The Best Friends Podcast

Animal shelters across the country have been in a capacity crisis for the past two years due to rising intakes and adoptions that are simply not keeping pace with the number of animals coming in.At the 2023 Best Friends National Conference, speakers Tori Fugate and Misty Valenta told the audience during their session that by reframing the perspective to “never let a good crisis go to waste,” they allowed themselves the opportunity to try new and creative marketing that they never thought possible - and they say you can do it too.This week, we’re sharing a session from this year’s conference titled “Capacity Crisis Marketing.” You’ll hear how Tori at KC Pet Project and Misty at the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter publicized their shelter capacity to their communities while still promoting their pets, programs, and services. You’ll hear unique ways to use different mediums to effectively communicate the current capacity of your shelter and engage your community to get involved. Through effective messaging on social media, email, text programs, and more, you’ll continue to see support from your community, obtain media coverage, and ultimately save lives.To watch the video or to check out the slides for this presentation, visit the website for The Best Friends Podcast: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-149

After a hiatus, we’re excited for the return of the Best Friends Podcast! To catch up on what’s been happening around the country since our last episode, we contacted the Chief Program Officer for Best Friends, Marc Peralta. We discussed what’s happening regarding intake and outcomes in animal shelters and dug into the details around some less-than-helpful news articles that came out over the last few weeks. Marc also shares how, when times are tough, he leans on his experiences from the past 17 years in animal welfare.To access resources from this episode, check out the website: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-148

The animal welfare industry’s approach to data has come a long way in the last few years. As a result, we understand more than ever the importance of tracking our lifesaving efforts and using that data to ensure we have the right resources in the right places to save the most lives. However, the processes and tools available to help collect and analyze data have been due for an upgrade. This week we focus on a newly launched platform that aims to help you take the way you use data to the next level. The Best Friends data science team designed the features of Shelter Pet Data Alliance. It includes automatically populated dashboards that quickly show you what you need to know and help you understand what you need to do to improve and how to do it.The Chief Mission Officer for Best Friends, Holly Sizemore, joins us this week to discuss this exciting new platform.Links:Shelter Pet Data Alliance: shelterpetdata.orgBest Friends Pet Lifesaving Dashboard: bestfriends.org/no-kill-2025/animal-shelter-statisticsBF Podcast episode 147: network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-147

Animal welfare is an ever-evolving field, and as our understanding grows, it stands to reason that the way we talk about our work should also change.When you realize the impact words can have, this carries more importance. For example, if we describe adoption returns as failures and publicly call adopters out for doing so, how likely is it that other adopters will return to us if they have issues?This week we sat down with two Best Friends staff members to get their take on words and terms we use in our work; the senior director of lifesaving programs for the east coast region, Makena Yarbrough, and the manager for the east coast region, John Graves.For resources related to this episode, check out our website: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-146

We know that planning for the unknown can be a challenge. That’s why we’re excited to share one of our newest resources, our Emergency Preparedness Toolkit.Geared towards individuals and organizations that focus on helping people and pets, such as animal shelters, rescues, boarding facilities, and veterinary clinics, the toolkit has everything you need to create a comprehensive emergency plan.The effects of a changing climate are impacting larger parts of the country more often. The toolkit’s information, plan templates, assessments, task descriptions, and checklists will help you stay safe no matter what heads your way.Resources:Best Friends Emergency Preparedness Toolkit: https://network.bestfriends.org/education/operations/additional-education/emergency-preparedness-toolkitRegister now for the Best Friends national conference: https://bestfriends.org/conference. Use the discount code "PODCAST" to save $10 (Best Friends network partners receive a greater discount using the code delivered via email. Discount codes can not be stacked)

Since the Association of Shelter Veterinarians published it in 2010, the “Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters” has been an invaluable resource to shelters, rescues, and any organization that provides temporary care for animals nationwide.Ten years after its initial release, 19 shelter veterinarians formed a task force to update the guidelines. Their goal was to reflect the current reality in shelters and incorporate the latest science, expert consensus, and programmatic knowledge. The result is a comprehensive set of guidelines everyone can use to assess and improve their operations.This week we speak with two shelter veterinarians about the updated guidelines and how they can help you in your work; Dr. Lena DeTar, who served on the task force as an editor, and the medical director for Best Friends, Dr. Erin Katribe.For more resources related to this episode, check out the website: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-144Read the companion program spotlight on the Best Friends Network website: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/program-spotlights/asv-releases-updated-guidelines-standards-care-animal-sheltersThe inaugural Best Friends National Action Week for Animals is coming soon! Visit this link to learn more and sign up to take part: https://bestfriends.org/advocacy/national-action-week

