The goal of KC Pet Project is to take the city's 40 year old, open admisstion animal shelter and make it into a no kill shelter. Where as recently as 4 years ago the shelter only saved 40% of the roughly 8,000 animals that enter the shelter -- in 2012, KCPP's first in operation, the shelter saved 86%.
Part of our marketing plan was to open a secondary adoption location. The location not only gives us slightly more room for animal housing, but also gives us a second permanent presence for people to find our adoptable pets. When we opened the secondary location on November 13, our goal was to adopt out 200 pets over the next 2 months. Well, we bested that, adopting out about 240 pets during that timeframe.
Not only has the retail adoption facility given us more opportunities for adoptions, it has also allowed us to do a lot of "friendmaking" in an area of the city that is 30 minutes (more than 20 miles) from our main shelter location, in an area of the city that is naturally divided by the Missouri River.
It's been a huge opportunity for KC Pet Project, and we're thrilled to have signed a 12 month lease with them recently to continue the success. And thanks for tomorrow's feature in the Kansas City Star on the location that will help let even more people know that we're there. Be sure to click on the link as it has a very good slide show of the location so you can get a feel for how it looks.
And on a personal note, there is a picture that includes a lot of our retail items that has a picture of one of our adopted dogs above it with her tongue hanging out. That pictured dog is Zola, a dog we fostered for about a week so she could overcome kennel cough and be ready for adoption up there and she may have been the smartest dog ever -- learning sit, shake, down, "hops", and rollover within about 5 days. She was pretty awesome and got adopted within an hour of us delivering her to the Zona Rosa location on Black Friday.
For the past 10 months I've been providing updates on KC Pet Project's progress toward taking the Kansas City, MO animal shelter to an open-admission, no kill shelter.
Over the past 10 months, we have been able to save 84% of the dogs and cats that have entered our shelter -- and have saved more than 90% since July 1.
But intake remains high, and ongoing, and with a shelter in an out-of-the-way location, we'll need to keep adoption high over the holidays.
So next Tuesday (November 13), KC Pet Project will be opening a retail adoption center at Zona Rosa shopping center. The retail adoption center will remain open throughout the holidays and is set to close January 15. This is a picture of the outside of the center (although the graphics are not yet complete, this is what it will look like).
The center will house about 25-35 dogs and cats available for adoption (and possibly any other small mammels that we get into the shelter) and will also have a variety of pet-related merchandise for sale.
For those of you not familiar with the geography of Kansas City, let me take a minute to describe. There are essentially 3 main geography dividers in the Kansas City metropolitan area: the state line, that divides Missouri from Kansas, and the Missouri River, that divides Kansas City, MO North/South.
Currently, the three largest shelters in the metro all operate South of the river, two on the Missouri side, and one in Kansas. The Zona Rosa location will give KC Pet Project a significant footprint in Kansas City, MO, North of the River. And Zona Rosa is the highest-trafficked retail shopping district North of the River -- so we should have a TON of foot-traffic in and out of the store (and hopefully a lot of adoptions to match). The location will give us a 7-day-a-week retail adoption area, that will be open 12-ish hours a day in one of the fastest-growing areas of the city.
We're very excited.
We were able to obtain the space because like many retail destinations in this economy, there are a handful of openings spaces that they were looking to fill for the holidays and they were very gracious to provide the space to us as a not-for-profit for a below-market rate.
As we continue to move toward our no-kill goal, we continue to look for opportunities to increase adoptions in order to keep up with our daily supply. This is another great opportunity for us to do so.
Like always, I will update this blog with some adoption results (and more pictures of the inside of the space) as we get the store open and begin adoptions.
This is a fairly new study published again by the folks at the ASPCAPro. The topic of this one is Why do adopters choose the particular animal they choose at a shelter?
The study asked 1,491 adopters seven questions to determine what it was about a particular pet that led them to choose that particular pet for adoption.
