Shelter Learniverse and Industry-Wide Calendar

Blog

  • Webinar – 3/13/25 – Maddie’s Insights: Helping the Helpers – Improving Shelter Staff Well-Being – Maddie’s Fund

    Webinar – 3/13/25 – Maddie’s Insights: Helping the Helpers – Improving Shelter Staff Well-Being – Maddie’s Fund

    Shelters and rescue groups have shown great resilience, finding innovative ways to save animals despite major challenges. However, many workers face burnout and compassion fatigue, leading some to leave the field.

    In 2023, Best Friends conducted the largest U.S. survey on shelter staff well-being. Nearly half of respondents reported high compassion satisfaction, and most plan to stay in their roles. Yet, over half showed high burnout, and over 90% had high compassion fatigue, raising concerns about staff well-being and the sustainability of lifesaving efforts.

    This presentation will focus on positive solutions and how shelters can learn from veterinary well-being practices to support staff and volunteers.

    Have questions or comments about this topic? Engage with our guest speaker on this Maddie’s Pet Forum discussion thread. https://maddies.fund/MIwebcast03132025

    Register now: http://maddies.fund/MIwebcastsRegister

  • Webinar – 2/27/25 – Building Collective Momentum: Strategies to Increase Transfers and Adoptions  – Best Friends

    Webinar – 2/27/25 – Building Collective Momentum: Strategies to Increase Transfers and Adoptions  – Best Friends

    Recent national data highlights a concerning trend: both adoptions at receiving rescues and shelters and transfers from source shelters are down, on average. This challenge offers an important opportunity to rethink how we can support one another and create lifesaving momentum in the animal welfare ecosystem. Join us for a discussion on how strategic transfer partnerships and open adoption practices can boost our collective impact and save more lives.

    Hear from panelists with expertise leading both open intake and limited intake organizations. Suzette Cruz, Executive Director at Palm Valley Animal Society, and Jess Bridges, Shelter Operations Manager at Peninsula SPCA, will share their best strategies for starting and maintaining strong transfer and/or transport partnerships, as well as maximizing community adoptions.

    Learn how to partner up for maximum impact on the lives of pets and people. Register now and join live on Thursday, February 27 at 5pm ET.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://bestfriends-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/6417367106034/WN_4mGsgNy4RzuqsMKwh8IlRg#/registration

  • Online Event – 3/18/25 – Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition – Live Q&A Follow Up Session – Maddie’s Fund

    Online Event – 3/18/25 – Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition – Live Q&A Follow Up Session – Maddie’s Fund

    Prepare for Kitten Season with expert guidance!

    Join us in this follow live question and answer session on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT. This will provide time for your team to catch up on any sessions they may have missed from Camp Maddie Kitten’s first day on March 4th, to browse the extensive collection of supporting documents, protocols, and forms, and to bring forward any remaining questions and obstacles encountered in enhancing your kitten programs.

    Topics will include:

    • The role of community cat programs in saving kittens
    • Developing kitten foster programs that are effective, safe, and fun
    • Medical protocols tailored for kitten care in shelters and rescues
    • Behavior and socialization protocols for raising confident, friendly kittens

    Join us for this invaluable opportunity to learn from the best in the field and ensure you are prepared to make a difference in the lives of more kittens this season!

    Each presentation has been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) approval. They have also 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.

    WEBSITE LINK: http://maddies.fund/CampMaddieKittenRegistration

  • Online Event – 5/6/25 – All Call: Boosting Adoptions with Bilingual Support – California for All Animals

    Online Event – 5/6/25 – All Call: Boosting Adoptions with Bilingual Support – California for All Animals

    Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to engage all members of our communities. Starting February 18, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice, is coming to the All Call to strengthen our capacity to do just that.

    Are you passionate about increasing adoptions, foster, return to home, and keeping more pets and people together? Do you want to learn and share practical strategies for building relationships with diverse communities? This community is for you!

    On May 6, Director Alma Torres will discuss the Fresno Animal Center team’s approach to community engagement. Join the call to learn how Fresno is fostering a more inclusive organizational culture and advancing welcoming practices, including reaching more adopters by offering bilingual support.

