Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference
2023 Schedule.
The 2023 Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference will take place at the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield, MO on October 26-29, 2023. Follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter for conference updates!
Missouri Coalition of Animal Care Organizations is an approved provider of content which enhances professional competence and aligns with the Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) Exam specifications.
Up to seven hours of CE for veterinarians and technicians are approved by the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board.
Download the full conference schedule in pdf format.
Thursday, October 26, 2023
6:30 PM
Networking with Missouri Animal Control Association
Join attendees from Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference and Missouri Animal Control Association’s Annual Conference for a social and cash bar. Share your experiences, make new friends, and build connections that will last beyond the conference. This is the perfect opportunity to unwind, have meaningful conversations, and celebrate the collaborative spirit of the animal care community.
7:00 PM
Scavenger Hunt with Missouri Animal Control Association
Embark on an interactive journey throughout the conference hotel with a team of fellow attendees. The scavenger hunt is designed to be a delightful networking adventure. Memorable photos guaranteed!
Friday, October 27, 2023
8:00 AM
Check-In, Coffee, and Collaboration!
Check-in for Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference at Oasis Hotel and Convention Center! Come early to enjoy a cup of coffee with fellow animal advocates!
9:00 AM
Building Leadership and Culture - Rob LaRoy
Rob will guide you through his process on how to strengthen your leadership skills and build a culture using six key components. He will share his foundational tools to simplify the planning process and get everyone on the same page.
10:30 AM
Break
11:00 AM
ACO’s and Rescues Working Together - Kendra Anthony and Janet Crouch
Kendra and Janet will share their experiences in creating a mutually beneficial agreement between a municipal shelter and a local rescue.
12:00 PM
Lunch and Exhibit Hall
Complete the Passport in your welcome bag to be entered in a raffle to win prizes! Winners will be announced on Sunday (must be present to win)!
1:00 PM
Animalytics: numbers that matter, how to calculate them and how to improve them - Vanessa Cowie
This presentation will provide an overview of interconnecting data points that truly matter to animal sheltering. You will learn how to calculate these numbers at your own organization, and discover interesting trends. Then comes the fun part: what do you do next? Vanessa will empower you with the policy changes that will move the numbers in the right direction.
2:00 PM
Reduce Length of Stay to Increase Lives Saved: Want to cultivate change in your adoption program? Let’s talk about it! - Sydney Mollentine and Daniella Barragan
Join us for an insightful presentation on "Reducing Length of Stay to Increase Lives Saved." In this session, we will dive into the key factors that influence the length of stay of animals in shelters and explore practical strategies to enhance care and adoption rates. We will begin by evaluating the fundamental aspects of the shelter's mission, ensuring it aligns with the goal of minimizing length of stay. From there we will dig into the significance of day-to-day operations, including intake procedures, assessment, and adoption processes, to streamline the shelter's efficiency. We will also address the critical issue of capacity of care and the need to establish realistic expectations for animal welfare within the shelter environment. Finally, we will shed light on the profound impact of financial constraints on the quality of care provided to shelter animals. Understanding how budget limitations affect the number of animals shelters can accommodate and the level of care they can realistically offer is crucial in developing sustainable solutions. By acknowledging these financial constraints, we can strive to strike a balance between the welfare of the animals and the resources available. This presentation aims to inspire attendees to critically evaluate their shelter's mission, optimize day-to-day operations, and manage realistic expectations, ultimately contributing to the reduction of length of stay in animal shelters and ensuring the well-being of the animals in their care.
3:00 PM
Break
3:30 PM
How to build an inclusive culture in Animal Welfare to strengthen our movement and save more lives. - Tim Yeaglin and Mia Navedo-Williams
Mia and Tim will give action steps that any animal welfare organization can use to increase adoptions, lower the length of stay, increase volunteers and fosters, and build a community that is welcoming to everyone.
4:30 PM
Networking in the Exhibit Hall!
5:00 PM
Conclude. See you Saturday!
Saturday, October 28, 2023
8:00 AM
Check-In, Coffee, and Collaboration!
Check-in for Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference at Oasis Hotel and Convention Center! Come early to enjoy a cup of coffee with fellow animal advocates!
8:30 AM
Raise More Money with Less: Lessons Learned in Animal Welfare Fundraising - Elena Battles
From kitten yoga to the #BettyWhiteChallenge, yappy hours to vehicle donation programs, there have never been more creative ways to fundraise in our communities. Yet we are facing unprecedented strain on the people and systems in animal welfare. Which donation programs are worth your time and which should you say no to? Using results and experiences from Humane Society Silicon Valley, plus adopter donation behavior data collected across more than one thousand shelters and rescues of all sizes, presenters will show you how to raise the most fundraising dollars within your team budget constraints.
