|
New Team Member
Please join us in sending a big welcome to our new bilingual Volunteer Coordinator, Jessica Ortiz!
Jessica is an Oak Cliff native and has worked in the nonprofit community in Dallas for the past 12 years. Her background is in youth programming, where she assisted students through the college admissions process and managed a mentor program. She enjoys photography and started as an amateur photographer, but now she does it professionally on the side.
Favorite quote: If you want to see a change, you must make a change.
We are so excited to have Jessica join our team and continue to grow our volunteer program! You'll be able to reach Jessica at DASvolunteer@dallascityhall.com or by phone at 214.412.4592 (formerly Sarah's number). Sarah isn't going anywhere, though! As the Manager of Community Engagement, she'll continue to oversee the volunteer program, and you can reach her at 469.984.1818.
|
|
|
Volunteer Shout Out
The marketing team asked us to give volunteer and foster Mark Gowan a shout-out for writing an incredible 43 bios during his last bio writing shift. That's a record-breaking number of bios for one shift, and we're so grateful for Mark and his writing talents!
|
|
|
Special Project
Our incredible Friends of group recently purchased a ton of kitten supplies, which will allow us to support our kitten fosters with a whole new level of resources! We'll be assembling these supplies into kitten kits to distribute to current and new kitten fosters. Sign up here to help assemble kits on Thursday, June 30th from 5:30-7:30 pm.
|
Video Assistant
Help get content for TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube! You'll be handling dogs while someone from the marketing team gets photos and videos of the dog in a play yard. Videos are helpful additions to adoption profiles and make great content for social media. You will be on camera playing with, snuggling, and walking the dog. No need to speak on camera, this is visual content only. Sign up here.
|
Foster Recruitment
We have continued to struggle with space, particularly in our contagious pod, and recently a volunteer suggest a super creative solution (shout out to Lisa Seekatz). To help our sniffle squad dogs, who aren't viewable to the public due to being housed in the contagious pod, we have launched a new volunteer position that involves calling adopters who submitted online inquiries for sniffle squad dogs to invite them to foster to adopt! Sign up here.
|
P.U.P. Squad
If you want to be a Pick Up Person and carry dogs out to their new families, you should join the P.U.P. Squad! There are few jobs in the shelter more joyful than helping our pets move onto their new, loving homes. This position require canine handling and a background check. If you've completed both, sign up here, but if you still need one or both of these requirements, you can email us for assistance.
|
|
|
Essential Oils
We do daily enrichment for our dogs in the shelter, and scent enrichment is a big part of our routine. We're running low on the essential oils and spray bottles we use for scent enrichment, and if you'd like to support this program you can order us more here.
Out volunteer stash of soft treats, which are so helpful when we're working with shut down or fearful dogs, is completely depleted. Help us restock by ordering here. Donations can also be dropped off in person at our Adoption doors 7 days a week!
|
|
Click here to read our June Director Huddle meeting notes.
As you know, Heartworm disease is a significant illness that – left untreated – causes death in most infected dogs; additionally, untreated dogs continue to spread the parasite to other dogs in the community through mosquitos. Despite our best efforts to make the treatment process easy for adopters, approximately 70% of adopted Heartworm positive dogs have not been returning to complete their treatment. This not only left these dogs’ lives at risk, but is continuing to contribute to the community-spread of the disease.
Earlier in June, DAS began utilizing an in-shelter Heartworm protocol proposed by a member of our Veterinary Team that offered a more flexible treatment timeline (up to one year), required fewer injections, and was shown to be highly effective at preventing community spread after the first treatment. However, in the last week, concerns have arisen regarding the use of this new protocol for dogs in the shelter. Out of an abundance of caution, we have halted the new protocol and are re-implementing our former, post-adoption/in-foster treatment process. We will also be working to create a more robust follow up process to increase adopter compliance with the post-adoption treatment.
For the dogs who received the new protocol already, you'll see the pictured "I'm on Kennel Rest" sign on their kennel, and their kennel card will reflect their status with a green (instead of red) Heartworm symbol. These dogs are only eligible for short potty breaks and short, on-leash meet and greets. They're not eligible for extended outdoor breaks or playtime, and we're currently prioritizing them for foster in an effort to have them complete the rest of their 6 week kennel rest in a comfy home rather than the shelter. While they are still in the building, we want them to receive extra in-kennel enrichment, so please consider focusing on them during your Canine Cuddling shifts and provide extra toys and enrichment activities to them during your kennel care or dog walking shifts. Please note: enrichment items given after 3 pm must be picked up at the end of your shift to ensure they're not left overnight.
|
|
|
|
|
|