Times They Are A-Changin

The impacts of COVID-19 on every aspect of life are immeasurable and animal welfare is no exception. However, one of the greatest realizations to emerge from the pandemic is that real change is possible in our field.

In this three part Best Friends Town Hall mini-series, we dove into navigating the landscape of change, especially as it pertains to leveraging our communities and removing barriers to support lifesaving work. 

In parts one and two, we heard from Best Friends staff members and network partners who worked through shifting organizational operations and underwent personal transformations in their lifesaving journey. In the final town hall of the series, all the panelists returned for a live discussion where no question was off limits.

Moderators:

• Bethany Heins, director, operations & strategic projects, national programs
• Makena Yarbrough, senior director of regional programs

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3 
 

VIDEOS, WEBINARS, & PODCAST

• The Best Friends Podcast Episode 26 - Removing Lifesaving Barriers
• CARE Are We Looking for Reasons Not to Adopt?
• Moving Beyond Bias with CARE

DOWNLOADABLE PDFs, PLAYBOOKS, & SOPs

• Best Friends Roadblock Free Campaign
• Montgomery County Ohio study on search methods for lost cats

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & INFORMATION

• Julie Castle's blog- Pet adoption policies: More red carpets, fewer roadblocks, empty animal shelters
• HSUS Adopters Welcome Manual
• Fear Free article on behavior evaluations in shelters
• ASPCA reversal on shelter behavior evaluations
  • New York Times
  • Maddie's Fund
  • National Canine Research Council
• BF Editorial: Reflecting on Rescue Roadblocks
• BF Editorial: Removing Rescue Roadblocks
• BF Editorial: Whats Next: Reducing Racism in Animal Welfare
• BF Magazine: The Case of the Missing Cat
• Missing Animal Response Network: Lost Pet Help
• Search Methods Used to Locate Missing Cats and Locations Where Missing Cats Are Found

Meet the Panel

Denise Deisler

executive director, 
Jacksonville Humane Society

Destiny Haney

community cat program manager, 
Best Friends Animal Society

Heather Owen

executive director, 
One Tail at a Time

Jackie Roach

founder, 
Taysia Blue

Kristan McCormick

transport coordinator, 
embed programs 
Best Friends Animal Society

Stacy Rogers

midwest regional director, 
Best Friends Animal Society

If you enjoyed this town hall, you can find our complete catalog of town halls here.