Commitment #6
What is our goal?
To strive to find the very best homes for our animals and provide post-adoption support.
Where are we now?
Green
We are confident we are placing our animals safely in the community and within forever homes.
Perfomance highlight 2022/2023
Total number of animals placed into forever homes, an increase of 22% on previous year
8132
Recent updates
8 Nov 2023
Our newly formed Home Together program, led by a qualified social worker, will work with families going through times of crisis to help them to keep their pets. This program has been made possible thanks to generous funding from the Petstock Foundation. See Goal #7 for more details.
7 Jun 2023
Our Behaviour Team introduced 'Puppy Preschool' to our publicly available dog training sessions. Preschool are early training classes where puppies can learn basic skills while having positive interactions with people and other puppies. Early training and appropriate socialisation are essential for every puppy. Unfortunately, there are high numbers of unsocialised dogs now reaching adulthood post COVID. Puppy preschool will address the root of the problem, helping to make sure puppies are given the best environment possible to grow into happy confident dogs.
As the number of animals adopted with (manageable) behavioural needs increases, so does the requirement for post adoption behavioural advice.
It is important to understand that, as a shelter, we have a duty of care to the community and their pets and must operate within and comply with the Code of Practice for the Management of Dogs and Cats in Shelters and Pounds. The Code demands that shelters must not rehome animals that demonstrate aggression or serious anti-social behaviours.
We are committed to finding homes for all adoptable animals and to providing post-adoption support to our adopters and their new family members.
Although health issues identified pre-adoption are thoroughly talked through with prospective owners and our veterinary teams are available for post adoption medical care and advice, pressures on our veterinary team means we are not always able to provide full post-adoptive support to all our adopters.
As the number of animals adopted with (manageable) behavioural needs increases, so does the requirement for post adoption behavioural advice.
Post adoption advice is available right now. However, similar to our veterinary teams, our behavioural team are stretched with shelter animal assessments, rehabilitation work, training classes and consultations, and we are often unable to provide the level of service we have set ourselves targets for, in this area.
Where do we need to be?
Having the capacity to be able to provide post-adoption advice as needed by our adopters.
Providing a comprehensive post-adoption support package for our new adopters.
Non-behavioural team staff with the knowledge and skill sets to be able to deal with low level behavioural and medical enquiries, effectively triaging enquiries for greater efficiency and effectiveness.
With an additional behavioural team specifically dedicated to post-adoption support.
How will we advance?
- In the long term, raise more money to be able to recruit more vets and vet nurses and employ additional skilled behaviourists dedicated to providing post-adoption support services.
- In the short term, start upskilling non-behavioural team members to be able to triage enquiries.
- Consider creating a suite of educational videos, easily accessible through website.
- Greater use of platforms such as Zoom for virtual advice and help
- Collaborate with partners who can help facilitate the growth of LDH’ behaviour program