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

2. 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

3. Did You Know?
LOS
Quality of Care
LRR $

4. 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)

5. 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

6. The Five Freedoms

7. The Five Freedoms

8. 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 

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

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

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