Return-To-Home: How some agencies are achieving extraordinary success and others are falling behind - Gina Knepp
Return to Home, formerly known as Return to Owner, is the easiest and most affordable step in life saving. Many agencies have achieved incredible success and improvements, yet the vast majority of shelters remain stagnant in this area. The adoption of robust reunification programs will showcase what success is possible, how it’s being accomplished and what every animal welfare agency in the country can do to make this topic a priority. Long an afterthought, this aspect of our work has finally been given exposure. However, as an industry, we are failing to modify the behavior of pet owners across the country. This session will look at the powerful ways in which we can impact human behavior, what steps need to be taken and the potential impact of doing so. Attendees will leave inspired to effect change in their communities and join a crusade of others willing to challenge the status quo in America’s media and marketing when it comes to pet identification.
Pathway Planning: Getting on Track to Save More Lives - Dr. Elizabeth Roberts
One of the most critical, yet often overlooked, steps in the shelter intake process is pathway planning. We will discuss how pathway planning from day 1 (or before!) can help ensure that animals in your care have a humane, enriched, and efficient stay in the shelter. We'll share tips for use throughout the animals' stay to keep them cruising along their path (or help them take an appropriate detour) with population rounds, pre-selection, foster-to-adopt, and other lifesaving programs.
9:30 AM
Break
9:45 AM
Small but Mighty: Rural Lifesaving - Cole Wakefield and Lee Allen
In this workshop, we will explore the distinct challenges rural communities face in implementing lifesaving initiatives often designed for broader, urban contexts. By examining the efforts of Good Shepherd Humane Society and similar rural organizations, we will highlight how they effectively adopt and adapt best practices in animal welfare. Throughout the session, we will identify specific issues unique to rural settings and offer practical examples of successful solutions. We will also discuss ways to promote the needs of rural areas inside our national animal welfare infrastructure.
Volunteer Programs: recruiting, retaining & creating a culture that makes staff clamor for more. - Gina Knepp
At the heart of every great sheltering organization are volunteers, the lifeblood of success. Regardless of where an agency is located, how big or how small, incorporating members of the community into every aspect of the work, is a recipe for long term success. This session will explore creative methods for recruiting, retaining and creating a culture that embraces the notion that volunteers are capable and intelligent people, with a true desire to give. The development of cohesive and respectful relationships between paid staff and volunteers is the most critical component of successful volunteer programs. Participants will have an opportunity to evaluate their own programs and for those without established volunteer programs, the session will surely inspire a desire to make it happen!
Best Practices for Animal Transport - Dr. Uri Donnett While animal transport has been an ever-growing method for finding live outcomes it is important that we prioritize the safety and wellbeing of the animals involved. Whether you are a source shelter or a destination, this session will cover updates in recommendations for safe and humane movement of dogs and cats both regionally and nationally. Don't have a program developed yet but hoping to start one, we'll also cover what you need to consider before getting started.
10:45 AM
Break
11:00 AM
How to remove restrictions and send shelter pets into homes with other animals. - Lindsay Hamrick
Participants will learn how to responsibly place dogs and cats into homes with other animals and to remove restrictions from animals most likely to be successful. Current trends indicate a majority of shelter pets are restricted from living in homes with other animals, due to shelter behavior or past in-home behavior. Because the majority of homes already have pets, this inevitably creates long lengths of stay. Instructions to safely integrate appropriate animals into new homes with resident pets will be provided. Integration tools can also be used in surrender prevention programs to help families repair relationships among pets.
What do we do about these long stays? - Sarah Aguilar
What is the average length of time animals stay in your shelter? Learn how to analyze this information and know what to do with it. You will learn how to fast-track animals and save more dogs and cats by levering volunteers for very specific tasks.
Canine Distemper Virus Management: A New Strategy for an Old Virus - Dr. Elizabeth Roberts
Newly published research provides a fresh perspective on managing outbreaks and individual dogs recovering from CDV. RT-PCR is a useful tool for diagnosing canine distemper virus (CDV) in dogs. However, many dogs who test positive for CDV on RT-PCR may test positive for week or months before eventually testing negative and it’s unclear when these dogs stop being infectious. A new management strategy using RT-PCR will save lives by dramatically simplifying identification of the end of the infectious period, shortening animal care days in isolation and conserving resources by limiting the need for extended diagnostic testing.
12:00 PM
Lunch and Exhibit Hall
Complete the Passport in your welcome bag to be entered in a raffle to win prizes! Winners announced on Sunday (must be present to win)!
