Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 15 hours ago
Shelters often take in pets because of complex human challenges, rarely just a single reason. In this condensed session, you'll discover key insights from the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Intake Triage Project, which replaces transactional intake with a triage-based approach to uncover the full story behind owner surrenders and found pets. Learn how shelters used conversational intake to gather richer, more actionable data, spot trends unique to their communities, and design targeted resources that keep pets with their families. We'll share common themes and proven strategies for addressing financial and housing barriers, resolving behavior concerns, empowering finders to reunite lost pets, and building effective finder-to-foster programs.
Our speakers from Human Animal Support Services:
Amanda Foster, Director of Programs
Jenifer Reed, Senior Education and Program Specialist
To access the full agenda and resources from this call or to ask questions of our speakers, visit https://maddies.fund/communityconversations81825
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
Shelters often take in pets because of complex human challenges, rarely just a single reason. In this condensed session, you'll discover key insights from the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) Intake Triage Project, which replaces transactional intake with a triage-based approach to uncover the full story behind owner surrenders and found pets. Learn how shelters used conversational intake to gather richer, more actionable data, spot trends unique to their communities, and design targeted resources that keep pets with their families. We'll share common themes and proven strategies for addressing financial and housing barriers, resolving behavior concerns, empowering finders to reunite lost pets, and building effective finder-to-foster programs.
Our speakers from Human Animal Support Services:
Amanda Foster, Director of Programs
Jenifer Reed, Senior Education and Program Specialist
To access the full agenda and resources from this call or to ask questions of our speakers, visit https://maddies.fund/communityconversations81825
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
