness of Our Feline and Canine Friends by Kelley Bollen (video – external link)

• ​Newly added: How to Help People Resolve Some Common Behavior Problems and Keep Their Pets - conference presentation by Kelley Bollen (video – external link)

• Stress Recognition and Enrichment for Shelter Cats and Dogs by Kelley Bollen (video – external link)

• Articles to help adopters with pet behavior questions by Kelley Bollen, MS, CABC:

  • Adopting a New Dog? Here Are Tips for a Smooth Transition (PDF)

  • Can My Cat Go Outside? Yes, If Done Safely (PDF)

  • Does My Dog Know the Difference Between Right and Wrong? (PDF​)

  • How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Jumping on People? (PDF​)

  • How to Enrich the Life of a Bored Indoor Cat (PDF​)

  • How to Handle Chewing by Your New Dog (PDF​)

  • How to Make Vet Visits Less Scary for Your Dog or Cat (PDF​)

  • How to prepare pets for arrival of a new baby (PDF​)

  • How to stop your cat from scratching furniture (PDF​)

  • How to teach your dog come and stay commands (PDF​)

  • How to teach your dog to bark less (PDF​)

  • Resource Guarding Tips for Dogs Who Growl Over Toys or Food (PDF​)

  • Tips for dogs with separation anxiety (PDF​)

  • What to do when your dog pulls on the leash (PDF)

  • Why Does My Cat Keep Attacking Me – and How Do I Redirect Her? (PDF​)

  • Why Your Cat Is Hiding and How to Help Her Feel Safe (PDF)

Animal Services

• What About Complaints? Managing Communications When Your Organization Adopts a TNR or SNR Policy by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)

• 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

• Humane Network’s Board Recruitment and Development Sample Documents by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg

  • Nonprofit Board Meeting Minutes – What Needs to Be in Them (Word)​

  • Template: Ballot for Officers of Nonprofit Board of Directors (Word)​

  • Template: Nonprofit Board Candidate Information packet (Word)​

  • Template: Nonprofit Board Meeting Agenda (Word)​

  • Template: Nonprofit Board Member Agreement (Word)​

  • Template: Nonprofit Board of Directors Candidate Application (Word)​

  • Template: Nonprofit Board of Directors Candidate Final Interview Form (Word)​

  • Template: Questions to ask nonprofit board candidates Round 1 and 2 (Word)​

  • Template: Spreadsheet for assessing nonprofit board member applicants (Excel)​

• Having 'The Talk' With Your Board of Directors by Bonney Brown from Animal Sheltering magazine (PDF)

Community Assessment

• Assessing Your Community to Save More Animals’ Lives by Bonney Brown – originally for Maddie’s Fund (webinar)

Community Cats/RTF/TNR

• How to Support TNR in Your Community Without Doing It All by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)

• 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)

• What About Complaints? Managing Communications When Your Organization Adopts a TNR or SNR Policy by Bonney Brown & Diane Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)

• Adopting a Feral Cat? Here’s Why You Might Want To and How To Keep Them Safe by Mark Robison (PDF​)

• Got Outdoor Cat Complaints? Try These Tips by Mark Robison (PDF​)

Customer Services

• Checklist for great customer service (Word doc)

• Customer Services self-paced training module for animal welfare organizations by Diane Blankenburg (PDF)

Disaster Preparedness

• Disaster Proofing a Community Cat Colony by Bonney Brown for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)

• How to Include Pets in Your Family Disaster Preparedness Plan by Bonney Brown for Alley Cat Allies (PDF)

Fundraising/Development

• Newly added: End-of-Year Fundraising Ideas webinar 

  • PDF of PowerPoint from the webinar with Bonney Brown and Diane Blankenburg (PDF)

  • Video of the webinar and Q&A (watch - external link)

• Best Fundraising Strategies During COVID-19 – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Amy Eisenstein (Listen)

• Fundraising for Animals in Challenging Times – Even a Pandemic by Bonney Brown and Dianne Blankenburg for Alley Cat Allies (webinar - external link)

• Virtual Fundraising Event Planning for Animal Welfare Organizations by Bonney Brown and Dianne Blankenburg (PDF)

• Best Ways to Turn Small Donors Into Bigger Donors – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Kim Klein (Listen)

• How to Get Over Dislike of Asking for Donations – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Michael Mountain (Listen)

• One Good Story Can Raise Funds to Save Lives by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)

• Pawsome Strategies for Raising More Money by Bonney Brown for Alley Cat Allies (webinar - external link)