1:15 PM
In it for the long haul: Compassion fatigue, building resilience, and mastering work/life harmony (Part 1) - Hilary Hager and Lindsay Hamrick
This workshop will provide attendees with the tools needed to stay resilient and maintain work/life harmony as they face the day-to-day challenges of their work in the animal protection field. Participants will gain a shared language and understanding of the causes and symptoms of Compassion Fatigue as well as a suite of skills that can be used to build and maintain a healthy and intentional culture of skillful communication, openness, health boundaries and personal responsibility.
How to Find and Keep Your Fosters: Foster Retention in your Organization. - Amanda Roos
Trying to grow your foster program but don't know where to start? Where and how do you recruit your fosters? And more importantly, how do you keep them coming back for more foster animals? In this session, we will learn how a 64 year old brick and mortar organization grew their foster program drastically from having 8 animals in foster at a time to having 108 in foster at a time - all in three months with limited staff. We will cover foster recruitment, foster family training and resources, and how to build meaningful connections with your fosters so they keep coming back for more.
Tips and Tricks for Efficient Spay/neuter - Dr. Uri Donnett
Whether you are a proficient surgeon or just starting to increase your comfort level and efficiency, this session will cover updates in high-quality high-volume spay/neuter techniques. We will look at the latest research on techniques to support your changes in practices. We will also review several videos demonstrating the different tricks that will increase your efficiency.
2:15 PM
Break
2:30 PM
In it for the long haul: Compassion fatigue, building resilience, and mastering work/life harmony (Part 2) - Hilary Hager and Lindsay Hamrick
This workshop will provide attendees with the tools needed to stay resilient and maintain work/life harmony as they face the day-to-day challenges of their work in the animal protection field. Participants will gain a shared language and understanding of the causes and symptoms of Compassion Fatigue as well as a suite of skills that can be used to build and maintain a healthy and intentional culture of skillful communication, openness, health boundaries and personal responsibility.
Before the Front Door: Intake Diversion and Pet Retention Through Community-Centric Programming - Elina Alterman
The future of animal sheltering is the work that happens in – and for – the community, before pets end up at the front door of the shelter. In this session, learn how to serve your community in more holistic ways outside of just being a place where people go to either surrender or adopt animals. Using community-center programming offered both at the shelter and in the field, proactively address pet problems such as poverty, job loss, and other systemic issues and inequities that otherwise might result in a pet being neglected, abandoned, or surrendered.
The Four Rights of Shelter and Rescue Animals: Delivering medical care to align with the right place, time, care plan, and outcome for all animals - Dr. Amie Burling
Shelters and rescues are pivoting their programs and operations as a result of Covid-era paradigm shifts. Along with significant challenges, these changes are also offering opportunities to improve how we care for both animals and humans within our systems. This presentation will discuss how to leverage medical care for shelter animals to support these needed changes including updates to the "Guidelines for the Standards of Care in Animal Shelters" document and practical strategies to serve our animals, our communities, and ourselves in difficult times.
3:30 PM
Break
3:45 PM
In it for the long haul: Compassion fatigue, building resilience, and mastering work/life harmony (Part 3) - Hilary Hager and Lindsay Hamrick
This workshop will provide attendees with the tools needed to stay resilient and maintain work/life harmony as they face the day-to-day challenges of their work in the animal protection field. Participants will gain a shared language and understanding of the causes and symptoms of Compassion Fatigue as well as a suite of skills that can be used to build and maintain a healthy and intentional culture of skillful communication, openness, health boundaries and personal responsibility.
The Ethics of Buying Puppy Mill Dogs - Mindi Callison and Erin Morse
The puppy mill industry is constantly looking for ways to profit off of their cruelty. What roles do rescues and shelters play in funding the industry? How do we ethically save animals while making sure we aren't enabling cruel conditions to continue? Join Mindi Callison from Bailing Out Benji and Erin Morse from Midwest Animal Resq in a discussion about the ethics of saving puppy mill dogs.
Getting the Upper Hand on Feline URI - Dr. Amie Burling
While the challenges of preventing and addressing feline upper respiratory infections in shelter and rescue cats are not new, the need to keep exploring new approaches and strategies remains urgent. This presentation will discuss what we know, what is new, and what we still need to prioritize for the health and welfare of cats in our care.
4:45 PM
Sessions Conclude.
5:30 PM
Evening Networking in the Exhibit Hall
Join the Missouri Coalition of Animal Care Organizations for an evening of networking and complimentary appetizers in the Exhibit Hall! Don’t forget to complete your Passport before the raffle on Sunday!
Sunday, October 29, 2023
8:00 AM
Coffee and Collaboration!
Grab your morning cup of coffee with fellow animal advocates in the Exhibit Hall!
