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October 26, 2009

The HSUS Shelter Evaluation Program: Helping Shelters Help Communities

The Humane Society of the United States

A sweet Lab mix waits at a local animal shelter for a new family to love, but no one comes because the facility isn't open when working families can visit. Two beautiful calico kittens would be great pets, but they get lost in the crowd of hundreds of cats in the facility. And, the shelter doesn't provide a subsidized spay/neuter program or behavioral counseling, just two of the prevention measures that could help slow the steady march of homeless pets coming in its doors.

Our shelter evaluation program

Wanting to do more for their animals and their communities, municipal and non-profit animal sheltering agencies across the country are asking The Humane Society of the United States to help improve their programs and make their facilities more welcoming to families looking for a new best friend. Agencies also want to know how to improve their management practices, animal health procedures, and adoption programs.

The HSUS Shelter Evaluation Program is answering these calls. At a shelter's request, we assemble an expert team to provide a customized evaluation, including everything from animal handling to client service. We review background documentation from the agency, visit the site to see it first-hand, and then develop short- and long-term recommendations for improving the agency's operations and animal care.

Does your local shelter need a helping hand? Tell your shelter professionals about our program and encourage them to visit our website for more information at www.animalsheltering.org/shelterevaluations or e-mail us at shelterevaluations@humanesociety.org. Our experts are waiting to lend a hand!

Help is on the way

To ensure that our recommendations don't simply sit on a shelf, our team advises the shelter on setting up a task force to implement them—and we remain available to provide further help as needed.

"Basic changes in policies and procedures can result in higher quality animal care, stronger outreach programs, and improved community relations," explains Carolyn Machowski, manager of The HSUS Shelter Evaluation Program. "The changes we recommend elevate public awareness and support, so shelters can increase spaying and neutering, increase adoption rates, and reduce the need to euthanize animals."

Lending a hand

Since 1998 we have consulted with 25 agencies nationwide, from California to New York. Cost of consultations generally vary—depending on the size of the agency and the complexity of its programs—charged on a sliding scale based on the agency's resources.

Does your local shelter need a helping hand? Tell your shelter professionals about our program and encourage them to visit our website for more information at www.animalsheltering.org/shelterevaluations or e-mail us at asc@hsus.org. Our experts are waiting to lend a hand!