Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference

2024 Schedule.

The 2024 Midwest Animal Sheltering Conference will take place at the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield, MO on October 2-4, 2024. 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.

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

 

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

 

Keynote: Breaking Down Barriers Between Field and Shelter - Dr. Josh Fisher
This sessions aims to address some of the common divides we see between animal control and animal sheltering units. Each of these units experiences unique challenges, that ultimately are more easily overcome when we work together. By breaking down barriers we can create a more cohesive and effective system that benefits our communities, the animals in our care, and each of you as professionals in this field.

 

10:00 AM

Break and Exhibit Hall

 

10:30 AM

 

Customer Experience in Animal Welfare - Dr. Josh Fisher
As leaders in animal welfare, we often focus on the numbers: how many animals are coming in and how many are leaving, how many staff members do we retain, how much funding is there for overtime, and much more. This session is intended to take a step back from the data and look at the overall experience we are providing to our customers, both internal and external. Just like consumers don’t want to shop at places where they have a bad experience, community members don’t want to visit shelters where they have a bad experience. That’s why it’s critical that we create a fantastic customer experience for our community members. In this session, we’ll dive into what makes a good customer experience and how we should be leveraging it to save more lives. We’ll also discuss why it’s important to provide an exceptional experience for our internal customers (our teams) so that they will enjoy work, be less likely to leave, and be better able to care for the animals.

Bridging the Rural Divide: Improving Pet Welfare through Strategic Spay/Neuter Messaging - Monica Tarant
Serving rural communities is a challenge for many clinics across the nation, which leads to many pets in these areas not getting spayed/neutered. In this presentation, we’ll discuss how the Give Them Ten Movement in partnership with Pet Friendly Services of Indiana was able to reach Indiana’s most in-need communities through strategic and targeted messaging. This led to our mobile spay/neuter clinic selling out every appointment across 17 counties within days. We’ll discuss the challenges unique to rural communities and offer practical solutions and ways to reach these underserved communities with the right messaging.

MACA Track: Rabies Updates - Molly Baker
This presentation will provide attendees with a summary of recent rabies activity in Missouri, animal specimen submission guidelines and things to consider when submitting specimens for rabies testing.  It will also provide a brief overview of Corynebacterium ulcerans, an uncommon emerging zoonotic pathogen that can potentially have significant public health implications.

 

11:30 AM

 

Return to Home: Interested in starting a program? Here’s how! - Gina Knepp
Intended for shelters that may not have an established return to home programs. Many shelters have robust programs with incredible success, but not all. Lost pet reunification is the least expensive & most noble effort any shelter can start to increase lifesaving. Guiding the beginner through the appropriate actionable measures necessary to begin getting lost animals back home. Offering a powerful toolkit & real-life example, inspiring all to go back to work & get started! Topics include website strategies, technology, incorporating volunteers & showcasing the work to make keeping people & their pets together a number one priority.

The Power of Coalitions: Working Together to Save More Animal Lives - Monica Tarant
Innovative strategies that streamline intake processes. Purchasing power that reduces costs on supplies. Cohesive messaging that creates engaged communities. That’s the power of a coalition. Since forming the Tri-State Animal Welfare Coalition in Greater Cincinnati, we’ve seen measurable change and impact on animal lives, especially in our underserved communities. Our presentation will discuss how forming a coalition can create more sustainable strategies, enhance public messaging, reduce costs and help organizations enjoy shared benefits. From this session participants will be inspired and equipped to start a coalition in their own regions.

MACA Track: Leveraging Social Media and Data for Effective Storytelling in Animal Control Agencies - Tori Fugate
In this session, we will explore how to harness the power of social media to tell the compelling story of your animal control agency. Learn the best practices for creating engaging content that highlights your agency's mission, successes, and the heartwarming stories of the animals you serve. We'll discuss strategies for working effectively with the media to amplify your message and build a positive public image. Additionally, discover how to use data and transparency as powerful tools to build trust with your community. By the end of this session, you'll have the knowledge and inspiration to use social media and data-driven storytelling to enhance your agency's outreach and impact.

12:30 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 Friday (must be present to win)!

 

1:30 PM

 

Searching for Love: Increasing Animal Outcomes begins with Optimized Digital Presence - Jackie Roach
As consumer behaviors evolve, convenience increasingly drives decision-making. Potential adopters rely on search and social media to find shelters. This presentation explores strategies to optimize your digital presence, catering to diverse demographics and consumer expectations. Key takeaways: 1. Discover how search impacts consumer engagement with shelters. 2. Learn about generational digital trends and expectations. 3. Uncover how a focused digital presence provides adopters with a compelling experience, resulting in more homes for animals.

