Best Friends
No More Homeless Pets Forum
July 7, 2003

Calls for Help

Best Friends Network staff
Network Staff

How do you manage all the calls for help? The staff of the Best Friends Network offer advice and insights on managing requests coming into your organization, including how to help keep animals in homes (and out of the shelter) and how to get the caller involved in the solution.

Introduction from the Network Staff:

"We need to find a new home for our dogs right away!"

"I noticed some cats behind the supermarket. Could I bring them to you?"

Many people who work or volunteer for grassroots groups tell us that one of their most challenging tasks is responding to the many calls and requests for help they receive.

Here at Best Friends an average of 500 calls and e-mails come in each week asking for help with animals across the country. If you have questions about how you can manage the various requests for help coming into your organization, we'd be happy to share the approaches, information and resources we use to help get people involved in a solution.

Questions


How to respond when people are moving and want to place an animal
When callers threaten harm to animals if you don't help
Answering calls on feral cats
Aggressive dog calls
Responding to all the calls as an all volunteer group
Placing cats with FeLV and FIV
Callers with allergies who want to get rid of a pet
When callers want to place older animals
Single or multiple coordinators to answer phone calls
Delegating calls to return
Call on dogs with separation anxiety
Calls when euthanasia may be the most humane solution
Calls about cats going outside the litterbox
Calls on dogs that are being neglected

How to respond when people are moving and want to place an animal

Question from a member:

We get more calls from people who are moving or otherwise need to get rid of an animal in a real hurry. There is often not much we can do to help if they only have a day or two. What do you tell these callers? Are there any efforts to help address the underlying problem of finding rental housing that accepts pets?

Response from Best Friends Network Coordinator, Amy Hogg:

We do get quite a few phone calls and emails from people needing to place animals due to moves or other changes in life circumstances. Some people start planning well in advance; others leave it to the last minute. Obviously, the more time available the better, but if it is a matter of only having a day or two, we explain that they may have to find a foster home through friends or family or alternatively board the animal(s) until they can start exploring some of the options available to them. Most people are not aware of the number of organizations out there that may be of service. We try to get as much information about their animal so that we are able to refer them to the most appropriate resources.

The following provides you some specifics that you can recommend:


As to the issue of rentals:

When callers threaten harm to animals if you don't help

Question from a member:

We are a foster group without a shelter. The humane society and animal control don't take stray cats so we get a lot of calls with people asking us to take stray cats and kittens and threatening to dump or harm the cats if we don't. We don't want to give in to their threats but we also don't want the cats to be hurt. What do you say when people threaten what they will do to the animals?

Response from Best Friend Network Coordinator, Amy Hogg:

People often think that we are their "last option" and regularly tell us that if we don't take their animal(s) they will have to put the animal(s) down. This could be a desperate measure by a desperate person trying to shift responsibility for the animal(s) involved, or simply someone who truly doesn't know that there are other options available. When we aren't able to take in an animal it is usually because of a space issue and the number of requests we receive to fill those spaces: supply and demand. I think it's important to share with these callers the reality of how many calls we are receiving and the issue of space when you are a "no kill" group.

At this point, however, it's important to offer help. I let the caller know that we would be more than willing to "work with them" in placing these little ones, but that this can take time. It's a matter of trying to empower the caller to get more involved. After all, if they cared enough to call in the first place, they may just need a bit of encouragement and/or education. For example, a lot of calls we get about "strays" are actually about ferals. Educating them on the issues of trap/neuter/return may help solve the problem. Putting them in touch with local feral organizations may be exactly what's needed. Referring them to PETS911 to locate local feral cat groups, or alternatively Best Friends and Alley Cat Allies for resource material would be fine too. If the kittens are under 16 weeks old, you may want to ask the caller if they are willing to at least "foster" the kittens and help socialize them while you "work with them" in trying to find permanent homes. They may not be willing to make a lifetime commitment to these cats and kittens but they may be willing to provide care for a month or two. At this point, you may want to refer to some of the information in my previous response on how to place animals.

Answering calls on feral cats

Question from a member:

We get a lot of requests to take feral cats into our no-kill shelter. We cannot usually accommodate these, as the feral cats are not adoptable. How does Best Friends handle these requests?

Response from Best Friends Network Coordinator, Beata Liebetruth:

Unfortunately, there are not many places for feral cats to go. Very few no-kill shelters or sanctuaries actually take in ferals, and those that do are very limited in the numbers they can take.

Many people have misconceptions about feral cats. The most important consideration with feral cats is their quality of life. They are much like wild animals - the great outdoors is home to them. We rob them of their home if we place them somewhere where they will be contained. Unfortunately, allowing them their freedom means sacrificing a certain degree of safety. However, we must consider that a feral cat may prefer life on its own turf rather than life in a home, shelter, or sanctuary. After all, the feral cat may be safe if he is contained, but if he is miserable, what's the point?

Since true feral cats are fearful of people and are not usually happy in a household situation, we recommend trap/neuter/return (TNR) as the best, most humane solution. Trapping, neutering, and then returning feral cats to their natural environment, stabilizes the colony. TNR allows the cats to keep their freedom, while dramatically improving their quality of life and increasing their long-term survival.