    Through June 3, the All Call will provide a space for learning, sharing, and networking with colleagues dedicated to building stronger connections with all segments of their communities. You’ll hear how California shelters are advancing culturally-responsive programming and building bridges to decrease length of stay and increase positive outcomes for animals, as well as the shelter staff and community members who care for them.

    About the All Call

    The All Call is a twice-monthly, California community call for animal well-being professionals that occurs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. The one-hour call is a dedicated space to share and learn from each other. Popular topics include initiatives that create a more inclusive culture for both staff and community, programs that keep pets with their people, industry trends, research studies, as well as the hard stuff, like what’s not working or what is particularly difficult during times of scarcity. The call is a mix of presentations, storytelling, open discussion, and Q&A time.

    The All Call is hosted by California for All team members Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna, and Ivy Ruiz, and is enriched by rotating facilitators. You only need to register one time. Calls are sometimes recorded; recap emails with supplemental resources are sent post-call.

    Register: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

     


    Ahora, más que nunca, es esencial que todos los miembros de nuestras comunidades participen. A partir del 18 de febrero, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice (Colaborando para mascotas: Una comunidad de práctica multicultural), llegará a All Call para reforzar nuestra capacidad de hacer precisamente eso.

    ¿Le apasiona aumentar las adopciones, el cuidado temporal, el regreso a casa y mantener juntos a más mascotas y personas? ¿Quiere aprender y compartir estrategias prácticas para cultivar relaciones con comunidades diversas? ¡Esta comunidad es para ti!

    Hasta el 3 de junio, el All Call ofrecerá un espacio para aprender, compartir y establecer contactos con colegas dedicados a construir conexiones más fuertes con todos los segmentos de sus comunidades. Escuchará cómo los refugios de California están avanzando en programas culturalmente responsables y construyendo puentes para reducir la estancia y aumentar los resultados positivos para los animales, y también para el personal del refugio y los miembros de la comunidad que los cuidan.

    Acerca de All Call

    All Call es una llamada comunitaria que se realiza dos veces al mes para profesionales del bienestar animal en California, los primeros y terceros martes. La llamada de una hora es un espacio dedicado a compartir y aprender unos de otros. Los temas más populares incluyen iniciativas que crean una cultura más inclusiva tanto para el personal como para la comunidad, programas que mantienen a las mascotas con su familia, tendencias de la industria, estudios, y también temas difíciles, como lo que no funciona o lo que es particularmente difícil en tiempos de crisis. La sesión es una mezcla de presentaciones, historias, debate abierto y tiempo para preguntas y respuestas.

    All Call está organizada por Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna e Ivy Ruiz, miembros del equipo de California For All, y se complementa con facilitadores rotativos. Sólo es necesario inscribirse una vez. En ocasiones, las llamadas se graban; después de la llamada se envían correos electrónicos de resumida con recursos adicionales.

    Regístrese: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

  • Online Event – 4/1/25 – All Call – Community Cat Programs: Supporting Kittens and Cats in Their Communities – California for All Animals

    Online Event – 4/1/25 – All Call – Community Cat Programs: Supporting Kittens and Cats in Their Communities – California for All Animals

    Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to engage all members of our communities. Starting February 18, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice, is coming to the All Call to strengthen our capacity to do just that.

    Are you passionate about increasing adoptions, foster, return to home, and keeping more pets and people together? Do you want to learn and share practical strategies for building relationships with diverse communities? This community is for you!

    April 1 Topic: Supporting Kittens and Cats in Their Communities. Register to join us.

    At the next session, we’ll be joined by Claudia Otis (Founder and Executive Director, The Little Lion Foundation) for an open discussion on how community cat programming can support kittens and cats as well as the community members who care for them. Add your voice and experience to the conversation, and make sure to invite your community cat program colleagues! If you’ve already registered for the All Call, all you need to do is join the call at 12 p.m. PT.

    Through June 3, the All Call will provide a space for learning, sharing, and networking with colleagues dedicated to building stronger connections with all segments of their communities. You’ll hear how California shelters are advancing culturally-responsive programming and building bridges to decrease length of stay and increase positive outcomes for animals, as well as the shelter staff and community members who care for them.

