The PetRescue team is in Surfers Paradise ready and excited to attend the 2009 3rd National Summit to End Companion Animal Overpopulation, tomorrow.

If you’re a twitterer, follow: http://twitter.com/Desexing

We look forward to meeting everyone there!

:)shel

Thanks to Kae for the tip!

While low cost pet desexing programs are a vital part of effective animal management, they are often seen as expensive and are overlooked in favour of laws which punish pet lovers and create more problems than they solve. But the ‘holy grail’ of animal sheltering; a cheap, non-surgical desexing option, could be on the horizon thanks to a multi-million dollar prize being offered in the US.

From this month’s Science Magazine; ‘A Cure for Euthanasia?’

Every year, millions of cats in dogs are euthanized in animal shelters, and that’s just in the United States. Worldwide, including the U.S., millions more cats and dogs run wild—literally, they’re feral—with populations growing out of control and posing health risks such as the spread of rabies. Research to develop an inexpensive, permanent, and non-surgical way to sterilize cats and dogs has waned due to lack of funding. But as Science’s David Grimm reports in this week’s issue, a foundation’s $75 million in research and prize money is revitalizing past efforts and promoting new sterilization research that may work for more animals than just cats and dogs.

Announced at the 2008 Spay USA Conference, the awards are the brainchild of Gary Michelson, a retired spinal surgeon and one of the richest people in the United States. He is looking to fund the development of a product as easy and inexpensive as a vaccination, that causes permanent infertility in cats and dogs. But, while $75 million seems like to a lot, is it really enough to fund a revolution like this? Yes! says Science journalist, and article author, David Grimm…

Well, first of all 50 million dollars is actually a really big pot of money, especially for a small field like this, so that money will probably last a long time. But, what’s also really important to note is, you know, a lot of these people that are applying for these grants are basic researchers. These are people that are just doing the preliminary experiments or maybe the preliminary clinical trials. And that’s what’s also really important about what Gary Michelson is doing: he’s actually saying, ‘Look, once you’ve got the product to the stage where it’s ready to be commercialized, my foundation’s going to step in and help with commercialization; it’s going to help with the regulation.’

And his goal for this is two fold. First of all, he wants to make sure the product is cheap because if this product ends up costing as much as spay/neuter surgery then it has no advantage. And also, he wants to make sure it gets onto the market as soon as possible. He doesn’t want this languishing in regulatory limbo forever. He really wants to make sure that once somebody really finds something that’s going to work, the foundation can make sure it gets out to all of these shelters and all of these developing countries that desperately need something like this.

According to the article, researchers are looking into a number of ways to permanently sterilise cats and dogs without surgery, including;

1) a vaccine that would block the release of sex hormones
2) a virus that would genetically silence fertility pathways
3) a chemical that would destroy eggs
4) a targeted cytotoxin that would destroy cells necessary for the production of sperm and eggs
and
5) a vaccine that would block sperm from entering eggs

While we wait with baited breath, it’s reassuring to see someone with the sheer clout of Michelson making this a priority project. Along with animal lovers around the globe, all empowered and lending their own unique contribution to fighting the needless killing of companion animals, we’re seeing big changes on the way.

The future is looking bright for pets.

You’ve seen Macy, a black Labrador, on the web after trawling for possible candidates to join your family. You send an email letting the group know you think you’re a great adoption prospect, you’re keen to meet Macy and you’d like to find out how to proceed.

Which would you like to get back as a response?

Macy has gone to a home.

or

Hi Alex,

Thanks so much for your email! Macy already has a home, but there are always way too many labbies looking for great new families, so there can never be too many sensational homes on offer.

Many of the labs are rehomed before they make it to PetRescue, so when you are ready to adopt give us a call (phone). Even though we may not have a suitable labbie listed, it’s possible that we have one in care getting ready for adoption, so it never hurts to ask. Generally our girls rehome faster than our boys so I would encourage you not to write off a beautifully natured boy. By the time you get to meet one of our labs they will have lived here with us in a social environment with our own dogs and other fosters for a number of weeks so we have a pretty good idea of their personalities.

Thanks again for your mail. I should probably highlight that without people like you who are willing to adopt one of these great dogs and give them a second chance, we couldn’t continue to rescue – they can’t all live with us! We get to meet some fabulous people and we are always incredibly grateful to the families who adopt our labbies.

Anyway, it was lovely to receive your message and hopefully we can help find you a fabulous lab to join your family.

Thanks again for your interest and I hope to meet you in the coming weeks.

Kind Regards
Amanda

Now this email is from 4lablovers and I wouldn’t be the slightest bit suprised if Amanda and her team go on to take over the world. Everything about this email screams friendly, rescue professional and who wouldn’t want to deal with someone who sends them an email like this!

However, the process of answering emails can be a mammoth task; intimidating, frustrating and with dozens, if not hundreds coming in each week, they can eat away at the morale of everybody in your organisation if they turn ugly because you’re behind in your responses. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re lost for words, try these tips to make your emails sing!

