Safety Net Programs to Support Pet Ownership: Creating Strategic, Impactful Programs that Make a Difference

Programs that support pet ownership in the community not only help animals stay in homes but can improve their well-being while at home. These safety net programs can also help people and support the human-animal bond. But how best to do this? What programs will help and how do you decide which to implement at your organization? How can you tell if you are achieving your objective and making a difference? This presentation includes a description of common safety net programs and research into their efficacy. A strategic decision-making matrix is shared to help organizations decide which programs to implement and how to best determine a program’s outcomes. Supporting pet ownership through community programming is the future of animal sheltering; being strategic and adaptive when selecting and implementing these programs will enable your shelter to successfully achieve the goals of reducing surrenders, maximizing pet retention, improving well-being, and supporting the human-animal bond.

This presentation was recorded at the 2022 ASPCA Maddie's Cornell Shelter Medicine Conference.

Speakers: Seana Dowling-Guyer, MS 

This program has been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.

keywords 2022 ASPCA Maddie's Cornell Shelter Medicine Conference, safety net programs, community outreach, supporting pet ownership, animal wellbeing, human animal bond, community programs for pet support, pet retention, animal shelter operations