Pathway Planning - Tim Yeaglin
Pathway Planning is essential to running an efficient organization. It will move pets through your organization efficiently, lowering the length of stay, keeping disease down, unwanted behaviors will be mitigated, and thus allowing you to serve more pets in your community. We need to look at the operations as a whole and decide if we have the right systems in place to efficiently move pets through.  

MACA Track: Uncovering Bias in Animal Control: Protecting Fairness and Equity - Mike Wheeler
This session will shed light on the concept of bias within the realm of animal control and its potential impact on decision-making processes. Bias, whether conscious or unconscious, can influence decision-making, resource allocation, and interactions with both animals and the communities served. By shining a light on bias, we can develop a deeper understanding of how it affects animal welfare outcomes and community relationships.  This session will share strategies for promoting fairness and equity and sharing best practices to counter bias and foster a more inclusive and compassionate animal control approach.

 

2:30 PM

 

Foster and Volunteer Recruitment Strategies - Tori Fugate
During this session, you’ll learn about foster and volunteer recruitment strategies designed to broaden your community outreach and strengthen support for your programs. Discover effective methods for attracting new foster families and volunteers and learn how to create a robust marketing system to promote pets in foster care. This approach not only increases foster placements but also reduces the length of stay and enhances foster retention.
We will explore a variety of marketing strategies to recruit new supporters, including the use of compelling videos as recruitment tools. Additionally, you'll learn how to leverage the enthusiasm of current volunteers to engage new supporters.
The session will also cover essential resources and tools to ensure that fosters and volunteers feel welcomed and included, which is crucial for maintaining their long-term engagement and commitment. Whether you are part of a large municipal shelter or a foster-based rescue group, the knowledge and strategies shared in this workshop will be applicable and valuable to your organization and community.

Testicle Talk: Customer Service in the Animal Space - Gina Knepp
Customer Service training in Animal Welfare has often been an afterthought. This curriculum is rare, it's about being effective in our communication with each other, volunteers & customers. Legitimizing the feelings of others, finding words that impact the psyche & leave the other person feeling cared for, even if the answer might be no. This session will inspire evaluation of personal styles & encourage a different training approach. Unique, in that we will walk through conversations that we have routinely, but often fall short in doing so. This session is intended to provoke conversation, thoughts & action.

MACA Track: Legislative Updates - Bob Baker
Bob Baker, with the Missouri Alliance for Animal legislation provides us with updates and significant happenings from across Missouri.

 

3:20 PM

Break and Exhibit Hall

3:40 PM

 

Leadership 101 - Stacy Rogers
Leadership 101 will focus on the skills that animal welfare leaders need to succeed. In an industry where individuals are often promoted without formal leadership training, understanding how to be a lead and how to identify and support the leaders on your team. This session is targeted for both existing leaders and for those who aspire to a leadership position.

No Room at the Inn: Engaging the Public to House Lost Pets - Jill Henke
When there’s no room at the inn, try home stays! Overwhelmed by the number of stray pets in your community? Tired of watching your staff burn out turning away frustrated residents who are trying to deliver lost pets they have found? You can position pet finders as heroes by empowering them to knock on doors, talk to neighbors, hang flyers in the area where the pet turned up, and post the pet on social media. And when you explain that it takes, on average, eight days for a lost pet to be returned, the finder might even be willing to keep the pet at home. In this session, we will walk you through tangible ways that your shelter can support finders in the Return-to-Owner process without the pet ever entering your shelter. We will walk through how to position the finder as the hero by empowering them to follow an easy checklist to increase the chances of locating the pet’s owner. Most importantly, we will walk you through how to ask the finder to keep the pet for 1-2 weeks and how you can support their heroic efforts of keeping pets out of the shelter.

MACA Track: Large Scale Animal Impoundments
This presentation will cover the most common types of large-scale cases and tips for successful investigations and seizures. This workshop will discuss the need to plan ahead, evidence collection, handling, transport, ongoing care, and unique considerations for seizures involving significant number of animals.

  • Topics to be covered:
    Evidence collection/documentation of a significant number of animals

  • Logistical challenges of large-scale investigations and seizures, and establishing MOU/MOAs

  • Case management challenges and the importance of collaboration and preparedness

 

4:40 PM

 

Speed Networking
This dynamic and fast-paced event is designed to help you connect, collaborate, and share insights with other professionals in the field. Whether you're a shelter manager, volunteer coordinator, animal welfare advocate, or part of the veterinary community, this session provides a unique opportunity to expand your network, exchange ideas, and build partnerships. Bring your business cards and get ready for a high-energy, impactful networking experience!