We know how difficult it is to find veterinary services nationwide, but there’s another shortage impacting animal welfare right now. Dog trainers are also in short supply.Behavior is one of the top reasons that dogs are surrendered to shelters, and undesirable behavior can be challenging to overcome in a hectic shelter environment. And as communities increase their lifesaving efforts and save more pets coming into the shelter, resources can be applied to saving the animals with more challenges, including behavior. As a result, the need for skilled dog trainers is only growing.Enter Goodpup, a virtual training solution that offers access to dog trainers anywhere they’re needed, including shelters and rescues, thanks to their partnership program. To learn more about the platform and its special offer for Best Friends network partners, we spoke with Goodpup’s manager of shelter partnerships, Allie Mayer.Check out the website for resources related to this episode: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-143

We always love hearing from listeners, especially when we hear that the podcast has helped you be more effective in your lifesaving work. This is why we loved receiving the email about the significant changes happening at Secondhand Hounds.Rachel Mairose, the founder of the Minneapolis-based rescue organization, listened to episode 67 of The Best Friends Podcast, "If "nobody's perfect," then why do we expect all pet adopters to be?" She says that the episode (with guest Lawrence Nicolas) helped her realize that their adoption process wasn't as inclusive as it could be and that set a new way of handling their adoption process in motion.This week we chat with Rachel to learn more about the changes underway at her organization and how she's managing those changes in policy with their staff, volunteers, and donors.To learn how you can remove roadblocks to adoption by implementing more inclusive adoption practices, check out the website for this episode: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-142

In the colder parts of the country, warmer temperatures are starting to melt the snow and offer a hint of the spring season to come. But for those in animal welfare, you know that spring isn’t the only season starting soon - springtime also means it’s kitten season.The warmer weather, longer days, and more widely available food sources all help intact female cats know it’s time to get busy - and that also means shelters and rescues are busy with requests for help.The youngest orphaned kittens may only be a few days old when they land at shelters and are the most vulnerable. Their round-the-clock needs and fragility make saving them more resource-intensive, resources many communities still lack. Yet, there are people and organizations focused solely on them, like this week’s guest, Andee Bingham, the executive director of Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance in Asheville, North Carolina.For more resources related to saving neonatal kittens, check out our website: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-140Learn more about Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance on their website: kittenalliance.org

Nonprofit boards can come in different shapes and sizes, each often taking its own approach in the ways they support the organization. But let's be honest, sometimes support isn't the most accurate word to use for certain boards.There are many reasons why boards become ineffective, but the responsibility of a board is a vital one, and board members' contributions can make a lasting impact. This week we're talking more about boards and revisiting this conversation we had with Trish Tolbert in May. Check out Liz Finch's latest program spotlight, "building a better board of directors," to hear the perspectives of more industry leaders: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/program-spotlights/building-better-board-directorsThe website for The Best Friends Podcast includes more resources and information on how you organization can become a Best Friends network partner: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-140

The period to submit proposals to speak at the 2023 Best Friends National Conference is now open! Check out this link for more information on the requirements, timeline, and how to submit: https://bfas.io/NiEMTo get us started for 2023, we take a moment to think about the year ahead. What has happened over the last few weeks and months that can help us plan for what’s coming next?Do we expect intake to continue rising at the pace it did through 2022? Will adoptions pick up and at least keep pace with intake? What about the impact of other factors within animal welfare and beyond, such as the economy?The senior director of lifesaving programs for Best Friends, Brent Toellner, looked at the data and trends and shared what he thinks the year ahead may look like in this week’s episode.For more resources related to this episode, check out the website for The Best Friends Podcast: bestfriends.org/podcast

This is the final episode of the year! And what a year it has been.Across the country, shelters struggled to manage increases in intake, and while adoptions also increased, the boost in positive outcomes couldn’t keep pace. That resulted in many folks in our industry being more overwhelmed than usual (which is saying something). We want to thank you for everything you do to help pets and those who love them.It’s important always to show gratitude and celebrate wins. However, it’s even more important when times are tough. So as we say farewell to 2022, we’re celebrating the success our Best Friends Network Partners achieved during the four Best Friends National Adoption Weekend events we held in 2022, during which more than 35,000 pets found homes.We asked our partners to share their experiences with us, and we’re sharing them with you. See you in 2023!Want to be a guest on The Best Friends Podcast? Send us an email: podcast@bestfriends.orgCheck out the website for more information about the guests you heard this week: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-138

