Open Adoption Resources ASPCApro.org Return rates: LASPCA 2% vs 13% CAS 7% vs 17%

ASPCA Adoption Ambassador Program Shelter ASPCA Adoption Ambassador Program Foster (Young, Sick) Ambassador (Healthy) Adopter

Design LASPCA (2011) Charleston AS (2012) Shelter Ambassador (healthy) Adoption (healthy) LASPCA (2011) Charleston AS (2012) Adopter Survey asked questions about previous pet ownership, sources of those pets, experience coming to rescue or other animal welfare org, how they learned about that pet, were they planning on adopting a pet before seeing this one, etc

Have you ever adopted from a shelter or rescue before? Ambassador (healthy) Adoption (healthy) 51% No 70% No Adopter Survey asked questions about previous pet ownership, sources of those pets, experience coming to rescue or other animal welfare org, how they learned about that pet, were they planning on adopting a pet before seeing this one, etc

Take-Aways from Ambassador Research Adopters already looking to adopt Informed decisions/expectations Easy for adopter to imagine life with dog Lower return rate Adopters learned about dog in variety of ways Take-Aways from Ambassador Research Return rates: LASPCA 2% vs 13% CAS 7% vs 17%

Impact of Program Increase your reach Increase community awareness Increase number & type of foster homes Reach new adopters Save more lives http://www.aspcapro.org/ambassadors Impact of Program

Adoption Ambassadors Sariah Hopkins, Executive Director Safe Harbor Equine and Livestock Sanctuary

Handing Over the Reins Foster homes know the horses best Speed up your adoption process Share the workload of adoption Adoptions should be exciting! Foster homes feel success and satisfaction Handing Over the Reins

Traits of An Adoption Ambassador Desired Traits Active on social media Organized Good communicator Enjoys spending time with foster and taking photos/videos Responds to emails and phone calls promptly Provides feedback to rescue regularly Positive attitude about rescue, horses, and adoption. Independent, and understands policies Not Desired Addicted to social media Uses poor grammar and punctuation Presents controversial or offensive material Non-responsive to emails and phone calls Takes low-quality photos (blurry, weird angles, too many selfies) Extremely introverted Needs rescue support for all things foster related Traits of An Adoption Ambassador

It’s Easier Thank You Think! Our foster homes don’t have time to do site visits. Solution: Replace the site visit with the reference check of vets or farriers and have professionals provide your site visit information Our foster homes don’t have access to the data they need. Solution: Cloud based storage and databases put data at everyone’s finger tips. We use RescueGroups.org and Google Drive We don’t want our foster homes accepting cash checks. Solution: Pay the fee online through donation link or Paypal We don’t know how to train foster homes to do this. Solution: Contact Safe Harbor for templates It’s Easier Thank You Think!

Key Points To Ponder Foster homes: not all are adoption ambassadors Facebook: Keep a secret FB group for your foster homes Advertise: Use farm signs, car signs, shirts, flyers, etc. Be realistic: Support ambassadors but realize may not be for everyone Reward your people: But..Remember it’s all about the horses Key Points To Ponder

Heather Mohan-Gibbons (ASPCA) heather. mohan-gibbons@aspca Heather Mohan-Gibbons (ASPCA) heather.mohan-gibbons@aspca.org Suzanne D’Alonzo (HSUS) sdalonzo@humanesociety.org Sariah Hopkins (Safe Harbor) Adoption Ambassadors sariah@safeharborsanctuary.org