News, ideas & inspiration from industry leaders

Honoring Juneteenth Is a Call to Action!
This year, celebrating Juneteenth requires a deeper examination of the historical barriers Black communities have faced in accessing pet services, shelter leadership, and veterinary care Juneteenth continues to mark a pivotal...
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Guest Voices: An Insider’s View of Clear the Shelters
“People Line Up Before the Doors Open—It’s Exciting and Energizing” Every year, more than 1,000 organizations nationwide unite for Clear the Shelters, a powerful, month-long adoption campaign sponsored by Hill’s...
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Roll Call: 2025 Compensation & Benefits Study Participant List
The following organizations have made a commitment to the animal welfare profession and to their staff and communities by participating in the 2023 Compensation & Benefits Study....
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Tip of the Week: Mental Health Flipbook
SHRM’s playbook will empower your org to implement new processes for addressing mental health challenges in the workplace Workplace mental health challenges run the gamut from automation anxiety to financial...
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Jobs of the Month—June 2025
Are you looking to spread your professional wings, or know someone who’s ready to fly? Following is a sampling of the latest offerings at The Association’s Career Center. Community Events Manager, The...
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Tip of the Week: Popping the Questions
Four powerful asks that can help move any discussion forward Whether you’re in your weekly one-on-one or having a ten-minute conversation in the breakroom, asking the right questions can help...
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It really is rocket science
Many of those innovative and impactful programs and processes that helped create a sea change in sheltering are no longer in use. What gives? For those of us who have...
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Tip of the Week: Animal Welfare’s Turnover Rate
How do your agency’s numbers stack up against the profession as a whole? When a member of The Association recently inquired in our online community about the average employee turnover...
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Tip of the Week: Adopters Welcome Manual, 2025 Edition
Newly updated! This tried-and-true resource for building and reinforcing an open adoptions program is more relevant than ever It’s been more than ten years since this groundbreaking guide was published,...
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Word on the Street with Meredith Jones
May 13, 2025, The Association
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We must open doors and keep holding them open… “We must open doors and keep holding them open,” stated Meredith Jones of Operation Kindness in last month’s Roundtable. It’s the...
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Tip of the Week: White Paper on Shelter Vet Retention
Brought to you by Drs. Kate Hurley and Jennifer Scarlett As the veterinary profession continues to face a critical shortage, one of the most pressing issues in the short term...
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Belinda Lewis, CAWA, Named Honorary Member
Join us in thanking Lewis—and all our Honorary Members—for their contributions to the profession and to The Association “She’s an icon in animal care and control who has provided a...
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