Sept. 21, 2023
10-11:00am (PT)

Animal Shelter Safety: Proven Strategies to Reduce Serious Bites and Other Risks

When shelters are full, they're at higher risk of safety-related incidents including falls, serious bites, and dog-to-dog altercations. Shelters often respond to safety incidents by increasing euthanasia, restricting animal movement, or introducing reactive rules and policies. Unfortunately, these measures do not address the underlying problems causing safety incidents, so they're unlikely to be effective over the medium and long term.

The good news is there are lots of proactive steps animal shelters can take to improve safety and reduce risk. In this session, we'll use real-life examples of dog bites, injuries, and other safety incidents to explore the roots of what went wrong and what corrective actions will help. We'll specifically cover:
• The role of shelter rounds in maintaining and improving shelter safety
• Kennel safety/fight interruption equipment and maintenance
• Kennel enrichment to improve safety
• Quick and easy safety training for staff and volunteers
• Pre-contact disclosure protocol for staff and volunteers
• Locks vs. carabiners: which one is actually safer?
• The risks and benefits of cohousing dogs

This session is fast-paced and interactive and will leave attendees feeling empowered to create a culture of safety in their organization.