You may want to refer your callers to Alley Cat Allies, a national clearinghouse providing information on caring for feral cats. They have helpful fact sheets on topics such as trapping, finding a vet to work with, taming feral kittens, negotiating with officials, releasing and relocating feral cats, and changing local policies. We encourage callers to visit their website at http://www.alleycat.org. They also have listings of feral cat organizations listed by state as well as information on how to locate low cost spay/neuter services in their area.

If your caller is concerned about the safety of the feral cats and feels they are truly endangered in their present location, here are some of things he or she might consider.


Many of our feral cat resources are available on our website (see Resources). But we also have printed information available, such as plans for how to build a cattery for feral cats, that I'd be happy to send you.

Member comments

Comment from Jan in AZ:

I work as the President & CEO of a TNR group in Maricopa County, Arizona. AzCATs began in 1999. While we are young, we have managed to sterilize over 13,000 cats so far. I have learned a lot during my 4 years with AzCATs. I have probably done about a 180-degree turn in my thinking about ferals in those 4 years.

Certainly, the answers given to the question about feral cats were inherently correct. However, in my opinion the "stock answers" really haven't changed much over time, perhaps with the exception of the testing issue. I'd like to make some brief comments in the hope we can move more toward reminding people to deal with the reality of the situation that exists for ferals within their community.

Our reality: AzCATs maintains a waiting list of 175 to 200 people who are caregivers for feral colonies of various sizes, from 5 to 10 to over 50 with some regularity. We don't actively look for people needing our help. Until recently, our telephone number was not even listed. It is not unusual this time of year for us to be dealing with caregivers who have 5 or even 10 litters of kittens in their colonies. Even the smallest feral kittens coming into our traditional shelters are euthanized for lack of space and, in fact, this time of year, tame adoptable kittens are still killed.

Regarding the above statement: "If your caller is concerned about the safety of the feral cats and feels they are truly endangered in their present location, there are a couple of things he or she might consider... .Another option is seeking a safe relocation site. However, relocation is always stressful for feral cats and should be a last resort."

I'd like to see this answer relegated to last place on the list and the caveats stressed. No one hears "safe." No one hears "last resort" when this is presented. They seize on it and go with it and expect rescue organizations to find the site. In Maricopa County there are predators that make "farm" relocation unsafe. Remind people that relocation requires a safe place to confine the cats before they are freed on the site. In our environment, considering predators, heat, etc., this is very problematic. The vacuum effect when feral cats are quite literally everywhere means that that caregiver is going to be relocating again in the very near future. Remind them to consider the reality of their community.

"Feral kittens can usually be tamed if they are less than 16 weeks of age. We encourage callers to trap and foster young kittens until they are socialized and can then be adopted out into good homes."

Again, may I stress "reality"? Early-age spay/neuter is often the much better choice if, like us, they are living in a community quite literally overrun with ferals. Why? Taming kittens as old as 4 months is hard. Most people think you put them in a bathroom somewhere and play with them once in a while. AzCATs did a lot of taming in the past. We had a lot of caregivers try to tame (still do). In well more than half the cases, particularly with kittens this old, you end up with a half tame cat that is not adoptable and that has now lost its street skills.

The reality is that few people, even those who have done it as rescuers over a long period of time, don't understand the "tough love" and long, hard, patient work that is needed to make a kitten as old as 4 months, adoptable and tame - particularly if that kitten is going to a traditional shelter where he will compete with truly domestic cats for the scarce number of available homes.

AzCATs works with veterinarians who have sterilized 14 oz. female kittens that were released back to their colonies. Male kittens - even smaller. They hiss, they back up in the trap - they are sterilized and returned.

Reality: Tame cats and kittens are still dying for lack of shelter space and homes. When they aren't, then we can talk about taming 4-month old feral kittens. I'd like to see us start talking about the "easy" ones, which are certainly under 8 weeks, maximum. Four months is way, way too old in an environment like ours.

I think, with all due respect, that there is a lot of room for movement on the answers we give to the general public about these matters.

Certainly, the reality of a given caregiver's situation might be much different from here. There might be few ferals and the answers we give can be couched in those terms. I'd like to see answers to these questions begin with a reminder that relocation and taming 4 month old kittens are luxuries we often cannot afford at this point in time if we are ever truly to stop the killing.

Thank you for all your great work.

Comment from a member in KY:

Thank you for your responses on ferals. I want to share with you a few items from my own experience and that of the local TNR/high-volume S/N program of in KY.

Perhaps as many as 70-80 % of the cats coming through the program are tame or previously owned. However, because the big shelters are still killing for population control on a very large scale, and the smaller no-kill shelters and adoption/rescue/spay/neuter organizations have only small foster programs and limited adoption outlets, they are almost always full with waiting lists. If the group refocused its energies on the rescue and adoption of the tame ones, it would be less effective in its very focused spay/neuter mission. (This includes treating whatever medical problems inevitably arrive with the cats and improving their lives in optimal ways for the brief time they are in our care.) Because of what the group does, it is their hope that one day the open admission shelters will receive fewer animals and therefore be able to adopt more.

My own experience with relocation is mixed. With the Bourbon Stock Yard project in 1999-2000, we visited every relocation site first, shared written information to help the prospective caretakers know what to expect and what the cats would need, and set out guidelines for a minimum confinement period and supplied cages, food, litter, bowls, beds, sometimes straw from the Stockyard, blankets, and advice.

