How Shelter Consultations Save Lives Jennifer Morris, DVM Director of Shelter Medicine Atlanta Humane Society

Do You Know? Average LOS (Length Of Stay) of each type of animal in your care If you’re meeting the 5 freedoms for the animals in your care Rates of disease like Upper Respiratory Infection, Parvovirus, etc. Expenses at your organization associated with: Each LOS day per animal Care and medication for sick animals Basic vaccines and dewormers Cleaning chemicals Each spay/neuter surgery performed

Did You Know? LOS Quality of Care LRR $

The Purpose Shelter consultations help animals shelters meet their lifesaving goals while providing the best possible care for the animals. Usually also result in cost savings through the reduction of infectious disease (medications, veterinary care, staff time, increased LOS)

Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters (2010 - ASV) Good vs Poor practices Unacceptable – below the minimum standard Must – minimum standard of care Should – strongly recommended Ideal – best practices Not enforced by a regulating body A tool to establish minimum standards of care to maintain the Five Freedoms

The Five Freedoms

The Five Freedoms

What is a Shelter Consultation? Site visit to review: Facilities and animal housing Sanitation Nutrition Infectious disease prevention and control Surgical/veterinary services Talk with stakeholders (staff, management, board members) Poke around in cabinets 

What is a Shelter Consultation? Specific concerns of the organization addressed

What is a Shelter Consultation? Population data analysis C4C (capacity for care) SOP/protocol review Local ordinance review

Then What? Document and prioritize recommendations Deliver to stakeholders if requested Consultant will back you up! Follow up visits to determine new/ongoing needs

jmorris@atlantahumane.org