• Sharing Stories to Raise Funds and Find Homes for Pets With Special Needs by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering magazine (PDF)

Hiring and Recruitment

• How to Hire for Executive-Level Positions – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Bonney Brown (Listen)

• Humane Network's Hiring and Recruitment sample documents for animal welfare organizations

  • ​Humane Network hiring philosophy and process (PDF)

  • ​Template: Applicant tracking form for Executive Director or CEO (Excel)

  • Template: Comparison overview for Executive Director or CEO candidates (Word)

  • ​Template: Employee improvement plan (Word)

  • Template: Employment offer letter (Word)

  • ​Template: Humane Network recruitment process and core competencies (Word)​

  • ​Template: Interview questions for an animal shelter rescue Executive Director (Word)​

  • ​Template: Job description and recruitment package Executive Director CEO animal shelter rescue (Word)

  • Template: Job interview form and guidelines for animal welfare organizations (Word)

  • ​​Template: Orientation recommendations for Executive Director or CEO new hires (Word)

  • ​Template: Phone screening questions round 1 for job candidates (Word)

  • ​Template: Staff evaluation form for Executive Director or CEO job candidates (Word)

  • ​Template: Timeline and steps for job recruitment process (Word)​

  • Tracking Document: Where to post job openings for Executive Director or CEO positions (Word)

History of Animal Sheltering

• Speciesism - Alive and Well by Edward S. Duvin (PDF)

• In the Name of Mercy by Edward S. Duvin (PDF)

• The Killing Cure by Craig Brestrup, PhD (PDF)

• Unintended Consequences by Craig Brestrup, PhD (PDF)

• 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

• Nurturing the Bond: A sympathetic ear can go a long way to keeping pets in homes by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering magazine (PDF)

• 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)

• Reducing Shelter Admissions With an Animal Help Desk by Bonney Brown for Maddie's Fund (PDF)

Leadership

• Newly added: Bingo card sample for helping staff adopt new policies and procedures (PDF)

• How to Change a Judgmental Shelter Culture – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Gina Knepp (Listen)

• How to Get Your Staff to Function as a Team – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Diane Blankenburg (Listen)

• How We Did It - The Story of Nevada Humane Society's Successes by Bonney Brown and Diane Blankenburg 

  • PDF booklet

  • PDF of PowerPoint presentation

• Sailing Through the Changes: Lessons learned at Nevada Humane Society by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)

• Unleashing the Leader in You - keynote presentation by Bonney Brown at Maddie's Saving Nevada's Pets Conference

  • Video (coming soon)

  • PowerPoint presentation (coming soon)

  • Handout: Organizational self-assessment (PDF)

  • Handout: Self-analysis chart and big things (PDF)

Marketing & Communications

• Are Pets OK as Gifts? Sure, With Common Sense by Mark Robison (PDF​)

• The Art of Communication - Knowing What to Say to Boost Your Organizations Effectiveness by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)

• How to Get Media Attention for Your Animal Organization – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Mark Robison (Listen)

• How to Handle Haters on Social Media – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Gina Knepp (Listen)

• Lasting Impressions How to Get the Word Out About Your Organization by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)

• One Good Story Can Raise Funds to Save Lives by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)

• Sharing Stories, Saving Lives - Raising funds and finding homes for special needs pets by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)

• Tips for Taking Photos at Animal Shelters by Kimberly Wade, Mark Robison, and Bonney Brown (PDF)

• Why Free Pet Adoptions Are a Good Thing by Mark Robison (PDF​)

Operations and Programs

• Facial Recognition Technology Could Save Your Lost Pet by Mark Robison (PDF)

• How to Lower a Shelter's Animal Population and Keep It Down – Shelter Success Simplified podcast with Denise Stevens (Listen)

• The Power of Taking a Walk by Bonney Brown for Animal Sheltering Magazine (PDF)

• Newly added: Steps for planning an animal shelter (PDF)

• Newly added: Volunteer ideas they can do at home during the pandemic (Word doc)

• Checklists:

  • Shelter Walk Through  (PDF)

  • Make Your Shelter a Welcoming Place (PDF)

• Template: Budget for an animal shelter or rescue group by Bonney Brown (Excel)

• 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

• By Mark Robison, originally published in the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • Is CBD Safe for Your Dog? Here’s What the Science Says (PDF)

  • Adopting a New Cat? Here Are Tips for a Smooth Transition (PDF)