Five tips for super great email

1. Accept that people WILL email you

Just because you prefer to chat on the phone, doesn’t mean your adopters aren’t going to make their first enquiry via email. Recognise the value in these enquiries and incorporate ‘email management’ in your rescue’s growth strategy.


2. Know who I am

It doesn’t take a lot of work to address someone by their name and people love the personal touch. Given that this person is a potential adopter, volunteer or supporter, it’s a small extra effort for possibly enormous rewards.


3. Get some killer templates

You will no doubt be answering the same type of email again and again… and again. You’re going to need some really well written templates to save you time. Find someone on your team or a volunteer who is good with words and ask them to answer your most common emails – then use them as a basis for future responses. Work to build up a library of ‘good emails’ that everyone in your organisation can use.


4. Remember this is only the first date

Worrying about suitability, or screening in your first email enquiry is a bit like deciding to marry me based on this blog post. Tone and body language is missing over email, so the message seems harsher than is likely intended. Even if the adopter has said something ‘wrong’ in their response, you have no indication whether this was a naive faux pas in an otherwise good candidate or how open they are to you coaching them to be a better pet owner. Be overwhelmingly positive and look to encourage a second round of discussion before you start making decisions about their suitability.


5. Be a gratious host

No matter how bad a day you’ve had, this person is a brand new chance to get a good result. Answer their email in a timely fashion and thank them for contacting you – more than once. If it’s really a medium you hate, or it’s eating into your day, set a volunteer up with your templates and get them answering these initial enquiries, passing the ‘hard’ ones on. Share the load.


Email is an important tool in the arsenal of the modern rescuer – the way you use it, can either advance or damage your message. Take the time show them some love and you’ll quickly find your emails not only serve your organisation, but are a powerful tool for converting early enquiries into devoted evangelists.

Now I don’t normally put the call out, but this guy has captured my heart. I fall in love a couple times a year. Last one was a singing malamute called Catalina and this time…

… meet Squidly

His photos don’t do him justice; he is super cute. His voice is croaky now from being in the kennels all weekend, but last week he was cool as a cucumber. He walked over to me, head down, eyes sqinting in that smoochy way that sensitive souls do and pressed himself up against the kennel door to be as close to me as he could.

He needs out. A kennel is no place for this Cool Hand Luke.

From the ACT Office of Regulatory Services ‘Scam Alert’ service:

The Acting Commissioner for Fair Trading, Danielle Krajina, is warning consumers to be wary of a scam found on-line or in the classified column, that has resurfaced in Canberra. The scam targets animal lovers by advertising puppies and kittens that will be delivered to a home address, at a low cost, in a short space of time.

“The Office of Regulatory Services has received a number of complaints recently. I am also aware that the NSW Office of Fair Trading has issued a warning as some consumers have been taken in by the scam,” Mrs Krajina said.

“In early 2007 the Office of Regulatory Services warned Canberra dog lovers about a scam that tried to persuade potential buyers to pay to have a puppy delivered to their home. Payment is made via money transfer but the puppy is never delivered and the scammers pocket the money. Recent advertisements are often accompanied by pictures of cute puppies and kittens but the pictures are fake as the animals do not actually exist.

Some puppies purchased on-line may come from a puppy mill. These mills are breeding facilities created to mass produce puppies for profit. Some pups may be ill when they arrive, have a genetic disorder or may even be a different breed to the one the consumer was promised.

“It is important to do your research as you will have little recourse after you have received your new pet. If possible, meet the breeder in person, ask for and check references and contact the breeder’s vet. These are just some of the precautions you should take before you make a decision,” Mrs Krajina concluded.

A timely reminder to us all that puppy farmers just love hiding behind an email address and a website featuring romping dogs and lovely green rolling fields… Puppy farm awareness day 19th September.

Shelter animals already face formidable obstacles to getting out alive: they can get sick in a shelter, customer service is often poor, a shelter’s location may be remote, adoption hours may be limited, policies may limit the number of days they are held, some may view the animals as “damaged” goods when the reason they ended up at the shelter often has nothing to do with the animal, and shelter directors often reject common-sense alternatives to killing. One-third to one-half of all dogs and upwards of 70 percent of cats are killed because of these obstacles. Since the animals already face enormous problems, including the constant threat of execution, shelters and rescue groups shouldn’t add arbitrary roadblocks. When kind hearted people come to help, they shouldn’t start out with a presumption that they can’t be trusted.
Good homes need not apply – Nathan Winograd

The biggest threat to the future of rescue animal adoption in Australia isn’t a lack of advertising, a lack of awareness, or a lack of willing adopters; but arbitrary rules that prevent normal people who have families, jobs and lives from adopting a pet.

I often see sarcastic pieces written by rescue groups ruminating on how ’sick’ they are of the way people behave and how terrible their excuses; the dog doesn’t go with the new carpet, job or baby… Everyone – they say – is crap. There’s just too few good homes available.

But as a ‘central point’ for adopter’s feedback I’m seeing a completely different picture. I’m sick of answering the dozens of complaint emails daily sent by good people, who could provide a perfectly reasonable home to a rescue animal, but who’ve been given the shaft because of some new and whacky rule; a BARF only diet. Dogs that need to sleep in the owners bed. Needing to have one of the breed at home already. No working families. No one under 30.

