Sheltering services have been defined as essential in most communities, charging us with the collective responsibility to determine the “what” and “how” of providing necessary services in a way that best keeps communities, shelter staff and animals safe. That decision making process begins before an animal is admitted. Recognizing that each intake creates a cascade of risks, NACA guidelines, endorsed by national groups and shelter medicine programs, recommend taking active measures to eliminate non-essential intake while continuing to respond to emergency needs. In this hour-long webinar, Dr. Kate Hurley and Dr. Sandra Newbury will cover practical aspects of communicating intake policies and distinguishing between essential and non-essential intake for dogs, cats and kittens. We’ll cover, not only the most effective ways to message the change in services to your community but the most effective ways to engage them in our first priority during the Covid-19 crisis: keeping animals safely out of the shelter and at home with us.