News, ideas & inspiration from industry leaders
Guest Voices
This Is Just the Beginning
The Association’s Vice President of Programs shares our number-one priority in designing our professional development offerings. (Hint: there are 1,600 of them) Over the last few years, I’ve seen interest...
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Word on the Street with Kristi Mack
“We can’t sugarcoat it. The best thing we can do for our staff and ourselves is to acknowledge the stress.” While the above sentiment shared by Kristi Mack at last...
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Word on the Street with Kurt Krukenberg
“If we don’t meet our own self-care needs, we’re actually doing a disservice to the rest of the organization and to the animals and people we’re supporting.” When it comes...
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The 5 Building Blocks of the Perfect Collaborative Fundraising Partnership
TrueSense’s Account Director shares examples from the field to show what success can look like Collaborative partnerships between your animal welfare organization and a fundraising partner like TrueSense are the...
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Word on the Street with Shannon Wells
June 23, 2025, The Association
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“We have important conversations about making this work sustainable—not just a stepping stone where people burn out and move on, but a long-term, rewarding career path…” We asked the Executive...
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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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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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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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Veterinary Shortage Update: Q&A on VPA
The Veterinary Professional Associate model is a viable solution to the veterinary shortage—and there’s science to back it up The shortage of veterinarians in the United States is real. We...
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The CAWA Credential: Now More Accessible and Inclusive Than Ever
Toronto Humane Society’s CEO shares how the CAWA exam is now more accessible and inclusive to Canadian animal welfare professionals As someone who’s spent years in animal welfare, I know...
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It’s All About the Eyes: A Case Study in Charitable Giving
TrueSense’s VP of Strategy shares two key tactics to try with your next fundraising ask When it comes to charitable fundraising, the visual elements that capture your potential donors’ attention...
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