by Erin Henry VMD, DACVPM (Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Instructor)
Human to human transmission remains the most important source of infection with SARS CoV-2. Social distancing is crucial to helping flatten the curve.
The most important means of social distancing in animal shelters at this time, is decreasing intake to essential/emergent only (see links to NACA guidelines provided in previous blog posts), and getting as many animals out of the shelter as possible to decrease the amount of time that shelter staff need to spend at work each day. But are there ways to improve your social distancing report card even in the face of necessary interactions? Check out this summary of recommendations made by American Pets Alive for conducting adoptions safely.
Increase Adoptions
- If you haven’t already, begin practicing “Open Adoptions” techniques
- Cease mandatory checks (reference, veterinary, landlord) and other potential automatic “rejections”. Instead use polite conversation with potential adopters to determine the best fit, and guide them toward an appropriate match for them.
- Allow same day adoptions – the longer an animal stays in your care, the more animals you will have in your care, and the harder it will be to keep you and your staff safe!
Decrease Foot-traffic and Fomites
- Switch to adoptions by appointment to control the foot traffic in your shelter
- Eliminate the requirement for the entire family (dogs included) to meet the potential pet
- Instead focus on counseling the adopter on introducing your new pet to the family properly
- Make as much of the adoption process electronic/virtual as possible
- Convert your paper application to an online fillable questionnaire
- Utilize Facebook live, videos, photos, and social media- these can all be an effective way to market onsite pets so adopters do not have to walk the kennels to see who’s available.
- Have staff make videos of animals that show their personality, so a person doesn’t fall in love with a picture when the animal may not have the right personality for them!
- Consider “virtual” adoption meets – using Zoom, Google Hangouts or another online meeting platform!
- Complete your adoption counseling process over the phone or via video conference. This can include collection of the adoption fee!
- If no in person meet is needed, utilize a “drive thru” style adoption pick-up: owners wait in their car while a team member puts the pet in their vehicle.
Find the complete document with additional resources here: (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JY8wbJR7qqKwqoW4XJ5Joc47OPNfLXeNeaDAxtQOnL8/view)