The problem was that circumstances change, the environment can change and sometimes there is no control over that. Risks in the city -- even in a stockyard setting -- are different than in a rural setting. Cats are not familiar with coyotes and hawks. For sure, cats are survivors and with some basics of TNR, they blossom. However, we know that relocating wildlife even in optimal weather conditions is risky and that they may not survive. It cannot, in my own mind, be stressed enough how risky relocation can be, but sometimes people/caretakers have no choice. I have had success in moving cats several blocks, a little at a time. It is amazing how they will follow and know the sound of an engine.

Aggressive dog calls

Question from a member:

We get a great many calls about aggressive dogs and our shelters tend to be overrun with Pitbulls and mixes. Is this just a local problem? What do you tell people? We usually do not even call back as we have nothing to say. We cannot take the dogs and adopt them out to other people. Are there options for these dogs? Are there other no-kill shelters that take them?

Response from Best Friends Network Coordinator, Beata Liebetruth:

Yes, aggressive dogs and specific breeds, such as Pitbulls and Rottweilers, are the most challenging ones to find homes for because of their bad reputation. Most of these dogs make wonderful family pets but generally do very poorly living in a group situation with other dogs. Many of these dogs nearly always end up fighting when living in a communal situation.

One bit of advice I have for you is this: Although your organization may not be able to help by accepting a dog into your program or shelter, I strongly encourage you to ALWAYS try to get back with the person who is asking for help. Believe me, it is appreciated and my experience has been that many, many times I am able to help the caller by offering other resources. Oftentimes, just asking the caller why he or she feels they have to find a new home for their dog, or discussing the circumstances of their particular situation, will open up new options for them.

Encourage the caller to try to work out the problem within their household. Placing the dog in another home or shelter doesn't correct the problem - it just relocates it. Many callers are not aware of the fact that there are millions of animals dying in shelters each year because there are not enough homes and their dog is truly depending on them now. Once they realize that they are their dog's ONLY hope, they will most likely be willing to do more than just find the easy way out by surrendering the dog to a shelter.

There are several different routes that can be taken to correct and/or control a dog's behavior problem, including aggression, and I walk my callers through each and every one of them to determine which, if any, will be most appropriate in his/her situation.

Working with a professional behaviorist and/or trainer might be a possibility. If money is an issue, in addition to many excellent training websites on the Internet there are also free behavior helplines available. There could be a medical reason for a dog's behavior; some people are open to the suggestion of working with an animal communicator.

Once you talk to a person personally you will get a feeling of how open they are to finding another solution rather than just surrendering the dog or having the animal euthanized. Sometimes, all it takes is the reassurance that there ARE other alternatives available and it will encourage the caller to pursue them.

Again, I would like to stress the fact that it is important to talk with people. Even if you cannot help by taking their dog, just by calling back and offering an open ear and support and by talking the caller through their problem, you may very well have made a lifesaving difference for the animal!

Responding to all the calls as an all volunteer group

Question from a member:

We get so many calls for help that we cannot possible respond to most, let alone all of them. How can a grassroots group without a paid staff possible do this? Some of the board members do not feel that this is an issue. I'm concerned that if we do not get back to people, they will not want to support our group.

Response from Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Director, Bonney Brown:

Before coming here to Best Friends, I started a grassroots humane group in Massachusetts. For the first three years the group was all volunteer.

We had gotten a lot of comments from people locally that this group or that group never even called you back, so early on we set a policy of returning every call. And while it was indeed a lot of work, it really paid off. We had the reputation of being the only local humane group that returned calls. Because of the approach we used, we cultivated a lot of new volunteers by returning the calls.

The calls were returned by a team of trained volunteers, Phone Reps, we called them. We did not have an office when we first started out, so all the calls were returned in the evenings from volunteers' homes. Sometimes we'd run several days behind on the calls and when that happened we'd let people know on the voice mail message, asking them to be patient and letting them know that we were an all-volunteer group and that we would return emergency calls as soon as possible and would return non-emergency calls within a set number of days.

To ensure that good, consistent information was given out, two of us put together a manual to train the volunteers to handle the different types of calls. The manual included advice for dealing with a variety of common animal behavior problems, advice on finding new homes for animals, and a list of local resources (other shelters, spay/neuter programs, wildlife assistance, where to report suspected cruelty, etc.). It also reviewed what the phone reps could offer to do to help; the organization would provide assistance with TNR for feral cats, low-cost spay/neuter, and a way to place animals on our waiting list (it was a no-kill shelter and we did not accept every animal automatically). The waiting list procedure included gathering information on the animal and we then worked to do what we called "home-to-home placement," where we would work to promote animals for adoption and match them up with a new home without ever bringing them officially under the care of the humane society.

We also documented all the calls and then told our members about the number of calls for help for animals we had fielded from the community, our success rate, and asked them to support our work with donations or by volunteering.

Recruiting volunteers for this job was not as difficult as you might think. Several of the local papers would run free volunteer ads for non-profits and we would run a specific ad asking for volunteers to return call from their homes. We also specified in that ad that they would receive training. As it turned out it was not difficult to find people who wanted to help animals, but were unable to go to a shelter to care for animals.

The primary focus of the phone reps was on getting the callers themselves involved in the solution. The volunteers spent time talking to the caller and did some brainstorming for solutions -- what we referred to as "possibility thinking" -- with them. What we found is that many people (not all, but many) just needed some advice and emotional support. A bit of encouragement and information went a long way toward empowering people. Admittedly, some people just wanted us to do everything for them, but we also found some of our most loyal donors and volunteers through our phone reps.

