What constitutes an emergency in the daily lives of animal caretakers?
How can you tell if the situation needs your immediate attention? Is there blood oozing from one of the animals in your care? Is there a dog roaming to and fro and criss-crossing over the highway? Is your supervisor expecting one more insurmountable task to be accomplished by days end? Did you overhear a potential adopter (while talking to the front desk personnel) complain about the adoption rules and you jumped in to explain how ‘it’ works? Is one of your co-workers feeding the cats differently from how you feed them (and you have to go in there for the umpteenth time to show them how to do it, yet again)?
How can you distinguish between all of the above? So what is a distraction disguised to stop you from doing your required work? Or better yet, what is and what isn’t an emergency? What motivates your actions, reality of the immediate need for an outcome to be achieved or just some desire to get involved or to avoid something you really don’t want to do?
Distractions are easy when working with animals, but cuddling a puppy (who is the cutest puppy in the whole world and gets attention from just about every kennel worker) doesn’t help when the budget is due or the fundraiser next month still needs some final touches. Yes, its nice to believe that time spent with the puppy is a priority, but is it? The more you do that, the less time you have to get the other tasks done. Then how many fewer animals will you be helping when the fundraiser is a bust or the town doesn’t approve the budget because you didn’t have enough information to back up your requests?
What really does need your immediate attention and what doesn’t need you (possibly) at all? Can you train yourself to recognize the difference while you are in the middle of the ‘perceived emergency’? So how can we utilize ourselves to the best of our ability and still feel like we did something good for the animals by the end of the day?
Prioritizing and managing your daily activity takes a certain skill set. It requires organization, insight, expectations and an ultimate outcome. Can you learn to do one task at a time and do it well without leaving it half done to chase after another task that really doesn’t need your immediate attention (or can be done by someone else)? What about distributing the tasks you don’t need to be immediately (if at all) involved in? Can you, just let things go and leave it for someone else just as capable?
Instant action is good, it shows motivation, it gets things done and it feels good to be involved. But just make certain the real reason for your involvement is not to distract yourself from the actions you really should be involved with.
-CherylAnn Fernandes
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
One More Thing
On the list of to do’s for the day there is but one more item, and it is defending yet another category of animals, those used for food; the slaughter house animals.
With the recent events circulating about the horrific conditions caught in an undercover video and in the possession of the Humane Society of The United States (www.hsus.org) , of the inhumane treatment of animals for human food consumption, discussions and debates around the work water cooler, local supermarket meat departments and even classrooms have been similar; people disgusted and outraged after witnessing the video of downed cows being tortured on their way to slaughter.
It can no longer be denied that animals are being treated with such disgusting and unacceptable cruelty. Even if there isn’t a slaughter house or meat packing plant in the local community for people to witness it firsthand, the fact is, these animals are being killed in horrifying ways just for human needs.
Now that the message has finally reached beyond those in the animal movement, there is no denying this message and animal advocates should be just a few of the spokespeople to stand up for them. Anyone working with or around even companion animals knows how important it is to give them a voice, so why not allow our professionalism help factory farm animals as well?
As humane advocates the message ought to be that all animals be part of the regular dialogue for compassionate treatment. Collectively this field needs to acknowledge and defend the rights of all animals. There is an excellent article in the Saturday, February 23, Wall Street Journal by David Desmodel, called, "Meatpacker to Shut Down In Wake of Massive Recall."
If you’d like to see the entire article, please click on the link below:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120378150987388423.html
Also to keep updated with the leading organization (the HSUS) on this issue and for their Presidents Message, make sure you check out Wayne’s blog at http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/
CherylAnn
With the recent events circulating about the horrific conditions caught in an undercover video and in the possession of the Humane Society of The United States (www.hsus.org) , of the inhumane treatment of animals for human food consumption, discussions and debates around the work water cooler, local supermarket meat departments and even classrooms have been similar; people disgusted and outraged after witnessing the video of downed cows being tortured on their way to slaughter.
It can no longer be denied that animals are being treated with such disgusting and unacceptable cruelty. Even if there isn’t a slaughter house or meat packing plant in the local community for people to witness it firsthand, the fact is, these animals are being killed in horrifying ways just for human needs.