    About the All Call

    The All Call is a twice-monthly, California community call for animal well-being professionals that occurs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. The one-hour call is a dedicated space to share and learn from each other. Popular topics include initiatives that create a more inclusive culture for both staff and community, programs that keep pets with their people, industry trends, research studies, as well as the hard stuff, like what’s not working or what is particularly difficult during times of scarcity. The call is a mix of presentations, storytelling, open discussion, and Q&A time.

    The All Call is hosted by California for All team members Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna, and Ivy Ruiz, and is enriched by rotating facilitators. You only need to register one time. Calls are sometimes recorded; recap emails with supplemental resources are sent post-call.

    Register: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

     


    Ahora, más que nunca, es esencial que todos los miembros de nuestras comunidades participen. A partir del 18 de febrero, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice (Colaborando para mascotas: Una comunidad de práctica multicultural), llegará a All Call para reforzar nuestra capacidad de hacer precisamente eso.

    ¿Le apasiona aumentar las adopciones, el cuidado temporal, el regreso a casa y mantener juntos a más mascotas y personas? ¿Quiere aprender y compartir estrategias prácticas para cultivar relaciones con comunidades diversas? ¡Esta comunidad es para ti!

    Hasta el 3 de junio, el All Call ofrecerá un espacio para aprender, compartir y establecer contactos con colegas dedicados a construir conexiones más fuertes con todos los segmentos de sus comunidades. Escuchará cómo los refugios de California están avanzando en programas culturalmente responsables y construyendo puentes para reducir la estancia y aumentar los resultados positivos para los animales, y también para el personal del refugio y los miembros de la comunidad que los cuidan.

    Acerca de All Call

    All Call es una llamada comunitaria que se realiza dos veces al mes para profesionales del bienestar animal en California, los primeros y terceros martes. La llamada de una hora es un espacio dedicado a compartir y aprender unos de otros. Los temas más populares incluyen iniciativas que crean una cultura más inclusiva tanto para el personal como para la comunidad, programas que mantienen a las mascotas con su familia, tendencias de la industria, estudios, y también temas difíciles, como lo que no funciona o lo que es particularmente difícil en tiempos de crisis. La sesión es una mezcla de presentaciones, historias, debate abierto y tiempo para preguntas y respuestas.

    All Call está organizada por Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna e Ivy Ruiz, miembros del equipo de California For All, y se complementa con facilitadores rotativos. Sólo es necesario inscribirse una vez. En ocasiones, las llamadas se graban; después de la llamada se envían correos electrónicos de resumida con recursos adicionales.

    Regístrese: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

  • Webinar – 2/19/25 – Clear the Air: Assessing and Improving Indoor Air Quality in Animal Shelters – UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program

    Webinar – 2/19/25 – Clear the Air: Assessing and Improving Indoor Air Quality in Animal Shelters – UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program

    Are you struggling with offensive odors, excess humidity, or persistent respiratory disease problems in your animal shelter?

    We can’t see the air around us, but we know it’s an important factor in the health and well-being of animals and people. How can you measure ventilation? What is a MERV rating? Is that air purifier in the cat ward helping? Join us for answers to your biggest questions, plus practical recommendations on currently available tools to improve air quality—including some promising new technology.

    Join us Wednesday, February 19, from 10-11am Pacific for “Clear the Air: Practical methods for assessing and improving indoor air quality in animal shelters.“ By the end of this webinar, you’ll be able to:

    • Assess your shelter’s air quality and its relationship to animal health
    • Identify immediate, low- or no-cost steps you can take to improve air quality
    • Evaluate air purifier options

    Ready for a breath of fresh air? Learn how to create healthier breathing environments in your facility today, clearing the way to better outcomes for sheltered animals and the people who care for them. Have questions now? Ask them when you register for the webinar and we’ll make sure you get answers!

    Brought to you by the facilities team at the UCD Koret Shelter Medicine Program: Drs. Becky Stuntebeck and Denae Wagner.