The most important factor for cat adoptions was "behavior with people"(27%). For dogs, Appearance was most important -- also at 27%. I would suspect this difference would be primarily because of the more variance in appearance among dogs than cats. Interestingly, kittens were more likely to be chosen based on their appearance than adult cats and more so than because of their behavior. There was less difference between puppies and dogs.
Another question was asked: "What did this pet do when you first met him or her?" In otherwords, what type of first impression did the pet make.
For cats, 19.8% approached or greeted, 13.4% vocalized and 9.3% rubbed/leaned on.
For dogs, 23% approached or greeted, 14.8% licked and 9.4% jumped up/climbed on.
For Kittens, they were more likely to vocalize, and play, than approach or rub on. Again, the difference between dogs and puppies was not as major.
When listing what elements were important in determining adopt an animal the results were very interesting:
Kitten Adult Cat Puppy Adult Dog
Physical Appearance 63% 66% 77% 75%
Age 78% 64% 75% 66%
Behavior w/ People 69% 78% 74% 78%
Playfulness 67% 54% 64% 58%
Sex 44% 35% 45% 35%
Health 50% 51% 45% 49%
Energy Level 45% 44% 56% 56%
Behavior when by himself 26% 26% 34% 29%
Behavior toward other animals 19% 25% 27% 32%
Reco from staff or volunteer 13% 22% 16% 24%
Special adoption offer 2.2% 5.9% 2.9% 7%
Wanted to help animal 13% 21% 23% 24%
Adopters for cats and dogs note that more than 75% of the time the most important source of information about that animal came from a staff or volunteer, around 45% said from their cage card and 30-35% said from the internet. Information received was about health, behavior and prior life experiences (in that order).
Discussion thoughts:
- While adoptions specials may encourage adoption in general, they don't appear to have a huge influence on individual choice of animals.
- Dogs and cats approaching adopters was an important factor for adopters which suggests the importance of social greeting behavior in shelters. Teaching approach behaviors may help animals to become adopted.
-- Staff and volunteers are an extremely important source of information about animals -- way moreso than the internet -- proving the importance of customer service in shelters.
-- Interacting directly with a dog or cat is more important than seeing the pet behind a cage door. Providing areas and opportunities for adopters to spend time with pets outside of the kennel can be valuable.
-- Because appearance was so important in the adoption of puppies/kittens, shelter staff could benefit by providing potential adopters more emphasis on behaviors and personality to create a better match.
-- On a personal note, I was surprised at how low energy level scored in importance -- when it may very well be the most important factor in a good match for adopters -- particularly for dogs.
Earlier this week, the fine folks over at the ASPCA Pro Blog posted the video below. It is a presentation from a recent TED presenation. For those not familiar with TED, it is a series of presentations that has been going on for years now that features thought leaders on a variety of different topics.
The speaker in this presentation is Tali Sharot --and the topic of this discussion is "optimism bias".
For those of you not familiar with the concept of Optimism Bias (and about 80% of us have it) -- it essentially the idea that we are more optimistic, than realistic about ourselves and our own strengths. In general, we are more optimistic about our ability to have a successful marriage, have successful children, about our ability to get along with others, our driving ability, how interesting we are, how attractive we are and how honest we are. The reality is that about 80% of us think we're better than average drivers, at getting along well with others and more honest than everyone else.
Statistically this obviously can't be true (even though I do think the readers of this blog are extraordinary).
The ASPCA Pro blog then notes that this plays a role in screening pet adoptors as well. We have a tendency to overestimate our own abilities as pet owners, and underestimate the ability of others. And thus, during the adoption screening process, we are often quick to disqualify others from owning pets for doing many of the things we ourselves have done.
Do you or your organization decline potential adopters if you...
--- ever had a pet hit by a car
-- ever had a dog escape confinement and roam at large (at which point, the getting hit by a car is often just dumb luck)
-- ever lied on an adoption application
-- you don't have a fenced yard
-- you don't take your dogs for a walk at least twice per day
-- ever had a pet that produced a litter
-- ever disobeyed a city law, or apartment building guidelines to keep a pet, or
-- ever fell behind on a pet's vaccinations
I think most people, even in animal welfare, if they're honest, will have violated one or more of these policies.
