Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
To earn continuing education credit for CAWA and NACA, please view this video on Maddie’s University: university.maddiesfund.org/products/disaster-response-for-animal-control-partnerships-preparedness-maddies-community-conversations-on-demand
Co-hosts:
Shafonda Davis Allen, CAWA, Back to Basics Animal Welfare Leadership Consulting
Amber Eby, Senior Grants Specialist, Maddie’s Fund
Guest presenter:
Jerrica Owen, CEO, the National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA)
Partnerships are operational tools, not “nice to have.” Strong relationships with emergency management, shelters, veterinary partners, and other public safety agencies enable smoother coordination for intake, transport, communication, and humane care when systems are overwhelmed.
Prepared processes reduce chaos and protect both animals and staff. Having ready-to-use plans (SOPs, contact lists, resource checklists, and tabletop/drills) helps ACOs respond consistently, manage surge capacity, and maintain humane standards under pressure.
Key takeaways
• Despite existing state and federal laws, many housing providers ignore legal protections for tenants with Emotional Support Animals (ESAs). This results in harassment, resistance, and wrongful denial of accommodations.
• Examples of the immediate impact of hiring from within your community will be provided.
• The link between access to pet care and access to careers in animal health.
Your jurisdiction still matters during disasters. Even when conditions change fast, ACO authority and service responsibilities remain the foundation for safe, lawful response—so know your boundaries and escalation path ahead of time.
To comment or ask more questions about this meeting, please visit https://maddies.fund/communutyconversations081226
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
Please note: All views expressed on these calls are not necessarily endorsed by Maddie's Fund.
To earn continuing education credit for CAWA and NACA, please view this video on Maddie’s University: university.maddiesfund.org/products/disaster-response-for-animal-control-partnerships-preparedness-maddies-community-conversations-on-demand
Co-hosts:
Shafonda Davis Allen, CAWA, Back to Basics Animal Welfare Leadership Consulting
Amber Eby, Senior Grants Specialist, Maddie’s Fund
Guest presenter:
Jerrica Owen, CEO, the National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA)
Partnerships are operational tools, not “nice to have.” Strong relationships with emergency management, shelters, veterinary partners, and other public safety agencies enable smoother coordination for intake, transport, communication, and humane care when systems are overwhelmed.
Prepared processes reduce chaos and protect both animals and staff. Having ready-to-use plans (SOPs, contact lists, resource checklists, and tabletop/drills) helps ACOs respond consistently, manage surge capacity, and maintain humane standards under pressure.
Key takeaways
• Despite existing state and federal laws, many housing providers ignore legal protections for tenants with Emotional Support Animals (ESAs). This results in harassment, resistance, and wrongful denial of accommodations.
• Examples of the immediate impact of hiring from within your community will be provided.
• The link between access to pet care and access to careers in animal health.
Your jurisdiction still matters during disasters. Even when conditions change fast, ACO authority and service responsibilities remain the foundation for safe, lawful response—so know your boundaries and escalation path ahead of time.
To comment or ask more questions about this meeting, please visit https://maddies.fund/communutyconversations081226
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
Please note: All views expressed on these calls are not necessarily endorsed by Maddie's Fund.
