Pathway planning has been a central principle of shelter medicine for years: animals entering the shelter have a timely plan for their humane outcome identified at that point of entry based on their initial evaluation. Keeping animals out of shelters, and streamlining their pathway if they do enter the shelter, are priorities. This process has not changed during COVID-19 and central elements of population management in shelters are even more magnified at this time: plans need to more efficient and transparent than ever.
Balance is essential. Given that animals will continue to enter the shelter during this time, it is essential that humane outcomes, including adoption and foster, remain open.
Shelters offer an essential service, but not all of their functions are essential. Like many other essential services, including human and veterinary hospitals, shelters should be prioritizing emergency services at this time.
- Divert intake: intake into shelter should be limited to emergency presentations, e.g. sick and injured animals, dangerous dogs, cruelty cases, and other animals at imminent risk.
- Fast track to adoption or foster: for healthy animals, or those with mild illness, fast-tracking the animals to homes in the community is essential to reducing time in shelter for shelter staff, and maintaining humane care in the shelter.
- Provide for necessary public services and animal welfare functions: focus on sick and injured animals, dangerous dogs, animal cruelty cases, and public assistance for our communities, including providing pet food support.
- Reduce the number of people in the shelter: all services should be managed remotely as much as possible, including online documents and meetings, foster care, and record keeping.
Take your shelter from this typical model…
To this emergency model …
You might notice from my diagrams that the work of the shelter has not been decreased by COVID-19, but re-distributed; this is our best chance of ensuring humane outcomes for all creatures in the shelter, whether dog, cat, ferret, bird, hamster, or human. Stay safe out there shelties. #ThankstoMaddie #sheltermedicinechangeseverything