MACA Track: Not Here Kitty Kitty
Removing cats to solve a neighbor complaint is not the most effective resolution to the problem. A variety of tools are available to encourage cats to stay away from where they are not wanted. Approaching the issue from the cat’s perspective can ensure the safety and welfare of both the animals and the public.

Topics to be covered:

  • Community cat behaviors

  • TNR programs focused on colony depopulation

  • How/when to use cat deterrent

 

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!

Thursday, October 3, 2024

 

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

 

Community Cat Programs - Tim Yeaglin
Come find out what this TNR thing everyone is talking about. Tim will go over what CCP is and more importantly what it isn’t. He’ll go into the science behind why we do it. If you are looking to expand your knowledge to convince a board, community, city council, or any decision-makers this program will provide you with the knowledge to make CCP happen.  

Foster Programs - Sarah Aguilar
Sarah Aguilar, Director of Santa Barbara County Animal Services, describes how she and her small team expanded their capacity and improved morale through the growth of their foster program.  From starting a Doggy Day Trip program, with about 350 trips each month, to 1,500 kitten placements and housing as many dogs in foster as in shelter, SBCAS built on their existing systems and saw immediate benefits in dog well-being, adoptions, and volunteer engagement. Hear how they did it, what they learned along the way, and what’s next for the program.

MACA Track: Keeping Families Together - Steve Kaufman
Ensuring that pets remain with their families, even when shelters are not overcrowded, is crucial for the well-being of both pets and their owners. To achieve this, we need to reassess our strategies and consider whether our current approach is effective or if a shift in mindset could lead to better solutions. In this class, we will explore the challenges that some families face with pet ownership and discuss how animal service providers can support efforts to keep these families together.

 

9:30 AM

Community Cat Complaint Mitigation - Tim Yeaglin
This presentation will go over how to deal with common community cat complaints, the use of humane deterrents, and how to convince the public whether it be at the intake counter or in the public about why we need to keep cats in the community and not remove them.

MACA Track: Bridging Cultures: Enhancing Communication in the Field for Multicultural Understanding
In today's diverse communities, effective communication and cultural understanding are critical for animal control officers (ACOs) to successfully engage and serve all residents. This presentation, "Bridging Cultures: Enhancing Communication in the Field for Multicultural Understanding," will explore strategies and best practices for ACOs to build stronger relationships with multicultural communities.

We will examine the unique challenges that arise when cultural differences impact perceptions of animal care, control, and safety. Attendees will learn how to recognize and respect cultural values and employ culturally sensitive approaches to community outreach. By enhancing our cultural competence,we can foster trust, improve cooperation, and ultimately achieve better outcomes in our work

 

10:30 AM

 

The Data-Driven Guide to Pet Adoption Marketing - April Huntsman
Want to get your shelter pets adopted faster? Learn what adopters search for online & how to optimize pet profiles for Adopt a Pet! This session reveals data on pet attributes, profile views & getting adopted. Walk away with 5 easy changes to boost adoption rates!

Se Habla Espanol (and other helpful tools to involve your Latine community in lifesaving) - Jacqueline Hernandez
Are you looking to bridge the language barrier spoken throughout your community? In this session you will be able to learn about simple tools and resources to make sure you are speaking your community's language (literally!). Creating and sustaining relationships with others is crucial to our life-saving mission and without the ability of speaking the same language, it can affect how a person can share their thoughts and feelings.

MACA Track: In Adopters We Trust
Dive into the evolving landscape of pet adoptions and acquisitions, and the challenges currently facing the animal sheltering industry. This comprehensive course will explore key issues such as problematic behaviors, discriminatory practices, and the perceptions we are creating of industry professionals. Engage in an interactive and thought-provoking discussion that may challenge your traditional beliefs and provide insights into the future of pet adoptions. Come prepared with an open mind as we explore strategies to enhance the public's perception of our work and foster better relationships between people and pets.

