Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 17 hours ago
The Institute for Human-Animal Connection research team present the finalized and updated results of a recent study on patterns and trends in animal control and field services interactions in the U.S. In a first-of-its-kind study, quantitative demographic disparities are established in the trends of animal control data from a unique dataset obtained directly from a nationally representative sample of U.S. animal control/field services agencies. Through rigorously analyzed data consisting of over 1 million cases, this session will highlight the inextricable intersection of animal control, Access to Care issues, systemic racial bias in differential enforcement, and the urgent need to address these disparities collectively as a field.
Speakers from University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection https://socialwork.du.edu/humananimalconnection
o Kevin Morris, PhD, Research Professor/Executive Director
o Kaleigh O’Reilly, MSW
o Liana R. Moss, MSW, HAEI-SW, Research Associate II
To access the full agenda and resources from this call or to ask questions of our speakers, visit https://maddies.fund/communityconversations21025
About Community Conversations, hosted by Maddie’s Fund: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, animal sheltering transformed overnight. Foster-based sheltering, home-based employees and volunteers, along with collaboration galvanized our communities. The pandemic, along with social injustice, has motivated our industry to look at how we partner with our communities and confront our own biases. Shelter and rescue staff across the country began talking on a weekly basis, offering support and innovative ideas to do things differently. To learn more about these calls, visit forum.maddiesfund.org/communityconversations
00:00 Welcome + Question of the Day
02:28 January 2025 grant winners
05:29 National Updates
12:12 Presentation
The Institute for Human-Animal Connection research team present the finalized and updated results of a recent study on patterns and trends in animal control and field services interactions in the U.S. In a first-of-its-kind study, quantitative demographic disparities are established in the trends of animal control data from a unique dataset obtained directly from a nationally representative sample of U.S. animal control/field services agencies. Through rigorously analyzed data consisting of over 1 million cases, this session will highlight the inextricable intersection of animal control, Access to Care issues, systemic racial bias in differential enforcement, and the urgent need to address these disparities collectively as a field.
Speakers from University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection https://socialwork.du.edu/humananimalconnection
o Kevin Morris, PhD, Research Professor/Executive Director
o Kaleigh O’Reilly, MSW
o Liana R. Moss, MSW, HAEI-SW, Research Associate II
To access the full agenda and resources from this call or to ask questions of our speakers, visit https://maddies.fund/communityconversations21025
About Community Conversations, hosted by Maddie’s Fund: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, animal sheltering transformed overnight. Foster-based sheltering, home-based employees and volunteers, along with collaboration galvanized our communities. The pandemic, along with social injustice, has motivated our industry to look at how we partner with our communities and confront our own biases. Shelter and rescue staff across the country began talking on a weekly basis, offering support and innovative ideas to do things differently. To learn more about these calls, visit forum.maddiesfund.org/communityconversations
00:00 Welcome + Question of the Day
02:28 January 2025 grant winners
05:29 National Updates
12:12 Presentation