Now that the message has finally reached beyond those in the animal movement, there is no denying this message and animal advocates should be just a few of the spokespeople to stand up for them. Anyone working with or around even companion animals knows how important it is to give them a voice, so why not allow our professionalism help factory farm animals as well?
As humane advocates the message ought to be that all animals be part of the regular dialogue for compassionate treatment. Collectively this field needs to acknowledge and defend the rights of all animals. There is an excellent article in the Saturday, February 23, Wall Street Journal by David Desmodel, called, "Meatpacker to Shut Down In Wake of Massive Recall."
If you’d like to see the entire article, please click on the link below:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120378150987388423.html
Also to keep updated with the leading organization (the HSUS) on this issue and for their Presidents Message, make sure you check out Wayne’s blog at http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/
CherylAnn
Friday, February 22, 2008
My Litter Mates
Recently I was reminded that my animal advocate friends are a special breed all to themselves. No matter how long it’s been since we have been in touch, or out of touch, seeing them is good for my soul. It keeps me connected to like minded individuals, even if we don’t always agree about controversial welfare issues like Kill/No Kill, TNR or Animal Transports.
It’s too bad that often times many advocates become overwhelmed with non-essential issues and don’t take the time to attend the town next doors fund raiser or won’t register for the upcoming 3-day training conference because they either claim to already know everything there is about the topic or simply just don’t make the time to attend. Either way it denies them of the chance to bond and re-connect with old friends and work associates.
I can’t encourage welfare workers enough to try and find the time to spend together. This is a great opportunity to learn from one another, get re-fueled or just let loose in a safe environment.
After all, our fellow litter mates are essential in the teachings of how to become socialized, properly.
CherylAnn
It’s too bad that often times many advocates become overwhelmed with non-essential issues and don’t take the time to attend the town next doors fund raiser or won’t register for the upcoming 3-day training conference because they either claim to already know everything there is about the topic or simply just don’t make the time to attend. Either way it denies them of the chance to bond and re-connect with old friends and work associates.
I can’t encourage welfare workers enough to try and find the time to spend together. This is a great opportunity to learn from one another, get re-fueled or just let loose in a safe environment.
After all, our fellow litter mates are essential in the teachings of how to become socialized, properly.
CherylAnn
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The New Wave: Social Entrepreneurship
As Einstein is believed to have said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” And while there are a few things that withstand the test of time: Classic Coke, jack-o’lanterns and New Year’s Eve at Time Square, most everything in our world is constantly changing, mutating or evolving. It is tempting to stick with policies and practices that have demonstrated some success historically, but with societal trends changing constantly, it’s a given that our relationships with animals also change over time. In order to continue to be relevant and effective, we must evolve along with the times.
Social entrepreneurship is the new revolution that provides a new vehicle for enacting strategic, positive social change. To paraphrase the management guru Peter Drucker, a social entrepreneur “always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity”- within the context of a broader social mission. As stated in Enterprising Nonprofits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs (J.G. Dees, J. Emerson and P. Economy), “entrepreneurs are innovative, opportunity-oriented, resourceful, value-creating change agents.” As social entrepreneurship occurs both in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, it can create a powerful unity of vision that utilizes the best of both worlds, so to speak, toward a greater goal of social change. Social enterprise, social innovation and social change theory are among the new terminologies associated with social entrepreneurship. Universities across the country are now opening centers and programs devoted to fostering the study and development of social entrepreneurship. Check out the Stanford Social Innovation Review (www.ssireview.com) for articles, interviews and discussions relating to this new movement.
It’s easy to imagine how this new philosophy of achieving a social mission could have far-reaching positive implications in the field of human-animal relationships. As humans, we often avoid change at all costs- even change that is not ostensibly negative. But by playing it safe and sticking with the tried and true, we may be looking at issues with rose-colored glasses and not maximizing our ability for success. It’s really about getting to the next level of effectiveness. In our world, the difference between getting a C for average and an A+ computes into the number of homeless companion animals; the percentage of pets receiving quality health care; the number of human-animal relationships effectively supported; the number of animal cruelty cases; the number of wildlife “culls”; the frequency of food supply crises; the percentage of animals displaced by natural disasters- you get the picture. We can rest on our laurels, or keep pushing the envelope. We can pretty much guarantee that continuing more of the same will give us more of the same; previously effective strategies will only take us so far before they start to lose their power and effectiveness.