 

11:30 AM

 

Change Management: Embracing the Big Good W.O.L.F. - Jakie Hernandez
Change management can transform your organization and unleash the potential of creative initiatives to save lives. In this session, we’ll explore the power of Winning Strategies, Overcoming Obstacles, Lifesaving Innovations, and Forward-thinking Programs (W.O.L.F.). We’ll offer practical techniques for identifying and addressing barriers within your organization, while gaining insights into effective program development. We’ll share our experiences implementing daily rounds, establishing an animal welfare panel, and conducting "pulse-checks" on capacity for care. We hope you go away empowered with ways to improve shelter culture and morale, thus fostering a positive environment for staff and animals alike. W.O.L.F. aims to inspire and equip you to drive positive change and make a lasting impact in your community.

Five Ways to Clear Your Shelter of Lost Pets - Abbie Moore
Over half of animals entering shelters are “stray”, which often means “lost”. What if you could both reduce your intake by a significant percent AND more quickly return lost pets who do enter your facility to their homes? Petco Love works with animal welfare organizations all over the country on lost and found pets, learning what works and what doesn’t. At this session, they’ll pass along the five most effective, biggest-bang-for-the-buck actions you can take to supersize your reunion efforts.

MACA Track: Animal Care Facilities Act Updates - Matt Rold
The Animal Care Facilities Act (ACFA) requires for breeding kennels, boarding kennels, animal shelters, and pet shops to be licensed and inspected by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. This course provides a brief overview of the ACFA requirements, measures used by the program, current topics in the ACFA program, and a chance for questions.

 

12:30 PM

Lunch and Exhibit Hall
Complete the Passport in your welcome bag to be entered in a raffle to win prizes! Winners announced on Friday (must be present to win)!

2:00 PM

 

Sustainable Fundraising Strategies -Heather Owen
In this session I will share how to build a community that is active in fundraising and builds an environment of sustainable fundraising. We'll talk about peer to peer fundraising, monthly donor programs, using email and social media to raise funds, and how to ensure the focus stays on small individual donors for a safe and sustainable revenue stream.

Caring for Nontraditional Species in the Animal Shelter - Dr. Jo Jarred
This talk is designed to introduce and familiarize attendees with the care and management of common non-traditional species in a shelter setting. The focus will be on the distinctive nature of non-traditional species and how they factor into and are impacted by current shelter systems. This talk is ideal for those currently working in a shelter that sees species beyond dogs and cats or those interested in starting a program for non-traditional species.

 

3:00 PM

Small, Simple Changes for Big Social Media Changes! - Sarah Tolley
With so much happening in day-to-day life in animal welfare, social media can easily fall to the back burner. This presentation will give you simple, easy changes to maximize your social media accounts (while saving time). When to schedule, what to post, and things to avoid to ensure you're reaching as many people as possible to help your pets!

Hiring for Culture - Coaching for Impact - Sarah Aguilar
An illuminating exploration of the transformative journey undertaken by two animal shelter directors. These directors successfully reshaped their organizational culture, achieved full staffing, and infused joy into their workplace environment. The session promises a deep dive into the strategies, challenges, and triumphs encountered during this remarkable cultural shift. The presentation features discussions with the two directors, who share their experiences and insights on navigating organizational change, from strategic hiring practices to the implementation of impactful coaching strategies.

MACA Track: Public Education, Successfully Reaching Out to Your Community Part I - Tabitha Blewett
In the community of animal welfare professionals, we all share a desire for the public to know more about what we do and what resources are available to them.  Our goal with this workshop is to focus on improving communication with the public as well as procedures through teaching classes and workshops in the community. This workshop includes tips on developing classes on urban wildlife, new pet ownership, offender programs, children's programs and Parks and Recreation services.  We will also address how to deal with the fear of public speaking.  As the populations of humans and animals increase, being able to reach out and educate as many people as possible is crucial to making our jobs easier and can also improve the quality of life for animals in our area.

 

4:00 PM

Leveraging Rescue and Veterinary Partnerships for Lifesaving in Rural Areas - Carlee Fiddes
Animal Welfare has undoubtedly changed since COVID. Intakes are up, adoptions are down, add in a nationwide veterinary shortage, many veterinarians going corporate, and we are stuck here in a big mess. We will not individually fight our way out of this mess. Strong veterinary and rescue partnerships are vital to our success. We will have to work together to survive and hopefully thrive going forward. This session is for anyone working in shelters and rescues responsible to veterinary or rescue partnerships. This is geared towards smaller organizations that do yet not employ a full time veterinarian.

Top Ten Tips to Increase Your Organization's Adoptions - Dr. Abbie Atteberry
Have adoptions at your shelter or rescue stalled? Do you desperately need to get more animals adopted? In this session we will discuss the most impactful levers you can pull at your shelter or rescue to increase adoptions by optimizing the adoption experience. We'll review ways you can fine tune your marketing, accessibility, customer service, and more!

