Tan and white puppy with paws on half door

Out With the Old, In With the New: Switching Gears to Managed Intake

Learn how changing your intake procedures saves lives, keeps families together, and fosters a positive relationship with your community. In this town hall panelists walks you through their experience implementing this program from kick-off to tracking your progress and managing detractors.

Makena Yarbrough, senior director of regional programs for Best Friends is joined for this town hall by:

Michelle Dosson, bureau manager, Norfolk Animal Care & Adoption Center
Jill Mollohan, associate director, Lynchburg Humane Society

Audience Q&A

There is a stigma to having uneducated people rehome their own pets for fear of the pets welfare. How is that working statistically? - 37:08
Do you find that some good Samaritans that might have taken in a pet are hesitant because they think the shelter will not accept them? - 41:11
Where do you track all of these conversations? Is there a system you use? - 42:26
For Norfolk - what database do use? Advice on how you set up a daily report so it's quick and as nice looking yours? - 43:02
How do you manage owner surrenders that are already impounded in the facility from out in the field? This is when an owner comes in to claim but wants to surrender to the shelter. - 44:05
Do you have low cost spay/neuter programs for repeat owner surrenders of puppy litters? - 45:35
Would either/both orgs mind sharing their intake #s before and after implementing this practice? - 53:31
A lot of this process revolves around technology, how would you amend the program if technology was a problem? In my state, many people do not have internet access so on-line posting is not always an option. - 56:43
If owner/surrender comparisons are available, that would be great! We are trying to gather data to help communicate the why, the benefit of this to stakeholders, etc by using this - big municipal contract cut from COVID budget impact. Thanks so much this!! Great job! - 57:47
For a shelter who may want to do this but will never have the staff for it, are there roles u find volunteers can help with to get a program started? what are some? - 58:25
Do either of your organizations have a temporary foster program for pet owners that only need temporary housing and want to get their pet back? - 59:24