The information for volunteer phone representatives has been added to the Animal Help Training Manual , the training manual used here at Best Friends.  If you'd like a copy, please email  animalhelp@bestfriends.org.

Placing cats with FeLV and FIV

Question from a member:

One of the biggest questions we get is placing FIV and FeLV positive cats. We have heard of a few sanctuaries, but they are out of state and we don't know if they are reputable or not, so we are hesitant to recommend them. What ideas can you give for people trying to place these types of cats?

Response from Best Friend Network Coordinator, Beata:

Generally, the first thing we recommend is to have the cat's test result confirmed by a Western Blot test. Most veterinary hospitals run an in-house test called an ELISA. If this test is positive, a confirming IFA test should be sent off to a laboratory. The ELISA test can give false positive results, so it should never be used on its own to make a diagnosis of FIV and/or FeLV.

If you would like more information about testing for FIV/FeLV, the American Association of Feline Practitioners Academy of Feline Medicine has the most complete and up-to-date document on testing and retesting for both FIV and FeLV. The document is called "Recommendations for Feline Retrovirus Testing" and it is available at: http://www.aafponline.org/pdf/guidelines_retrovirus_testing_2001.pdf

Regrettably, there is still some ignorance and misconception about FIV, even among people who consider themselves animal lovers. And many vets are still not educated about FIV, since the virus was only discovered 15 years ago. FIV is not easily spread. It is transmitted almost exclusively through serious, penetrating bite wounds. When introduced properly into a household with cat-friendly cats, FIV-positive kitties can live safely with FIV-negative kitties. In many cases, this opens up many other placement options for an FIV+ kitty.

It has been estimated that the majority of FIV+ cats never become ill and they don't generally die from the virus. From what we have seen, FIV+ cats are more likely to lose their lives because they have tested positive, been relinquished to a shelter, and no one is willing to take them.

We always encourage our callers to find homes for the kitties themselves by offering them support and resources. FeLV+ kitties can be more challenging to place. The most likely options for placement are to try to find a home with another FeLV-positive kitty or a home with no other cats. Encourage your callers to try contacting local vets to see if they have clients with FeLV+ cats, or experience with FeLV, who might be interested in adopting another cat. There are quite a few websites available where you can post FIV/FeLV+ kitties for adoption. The priority is to find a good home for the cat, no matter where. If a possible placement is found out of state, there are transportation resources available. And sometimes we can help by sending out a network message to our Best Friends Network members to help with transportation or foster homes.

We do offer our callers resources of other shelters/sanctuaries that work with FIV/FeLV+ kitties. However, we have not checked them out. Even if we attempted to do so, management and policies can change suddenly. We strongly suggest that you have your callers check out organizations themselves before surrendering an animal to any facility.

Please feel free to contact animalhelp@bestfriends.org for adoption website resources.

Callers with allergies who want to get rid of a pet

Question from a member:

The calls that frustrate our group the most are those where people suddenly develop allergies to pets or are having a baby or the pet doesn't fit in their lifestyle anymore. We don't want to lecture and yell at the people because we know that this will only make them defensive, but we want them to take some responsibility for helping to place their pet and to ensure that if they ever get another one that they are ready and don't do this again. How do you handle these types of calls in terms of trying to educate people and get them to take the proper steps to place their pet in a good home?

Response from Best Friend Network Coordinator, Troy Lea:

Many people in situations as described above believe that they have no options but to give up their pet. In reality, there are lots of options that have not even been considered. It is important to try to encourage them to work out their problems so that they CAN keep the animal. And, if our suggestions don't work, we give them guidance on how to find a suitable new home.

If callers state that they need to give up their pet when a new baby enters the family, first ask them why they believe this. Some people believe that animals pose a terrible risk to their newborn child. Dispel this myth. Tell them that animals and small children should not be left alone together without adult supervision, but with reasonable care, they can deeply enrich each other's lives. If you grew up with an animal or raised a family with a pet, you can share your own experiences. Tell them about how you happily and safely included four-footed friends in your family and how it has been a source of satisfaction to all of the family members. If the caller is still concerned, send them information on the subject. There are several simple techniques that can be employed to help a dog or cat adjust to the presence of a new baby.

Many callers feel forced to give up their pet when they develop allergies. I think many people aren't aware of all the new research that has been done on allergies and animals. A lot of times individuals tell me that their doctor said the pet has to go and no other alternatives are given. Here are some sample basic ideas for coping with animal allergies:

Have an allergy test does to see if you are actually allergic to the
animal.
Keep the animal out of the bedroom.
Try Allerpet (or other similar products) that is rubbed onto the pet's coat.
Use an air filtration system or air purifier. Vacuum the house and furniture completely and often.
Use washable scatter rugs, rather than wall-to-wall carpeting.
Consult your doctor about allergy shots or medication to control the allergy symptoms.