MACA Track: Public Education, Successfully Reaching Out to Your Community Part 2 - Tabitha Blewett
In the community of animal welfare professionals, we all share a desire for the public to know more about what we do and what resources are available to them.  Our goal with this workshop is to focus on improving communication with the public as well as procedures through teaching classes and workshops in the community. This workshop includes tips on developing classes on urban wildlife, new pet ownership, offender programs, children's programs and Parks and Recreation services.  We will also address how to deal with the fear of public speaking.  As the populations of humans and animals increase, being able to reach out and educate as many people as possible is crucial to making our jobs easier and can also improve the quality of life for animals in our area.

 

4:50 PM

Sessions Conclude.

 

6:00 PM

Cocktails and Awards Banquet
Join the Missouri Coalition of Animal Care Organizations and Missouri Animal Control Association for an evening of celebration as we announce the 2024 awards recipients! Cocktails will begin at 6 pm and the banquet program at 6:30 pm.

Friday, October 4, 2024

 

8:00 AM

Maximizing Partnerships to Increase Lifesaving - Anne Schmidt and Mady O’Reilly
Establishing effective partnerships in animal welfare is critical to achieving lifesaving success, but how do you do it? Metro East Humane Society (MEHS) went from 600 annual adoptions, limited community partnerships and volunteers, and a county save rate of barely 40% in 2014 to nearly tripling adoptions and revenues, acquiring two failing organizations and helping their county achieve no-kill status in less than 10 years. This session will help organizations learn how to make strategic and effective partnerships, evaluate their internal organizational health, and be open to change and working with others to ultimately save more lives.

Tame the Chaos: How to Think Like a Startup in the Shelter & Rescue Environment - Heather Duncan
Animal welfare organizations and startups may sound very different from the outside, but on the inside we look alike! We all have big goals and few resources to achieve them. We have impossibly long to-do lists. We operate in an environment where the only constant is change. From how we approach meetings, to prioritizing what work needs to be done now versus later, to staying focused on your goals in chaotic environments, this session will share practical startup techniques and strategies to help you achieve your lifesaving & fundraising goals.

MACA Track: Shelter Safety Part 1 - Kevin Hearst
Comprehensive approach to a safe environment inside and outside shelter facilities. Fundamental guidelines for the following: (SOP) Standard Operation Procedures revision, Supervisor training revision, Review safety areas and equipment. Walkthrough assessments were performed to check existing procedures, protocols, and safety measures toward biosecurity and more.

 

9:00 AM

Disciplined Fundraising (While Drowning) - Savannah McDonald
Attendees can expect a broad overview of fundraising principles and the basics of stewardship. Learn how to grow your fundraising program, even at the height of kitten season. Discover how raising money can even be fun with the right framework and a disciplined approach. Both shelters and rescues can benefit from this presentation. This is an entry level presentation, although there's a good chance you're already doing more stewardship than you realize. The trick is putting it into consistent practice.

From Shelter to Home: Minimizing Stay Times and Adoption Hurdles - Daniella Barragan
In this session we will explore effective strategies for reducing the length of stay in shelters and address common barriers that impede the adoption process. Participants will learn about innovative and practical solutions that have successfully minimized stay times and increased adoption rates. This session will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to enhance adoption outcomes and ensure more animals find loving homes swiftly and smoothly.

MACA Track: Shelter Safety Part 2 - Kevin Hearst
Comprehensive approach to a safe environment inside and outside shelter facilities. Fundamental guidelines for the following: (SOP) Standard Operation Procedures revision, Supervisor training revision, Review safety areas and equipment. Walkthrough assessments were performed to check existing procedures, protocols, and safety measures toward biosecurity and more.

 

10:00 AM

Break

 

10:30 AM

Keynote: Thriving through the Challenges: Compassion Fatigue and Self Care in Animal Welfare - Tabitha Blewett
This class on Compassion Fatigue and Crisis Intervention covers essential topics for animal welfare workers. We’ll delve into the basics of compassion fatigue, crisis intervention, and the types of trauma faced in the field. There will be a special focus on mental health, discussing depression, suicide rates, and the impact on both officers and their families. You'll also receive valuable health and wellness resources, along with practical strategies for coping and thriving in your work. Our goal is to help you not just survive but thrive in your career, so you can provide the best care for the animals you serve.

See you in 2025!

 

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