A few years ago I was in a meeting with our city's animal control director with a room full of animal rescue folks, and at one point I dared request that the city consider eliminating it's pet limit (which is currently four). The majority of the people in the room were not pleased with my request -- because they wanted the law to get after hoarders, and abusers. I then just kindly asked for a show of hands of anyone in the room (all animal rescuers) that was currently living within the city's pet limit. No one raised their hands. Not one.
But see, THEY were good pet owners (and no doubt most of them were, and stil are), but they then projected others, in the same situation, as bad pet owners.
Having biases is natural. Most of us have them. But understanding them is really important if we are to make fact-based decisions -- so we base them on facts, not our own biases.
So here are a couple of thoughts:
1) The vast majority of people who come to adopt are good pet owners, or at least desire to be good pet owners. While there are some people who we should deny for adoption, most strive to be good pet owners (even if they're not perfect). Give them the information they need to be successful. Be a resource for them when they get in a bind. And more often than not the pet will be rewarded with a happy home.
2) As yourself realistically if you or your staff would be allowed to adopt from your own shelter. If the answer is no, you're being far too strict in your adoption requirements.
I enjoyed the post, and the TED Talk presentation. Biases are something I've always been interested in and this is a particularly good talk about one specific bias. For more info about bias in decision-making:
"Obviously, there are thousands of animals at shelters in Kansas City, and I think a lot of groups go out of their way to make it hard for people to adopt. Kansas City is a metropolitan area. A lot of people live in lofts, condos and apartments. They don’t have backyards. But that doesn’t mean they can’t offer a good home."
This is my quote in an article written by a frustrated Kansas City reporter who was looking to adopt a Boxer and was denied by several rescues for not having a yard, and by another because she already had a dog of the same gender at home (even though she was adopting a puppy and her dog at home got along better with same gender dogs) and had other groups who failed to even return her calls or emails. So she wrote a story about the experience, and strict adoption requirements at shelters and rescues.
I have no idea why so many groups still hold onto blanket policies like this. This doesn't mean you're adopting to bad homes, it just means you have to ask the right questions and match the right people with the right dogs and cats.
Thanks Jenee for telling your story and for letting me be a part of it.
Shelters and rescues exist primarily for two reasons -- to be a safe haven for homeless pets until they find their forever home and to help these pets find their homes.
And yet, every year around this time, I find it amazing at how many shelters and rescues are actively out DISCOURAGING adoptions -- which is exactly the opposite of what their goal should be.
Meanwhile, Marji had a blog posting this week that featured another bad advertisement with the headline "What are YOU returning this holiday season? Sweaters don't die when returned. Dogs are not gifts" -- featuring, of course, a dog in a jail cell.
Twitter and Facebook continue to be littered with similar messages - -that actively discouraging adoptions. It's painful to witness -- as these shelters are discouraging adoption while animals remain in shelters waiting to be adopted.
Anyone else see a disconnect?
Yes, it's true that sometimes people make bad decisions about giving pets as gifts for the holidays to people who don't neccessarily want, or need, a pet.
And yet, the holidays can be an awesome time for families to adopt. Most people have a lot of time off during the holidays to spend working the new puppy into the family home. And puppies can make great gifts for the entire family -- as long as everyone is at the table to help in the decision-making and selection process.
Last weekend at our shelter, a family came in looking for a pet for the holidays. All five members of the family were there: mother, father, and three kids. The youngest daughter kept saying to her mother "Puppy, Christmas? Puppy Christmas?" It was sweet, and the familly was there picking out the dog together -- with the parents fully understanding the long-term commitment of adoption as some volunteers helped pair them up with a dog that would fit their family lifestyle. Why would we disourage this?
