Ryan Clinton is the head of FixAustin.org and involved with the recent successful effort to reform how homeless animals are handled in Austin, TX. He's discussing "Reforming Animal Control."
Austin City Council recently unanimously voted to mandate that Austin animal control implement the programs and policies of no kill. Also, regressive shelter director was re-assigned, and a downtown adoption center will not be closed when the shelter is relocated to the edge of town.
In 2005 when started, no foster programs, no off site adoptions, official save goal was 50 percent.
Today have foster and off-site, official goal of city is now 90 percent save rate, and last year they killed less than half of when they started.
It took just a handful of people to start this in Austin. It doesn't take thousands, it takes a dozen. "You absolutely can do this, but you have to start this today. There's no excuses. Just like we talk about the excuses shelter directors make, well, you probably make them too."
1. Arm yourself. Do your homework.
2. Build campaign and organization.
3. Understand and overcome predictable and recurring challenges.
4. Know when you're winning.
5. Parting advice.
You have to get over the idea that I've never heard this and your problem is different. Everyone has the same problems everywhere, generally. More on that later.
Arming yourself:
Make sure you've read "Redemption" by Nathan Winograd. If you haven't read it or "Irreconcilable Differences" or both, you're not ready.
Get to know the No-Kill Equation. You can't go to your city council and say I'm just against the killing. You have to tell them what you want them to do.
Familiarize yourself with successful communities -- Washoe County, Charlottesville, Tompkins County.
Where we've been -- Legislation, Education, Sterilization -- to where we're going -- No Kill Equation.
You won't save lives today by going in grade schools and talking about responsible pet ownership. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but you won't get to no kill that way.
All of that was designed by groups that have failed to reach no kill. So when you hear people say "LES," tell them to name ONE CITY where the strategy they are advocating has worked. They won't be able to.
The No Kill Equation is the future of the no-kill movement:
- Feral cat TNR
- High volume low cost s/n
- Rescue groups
- Foster care
- Comprehensive adoption programs
- Pet retention
- Medical and behavioral rehab
- Public relations community involvmentment
- Volunteers
- Proactive redemptions
- A compassionate director
Get to know your community's animal welfare landscape. Get to know what's going on in your community. Sometimes you learn things from a shocking event, but in most places people don't know what's going on.
Get to know who are the players and stakeholders -- shelters, rescue groups, vets, those doing fundraising
We didn't have an SPCA or humane society running our animal control, but we had private shelters BACKING Austin's regressive shelter.
Every major player was against their effort. Everyone has obstacles, but you can overcome them.
Evaluate your shelter. Foster program? Offsite adoptions? Good customer service? Budget? Intake? Adoptions? What kind of shelter director do you have?
I guarantee you they'll tell you they don't have enough budget, that's the problem. They have too much intake, that's the problem.
If you have no adoption program, you're not killing animals because of overpopulation, you're killing for lack of programs.
Even with everything else, if you have a shelter director who is regressive and doesn't believe in it and opposes you at every step, you will not get to no kill.
There will be directors who just don't know, and they can be reached. Don't let a press release or in front of the city council be the first time they hear of you. Introduce yourself, take them to lunch, tell them, "We want to make you a hero." Some will not respond, some will. Always try.
Reject excuses and pick sides.
"I can't believe no one's doing anything in my community?"
Why are you calling ME? Step up. It won't happen without you. This needs leaders. Be the leader. Just start. Take over.
Stop hoping someone else will do it.
People will find you if you start it. Not hundreds, but maybe 5. But they'll be the best five advocates you can have.
And get ready to rumble.
Building a campaign:
First, identify your goals.
- Become a No Kill Community, which means save rate of at least 90 percent.
- Rigorous implementation of the No Kill Equation
- Progressive shelter leadership. (Regime change is likely.)
- Codify no kill (like law Delaware just passed, shelter access laws like Hayden in CA, like the proposed "Oreo's Law" in NY.)
(Discussion of the proper role of shelters in doing owner-request euthanasia/killing. It went fast, and it gave me a lot to think about, so I need to mull it over. Back to Ryan's presentation.)
Who's your audience?
Primary is shelter director -- some will listen. And governing body of shelter. Run by SPCA? By city? Board of Directors? Who?
If you have government, you can put heat on people who are elected.
If you have a board of directors, remember, someone hired that non-profit,a and that goes back to the city council.
On top of that, non profits don't want to be embarrassed. city councils are used to being blasted ALL THE TIME. Nonprofits don't know how to play in this game. So you can have a big step up on that.
Secondary audience is the public and the press.
The press is critical.
Next, crafting your message:
Keep it simple.
Austin slug line: Under current shelter management, Austin has killed more than 100,000 lost and homeless pets.
Use high impact language. "This city kills an animal every 12 minutes." Boy, did that piss people off.