The following articles offer additional insight and ideas on this subject:

"Cats Ok for the Allergy Sufferer", Charlene Laino, MSNBC
"Don't Give Up a Beloved Pet Because of Allergies", A. Van Bavel

When callers want to place older animals

Question from a member:

What do you say when people want to give up elderly pets, or pets with serious medical problems? We have a no-kill shelter, but we cannot provide appropriate care for many special needs animals and no other shelters locally can take them either. It is so frustrating when someone is surrendering an 11-year-old cat that they have had since the cat was a kitten and they are moving or just don't have the time! Even if we could take the cat in, we don't feel that the cat would do well in a shelter setting and would be difficult to re-home.

Response from Best Friend Network Coordinator Troy Lea:

We do let the person know up front that it is very difficult to place elderly pets and that there are not a lot of options for older pets, beyond placement with friends and family. If they haven't checked into placement with friends or family, I encourage them to do so.

I also point out another important concern, particularly with older pets, is finding a situation that will provide the pet with a good quality of life. Often, for older cats or dogs, a change in lifestyle is very stressful and adjustment to a new environment is difficult. At Best Friends, we have found that some senior pets, even those who have come to us from loving homes, are unable to adjust to our communal living environment. There are some wonderful organizations out there, but it doesn't take the place of a home. Always consider carefully before you place your older pet in any facility.

If they are still interested in placing their senior pet, I offer these placement ideas, resources and support:


I always let the individual know that they can call me back with any questions or if they would like to discuss the situation further. Sometimes just empowering someone and giving them support will motivate them in their efforts.

Single or multiple coordinators to answer phone calls

Question from Michelle:

Sometimes it is hard to say no to callers who want to turn over animals to an organization. I've worked with a number of groups that allow many people (board members, non-board members, new volunteers, etc.) to bring animals into the organization, versus having one intake coordinator manage the flow of animals into the group's care. Is it beneficial for a group to have more than one intake coordinator? If so, could you explain what the role and responsibilities of an intake coordinator should be and some successful methods for managing or sharing this duty? Also, any tips on selling the idea of having an intake coordinator to a group?

Suggestions from Best Friends Network Director, Diane Blankenburg:

Here are some things to consider:

Single vs. Multiple Admission Coordinators:

Admission Coordinator Role:

Best Friends Admission Process:
Tips on Selling Idea

Comments from No More Homeless Pets Director, Bonney Brown:

Indeed, it is tough to say no! Generally, it seems to work best if the organization has a very clear procedure in place that involves more than one person in making the decision on admission of animals to the shelter.

Establishing a Clear Decision-making Protocol:
Developing a written set of steps to go through or conditions that are to be met before an animal is to be considered for admission to the shelter helps get and keep everyone on the same track. Admittedly, there will be emergencies where you will skip steps, but all things being equal, it's helpful to have a set of clear guidelines for acceptance of animals and to stick to this the vast majority of the time. Not only will this written procedure lay out the guidelines for admission, it would also clarify who is responsible for making the admission decisions.

Having more than one person as part of the admission decision provides for some checks and balances. It really helps if every single person can honestly say that they need to check with someone else before they accept an animal into the shelter. For one thing, it frees them from the whole responsibly of turning down a request. And if a whole bunch of people -- any director, any employee or any volunteer -- are authorized to accept any animal at any time, the shelter is likely to run into serious space and financial problems. Conversely, if the process is too cumbersome or time consuming, or does not have any room at all for accommodating exceptions, then you'll also run into problems, albeit different ones.

My recommendation would be to have a designated person (and a back up person OR a small committee of people who can weigh all the factors fairly - space in the shelter or foster homes, funds available for care, if the animal will do well at your facility, etc. - and make the decision in conjunction with the volunteer or staffer who is making the request or managing the situation. This way you do not have anyone and everyone taking in animals wily nily, nor do you have just one person calling all the shots.

Here's how we did it at the shelter where I used to work:
The phone rep would call the executive director or the shelter manager if they felt that we should take an animal in. (They also had a list of other people to call in the event of an emergency.) We would talk about it -- what had already been done, what other options might exist, what we had available (space in the shelter? a foster home?), the costs associated with this animal, if the animal would do well in our facility -- and then arrive at a decision. We routinely kept the phone reps informed about space availability and foster homes. Also, we maintained a waiting list -- something we do not do here at Best Friends as it's impractical given the volume of calls -- but we found it to be helpful at my former shelter, which served a limited community. A surprising number of people were willing to work with us to hang onto the animal a while longer and meanwhile we worked on the home-to-home placement option for the waiting list animals.

Just to review:
I'd recommend that your group establish clear, written guidelines, share them with everyone and explain the thought process behind them (ideally, everyone is bought into the guidelines), make exceptions under exceptional circumstances, and avoid having one person single-handedly call all the shots.

Delegating calls to return

Question from Rebecca in TX:

We are a rapidly growing group and the number of calls we get from folks who need help, whether through our adoption & rescue program, our feral spay/neuter program, our lost cat program, or otherwise, continues to explode as we become more well known. We're currently using a team approach for feral calls and have just recently begun setting up something similar for adoption & rescue calls. We're an all volunteer group with no shelter, only foster homes. My question is in regard to organization and delegation. We have one person picking up the calls and distributing them to the team leaders, where they are reviewed and then forwarded on to a team member who returns the call and begins either counseling, intake, or assistance depending on the problem. It's sometimes slow and cumbersome, but it's the best method we've come up with so far. Any suggestions?

