Learn more about planning for your animal shelter

Aspects to consider in your animal shelter’s strategic business plan 

Trends in animal shelters

It’s important to understand what is going on in other shelters across Australia and internationally. Are the numbers of animals entering shelters increasing since the pet boom associated with Covid 19?

Its useful to compare the intake of animals at your shelter with others. One handy way to compare and contrast intake is to look at the ratio of animals entering your shelter to your population. This can clarify not only how you are going but also assists in teasing out why your intake ratio per 1,000 residents may be different. Noting a high intake ratio doesn’t necessarily mean you have issues but it may identify opportunities.

Understanding the strategic context

No animal shelter sits in isolation and our review of the strategic context examines trends in pet ownership and considers the forecast population growth and demographics of your area.

Many areas across Australia are experiencing increasing housing densities and that can have a profound effect on pet ownership as well as challenges with smaller areas of private open space. Animal shelters are influenced by corporate plans and strategies and a significant amount of legislation.

Weather can also have a profound effect on animal health both directly from, for example more extreme heat , and indirectly with the spread of parasites and insects that carry diseases.

Pathways to animals entering shelters

Animals typically enter facilities as feral animals, strays or wandering animals, and those that owners relinquish.

Dogs can wander or escape from properties for various reasons, including wanting to seek a mate, boredom, fear (e.g. loud noises), etc. 60–80% of dogs and cats entering animal welfare shelters and 80–100% entering municipal facilities (pounds) in Australia are classed as strays.

Understanding why animals are entering your shelter is fundamental to identifying approaches to heading off intake to the extent reasonably possible.

Length of stay… a critical factor

Length of stay(LOS) is increasingly recognised as a very important factor in shelter management, with implications for animal health, well-being, sheltering costs, and ultimately a shelter’s capacity to save lives. Multiple studies have identified LOS as the most significant risk factor for illness in shelter dogs and cats. With illness comes the need for treatment, reduced welfare and a yet more prolonged stay. 

The longer an animal is confined, the greater the demand for sufficient space, interaction and environmental enrichment to prevent confinement-related stress and behavioural disorders. However, longer stays also mean more crowded shelters, reducing the availability of space and care for each animal. Ultimately, the longer the stay per animal, the higher the costs. 

Some LOS is hard to reduce given various statutory minimum holding periods for stray animals. But avoiding intake in the first place, optimising the potential for reuniting pets with their owners, and reducing the time before animals are adopted all support animal health and reduce shelter costs.

Rigorous behavioural assessment

All shelters should aim to rehome 100% of adoptable animals. That doesn’t mean all animals, as some can present a real risk to adoptees if they have behaviour issues.

Entering shelters can be highly stressful for many animals, and behaviours exhibited during that initial period may not be consistent with the animal's typical temperament. That is, some cats may show signs of being feral when, in fact, the behaviour is due to fear and stress. Similarly, dogs under stress and fear can be aggressive.  Staff who assess dogs and cats need to be highly skilled in determining if dogs are exhibiting behaviours due to stress or are feral cats instead of cats under stress. 

 Assessing an animal's behaviour provides valuable insights into its temperament, personality, and any potential challenges it may pose in a new environment. This allows the shelter to make informed decisions about which households would be the best fit for each animal, increasing the likelihood of successful adoptions and reducing the risk of returns or abandonment.

The use of rigorous checklists and having at least two suitably experienced staff make an assessment are all important approaches as is allowing the animal to settle prior to assessment.

Partnerships

It’s important that animal shelters optimise key relationships with those areas inside the organisation.

Officers involved in the impounding of animals are key partners as they provide an opportunity to reunite lost or stray animals with their owners without them having to enter the shelter. They also can be important stakeholders when capacity at the shelter is tight or alternately, when space is available.

Promoting the activities of the shelter in partnership with communications and website staff is fundamental to minimising length of stay and enhancing the organisation’s reputation as caring and effective animal managers. Regular promotions, effective webpages with search engine optimisation and good advocates/ spokespersons are all valuable.

Relationships with external partners are also important to nurture. Other rehoming agencies, local veterinary clinics, foster carers, TAFEs and universities can all support shelters to deliver better outcomes.

What other factors should be considered ?

The above are just some of the various aspects a good strategic business plan for your animal shelter should consider.

But there is much more including:

  • Forecasting capacity requirements

  • Euthanasia and capacity

  • Single and group housing

  • Behaviour modification

  • Staffing

  • Volunteers

  • Workplace health and safety

  • Risk management

  • Asset management

  • Shelter operating models

  • Capital and operational budgets

  • Non asset solutions

  • Standards of care

  • Other animals besides dogs and cats eg livestock, pocket pets etc