MMPC Learniverse – Animal Intake Requirements and Holding Periods - Legal Considerations with Shelter PALS
-
Enroll
- All Users - Free!
When it comes to daily shelter activities, the most common questions, and greatest confusion, revolve around intake (if, when, who) of animals, and the applicable holding periods once intake occurs.
This course will discuss the laws that shape intake and holding periods for animals in shelters in the state of California (but the basic concepts and discussion points will apply to all states). You’ll learn the California-specific state mandates and requirements surrounding intake, exceptions surrounding holding periods, and how to determine holding periods in various situations. If you're not in California let this information guide you in what to research in your own state.
Knowing which animals should enter the shelter and how long they must stay is crucial to prioritizing intake of the animals who truly need to be at your shelter and minimizing length of stay in shelters for those animals.
As part of the Maddie's® Million Pet Challenge Learniverse program, Bruce Wagman, Lead Counsel for San Francisco SPCA's Shelter Policy and Legal Services (Shelter PALS) program, covers intake and holding periods for animal shelters in the state of California. The country’s first and only legal aid organization dedicated exclusively to the needs of animal shelters, Shelter PALS leverages the expertise of the best minds in animal welfare and channels significant legal aid to animal shelters.
- Learn more about SF SPCA's Shelter PALS
- Learn more about Maddie's®️ Million Pet Challenge Learniverse. #ThankstoMaddie
This short, self-paced course has been approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by National Animal Care and Control Association.
This course has been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit until November 8, 2026 in jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval. Upon completing the course and passing the quiz, upload your certificate to https://CEBroker.com. This is the broker used by the AAVSB to track your continuing education credits.
Keywords: Animal care laws, intake, holding periods, legal, holds, holding, period, laws, ordinances, mandates, stray, hold, owner, surrender, public, shelter, private
PLEASE CONTACT: learniverse@sheltermedportal.com if you have any questions or concerns about this course.
With the Maddie’s®️ Million Pet Challenge, the Five Key Initiatives of the Million Cat Challenge have expanded to include other species at risk in shelters and evolved into the Four Rights.
Within the Four Rights, every element works in concert to support one another: animals and people are treated as individuals, empowering shelter staff to make the best decisions for everyone; community safety net services are in place and flourishing; and humane care within the shelter is provided, with appropriate outcomes for the animals that do come in, allowing shelters to deliver the Right Care, in the Right Place, at the Right Time, and to the Right Outcome
This course focuses on understanding intake requirements and holding periods that can help your shelter make sure animals are in the Right Place for the Right Time.
Learn more about Maddie's®️ Million Pet Challenge Learniverse. #ThankstoMaddie
You can also join the discussion about these concepts over on Maddie's Pet Forum in the Shelter PALS Legal Series Discussion Group.
Click to visit the Discussion Group (will open in a new window/tab).
Key:
Complete
Next
Failed
Available
LockedWe have a dedicated discussion group on Maddie's Pet Forum to discuss the Shelter PALS Legal Series. Bring your questions, comments, thoughts, and suggestions, or just see what others are thinking about these ideas.
Bruce Wagman
Lead Counsel
San Francisco SPCA - Shelter Policy and Legal Services (Shelter PALS)
For almost three decades, Bruce Wagman has been using his legal education and well-honed skills to help animals in all sectors of society, and benefit both society and the animals themselves. He is the only lawyer running an exclusive animal law practice in a major United States firm. He litigates, drafts animal-friendly legislation, oversees rescue operations, and consults clients who care for and protect animals. He has published two major works, the leading casebook for law schools nationwide—Animal Law: Cases and Materials—and a global survey of animal laws, A Worldview of Animal Law, the only global survey of animal law. Bruce also founded Project Chimps, a chimpanzee sanctuary that is home to chimpanzees retired from a research laboratory. Bruce’s clients include numerous animal protection organizations as well as private individuals. He has worked on behalf of many species, including alpacas, bears, birds, cats, chickens, chinchillas, chimpanzees, cows, deer, dogs, dolphins, ducks, elephants, elk, ferrets, geese, goats, gorillas, horses (domestic and wild), lions, mice, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, sharks, turkeys, whales, and wolves. In addition to his role as Lead Counsel of Shelter PALS, Bruce currently serves as Of Counsel at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP.
Learn more about the San Francisco SPCA - Shelter Policy and Legal Services (Shelter PALS)
Search this site