    Register and ask your questions now: https://sheltermedicine.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k6Qbq6JnQJuIb86JjrG7oQ#/registration

  • Online Event – 3/18/25 – All Call: Fostering Community Support Through Social Work in Animal Sheltering – California for All Animals

    Online Event – 3/18/25 – All Call: Fostering Community Support Through Social Work in Animal Sheltering – California for All Animals

    Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to engage all members of our communities. Starting February 18, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice, is coming to the All Call to strengthen our capacity to do just that.

    Are you passionate about increasing adoptions, foster, return to home, and keeping more pets and people together? Do you want to learn and share practical strategies for building relationships with diverse communities? This community is for you!

    March 18 Topic: Fostering Community Support Through Social Work in Animal Sheltering with Monika Khuc, LMFT, WAGS Pet Adoption. Register to join us.

    Join the call on March 18 to learn how Monika Khuc, LMFT and Community Support Manager at WAGS Pet Adoption in Westminster, California, helped implement a social work-informed approach to address barriers faced by diverse communities, including the Vietnamese community. By centering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles, WAGS prioritized the human-animal bond and keeping pets and families together.

    This approach ensured culturally sensitive outreach, resource navigation, and tailored support, such as bilingual support, fostering equity and access to vital animal welfare services for all. This ensured all community members, including the Vietnamese community, had equitable access to vital animal welfare services, fostering a sense of belonging and strengthening the human-animal bond across all communities.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

    At this session, you’ll discover strategies for creating programming that validates and reflects the diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences of community members. This approach addresses barriers that might otherwise separate pets from the people who care for them.

    Through June 3, the All Call will provide a space for learning, sharing, and networking with colleagues dedicated to building stronger connections with all segments of their communities. You’ll hear how California shelters are advancing culturally-responsive programming and building bridges to decrease length of stay and increase positive outcomes for animals, as well as the shelter staff and community members who care for them.

    About the All Call

    The All Call is a twice-monthly, California community call for animal well-being professionals that occurs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. The one-hour call is a dedicated space to share and learn from each other. Popular topics include initiatives that create a more inclusive culture for both staff and community, programs that keep pets with their people, industry trends, research studies, as well as the hard stuff, like what’s not working or what is particularly difficult during times of scarcity. The call is a mix of presentations, storytelling, open discussion, and Q&A time.

    The All Call is hosted by California for All team members Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna, and Ivy Ruiz, and is enriched by rotating facilitators. You only need to register one time. Calls are sometimes recorded; recap emails with supplemental resources are sent post-call.

    Register: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

     


    Ahora, más que nunca, es esencial que todos los miembros de nuestras comunidades participen. A partir del 18 de febrero, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice (Colaborando para mascotas: Una comunidad de práctica multicultural), llegará a All Call para reforzar nuestra capacidad de hacer precisamente eso.

    ¿Le apasiona aumentar las adopciones, el cuidado temporal, el regreso a casa y mantener juntos a más mascotas y personas? ¿Quiere aprender y compartir estrategias prácticas para cultivar relaciones con comunidades diversas? ¡Esta comunidad es para ti!

    Hasta el 3 de junio, el All Call ofrecerá un espacio para aprender, compartir y establecer contactos con colegas dedicados a construir conexiones más fuertes con todos los segmentos de sus comunidades. Escuchará cómo los refugios de California están avanzando en programas culturalmente responsables y construyendo puentes para reducir la estancia y aumentar los resultados positivos para los animales, y también para el personal del refugio y los miembros de la comunidad que los cuidan.

    Acerca de All Call

    All Call es una llamada comunitaria que se realiza dos veces al mes para profesionales del bienestar animal en California, los primeros y terceros martes. La llamada de una hora es un espacio dedicado a compartir y aprender unos de otros. Los temas más populares incluyen iniciativas que crean una cultura más inclusiva tanto para el personal como para la comunidad, programas que mantienen a las mascotas con su familia, tendencias de la industria, estudios, y también temas difíciles, como lo que no funciona o lo que es particularmente difícil en tiempos de crisis. La sesión es una mezcla de presentaciones, historias, debate abierto y tiempo para preguntas y respuestas.