There are plenty of ways to responsibly adopt around the holidays -- and this is something we should ENCOURAGE, not discourage. So encourage people to adopt responsibly during the holidays. Encourage them to bring the entire family to your shelter to meet a new family member. Help them find a pet that fits their lifestyle. Help them to understand the lifetime commitment. And help them have a great holiday with their new pet.
This should be a joyous time, and people LOVE the idea of doing good around the holidays, and giving back to the community. What could make someone feel better than adopting a dog or cat from their local shelter for the holidays.
Embrace it. It's an awesome opportunity to adopt out pets. Don't discourage adoptions with doom and gloom messaging. It's counter-productive, and illogical for a group responsible for adopting out pets to do.
Linda tried to adopt a small dog from a shelter which she intended to keep as an indoor dog. After waiting on hold listening to a recording for 5 minutes, she hung up, and tried somone else.
The next place she called needed her to pay $100 for the adoption fee, a four month supply of heartworm treatment for the recovering dog, AND fence in her back yard. To Ms. McGee, there is no wonder that all of the city's shelters are full.
So McGee is now so frustrated she may not adopt a dog, and felt obligated to share her frustrations publicly.
What may be an even worse commentary on rescue and sheltering are a couple of the comments that were left under the article. While, admittedly I think comments sections of media articles bring out the worst of the worst in respondents, I think they're somewhat telling.
While most businesses would be climbing all over themselves to try to make the situation right with Ms. McGee, a couple of commenters think she is completely out of line in her expectations.
Solomon thinks that the type of person who would get frustrated by a 5 minute recording is the type of person who shouldn't own a dog.
Abby thinks that if the Ms. McGee is upset about having to pay upwards of $500, then she shouldn't have a pet.
While I do admit that shelters could be a lot better about selling the value of having a fully vetted pet, things like fencing requirements are just ridiculous. As a metropolitan area, we're still killing roughly 8,00o pets a year -- in part, because we're making it WAY TOO HARD for people to adopt pets. We're in the business of finding homes for pets....and when we fail to get pets adopted by having bad customer service, or put unnecessary barriers to adoption, we are failing.
My hope is that someone reaches out to Ms. McGee and offers to adopt a pet to her.
In all walks of life, we put our best foot forward at first. As the old saying goes, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression."
Advertisers know this. They spend a great deal of time and money on photography to make sure their food products in their advertising look as tasty as possible so we are encouraged to buy them. Or show their stores in perfect order even though often clothing racks are disheveled.
Online dating sites are flooded with beautiful pictures of people who are dressed nicely, professionally and clean-shaved in order to capture someone's eye -- even though they may seldom wear makeup or even get dressed -- particularly on weekeneds.
When we invite people over to our house, we spend the entire day cleaning so people can see how nice our place is without all the clutter -- heck, when someone calls to say "they're on their way" we're still likely to pick up some major items that we've just left out during the course of our normal day.
With all of the due diligence we give in the rest of our lives to first impressions, don't our shelter pets deserve the same? Many adopters start their search for a new companion online -- through a shelter's website or Petfinder. Many will fall in love with a pet just based on its picture and well-crafted bio -- which is the adoptable pet's first impression.
Bad Rap had a GREAT post yesterday about the value of adoption photos -- with many great examples of the good and the bad. Please go read it here. Showing pictures of dogs looking at you instead of looking away, showing dogs being loved and embraced by humans instead of alone in their cages, getting dogs out of their cages into natural settings -- the nicer the surroundings the better.
Which dogs on the page are you likely to adopt?
If the dog is in your shelter, why not put its best foot forward. Give him/her the glamour shot they deserve so they get that "wow" or "awww" first impression. It will give them a better chance of catching someone's eye -- and being the pet someone wants to adopt. It increases their chance of getting adopted, getting into a great home, and getting out of your shelter -- and isn't that why we all do rescue in the first place?
