Rescuing Dogs and Cats at Risk of Unnecessary Euthanasia

Rescuing Dogs & Cats at Risk of Unnecessary Euthanasia

• Only focus on those with no other options for a live outcome

• We always defer

• Saved by another option = we are able to save someone else

Identifying Who is “At Risk”

Deemed “unadoptable” by the shelter and “At Risk” of being euthanized

Other Rescue Groups have declined saving Owner reclaim options have been exhausted

Following these guidelines allowed us to …

Be sure the lives we saved were ones that would have been lost

Easy to track our direct impact on the shelter’s euthanasia rate

Ultimately more lives saved, through no duplication of efforts

First Steps

Identifying your Rescue Capabilities & Opportunities

• Rescues: Taking into your program• Alternative Rescues: Seeking adoption directly from the shelter

• Capacity• Resources• Adoption Capabilities• Golden Rule: Intake numbers need to match adoption

numbers closely so you don’t get ahead of yourself. As your adoption program grows, so will your ability to save more animals

Taking Rescues into our Program

Alternative Rescues

• Shelter Reconsideration• Owner or “Source” Reclaim• Other Rescue Groups – Breed/activity related• “In Shelter” Marketing – Facebook , Craigslist• Talking to the public• Reviewing shelter notes for interested parties

These save on average 30 animals per month

Working with the shelter you will be saving lives from

Schedule a meeting to discuss what your group will be doing

and how you can work together

Meeting Topics:

• How can you identify the dogs and cats "at risk" daily• Do they have a report? What information will it contain?• Will they allow you access to the “at risk” animals?• What medical work will be done?• How do you know they will be safe from euthanasia?• How long will you have to decide or act?• How do you obtain copies of records for the animals you

are pulling?

Forming the Rescue Team(s)Manager

EvaluatorsAdditional Support

• Oversees the program• Decides who will enter the program• Follows the “Golden Rule” guidelines• Clear understanding of “Adoptability”• Trains, creates and enforces Protocols

T

Manager

• Conscious of Team’s emotions

Evaluators

• Evaluates the “At Risk” animals• Difficult Job: Stay focused on lives we can save• Dependable and compassionate

Who can join? Everyone! Anyone! Additional duties

• Photographers/Videographers• Marketing - Posting at risk animals on social

media i.e. Craig’s List, Facebook• Administrative - Assisting with paperwork/data

entry

Communication between Rescue Team and the Shelter

• Who is authorized to “place an animal on hold for your group”?

• Who is authorized to “confirm” that your group will take an animal?

• Who is authorized to pick up an animal for you?

• Who do they contact and how if they have questions?

Key Lines of CommunicationRescue Team

Public

Your group’s volunteers

Shelter Staff

Shelter Volunteers

MANAGER

Obstacles we encountered in the beginning

• Obtaining the true “euthanasia list”

• Figuring out how to work with the

support available at the shelter

• Negativity

• Dealing with emotions

• Learning to cope with our limitations

Typical Day for Our Rescue Team

Reviewing Notes

Evaluating AnimalsDogs:• Approach, how do they do being

approached in the kennel• Can they be easily leashed and

walked to a play yard• Did they react to other dogs while

walking to the play yard?• Can they be easily handled, can they

be comfortably restrained?• Do they know any commands• Any health concerns seen or noted

by shelter or previous owner?• Any behavioral concerns seen or

noted by shelter or previous owner?

Cats:• Do they welcome petting?• Can all four of their paws

be lifted slightly off the kennel floor?

• Any health concerns seen or noted by shelter or previous owner?

• Any behavioral concerns seen or noted by shelter or previous owner?

Evaluator Shares Results with Rescue Manager

Manager Decisions

• Space limitations• Capabilities• Adoptability• Alternative Options

Adoptability

• What resources do you have for medical and behavioral issues?• Identify types you can most easily adopt out

– Puppies and young dogs– Kittens and young cats– Small breed dogs– Large Breeds without major behavior concerns– Unique breeds, colors– Good with other animals

• Temperaments most easily adopted– Can the average person handle them?– Are they safe for a child to handle?– Are they good with other dogs and cats?– Are they doing well in the stressful shelter environment?

Who will get adopted the quickest so another life can be saved?

Notification

Complete “Hold Sheet”

Turn in one copy to shelter and keep a copy for yourself

Once shelter has updated their records ask them to print updated “at risk” list

Check updated report to make sure the animals you are working on saving have been removed from the euthanasia

Daily Summaries & UpdatesEvaluator summarizes the results of evaluations and shares with entire team as to who is being pulled, worked on for Alternative Placement or “Released” from your hold

Transport Team for those leaving the

shelter the next day

Manager Updates

Medical Team for those who’s medical records need review

Foster Team for those who will be needing a foster

Lessons Learned • Small Dog Protocol• Recognize your Evaluators Strengths & Weaknesses• Things are not always what they appear– Think it through– Read the notes– Pay attention

• Trainers & behaviorist often willing to help• Independent Medical Reviews• Engage shelter staff

Small Dog Protocol

Strengths & Weaknesses

Things are not always what they appear“Happy Girl”

Trainers & Behaviorists

Independent medical reviews“Chance”

Engage Shelter Staff

Ongoing Obstacles of the Rescue Team

• Attention to “Golden Rule”• Growth and adapting to change• Emotions• Working with the shelter

Priorities of a Successful Rescue Team?• Following the “Golden Rule”• Staying positive and focused on the lives

you can save• Dedication and creativity of the

volunteers• Professionalism, respectful representation

of your group and No Kill• Supporting one another

Sustainability

We were not going to let ourselves get ahead of our capabilities and threaten our sustainability.

When we started rescuing in 2008 the euthanasia rate was over 50% at the city shelter.

• Within about 6 months we began to place all puppies under 4 months

• Over the next year, were able to do the same for adult dogs under 25 lbs, bottle baby puppies and most large adult dogs without serious behavioral/training issues

• Less than a year after that, we have been able to save all “At Risk” kittens , bottle baby kittens, and adult cats without serious behavioral concerns.

• Two and a half years after we started, our shelter reached a 90% save rate, and we were saving many of the animals “at risk” and we are continuing to work toward saving the rest

Our Numbers

For a more complete explanation of our numbers please visit our website at www.austinpetsalive.org

PeriodPets Killed at TLAC

TLAC Euth Rate

Pets Pulled by APA from TLAC'S Euth List

% Reduction in TLAC's Euth Rate due to APA!

FY '08 9,946 50% n/a n/aFY '09 6,161 31% 1,783 22%FY '10 5,931 27% 2,974 33%

FY '11 YTD 1,898 11% 2,592 58%

Expansion

Since 2011, we have been able to expand

our rescue program to assist communities

outside of Austin when space allows.

Support

Many samples of the protocols, documents, and communications are included in the manual as well as on the CD

Questions