Often, they’re being rejected based on stereotypes that it wouldn’t even be legal to air in the ‘real world’; no farmers, no elderly, no asians, no unmarried couples. WTF?

I’m sick of seeing good mainstream exposure opportunities wasted because we discard most of the new homes they generate. I’m sick of groups smugly criticising large, high volume adoption centres for giving out pets ‘to just anyone’;  while keeping small white fluffies in care for months, refusing literally thousands of applicants and burning out our foster carers in the process.  I’m sick of people incited to venom because their family, who’ve never had anything but long lived, loved pets, are being rejected time and time again for reasons so petty, I wonder what the right adopter would even look like. I mean, just how many young, independently wealthy retirees can there be?

Last year when we ran ‘1,000 homes for xmas’, we were met with howls of protest. We shouldn’t adopt to people during the holidays. People who adopt at xmas are irresponsible! When we started running advertisements in newspapers this year, we faced a similar criticism. We shouldn’t advertise our animals in newspapers. It might attract people who are irresponsible! After announcing that we were working with a pet shop chain to get rescue pets into stores, we were beginning to see a trend. We shouldn’t put pets in stores. People in pet stores are irresponsible!

So much talk of avoiding the irresponsible. People can’t be trusted and the pets are better off dead. But we are just so wrong. Each year our community spend over $4 billion on our animal friends. 91% of Australians report feeling ‘very close’ to their pet, so pets are family. And while a couple hundred thousand pets enter shelters each year, that’s only a tiny fraction of the 2.4 million cats and 3.7 million dogs living in homes. In fact, less than 5% of dogs and cats ever need the services of a pound or shelter.

I’m sick of ‘it’s hard to get a pet from me’ being worn as a badge of honor. It isn’t. It’s unhelpful and short sighted and subscribing to it absolutely and unequivocally is doing more harm to our industry than good.

When people decide to adopt from a shelter—despite having more convenient options such as buying from a pet store or responding to a newspaper ad—they should be rewarded. We are a nation of animal lovers, and we should be treated with gratitude, not suspicion. More importantly, the animals facing death deserve the second chance that many well intentioned people are eager to give them, but in too many cases, are senselessly prevented from doing so. ref

I thought what rescuers in Australia needed was better marketing, but our success won’t come from a flashy new campaign or website. Now I know for certain that what we actually need is better regard for the very people who take the time to consider a rescue. We need to fix our attitude. Love thy public. And if we can’t, we need to step aside and let others who aren’t so defeated lead the way.

From the HSUS, a great new poster on feral cat care. Unlike our local campaigns which focus on a delusional premise that if we wish hard enough we can turn nature back 200+ years to a time when there were no stray cats; it recognises that these cats need and deserve our support and are a significant contributor to shelter overpopulation.

See more resources on community cats from the HSUS here.

Letter from the editor

It’s not often that you get to be a part of history, but on the 30th of September every rescuer in the country has a chance to get involved in a grassroots revolution set to change the face of animal rescue in Australia.

There are new and better ways to save more pets. Proven methods to find more homes, change legislation and affect real change in our communities. As the front line defenders of animal welfare it is up to us to continually advance our sheltering knowledge. Only we can make a difference to the unacceptable levels of euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets in Australia.

The NDN summit is a biannual event that is a must for all rescuers. The summit is our opportunity to be inspired by those leading the way internationally and to be offered practical solutions and concepts, to cultivate a local rescue community that shares knowledge to the benefit of homeless pets.

I’d like to personally encourage every PetRescue member to attend the summit. There are a limited number of places, so please book now. Please also forward this email to others in your organisation and everyone you know in the animal welfare field.

I look forward to meeting you there!

Cheers,

Michelle Williamson
shel@petrescue.org.au

Read more here

I just think people should exhaust all options before giving up their pets and its generally clear when they haven’t, so I have no sympathy for those people. I’ve had enough animals surrendered to me personally that I’ve heard all the excuses.

When I was in my early twenties, I was a caregiver to my younger brother who was battling schizophrenia. If anyone has been in that position, you’ll know how how stressful, draining and all consuming it can be.

Balancing life, work and supporting a dependant when you don’t have a lot of resources, leaves you pretty much at the mercy of Lady Luck. If I had needed to upend my life at a moments notice, if I’d lost my job or my house, then I have no doubt my pets would have been candidates for an animal shelter.

I’d have presented as a irresponsible pet owner; young, renting without a stable job history. But I’ve always loved my pets and cared for them to the best I was able.

As it happened, luck was on my side. We worked through some of my bro’s issues, I went on to have a career, a happy life and I now consider myself privileged to be able to afford to give my pets little luxuries like good food and big ones like pet insurance. But it has also left me with an appreciation that you’re only ever a couple of disasters away from serious hardship; less if you’re poor or disadvantaged.

The problem with dishing out judgement is that even when you’re right, it doesn’t actually change anything for the better.

Empathy is a powerful tool. If you’re seeing someone on the worst day of their life – remember that it is likely that their past has been better.

And with any luck, their future will be too.