8:30 AM
The Problem With Messaging: How Our Words are Holding Us Back & How We Can Do Better - Alison Kleibor
Animal sheltering in the U.S. has a messaging problem. Current messaging stokes divisions amongst those who work in animal welfare, and between us and members of the communities we serve. We are often communicating in ways that divide people, and repeat old messages that no longer align with our realities and values. Often, we don’t even realize how the things we are saying impact not only our work for animals and the community, but the impact these messages have on animal welfare organizations across the country. In this session we explore why messaging problems are happening and how our organizations’ messages shape the realities we experience every day. We will look at common messaging - from well known slogans to the ways we describe the people and communities we serve and support - and how words can be a powerful driver in supporting or undermining our programs and mission. You will hear about the work of the Evolution of Animal Welfare Task Force (EAWT), including research and efforts to find solutions to our collective messaging challenges. We will discuss the tools and resources developed by EAWT to communicate in ways that build connections, support our programmatic efforts, and promote the human-animal bond.
Shelter dog behavior: what are they doing when nobody’s looking? - April Huntsman
Have you ever been curious about what dogs do in the shelter when we’re not watching? How much are they sleeping, drinking, scratching, or even licking? We were too, so we put activity and health trackers (think Fit Bit for dogs) on thousands of shelter dogs to find out (and collected DNA samples too!). In this session, we’ll provide insights from thousands of data points collected. We’ll share how shelter dog behavior differs from in-foster behavior and even in-home behavior, along with case studies from several participating shelters on how they used the activity monitors’ data to guide program implementation.
Practical Heartworm Treatment in the Shelter - Dr. Sandra Kay Walker
There are often special circumstances in the shelter which preclude strict adherence to the American Heartworm Society's guidelines for heartworm management. This session will briefly review heartworm disease and the AHS guidelines. Following that, there will be discussion on the challenges of treating heartworm disease in the shelter, communicating with adopters and other stakeholders about heartworm disease, and the use of thoughtful, peer-reviewed protocol modifications to treat heartworm positive dogs in a shelter population. Shelter medical staff and any others who want to learn about heartworm disease are encouraged to attend.
9:30 AM
Break
9:45 AM
Compassionate Language and Programming to Support People and Pets - Shannon Glenn
Have you ever been scrolling through social media and read through a post calling someone a “horrible pet owner” or worse during a time of need or crisis? The answer is probably yes; we've all seen this, and perhaps we’ve even used harmful language ourselves that can push people in need away. Throughout this presentation, you’ll learn how animal welfare professionals can use human-centered and human-supportive language to save more lives and keep families together.
Data, Data, Every Where, Nor Any Stat to Keep - Collecting and Analyzing Data That Makes a Difference. - Jason Smith
Data is everywhere, and lots of it. There is so much data, of one form or another, collected in animal service organizations that it can become a bad thing, if not used wisely. Too much data, ineffective analysis or poor data management can make gathering information for decision making almost impossible. Worse it can prove deceptive and cause you to make the wrong decisions.
In this session we will discuss the aspects of data collection, management and analysis. We will explore making sense of the data available to us, how we put information in context and the value of keeping things simple. We will also discuss the potential for, and benefit of, automating data collection and analysis.
10:45 AM
Break
11:00 AM
Make the Leap: Change is hard for all of us. - Kim Brown
It can push us out of our comfort zone and may even feel risky. Hear examples about making a leap in animal welfare and the results. From open adoptions, getting creative with isolation space, to letting the public take shelter pets on outings, and more. These possibilities can result in a lot of what ifs and usually those are scary things. Replace those thoughts with, but what if we could? Taking a small step or a big leap can save lives. Change often benefits from buy in from your team, board, and volunteers. We’ll cover that too!
Virtual Volunteerism: Generating Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion Through Creative and Virtual Volunteer Programs - Jason Smith
Volunteerism has been around since practically the beginning of humanity. It is only in the last few years that both the distinct need and technology have existed to take volunteer programs to the next level and dramatically change the face of volunteer programs within animal welfare agencies.
Join us for this session to break the chains of traditional volunteer programs by integrating technology and strategic virtual volunteer programs that promote global opportunity, diversity and inclusion. We will address integrating special needs, highly skilled, temporary volunteers and more, through specialized programs that maximize impact while reducing effort on the part of the agency.
12:00 PM
Lunch and Raffle Drawing
Submit your completed Exhibitor Passport by 10 am in order to be entered in the drawing for prices! Winners must be present to receive their price!
See you in 2024!
Schedule
Clear your schedule, and join your colleagues from all over the Midwest to learn and network! See the full conference schedule here.
Speakers
Expert speakers are traveling from across the country to present at MASC! See the full line-up here!
Travel
Travel around Springfield is easy and affordable! Find hotel, flight, and parking details here.
“What a great conference for shelter and rescue professionals in Missouri and throughout the Midwest. We've been in need of an educational opportunity like this for a while - full of practical information and inspiration. Thank you so much for hosting this. Hope to see you next year!”
— MASC Conference Speaker