Target your message to your goal. "If the city moves the shelter, fewer pets will be adopetd and even more will die."
Pick your talking points and stick to them, You feel you're driving the media crazy, but it works very well, especially with TV. Every time you're asked a question, get one of your 5-7 second talking points out. They don't want an intellectual discussion, they want the story.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. You can change the story. YOU craft what they say, not them. Create the story for them.
Keep message simple and consistent, focus on the killing and who's responsible.
Key strategies and tools:
Dress professionally with public officials, directors, and press. Wear a SUIT. If you wear your crazy cat lady t-shirt, they've already tuned you out. And they figure you'll give up and what you say doesn't matter.
Appear strong; a rally of 3 is not impressive. Don't have an event if you're worried no one will show up. Let them think you have thousands of supporters -- and don't prove them wrong.
Keep website and communications professional. Needs to look like you know what you're doing and are coming from a professional organization. They don't know it's just you and your Mac, they just know this looks legitimate.
Use advocacy tools.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WEBSITE. Not just a Facebook page.
People will start googling you and if they don't think you have a website, they'll write you off. It's mandatory.
Blogs help because they keep the content fresh. Doesn't have to be as smart as Brent's (KC Dog Blog), just talk, have fresh content.
Blogs are also good because sometimes you'll have to name names and be more aggressive. you can get away with that more on a blog, it's less formal. Being mean and nasty on a website is harder. People are more forgiving on blogs.
Email subscriptions back in 2005 were useful, maybe less so now. Now it's more Facebook.
Don't send ANYTHING you don't assume will be forwarded.
Check out Examiner.com, has been good for advocacy.
Example of a good website: kcaccexposed.com
Have a logo. Basic communication tool, makes you look legit. Have a "contact us" tab. Have "how you can help." Most people just want to know, "What can I do for you in 5 minutes?"
Another great site: justiceforbella.org
This is not hard to do anymore, to have a good website.
How to work with the media. ( Ryan gave a shout out to me because I helped with some of this material.)
Compile list of ANYONE who has done animal stories -- not just news reporters, can be weather casters, sports casters, etc. who have done stories or talked about pets.
Develop real relationships with the press. Email, call, introduce yourself in person. Very hard to write something nasty about someone you k now.
DO NOT GET INTO A PISSING MATCH WITH A REPORTER. Ryan says he made that mistake and it is still a problem years later.
Press release: Logo, attention grabbing language, write it like a real news story including quotes, proofread, always be honest. You can only lose credibility once, then you're done. The reporter will never trust anything you say.
Buying media can also send a big message to one, spread your message, and two, send A message. Tells them you're serious.
It's more important to appear organized, well-funded and professional than to BE those things.
Next, you have to get involved in politics. You just do.
Establish relationships with decision-makers -- elected officials or board members.
Lobby and educate decision makers.
Participate in elections. If you're not a 501C3, rate the candidates etc.
Lessons: Democracy is accessible. Relationships are everything.
Predictable and recurring challenges:
THE STATUS QUO IS POWERFUL AND IS AGAINST YOU.
SQ will deny problem exists, will attack, call you uninformed, naive, 'activist." Will redirect criticism and blame the public -- they LOVE to blame the public, irresponsible pet owners. Will use scare tactics, "fate worse than death." Will claim credit for everything you accomplish and deflect blame from things they do wrong. Will falsely claim credit for reform, change, adoption success.
THE SQ EXPECTS YOU TO GIVE UP AND GO AWAY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT ALMOST EVERYONE DOES.
Show them you're going to stick around and things change.
Who is the status quo? Who will fight you?
Public officials, most shelter officials, HSUS, ASPCA, PETA will probably fight you. Uninformed press, major current animal welfare players (local humane societies, SPCAs, some rescue groups).
ASPCA actively fights us in Austin.
Uninformed press will fall back on same myths of irresponsible public.
Who is with you?
The No Kill Advocacy Center, Nathan Winograd
Maddie's Fund
THE PUBLIC -- general public who knows nothing about any of this, I can reach almost all the time.
Sympathetic informed press,
Animal lovers all over the country who, like you, will not let another day go by without standing up for change.
It's a battle and it will take time.
How should you respond to SQ denials/attacks/lies.
ALWAYS take the high road. It's a marathon and not a sprint. Stay in the game and outlast them.
Expect to be attacked. Knowing it'll happen will make it easier to stomach.
Fight back with data, logic and righteous indignation. No kill is achievable and inevitable.
Always project strength. Outlast them.
What they'll say: It's overpopulation.
Math: More than enough homes. Maddie's Fund/HSUS data. Tell them to name you a peer reviewed study. Studies prove there are enough homes.
They'll say: Irresponsible public.
I tell them, "blame the public" is an excuse, not a strategy. And people may be responsible for animals getting to the shelter, but what happens to them there, is the responsibility of the shelter.