Comments from No More Homeless Pets Director, Bonney Brown:

It sounds like a reasonably good system, but one possible way to streamline it a bit would be to eliminate one of the middle men by combining the role of picking up the calls and distributing them to the volunteers who will return the calls. As it seems that each team leader handles a certain type of call you'd need to get an answering machine or voice mail system with separate mailboxes. (Callers can be told to press one if they need help with cats, two if they need help with . . . etc.) That way each team leader would check only his/her own voice-mail box.

One other suggestion, which may be helpful for some groups, would be to ask for people to leave their e-mail address, along with their phone number, on your outgoing voice mail message. (You'll need to ask them to spell it out for you.) This would give you an alternative way to reach people if finding time to return calls is an issue. E-mail is an easy way to share a lot of information and resources with people, and it's less expensive than long phone calls. That said, an e-mail is not a substitute for every phone call - some things are just better handled over the phone.

Comments from Best Friends Network Director, Diane Blankenburg:



I agree with Bonney's comments above but thought I would also share with you how we handle this activity at Best Friends. We have a very large volume of calls or e-mails (about 500 per week) and, therefore, it's critical that we have a very efficient process for handling them. Our contacts go to either a central phone extension voice box or a specific e-mail address. We have a case manager who retrieves all of the messages and enters specific requests into a software-based Case Management System. Each request receives a case number and then is assigned to one of our seven coordinators.

The coordinators work their cases on a personal basis and see it through from initial contact to closure. They use a three-tiered approach that is based on education and counseling:

First, they do everything they can to enable the requestors to help themselves. This includes providing options, resources, and lots of moral support. Our Coordinators are well-trained professionals who have access to a library of standard resources that ensures we provide consistent, accurate information to our requestors.

If the problem still prevails, they seek help through our Network of volunteers. Best Friends has about 14,000 Network members who have volunteered to help (in a variety of ways) with animal issues in their local communities (for more information, see Best Friends Network FAQ. We use a computer database to locate members in the requestor's areas and send out messages asking for specific help.

If the problem includes the need to find a home for an animal, AND ALL other options have been exhausted, AND the animal fits within our admission policy, AND there is room in our facilities, the coordinators will submit a Request for Admission, which goes through our Animal Admission Process (see previous question).

Since I'm sure your organization does not handle the same volume that we do, this might seem a bit too complicated and overwhelming for you. But I think there are key elements to our process that apply to anyone in this type of work and contribute to the your overall success:


It sounds like you are definitely headed in the right direction and we fully support and admire your efforts. Please contact us directly if we can help you in the future.

Call on dogs with separation anxiety

Question from a member:

A common dog behavior issue we get calls about is separation anxiety. Any advice for these callers?

Response from Best Friends Network Resource Manager, Kelly Koeller:

We receive many calls about dogs that suffer from separation anxiety and we believe that generally, the best (and usually only) real option is to work out the problem within the household.

Usually, explaining that separation anxiety is a treatable condition encourages people to keep their dogs and try to work on the problem. You might also want to explain that finding another home for the dog doesn't solve the problem, it just relocates it, and that it is very difficult to find permanent homes for these dogs unless the separation anxiety has been successfully treated.

It is also important to stress to callers that dogs with separation anxiety are not just being "bad" or trying to "punish" their owners for leaving them, since these dogs have what amounts to an anxiety attack when left alone and they cannot control their own behavior. As you probably already know, punishing a dog for panicking when its family is absent only makes the problem worse, because it increases the dog's anxiety. Any dog who is alone 8-10 hours a day, nearly every day, may begin to exhibit obsessive behaviors that may or may not develop into separation anxiety.

Here is additional advice we give to people who are open to working on the dog's behavior:

Although separation anxiety is very disturbing for both you and your dog, there are several steps you can take to correct or at least minimize the behavior. A big part of working through separation anxiety with your dog will be adjusting the way you relate to your dog, particularly when leaving and returning to your home.

To learn more about how you can work to correct this behavioral problem in your own home, see these articles:

Separating Your Anxiety from Your Dog's
Separation Anxiety
Companion Lines: Don't Leave Me This Way

For dogs that do not have a severe form of separation anxiety, working on the problem at home may be enough to solve the problem. If your dog is alone for several hours a day, you might want to consider taking your dog to "doggie day care" a few days a week or arranging for a pet sitter to spend time with your dog.

For some dogs, the best way to go is to consult with someone who specializes in behavioral issues. Even though some of these options are listed in an answer regarding inappropriate cat elimination, I'm including them all again for your convenience:

Consult an animal behaviorist. An animal behaviorist attempts to understand the reason for the behavior by considering the animal's history, temperament, environment, experience, etc. After making a diagnosis, a behaviorist would help you understand the way animals learn and how you can work specifically on the behavior problem to control and/or correct it. You can ask your vet for a local referral or visit the Animal Behavior Society website.

Work with a trainer. A trainer works differently than an animal behaviorist. In most cases, a behaviorist is more appropriate for help with a serious behavior problem. If no animal behaviorist is available locally, and you want to work with someone in person, check out the programs of local trainers. Trainers vary in their experience, services, and training techniques. Make sure that you are comfortable with the person you choose.

Call a behavior help line. Here are some examples:
Visit the Members and Pets forum. The Pet Health and Behavior bulletin board on the Best Friends website may be able to help. Dr. Margaret Muns is available to answer questions. Click here and scroll down to the "Pet Health and Behavior" forum.