Simply put, social entrepreneurs find new and better ways of doing things for the benefit of society. Try on the social entrepreneur hat for size this week. Instead of problems, see opportunities. How can you apply the entrepreneurial spirit to create an innovative approach to an issue of importance to you?
-Liz Clancy
Social entrepreneurship is the new revolution that provides a new vehicle for enacting strategic, positive social change. To paraphrase the management guru Peter Drucker, a social entrepreneur “always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity”- within the context of a broader social mission. As stated in Enterprising Nonprofits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs (J.G. Dees, J. Emerson and P. Economy), “entrepreneurs are innovative, opportunity-oriented, resourceful, value-creating change agents.” As social entrepreneurship occurs both in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, it can create a powerful unity of vision that utilizes the best of both worlds, so to speak, toward a greater goal of social change. Social enterprise, social innovation and social change theory are among the new terminologies associated with social entrepreneurship. Universities across the country are now opening centers and programs devoted to fostering the study and development of social entrepreneurship. Check out the Stanford Social Innovation Review (www.ssireview.com) for articles, interviews and discussions relating to this new movement.
It’s easy to imagine how this new philosophy of achieving a social mission could have far-reaching positive implications in the field of human-animal relationships. As humans, we often avoid change at all costs- even change that is not ostensibly negative. But by playing it safe and sticking with the tried and true, we may be looking at issues with rose-colored glasses and not maximizing our ability for success. It’s really about getting to the next level of effectiveness. In our world, the difference between getting a C for average and an A+ computes into the number of homeless companion animals; the percentage of pets receiving quality health care; the number of human-animal relationships effectively supported; the number of animal cruelty cases; the number of wildlife “culls”; the frequency of food supply crises; the percentage of animals displaced by natural disasters- you get the picture. We can rest on our laurels, or keep pushing the envelope. We can pretty much guarantee that continuing more of the same will give us more of the same; previously effective strategies will only take us so far before they start to lose their power and effectiveness.
Simply put, social entrepreneurs find new and better ways of doing things for the benefit of society. Try on the social entrepreneur hat for size this week. Instead of problems, see opportunities. How can you apply the entrepreneurial spirit to create an innovative approach to an issue of importance to you?
-Liz Clancy
Thursday, February 14, 2008
I Just Want to Help Animals
How many of us started out in the field with the simple, straightforward goal of just wanting to help animals? I recall starting out at sixteen as a volunteer, walking dogs for 3 hours every Wednesday after school. I would mop out the cages and refill the water bowls, leaving the dogs exercised and more comfortable, at least for the moment. At the end of my shift I would head to the subway, exhausted, but feeling great. It was a visceral feeling of satisfaction, of having done a good thing. I was helping animals.
As my understanding of animal welfare issues grew and my career developed, my roles changed. I began to see that helping animals often gets complicated. Staffing, funding, resource issues. Mission conflicts. Board of director struggles. A disconnect between the reality of the issues and public perception. Legal loopholes. Too many animals, not enough time. Sometimes the work of the day seemed far removed from helping animals.
But I’ve come to realize that writing a policy memo or holding a departmental meeting can be key to ensuring positive progress. The contributions made outside the arena of direct animal care are an integral part of effecting positive change for animals.
Some days we need to gain satisfaction from walking a shelter dog. And some days we need to be fulfilled by writing a program grant. Both are important. Both help animals.
-Liz Clancy
As my understanding of animal welfare issues grew and my career developed, my roles changed. I began to see that helping animals often gets complicated. Staffing, funding, resource issues. Mission conflicts. Board of director struggles. A disconnect between the reality of the issues and public perception. Legal loopholes. Too many animals, not enough time. Sometimes the work of the day seemed far removed from helping animals.
But I’ve come to realize that writing a policy memo or holding a departmental meeting can be key to ensuring positive progress. The contributions made outside the arena of direct animal care are an integral part of effecting positive change for animals.
Some days we need to gain satisfaction from walking a shelter dog. And some days we need to be fulfilled by writing a program grant. Both are important. Both help animals.