  • Adopting a Feral Cat? Here’s Why You Might Want To and How To Keep Them Safe (PDF)

  • Why Free Pet Adoptions Are a Good Thing (PDF)

  • Should You Bathe Your Cat? Generally, No – Let Them Lick! (PDF)

  • Pet Benefits: Dog Ownership Linked to 65% Drop in Death Risk After Heart Attack (PDF)

  • Got Outdoor Cat Complaints? Try These Tips (PDF)

  • Facial Recognition Technology Could Save Your Lost Pet (PDF)

  • 6 pawsome gift ideas for the dog lover in your life (PDF)

  • Are Pets OK as Gifts? Sure, With Common Sense (PDF)

  • Winter Pet Dangers: Some Ice Melts and Warm Engine Compartments (PDF)

  • Simple Ideas to Improve Your Cat or Dogs Quality of Life (PDF)

  • How to Help Pets With Your Personal Facebook Page (PDF)

  • Pet Cremation: Here’s What to Expect (PDF)

  • Want Your Dog to Live Longer? Studies Give Hints (PDF)

  • Many Human Health Benefits Linked to Having a Pet (PDF)

  • Want to help animals? Here’s what shelters want in a volunteer (PDF)

  • Study: Cats bond with humans as much or more than dogs (PDF)

  • Nevada shines in survey on cats and dogs (PDF)

  • Spay neuter of 142 pets Wadsworth shows need in rural areas (PDF)

• By Bonney Brown, originally published in the Reno Gazette-Journal

  • How to Include Pets in Your Family’s Wildfire Evacuation Plan (PDF)

  • How to Make Your Garden Safe for Your Pets (PDF)

  • How to Cope With a Pets Death (PDF)

  • Tips From a Pet Detective on How Best to Find Your Lost Cat or Dog (PDF)

  • What to do if you find a baby rabbit or bird (PDF)

    • I Found a Baby Bird - Now What? by Shannon K. Jacobs (PDF)

    • I Found a Baby Mammal (rabbit, squirrel, mouse, etc.) - Now What? by Shannon K. Jacobs (PDF)

  • Cat’s Pajamas: Pets Find Their Way Into Everyday Expressions (PDF)

  • Seeking a Pet This Holiday Season? Try Adoption (PDF)

  • Can Animals Sense Impending Disaster? (PDF)

  • Why People Often Look Like Their Pets (PDF)

  • Cats’ Purring Found to Benefit Human Health (PDF)

Podcast Episodes - Shelter Success Simplified

• Ep26 - End-of-year fundraising tips and ideas with Diane Blankenburg and Bonney Brown of Humane Network (Listen)

• Ep25 - Basics to know about animal shelter finances and HR with Chelsea Staley of Petco Foundation (Listen)

• Ep24 - Tech solutions for animal foster care programs with Chris Roy, founder of Doobert (Listen)

• Ep23 - Safe animal handling advice for clinic and shelter staff with Kelley Bollen, CABC, MS (Listen)

• Ep22 - How to create a good nonprofit board of directors with Jill Vacchina-Dobbs of SPCA of Northern Nevada (Listen)

• Ep21 - Innovative animal shelter strategies inspired by COVID with Mike Arms of Helen Woodward Animal Center (Listen)

• Ep20 - What grant funders look for in grant applications with Chelsea Staley of Petco Foundation (Listen)

• Ep19 - Efficiencies and new processes for foster care with Cristie Kamiya of Humane Society Silicon Valley (Listen)

• Ep18 - How to better engage your community with storytelling about the human-animal bond with Carol Novello of Mutual Rescue (Listen)

• Ep17 - Ideas for animal shelter and rescue leaders to do now with Francis Battista of Best Friends Animal Society (Listen)

• Ep16 - How animal welfare organizations can improve access to veterinary care in their communities with Aimee St.Arnaud of Open Door Veterinary Care (Listen) 

• Ep15 - Tips for shelter veterinary clinic efficiencies during COVID with Heather Sartorelli, Registered Veterinary Technician and founder of Clinic Mentorship Services (Listen)

• Ep14 - How Jacksonville (FL) Humane stayed open during COVID with Denise Deisler of Jacksonville (FL) Humane Society (Listen)

• Ep13 - Disaster preparation during COVID for animal shelters with Joe Elmore of Charleston (SC) Animal Society (Listen)

• Ep12 - Technology solutions and innovations for animal welfare groups with Stacy LeBaron of Community Cats Podcast (Listen)