Consult an animal communicator. Generally, if you work with an animal communicator on separation anxiety, you will also need to work with a behaviorist or trainer. You will find a list of communicators at Penelope Smith's online directory. They're listed regionally and the website also includes some information on what to expect from an animal communicator.

We also recommend the following books: "The Dog Who Loved Too Much" and "If Only They Could Speak" by Dr. Nicholas Dodman. These books describe many of the drug and behavior modification therapies that are available to treat behavioral issues.

In addition, there are excellent chapters in each of the following books that deal specifically with separation anxiety:
- "Choosing a Shelter Dog" by Bob Christiansen
- "Dogs are from Neptune" by Jean Donaldson
- "Second Hand Dog" by Carol Lea Benjamin
- "The Dog Listener" by Jan Fennell

While some pet owners may not be willing to work with their dog to overcome separation anxiety, most will be willing, so providing suggestions and resources to every caller dealing with separation anxiety will save the lives of many pets in your community.

Calls when euthanasia may be the most humane solution

Question from a member:

Sometimes we know that a given animal will not be able to be helped. (A dog who has bitten three people or a 19 year old cat in kidney failure whose owners are moving and cannot take him, for example.) How do you talk to people about euthanasia when it is appropriate?

Response from Best Friends Network Coordinator, Jean Hansen:

We often get calls, e-mails, and/or letters where a person or organization is wrestling with the issue of whether or not an animal should be euthanized. This is a very delicate and often times difficult subject to discuss. The manner in which you would discuss euthanasia depends on the reasons why the caller feels that it may be the only answer or, conversely, that you may feel that euthanasia is the most humane thing to do for the animal.

The reasons for this type of call, and resulting discussion, vary, as does the emotional state of the person to whom you may be speaking.

Possible reasons for the call:
Possible emotional states of caller:
The main thing that you can do as the person responding to this type of call, or any call for that matter, is to listen. Let the person on the other end of the telephone line tell their story, then ask questions to try to determine why they feel that the animal should be euthanized.

If you agree with their assessment of the situation, then the conversation becomes a very personal discussion between the two of you. I usually stress my belief that all animals enjoy an afterlife and that this may be the time for the person to do the "unselfish" thing and allow their cherished pet to go comfortably across the Rainbow Bridge, surrounded by the people who have provided him or her with comfort, warmth and love.

I try to stress to people, the importance of determining the most humane thing to do for the animal. An animal who is biting and being aggressive is not a content, happy animal living a contented, happy life. The animal in uncontrollable pain deserves to be free of pain. The older pet who has known nothing but the comfort of a happy, loving home for most of his life, either deserves to have another happy, loving home or to be let go - peacefully and with love.

There are several websites that deal with the loss of a pet, but I do not know of a particular web site that can help you or the party you are trying to help, deal with the decision of whether or not to euthanize an animal. Each situation is different. Each person you may counsel comes with his/her own set of emotions. Ultimately, if the decision is being made without the intervention of the judicial system, it is a decision that only the animal's person, and that person's family and friends are truly qualified to make.

The following article by Best Friends founder Faith Maloney might help: Good Night, Sweet Prince.

Calls about cats going outside the litterbox

Question from a member:

One of the most common calls we get are about animal behavior problems: people want to get rid of their pet for peeing outside the litter box. This is the #1 reason that we get cats surrendered to us. What do you tell people who are calling you with this problem?

Response from Best Friends Network Coordinator, Gloria Hill:

Going to the bathroom outside the litter box, or Feline Inappropriate Elimination (FIE), is the number one reason cats are turned into shelters and rescue organizations. Since most shelters (Best Friends included) are seldom able to accommodate cats who can't or won't use a litter box, it's important to figure out why the cat is going outside the box so that the situation can be corrected and the caller can, hopefully, keep the cat.

It is important to make callers aware that placing a cat with this problem into a new home makes it a likely target for abuse, neglect and abandonment, and that arrangements should be made to have the cat returned to them should the problem persist. Also important to understand is that most cats with FIE who are turned into animal shelters will be euthanized because they can't be
placed into homes.

Since there are a number of medical conditions that can cause FIE, the first thing we recommend is to take the cat to the vet to rule out medical causes. We have an excellent article on Feline Inappropriate Elimination by Dr Margaret Muns, DVM, where she discusses, along with other causes, possible medical reasons for FIE. I recommend that you read this piece through to get an overall view of the problem and then recommend that your callers read it also.

The most common causes of FIE, other than medical, are stress or frustration in the cat's environment. First, encourage the caller to try to determine what may have been going on when the problems started. Thinking about and identifying changes that were taking place in their home or life will sometimes reveal the source of the stress. Obvious changes are things like new additions (both human and animal) to the household or moving to a new house. Too many animals in a house can cause indiscriminate marking in an effort to establish territory.

Other common causes include moving the litter box or having it near the cat's food; changing the brand of litter abruptly; and not keeping the litter boxes clean enough (some cats are so fastidious that once is all it takes). There should be a sufficient number of litter boxes for the number of cats in the household (one recommendation is one more litter box than there are cats) and they need to be big enough to accommodate the cats comfortably. A litter box also needs to be in a place where they will feel safe using it.

