Human Animal Support Services
Strategic Plan
Thank you for your work on the Human Animal Support Services Project. Below, you will find the FIVE strategic goals of the Project. By clicking the arrows on the right of the goals, you will see the actions that are driving the work of leadership, staff and working groups.
GOAL 1: Create and lead a collaborative movement to build community-centered animal services.
ACTION 1: Sustain collaboration among industry and external subject matter experts to overcome barriers to successful implementation of the HASS.
ACTION 2: Create and execute a plan to achieve widespread industry support for changes needed in animal services.
ACTION 3: Use that united industry voice to create a united community voice to gain widespread governmental support operationally and legislatively that is required for systemic change.
ACTION 4: Change the industry narrative and terminology within and outside the industry.
GOAL 2: Use evidence to drive and support community-based animal services.
ACTION 1: Community values research project- Develop, through collective leadership, a research-based community values study that can be used to standardize the animal sheltering systems in every community by benchmarking laws, policies, operations and budgets to those community values.
ACTION 2: Supply and demand research project - Document evidence of over-demand to debunk the underlying devaluing concept that the governments' primary animal service function is population control.
ACTION 3: One Health research project - Document evidence of linkage of people/environmental wellbeing to animals and impact of equitable solutions/programs to use to move the needle in policy and law by making a case for cost avoidance or revenue capture.
ACTION 4: HASS necessity and efficacy research project.
GOAL 3: Incorporate Human Animal Support Services into communities everywhere.
ACTION 1: Build and implement Human Animal Support Services in pilot communities.
ACTION 2: Provide comprehensive and systematic education for shelter professionals and volunteers to implement HASS.
ACTION 3: Build backbone operational systems to update and sustain progressive animal welfare systems and to integrate animal services with the community. (DEI, HR, budgeting, data, communications, etc).
ACTION 4: Create consistent, accessible, evidence-based standards for animal welfare programs, administration and operations.
ACTION 5: Build the blueprint for communicating change and redefining community expectations for animal services.
GOAL 4: Change the laws, ordinances and regulations that impede the successful implementation of Human Animal Support Services.
ACTION 1: Identify the specific animal laws, from federal to local level, that impede HASS.
ACTION 2: Change the laws and policies that impede HASS.
ACTION 3: Introduce legislation and policies that support HASS.
GOAL 5: Position diversity, equity and inclusion at the heart of animal services work.
ACTION 1: Create and share resources that support shelters in creating diverse, equitable and inclusive organizations.
ACTION 2: Amplify voices of BIPOC people in animal welfare.