It’s that time, once again, when we take a moment to reflect on the year (and podcast), that was. 2022 was challenging in many ways, and the 42 episodes from this year reflect that. Topics ranged from staffing and pay inequity to marketing during a crisis. We talked about working with elected officials - with who better than actual elected officials! We welcomed 62 guests who represented various organizations and companies, in and out of animal welfare. And to top it all off, we passed the 100,000 download milestone in the fall!  But as we’ve said before and will no doubt say again, this podcast is nothing without you. So on behalf of all of us at the Best Friends Network, thank you for everything you do each day to save the lives of pets, and we can’t wait to see what you do in 2023.The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 100 - Reducing pay inequality w/ Julie Castle: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-100The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 104 - Lifesaving success favors the bold: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-104The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 108 - Saving lives in rural America w/ Cole Wakefield: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-108The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 112 - Marketing during a crisis w/ KC Pet Project's Tori Fugate: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-112The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 124 - Scott Stratten: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-124The Best Friends Podcast Ep. 133 - A radical transformation at the York County SPCA: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-133

Housing issues are the second most common reason people surrender pets to shelters. If not priced out by exorbitant pet deposits or monthly pet-ownership fees, arbitrary restrictions around species, breed, and size can often force a pet owner to make the worst choice imaginable.And while it may be easy to think, "I could never do that. I would just find another apartment," consider that there may not be another apartment. Experts say we are millions of housing units short of what we need to meet demand. The critically short supply creates greater demand, often making a landlord's policies more restrictive and monthly rents more expensive.Federal, state, and local governments are considering solutions such as tax credits and rent control, but these measures often lack pet-inclusive language. Since two-thirds of Americans own pets, any reforms that don't consider equal access for pet owners will potentially put millions of people and pets in peril.This week we catch up with the national manager of housing initiatives for Best Friends, Elizabeth Oreck, as she shares good news out of California about a new bill aiming to keep low-income renters - and their pets - safe and housed.For the housing and advocacy related resources mentioned this week, check out the website for this episode : https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-135

It’s been a challenging year for animal shelters and rescue organizations across the country. Lifesaving gains made during the COVID pandemic seemed to disappear for many as a new set of external factors played havoc with the animal welfare industry. Those lifesaving gains certainly seemed to disappear, but did they? Anecdotal stories from scores of individual organizations say some version of the same thing; that intake is up, and positive outcomes are down. Many say that adopters are simply not coming into their facilities as they have in the past, and there are more requests for help with pet relinquishment than ever. But what does the data show?This week we hear from the Senior Director of Lifesaving Programs at Best Friends, Brent Toellner. He analyzed the numbers from hundreds of organizations to put our current reality in perspective. For more resources related to this topic and others discussed this week, check out the website: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-135Check out Brent's editorial that has the numbers and more details talked about in today's episode: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/editorials/reality-todays-shelter-strugglesThe next Best Friends National Adoption weekend is happening December 9th through the 11th, and the registration period is closing soon. Get your organization registered right now: https://network.bestfriends.org/join-us/events/best-friends-national-adoption-eventShare your experience with us! Is your intake up or down? What about your adoptions, are folks still coming in to find their next pet? Send us an email: podcast@bestfriends.org

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day, so we're taking a moment to thank all members of the military, active duty and veteran, for their service. We're also using this as an opportunity to learn more about Dogs on Deployment, one of our Best Friends Network partners whose work directly impacts those who are and have served the nation.Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say, and that was the case with the nonprofit organization Dogs on Deployment.President and co-founder Alisa Johnson joined the Marine Corps in 2011, serving ten years as a KC-130J pilot. Her husband Shawn, also a pilot (in the US Navy), found themselves struggling to find options for the care of their dog JD during months-long deployments. After ruling out expensive options like boarding and professional dog sitters, they found a family member who agreed to care for JD for the six months Alisa was training at Quantico. An ideal situation, but no doubt a lucky one.They wondered how many other service members find themselves in that same predicament. What about those who don't have family able to help? What happens to those pets?DoD's nationwide network of patriotic foster homes ensures the human-animal bond stays intact when a military pet owner answers the call of duty. Over the years, the organization's work has grown to support veterans and first responders, not only with temporary fostering.If your work involves keeping pets and pet owners together, this is one resource you will want to have in your arsenal.Check out more on The Best Friends Podcast website: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-134