-Liz Clancy
Monday, February 11, 2008
If You're Happy and You Know It
Remember that old elementary school rhyme? Some school teacher or camp counselor gathered everyone in a circle having each kid make up their own version of the chorus. It would begin with “if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, if you’re happy and you know it and you’re not afraid to show it, if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.” By the time every kid chimed in their rendition, pulled ears, patted heads, stomped feet and the like were all ways they displayed a state of well being.
Now imagine having a bunch of animal welfare advocates standing in a circle trying to mimic the joys of childhood revelry. With the overwhelmed and overstressed lives many of us lead what if a supervisor implemented that exercise at the next staff meeting? I have thoughts it might go something like: “If you’re happy and you know it deny an adoption, if you’re happy and you know it arrive to work late, if you’re happy and you know it and you’re not afraid to show it, if you’re happy and you know it yell at your staff.” It’s interesting that people become so frustrated and express it in unhealthy and inappropriate ways, without even realizing they are doing so.
There is no denying that professionalism is a requirement when dealing with fellow workers, employers, staff and the public. Why then does a bad morning or earlier frustrations affect the way one deals with the person in front of us?
I once heard a speaker mention the term ‘transfer of aggression’… the reference was in a story about two sibling dogs being walked by their pet parent on a coupler leash. When the pooches spotted another dog across the street they went crazy, barking incessantly and trying with all their bodily force to lunge across the road for a confrontation with their adversary. They worked themselves into a type of chaotic frenzy, focused only on getting at that other dog. But once the dog passed and the focus was no longer available, they turned their frustrations on each other. They snarled at and bit one another and continued their argument until the person holding the leash separated them. These two dogs regularly slept together and shared a food bowl yet were so out of control at the lack of having their needs met they became aggressive to one another.
Often time that same behavior comes into a person’s every day life, especially when working with animals. There might be an dispute with a co-worker regarding the over or under feeding of cats, or a volunteer isn't abiding to the proper dog walking safety rules or maybe a supervisor requests some overwhelming task requiring a days end completion.
It’s no wonder that when a single mom and her 3 year old walk into the shelter to adopt a 6 week old kitten the adoption counselors head practically explodes. With that one uneducated statement, their mind is already made up, there is no getting a kitten from this shelter.
To begin with 6 week old kittens are too young to be adopted. And a three year old toddler would certainly be too rough on the tiny little kitty. In a feeble attempt to educate this unenlightened mom, she is shown a nice calm 5 year old torti cat; explained the benefits of adult cat adoptions, only to offer a deaf ear to the worker.
There is no budging; this woman and her sniffling little child are not qualified candidates for a kitten, end of story. The mom gets angry, only to leave the shelter and adopt elsewhere. If that doesn’t contribute to an already toxic morning, then the next boob, a guy looking for a guard dog, does.
Now let’s admit it, the day isn’t going very well and it’s only getting worse from here. Maybe it’s high time for some self evaluation and possibly even self care.
Is asking a supervisor for an early lunch, a break from the front desk or a trip to the store for a cup of coffee such a bad request? Is there a confidant or co-worker who can be a trusted ear and not commiserate with the already miserable mood? What about deep breathing exercises, sitting still for a few minutes or if things are really out of control, taking the rest of the day off as a mental health day?
Remember, if you’re happy then you probably already know it. But if you’re not, you should know that too.
CherylAnn
Now imagine having a bunch of animal welfare advocates standing in a circle trying to mimic the joys of childhood revelry. With the overwhelmed and overstressed lives many of us lead what if a supervisor implemented that exercise at the next staff meeting? I have thoughts it might go something like: “If you’re happy and you know it deny an adoption, if you’re happy and you know it arrive to work late, if you’re happy and you know it and you’re not afraid to show it, if you’re happy and you know it yell at your staff.” It’s interesting that people become so frustrated and express it in unhealthy and inappropriate ways, without even realizing they are doing so.
There is no denying that professionalism is a requirement when dealing with fellow workers, employers, staff and the public. Why then does a bad morning or earlier frustrations affect the way one deals with the person in front of us?
