Tabby kitten in a stainless steel kennel

Manuals, Handbooks, & Playbooks

Best Friends recognizes that the world of animal sheltering is a fast-moving, ever-changing environment with new lifesaving programs popping up all the time. Some of the most tried and true programs have proven to be critical in today’s daily operations, yet some agencies struggle with implementing them or even knowing where to start! That’s why we have assembled these operational playbooks as recipe cards to get you started. What you will find here are basic starting points on what you will need to get these programs up and running and some resources to take you to the next level.

Manuals

Handbooks

Toolkits

Playbooks

Manuals

Humane Animal Control Manual- In the Humane Animal Control manual, you will find a road map for progressive, community-based animal care and control. Best Friends Animal Society has assembled a collection of descriptions of our country’s most successful lifesaving programs, written by those who helped make them possible. Whether you’re a municipal employee new to this field or a seasoned veteran, we hope that this publication will empower you and your agency to expand the level of service you bring to the people and animals in your community.

Kitten Foster Manual- Best Friends' kitten foster care manual has information on preparing for, bringing home and caring for a foster kitten to prepare him or her for a forever home. This manual was written specifically for use by Best Friends in Utah. Please feel free to tailor content to suit your individual organization's unique requirements.

Length of Stay Manual- The guiding principle in animal sheltering is providing for the welfare of the animals housed within the shelter. In many organizations, balancing animal welfare science and physical space limitations can present significant lifesaving challenges. As proven lifesaving strategies and shelter medicine continue to evolve, so should shelters’ procedures, programs and protocols in pursuit of providing humane care for the animals. When measuring your shelter’s proficiency in these lifesaving areas, it is critical to analyze the average length of stay (LOS) for animals.

Onboarding and Training New Animal Care Staff- This customizable manual can be used to provide an overview of duties and responsibilities for new animal care staff members.

People, Pets, and Policies: Towards Community Supported Animal Sheltering- Together with IMLA (International Municipal Lawyers Association), we have created the following comprehensive guide to provide municipalities with programs and policies that encourage the humane treatment of animals. The chapters included in the manual address topics such as pet inclusive public housing, empowering animal field officers, integrating animal services and municipal departments, managing feral cat populations, foster care, adoption services, volunteering at animal shelters, public and private partnerships, and breed-neutral policies and laws.

Handbooks

Community Cat Programs Handbook- Community cat programs (CCPs) are an integral part of operations for animal shelters across the U.S. This humane, fiscally responsible and effective programming provides an immediate, lasting response for cats in and out of shelters, frees up valuable resources and increases adoption of cats not eligible for return. The revised version of the Community Cat Programs Handbook is fully updated with the latest research and effective practices to start or enhance a CCP.

Toolkits

Emergency Preparedness Toolkit- The Best Friends Emergency Preparedness Toolkit is geared towards shelter agencies, rescues, boarding facilities, or veterinary clinics that have been impacted by a disaster or are concerned about the impacts of a disaster, as well as shelters that are contracted by their municipality to provide support during an emergency response.