    All Call está organizada por Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna e Ivy Ruiz, miembros del equipo de California For All, y se complementa con facilitadores rotativos. Sólo es necesario inscribirse una vez. En ocasiones, las llamadas se graban; después de la llamada se envían correos electrónicos de resumida con recursos adicionales.

    Regístrese: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

  • Online Event – 2/18/25 – All Call: Understanding Your Community Part 1 – California for All Animals

    Online Event – 2/18/25 – All Call: Understanding Your Community Part 1 – California for All Animals

    Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to engage all members of our communities. Starting February 18, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice, is coming to the All Call to strengthen our capacity to do just that.

    Are you passionate about increasing adoptions, foster, return to home, and keeping more pets and people together? Do you want to learn and share practical strategies for building relationships with diverse communities? This community is for you!

    February 18 Topic: Understanding Your Community Part 1, a discussion with the Cal for All team and Patitas y Palabras. Register to join us.

    Through June 3, the All Call will provide a space for learning, sharing, and networking with colleagues dedicated to building stronger connections with all segments of their communities. You’ll hear how California shelters are advancing culturally-responsive programming and building bridges to decrease length of stay and increase positive outcomes for animals, as well as the shelter staff and community members who care for them.

    About the All Call

    The All Call is a twice-monthly, California community call for animal well-being professionals that occurs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. The one-hour call is a dedicated space to share and learn from each other. Popular topics include initiatives that create a more inclusive culture for both staff and community, programs that keep pets with their people, industry trends, research studies, as well as the hard stuff, like what’s not working or what is particularly difficult during times of scarcity. The call is a mix of presentations, storytelling, open discussion, and Q&A time.

    The All Call is hosted by California for All team members Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna, and Ivy Ruiz, and is enriched by rotating facilitators. You only need to register one time. Calls are sometimes recorded; recap emails with supplemental resources are sent post-call.

    Register here: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

  • Webinar – 3/25/25 – An Introduction to Understanding Trauma in Dogs – IAVSW

    Webinar – 3/25/25 – An Introduction to Understanding Trauma in Dogs – IAVSW

    Trauma and its negative impacts are not solely constrained to humans. There is an ever-growing body of evidence that other animals, including dogs, can also experience post-traumatic stress which may have significant and long-lasting impacts on their cognitive function and behaviour. This session will explore what trauma is and what can cause it, the potential impacts of trauma in dogs and end by providing some key tips on how to support dogs who have been subjected to some form of trauma.

    Please note that the session may include discussions of human/animal cruelty and neglect which some attendees may find distressing.

    Learning Outcomes: 

    1. Understand trauma and its causes.
    2. Understand how traumatic experiences can impact dogs.
    3. Understand basic trauma-informed strategies to support traumatised dogs.

    Speaker: Maya Badham, CEO and Founder of Safeguarding Animal & Human Survivors of Sexual and Domestic Abuse (SAHSDA), UK

    WEBSITE LINK: https://iavsw.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1925243&group=

  • Webinar – 2/6/25 – From Data to Dollars: Making Your Municipal Shelter’s Case for Funding – Best Friends

    Webinar – 2/6/25 – From Data to Dollars: Making Your Municipal Shelter’s Case for Funding – Best Friends

    In the high-stakes world of government animal shelters, every decision counts—especially when it comes to funding. Shelter leaders know a budget cut can be the difference between life and death for the animals in their care. In this webinar, we’ll help you navigate these challenges with the tools and knowledge to make a data-driven case for your funding. Using data from shelter management software, Census reports, Shelter Pet Data Alliance, and more, you can present a compelling, fact-based argument for keeping or even increasing the budget you need to continue your lifesaving work.

    Our expert panel includes three experienced leaders who have navigated the challenges of government shelter management: Whitney Bollinger, Director of Strategy and Network Operations, Best Friends Animal Society; Kelsey Knight, Manager, Washington Parish Animal Shelter; and Scott Trebatoski, Director, Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center.

    Gain practical insights on how to leverage data to secure your budget. Register now and join live on Thursday, February 6, at 5pm ET.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://bestfriends-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/6017344450526/WN_KfRPE0y5SYiijul_aFpweg#/registration