And there is a public in no-kill communities, too, and they're just as irresponsible as anyone else.
They'll say, "can't adopt your way out of killing. Need mandatory spay neuter and education.
MSN laws have never worked to make any community no kill and often increase intake. S/N is key and is part of the no kill equation, but it alone will never get us to no kill, becauxe you have to reduce number of animals dying, incrase number going out, not just reduce number coming in.
They'll say too expensive.
There is no correlation between save rates and shelter budget (study). Most No Kill programs are revenue neutral or can save money. Volunteers are free. Success is about leadership, not money.
They'll say, "No kill can't work in our community."
It's worked in all kinds of communities... and "I clearly have more faith in my community than you do."
They'll say, "How can you bash those tireless shelter workers trying to save lives?"
Side by side comparison of your shelter with Reno. Black and white on paper, you can change this.
But you'll also have to document problems and horrors -- and publicize them, too. can galvanize the effort.
How to break the status quo:
Become a power player. Donate to political campaigns (personally if you're a 501c3.) Host campaign parties. Buy full-page ads.
Act like you know what you're doing. Leave bound material. Dress professionally. Look like you belong.
Stick around -- it's those who don't quit who win.
Build relationships with press and public officials.
Box decision makers into a corner. Make animal loving=no-kill a point.
How to know when you're winning:
The opposition stops showing up for debates. "Boy, was that a fascinating moment for us!"
City of Austin organized an animal issues forum, because wanted to prove there were people on their side -- none of whom showed up. 150-0 vote in favor of no kill. Those who were against us were afraid to show up and debate us. Pivotal moment for the council, too.
You'll know when shelter director moves on, when animals come out alive rather than in body bags.
The movement will become bigger than you and even pass you by. 90 percent of the people in the Austin No-Kill movement don't know who I am. This movement has a thousand voices, not two.
You will get zero credit for achieving No Kill success, and you won't need it -- because success is not about winning, it's about lives being saved.
Parting advice:
No Kill starts with you.
It takes time. Bruising battle, but you will prevail if you don't give up.
You don't have to be powerful, rich and super-organized, just look that way.
Success comes to those who work long and hard enough.
I attended Ryan Clinton's session at the No Kill Conference today. (With Christie's great summary from the workshop here, I wish now I hadn't taken all my own notes for 2 hours!) It was an educational, concise, logically clear roadmap to reforming local animal control, including the potential pitfalls and how to overcome them. For anyone who wanted to attend the conference but couldn't, definitely consider attending the Austin No Kill Workshop next month on September 28 in Austin, TX. The nation's top No Kill experts will be presenting at the full-day training, such as Nathan Winograd from the No Kill Advocacy Center and many of the speakers from this weekend's conference who are successfully implementing all the programs and services of the No Kill Equation.
Austin No Kill Workshop:
http://fixaustin.blogspot.com/
No Kill Equation:
http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/pdf/Equation_000.pdf
Thanks for your great live blog, Christie.
Posted by: Cathy LaSusa | 31 July 2010 at 08:00 PM
thanks for the great write up.
i'm very curious to hear more about the (very fast) owner requested euthanasia discussion. can anyone add to this?
Posted by: themacinator | 01 August 2010 at 08:00 PM
Thanks for blogging about it, it was very interesting.
Posted by: Sheyna | 01 August 2010 at 08:00 PM
Truly awesome, as is all of FixAustin's work!! You can always tell those who are living the work as opposed to those who may want to SOUND like they are no kill.
Posted by: Linda | 04 August 2010 at 08:00 PM
Thank you for this.
Anyone in Iowa, let's get in touch.
www.nokilliowa.com
Posted by: Erich Riesenberg | 24 August 2010 at 08:00 PM
Dear Christie and Ryan,
Thank you for this informative article. I don't know if you are aware, but on Monday a second Director of Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter was removed from her position, when video was realeased Monday of her singing "kill the kitty" as the kitten is restrained and shelter workers laugh and gesture as someone says, "pass the needle please". I contacted the District Attorney's office who continues to investigate the shelter, but unfortunately, criminal charges can not be brought, due to the Statute of Limitations. The video realeased only on monday, is over 10 yrs. old. This is a link to the "kill the kitty" video if you havent seen it http://malverne-westhempstead.patch.com/articles/hempstead-town-animal-shelter-director-reassigned. I am attending a peaceful protest on Saturday, March 19th at 3320 Beltagh ave. in Wantagh NY across from the shelter at 12 noon. I know that one of your bloggers, Cathy La Susa worked in July 2009 to get the shelter designated "no kill" and did a impeccable job in informing the Town Board on how to reach a "no kill policy". I hope more people like her will attend and continue to support reforming Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter to a humane facility. Please share any advice that you have, as I have vowed that I will make it my mission to speak up and take a moral stand.
Posted by: Danielle McCarren | 16 March 2011 at 08:00 PM