I once heard a speaker mention the term ‘transfer of aggression’… the reference was in a story about two sibling dogs being walked by their pet parent on a coupler leash. When the pooches spotted another dog across the street they went crazy, barking incessantly and trying with all their bodily force to lunge across the road for a confrontation with their adversary. They worked themselves into a type of chaotic frenzy, focused only on getting at that other dog. But once the dog passed and the focus was no longer available, they turned their frustrations on each other. They snarled at and bit one another and continued their argument until the person holding the leash separated them. These two dogs regularly slept together and shared a food bowl yet were so out of control at the lack of having their needs met they became aggressive to one another.
Often time that same behavior comes into a person’s every day life, especially when working with animals. There might be an dispute with a co-worker regarding the over or under feeding of cats, or a volunteer isn't abiding to the proper dog walking safety rules or maybe a supervisor requests some overwhelming task requiring a days end completion.
It’s no wonder that when a single mom and her 3 year old walk into the shelter to adopt a 6 week old kitten the adoption counselors head practically explodes. With that one uneducated statement, their mind is already made up, there is no getting a kitten from this shelter.
To begin with 6 week old kittens are too young to be adopted. And a three year old toddler would certainly be too rough on the tiny little kitty. In a feeble attempt to educate this unenlightened mom, she is shown a nice calm 5 year old torti cat; explained the benefits of adult cat adoptions, only to offer a deaf ear to the worker.
There is no budging; this woman and her sniffling little child are not qualified candidates for a kitten, end of story. The mom gets angry, only to leave the shelter and adopt elsewhere. If that doesn’t contribute to an already toxic morning, then the next boob, a guy looking for a guard dog, does.
Now let’s admit it, the day isn’t going very well and it’s only getting worse from here. Maybe it’s high time for some self evaluation and possibly even self care.
Is asking a supervisor for an early lunch, a break from the front desk or a trip to the store for a cup of coffee such a bad request? Is there a confidant or co-worker who can be a trusted ear and not commiserate with the already miserable mood? What about deep breathing exercises, sitting still for a few minutes or if things are really out of control, taking the rest of the day off as a mental health day?
Remember, if you’re happy then you probably already know it. But if you’re not, you should know that too.
CherylAnn
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Touchdown
It’s been a jubilant week here in New York after the Giants’ victory on Sunday. It reminded me of the coordination and communication required to pull off a well-executed play that scores a touchdown.
The animal care professions are growing in number and specialty. Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal care specialists, shelter and kennel managers, receptionists, trainers, behaviorists, animal communicators, pet sitters, humane educators, senior administrators, pet supply store owners, ethicists, professors, groomers, doggie day care managers, zoo curators- and the list goes on- all play a role in supporting and promoting positive human-animal relationships. In order for the efforts of each segment to be effective, every profession needs an awareness of who their partners are and what they do. In turn, this information needs to be conveyed to those who can utilize these services- members of the public.
If you work in an environment in which many different types of animal care professionals work closely together, are your activities well coordinated? Are the lines of communication open? Or do you operate on separate floors and with separate goals and priorities? If your work environment reflects a single profession, do you know your animal care partners in your community and what services they can provide to your clients? Do you think your clients are aware of all the animal care resources available to them?
Our collective effectiveness and positive progress depend upon our ability to coordinate our activities and play the positions that are our strengths. Make a point this week of getting to know one of your professional partners better.
-Liz Clancy
The animal care professions are growing in number and specialty. Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal care specialists, shelter and kennel managers, receptionists, trainers, behaviorists, animal communicators, pet sitters, humane educators, senior administrators, pet supply store owners, ethicists, professors, groomers, doggie day care managers, zoo curators- and the list goes on- all play a role in supporting and promoting positive human-animal relationships. In order for the efforts of each segment to be effective, every profession needs an awareness of who their partners are and what they do. In turn, this information needs to be conveyed to those who can utilize these services- members of the public.
If you work in an environment in which many different types of animal care professionals work closely together, are your activities well coordinated? Are the lines of communication open? Or do you operate on separate floors and with separate goals and priorities? If your work environment reflects a single profession, do you know your animal care partners in your community and what services they can provide to your clients? Do you think your clients are aware of all the animal care resources available to them?
Our collective effectiveness and positive progress depend upon our ability to coordinate our activities and play the positions that are our strengths. Make a point this week of getting to know one of your professional partners better.
-Liz Clancy
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