When the York County SPCA (YCSPCA) hired a new executive director at the end of 2019, it set in motion plans to transform how the organization operated. To reach and sustain a 90% save rate of animals coming into the shelter, Steven Martinez knew success in his new role would require executing an audacious strategic plan focused on five pillars of change.By overhauling the IT infrastructure, implementing a community cat program, revamping the adoption processes, and improving internal and external communications, the YCSPCA proved that going big isn’t just a bold strategy - it can be a winning one.This week we hear from Steven about the last three years as he shares what he feels were the keys to their success and his advice about how your organization can go about its radical transformation.Send us an email: podcast@bestfriends.orgLINKS:Read more about the transformation in this week's program spotlight on the Best Friends Network website: https://bit.ly/3eKwu1xWatch the video of Steven's presentation at the 2022 Best Friends National Conference on youtube: https://bit.ly/3VIXNKrDownload a PDF version of the presentation slide deck: https://bit.ly/3MN5xa6The Best Friends National Conference is happening Aug 10-12 in Houston, Texas: https://bit.ly/3LhDUVTFor more resources, check out this episode on The Best Friends Podcast website: https://bit.ly/3VH6KUy

You know those super viral animal-related articles you see all your friends sharing on your social media feeds? You know the ones. Headlines like this one on TODAY.com, “couple creates humongous bed so they can sleep comfortably with eight rescue dogs.” What about this story on The Dodo, “pit bull obsessed with cats gets his litter of kittens.”This week’s guest wrote those and hundreds of other articles during her time as the animal welfare editor at The Huffington Post and as a freelance journalist. Arin Greenwood's work has told the stories of hundreds of people and their pets and the inspiring work of animal shelters and rescue organizations worldwide. However, her work isn’t all stories about dogs riding one-eyed ponies in the middle of the night (yes, that is real). One of her pieces in The Washington Post helped elevate the conversation around arbitrarily stringent adoption policies.She’s moved on from her role at The Huffington Post, but she continues to write about animal welfare, and her most recent novel, Your Robot Dog Will Die, has received acclaim from critics (and, if all goes well, it may be coming soon to the small screen!).This week we learn more about Arin and her career as a journalist and writer, both on and offline. She also shares many tips on writing compelling stories of your own and creating and maintaining relationships with journalists.IMPORTANT LINKS:Read the wrap-up of the incredibly successful national adoption weekend event in September: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/program-spotlights/most-successful-adoption-weekend-yetRegister your network partner organization to take part in the next adoption weekend event taking place in December: https://network.bestfriends.org/join-us/events/best-friends-national-adoption-event For more resources related to this topic, check out our website: bestfriends.org/podcast

The field of animal welfare can be physically and mentally grueling. At times, it may feel like there is no end in sight with so many requests for help. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, not every story has a happy ending.The data backs up our feelings about how hard this work is on our mental health. For example, a 2015 study showed the suicide rates for animal welfare workers to be the highest among all professions - including law enforcement.Thankfully, there are effective strategies to help you manage the challenging emotions that inevitably come with doing this work.Elizabeth Fagan is a psychotherapist who works with companies and nonprofits, including animal welfare agencies, to help their staff manage trauma experienced while on the job. She joins us this week to help us understand more about how the rigors of animal welfare work impact us and what we can do about it.Check out The Best Friends Podcast website for resources mentioned in today's episode and more: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-131

When looking for practical tips and inspiration to help you save lives, chances are you’ve never sought out reality television for answers. But according to this week’s guest, animal welfare professionals can learn much from "The Real Housewives."Makena Yarbrough is not only the Senior Director of Lifesaving Programs at Best Friends, but she’s also a self-professed superfan of the reality TV franchise. Using the show as inspiration, she created a presentation for the 2022 Best Friends National Conference that points out that a lot of the struggles in the show are things we face every day.If you are in an area affected by Hurricane Ian and need help, or if you are outside of the area and able to help, please email: seregion@bestfriends.orgFor resources on today's topic, guest bios, and more, check out the website for The Best Friends Podcast: https://network.bestfriends.org/proven-strategies/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-130