Some not-so-obvious causes of FIE are things like rearranging or adding new furniture or redecorating. Since many things that affect cats go unnoticed by humans, look for things like other animals that might pass by a window where the cat likes to sit, a change in landscaping, unfamiliar noises in the neighborhood, a new car or a change in the caregiver's work schedules.

If unable to determine the cause of the cat's behavior, then we recommend consulting with an animal behaviorist. There are a number of options you can suggest to your callers:

Ask their veterinarian. Some vets have experience with behavioral issues, so check to see if he/she may be able to offer some assistance in that area. They can also ask the vet to consult with a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist at one of the university behavior clinics, such as Tufts University (see the behavior help lines below).

Consult a holistic veterinarian. A holistic vet uses alternative means for diagnosing and treating health, and sometimes, behavioral problems. As with traditional vets, experience will vary, so one needs to talk to them openly about what they may be able to offer.

Consult an animal behaviorist. An animal behaviorist attempts to understand the reason for the behavior, considering the cat's history, temperament, environment, experience, etc. After making a diagnosis, a behaviorist will help one understand the way animals learn and how to work specifically on this problem to control and/or correct it. You can ask your vet for a local referral or visit the Animal Behavior Society website.

Call a behavior help line. Here are some examples:

Consult an animal communicator. An animal communicator takes a holistic approach to understanding and modifying behavior. He/she tries to tune into the pet's state of mind, and helps the caregiver to do the same. A list of communicators is available at Penelope Smith's online directory. They're listed regionally and the website also includes some information on what to expect from an animal communicator.

It also might be helpful to read one of the following books on cat behavior:
"The Cat Who Cried for Help," by Nicholas Dodman
"Think Like a Cat," by Pam Johnson-Bennett
"If Only They Could Speak," by Nicholas Dodman

If none of these options work, or if trying them is not feasible, suggest changing the cat's current living situation so that the inconsistent litter-box use is not a problem. A possible solution is a cattery - an outdoor enclosure, roofed and protected, that is placed near a door or window (it can also stand independently) to allow the cat some inside access (similar to the idea of a dog run, but built for a cat). An outdoor enclosure can be a wonderful haven for a cat. Cats love to enjoy fresh air and watch birds, bugs, and other animals. A cattery provides a way for a cat to do so without danger of being attacked by another animal, struck by a car, lost, or stolen. Catteries can be made with a variety of materials and constructed in a range of shapes and sizes. They can be freestanding or attached to a house or garage, inexpensive or high end, plain or fancy, bought or built.

See also more about Cat Enclosures.

Calls on dogs that are being neglected

Question from a member:

We got many calls regarding dogs that have been abused or neglected. What do you all suggest to your callers as the best way to address this type of situation?

Response from Best Friends Network Director, Diane Blankenburg:

These situations are very complicated, and, unfortunately, there are no clear-cut solutions. In a case like this, there are three primary options you can suggest for consideration.

The caller can offer to improve the dog's situation in the current home. This may mean helping with repairing a hole in fencing, purchasing a large water bucket, or walking the dog a few times a week. This option is particularly appropriate in a case of neglect, rather than abuse, or when the dog would not easily be placed into another home. If the animal is in serious danger, and the caller feels that the only option is to contact animal control, then suggest that they not try to improve the situation beforehand. Otherwise, when animal control shows up, everything will look fine to them.

The caller can offer the owner assistance with placement. With the owner's cooperation and, ideally, assistance, the dog may be placed into a new home that is more appropriate to his/her needs. If the animal is young, healthy, and behaviorally sound (no extreme fearful or aggressive behavior), this alternative may work out well. Suggest that they try this approach before reporting the owner to animal control. The owners are less likely to cooperate if they know that they are being reported.

The caller can attempt to have the dog removed from the home by animal control. In most counties, an owner may be cited by animal control if food, water, and shelter are not provided. Almost without exception, an owner will not be cited for keeping the dog on a short chain, not providing attention, or physical abuse (unless the abuse is witnessed by an officer, or the dog's life is clearly in danger from abuse).

Although this option seems the most appropriate in many cases, there are many risks involved. First, it is quite unlikely that the animal control officer will actually remove the dog from the household. A citation may incite an owner to further abuse a dog, or to improve the dog's situation - it's impossible to tell which way they will go. Second, there is no guarantee that they will not go out and get another dog.

It is helpful to give advice to the caller on how to effectively approach the dog owners. When communicating, it is extremely important that the person comes across as non-judgmental. It is understandable that one may feel frustration when faced with someone who is not properly caring for his/her pet. However, criticism will NOT help the animal. For instance, this approach is not helpful:

"Your dog is miserable, and you're not taking care of him. He needs..."

Have the caller try this approach instead:

"I know you have a lot going on, and taking care of a dog is a big responsibility. If you would like, I could ask around and try to find him a new home."

The demeanor, as well as the words, should be empathetic, non-aggressive, and open. One must proceed cautiously. In extreme cases of abuse, an owner may react to criticism by abusing the animal more aggressively, or may even go after your pet.

It is often tempting for people to go get the dog and deal with it on their own. Stealing an animal, no matter how bad the current situation is, is an illegal and punishable offense. We cannot and do not encourage this. If one is prosecuted, the punishment could be severe, and the dog will end up no better off. Even if not caught, there is no way to prevent the owner from going out and picking up a puppy the next day.

Again, have them consider the above options carefully. This type of situation is complex and emotionally charged.

 
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