If you ever want to get inspiration -- go over to "Pound Dogs". Fred takes absolutely amazing photos of dogs that really captures their personality. I think he does an amazing job of capturing the personalities of the individual dogs so scroll through and take a look, for some of my favorite examples, take a look at Shandra, Tulip, Patou, this unnamed Rottweiler, Chanel, Crumpet, Audi, and Angus.
Our adoptables often rely on us to make their first impression for them -- so let's do right by them and make a great first impression. Their lives may very well depend on it.
Just over a month ago, the city of Joplin was hit by a huge tornado that wiped out miles of homes in the city and was responsible for the death of more than 150 people.
The response from the surrounding communities to help those who needed it has been great -- from police officers sent down to protect from looting, to supplies sent to people helping out with pets who lost their homes in the event. An estimated 90 organizations from around the country dedicated volunteers just for helping animals in the event.
Over the weekend, the Joplin Humane Society -- with the help of many organizations including the ASPCA, held a major adopt-a-thon for animals that were not able to be reunited with owners following the tornado.
On Saturday, an estimated 2,000 people from 24 states waited in line to adopt pets from the shelter -- and a total of 385 pets (210 dogs and 175 cats) were adopted.
By the end of the weekend, an estimated 5700 people entered the doors of the Humane Society and 745 pets were adopted.
There was no adoption fee and all pets had been spayed or neutered, microchipped and given up-to-date vaccines. The event was such a success that the Joplin Humane Society is continuing to waive adoption fees through Saturday July 9.
Obviously this is a huge success for the 700+ animals that lost their homes due to last month's tornado (an estimated 500 animals were reunited with their owners)....and a huge testimate to the power of reaching out and asking for help from the community at large to help. When we ask people to step up, they have an amazing ability to do so.
This is obviously a huge success story. One that oozes community support, help from others when you ask, and a nation of animal lovers who want to help animals in need.
So I ask, why only take advantage of this in times of extreme tragedy? Why not hold major adopt-a-thons more regularly to help move animals out of shelters? If eliminated adoption fees proves to increase adoptions, why not eliminate them more often? (we know that "free cats" programs work, as does pay as you wish pricing). And we know that marketing our homeless pets works as well, as does marketing our adoption specials. So why not do them more often?
Yes, it helps that this situation involved a major tragedy -- and people really did want to help any way they could. But we are a nation of pet lovers, and when you reach out and give people a reason to help -- they do tend to help.
Which is why we should find every excuse reason possible to reach out and ask.
In fact, I would love for a shelter like Memphis Animal Services (or any other high-kill shelter) to try to prove me wrong. I would love for them to run a promotion -- 1 weekend only required at first - and waive adoption fees. Invite everyone to come to your shelter and adopt pets because you're "overcrowded" and "want to save them". And see if it works. If it doesn't work, I'll never mention it again. I'll admit that I'm wrong and that people don't want to help homeless pets. But if it does work, and a lot of animals get adopted -- then you have the obligation to do it repeatedly.
Because this type of promotion works. It's proven time and time again to do so. All it takes is the desire to reach out and ask for the help.
I got a lot of response from yesterday's post about the PetFinder profiles. Sadly, several people pointed out that these types of profiles are not unique to Kansas City -- or the fact that our shelter is going through a tough transition. Writing negative bios has, unfortunately, become very commonplace.
As I was reading these, I was reminded of a video I watched a couple of years ago by Michelle Williamson. Michelle's group, Pet Rescue in Australia, is very passionate about writing fun, positive bios for pets. They never allow them to use terms like "death row dog". As she notes "People don't want to be bummed out, looking at the pages and pages of sad dogs they can't help. We want people to let their kids look through our pages for a new pet and for it to be something fun they can do together -- not having their 11 year old daughter in tears because she's looked into the eyes of a dog whose "due'" date has passed".
This is a great presentation on what they've learned from writing pet bios for adoptions. It's about 18 minutes long, but well worth the time spent. Go grab yourself a cup of coffee, a pen, and some paper and make a few notes because I guarantee you'll get at least one really good nugget from this.
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