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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCLD-025-13 Clarington REPORT MUNICIPAL CLERK'S DEPARTMENT Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Date: October 7, 2013 Resolution#: g By-law#: Report#: CLD-025-13 File#: Subject: VOLUNTEER PROGRAM — CLARINGTON ANIMAL SHELTER RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report CLD-025-13 be received; 2. THAT staff be authorized to implement a volunteer program at the Clarington Animal Shelter effective November 1, 2013; 3. THAT staff be authorized to modify the volunteer program model as required to meet the needs of the Shelter and comply with health and safety requirements while not infringing on contractual agreements; 4. THAT staff report back in one year on the progress of the volunteer program; and 5. THAT all interested parties listed in Report CLD-025-13 be advised of Council's decision. Submitted by: Reviewed by: Past me CMO an`klin Wu, Municipal Clerk Chief Administrative Officer U PLB/CAG CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379 REPORT NO.: CLD-025-13 PAGE 2 1. BACKGROUND In October 2012, staff reported on the research and findings of volunteer programs managed by various animal shelters and humane societies. Research findings clearly indicated that volunteer programs at an animal shelter, whether it be a Humane Society or a municipally operated facility is a win-win-win situation. A successful program would be defined as a program which is meeting its goals and objectives while not compromising any employment obligations and which minimizes risks to the animals, staff, volunteers and the public confidence in the shelter. The success of a volunteer program appears to rely on four main elements: • a carefully defined program that suits the needs of the shelter which includes defined rules, procedures, and training • a staff person dedicated to managing the program to ensure that the goals are being met • staff support of the program • enthusiastic, compassionate, dedicated volunteers The success of volunteer programs in many, many other shelters support the notion that Clarington could also offer a volunteer program. The carrying out of such a program though relies very much on being well-managed. Given our limited resources at that time, Council directed staff to continue to work towards developing a program, and report back at such time when the necessary resources are in place to implement and manage the program. 2. VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 2.1 Duncan Anderson, Manager of Animal Services, started with the Municipality in July. Over the past two months, Duncan has had an opportunity to familiarize himself with Clarington's Animal Shelter activities, programs and services. Also during this period of time, the Manager has had the opportunity to undertake the necessary research to develop, in cooperation with the Shelter staff, a volunteer model, that based on his experience and knowledge will provide for a win-win-win scenario for our Clarington Animal Shelter. 2.2 The Volunteer Model is based on a Team approach. It will offer our volunteers a variety of opportunities to assist staff to improving and promoting animal adoptions, provide additional socialization and exercise for the animals, facilitates opportunities for a nurturing atmosphere for animals requiring constant care. Specifically, our volunteer opportunities will include dog walking, socializing with cats and dogs on site, and fostering animals with special needs. The efforts of our volunteers are expected to enhance the many duties currently performed by staff. Volunteers will not undertake any of our Animal Services staff duties, which are listed below. Kennel technician Animal intake Medication administration Routine medical treatment REPORT NO.: CLD-025-13 PAGE 3 Feeding Animal transfers to/from veterinarian clinics Animal transfers to/from pet stores Essential socialization of animals Essential exercising of animals Essential grooming Shelter attendant Cleaning cages and runs Mopping floors Dish washing Laundry Basic care and keeping of interior of shelter Food orders, pick-up, stock Adoptions Application review/approval Applicant assessment including interviews and reference checks Animal promotion General Phone and counter reception Customer Service Enforcement Public education Investigations Routine patrols------------- -- - ---- — .- Laying of charges Testifying in court Res o ding to injured/deceased animal calls Under the direction of the Manager of the Animal Shelter, the success of the team model will require both staff and volunteers to work cooperatively while being respectful and understanding of the abilities and roles of each person. 2.3 Volunteer Eligibility and Availability Persons interested in volunteering at the Shelter will be required to complete a Volunteer Application. This will enable staff to understand the individual's experience and skills and to consider their availability and how it fits with the current volunteer needs. Prior to participating in the Volunteer Program, applicants will be required to participate in a training and orientation session. The training session will include the following topics: • Health and safety • Policy and procedure review • Understanding the roles of staff and volunteers • Shelter disease prevention • Hands on training specific to the volunteer activities including cat handling, dog handling, dog walking, fostering. Foster applicants, because they are being entrusted to take animals off-site into their own homes where the activities are not supervised by Staff, will be expected to REPORT NO.: CLD-025-13 PAGE 4 complete an additional application and agree to a home visit conducted by an Animal Services Officer. Training and orientating our volunteers requires time and commitment from both the staff and the volunteers, and therefore, while it is understood that sometime life gets in the way, it is our hope that our volunteers will commit to a minimum of a six month volunteer tour. Over the past year staff have received a number of enquiries from members of the community expressing an interest in volunteering at the Shelter. Currently there are daily enquiries from the public, all of whom have expressed interest in being contacted at the implementation of a Volunteer program. At this time, staff does not anticipate any issues with finding willing volunteer participants. 2.4 Once accepted into the Volunteer Program, staff will schedule the Volunteers for shifts. Generally, the shifts will be 2-4 hours. The number of available shifts will be determined by staff according to the needs of the in-care animals. 3. PROGRAM RELATED COSTS The hard costs to implement the program are minimal. The soft costs, however, are more significant. The start-up costs include: Item Estimated Cost Smocks —to easily identify Volunteers $500 ID Badges and Security Access Devices $100 Communication devices for dog walkers $100 Laundry Hampers $20 Handbooks/Manuals/Promotional $150 Materials (designed and printed in house) *cost based on costs external $2.50/ k Beyond the start-up costs, of course there will be staff time required for application review and processing, conducting training, scheduling, and on-going volunteer monitoring. Staff recognizes that initially there will be more resources required to be dedicated to application review and training. However, it is anticipated that once the program is up and running, these activities will be more easily incorporated into the "normal" Shelter activities. The Manager has confirmed that the staffing resources necessary to establish the program will be allocated such that current service levels are minimally impacted. REPORT NO.: CLD-025-13 PAGE 5 4. RISKS AND BENEFITS Volunteers will come to us with a variety of experience and skills. To limit risk and liability to the volunteers, Staff, and our animals, every volunteer will be required to participate in the mandatory training and orientation; conduct themselves according to our Animal Shelter standard policies and procedures; and sign a waiver and release of liability. However, when dealing with animals there is always a risk of unexpected response behaviour from the animal. Should a volunteer not comply with the foregoing, or should it be determined by Staff that the volunteer and the volunteer opportunity at the Clarington Animal Shelter are not congruent, the volunteer may be relieved of their volunteer assignments, at the discretion of Staff. The benefits to be realized by the proposed volunteer program will positively impact the community volunteers, the animals and staff. Based on the number of enquiries we receive, there is a genuine interest for our residents to spend time helping animals in need. As well, the volunteering opportunity will allow them to meet new people, build confidence and improve their mood and health while doing something they enjoy. The increased interaction with the animals and the opportunity for animals with special needs to be housed in a home environment will assist in improving the health of the animals and expedite the opportunities for adoption. Evidence indicates that the benefits realized by the volunteers-and animals reduce stress in the shelter which proves beneficial to the Staff. 5. IMPLEMENTATION Over the past few months staff has been developing the Volunteer Program supporting materials (ie. applications, training and orientation manuals, shift schedules, etc.) The remaining supplies identified in Section 3 of this Report have not yet been sourced, but should not take any longer than a month to receive. Given that the cost to implement the recommended Volunteer Program is minimal, and very little preparation remains outstanding to be ready to receive volunteer applications, it is recommended that staff proceed to implement the program effective November 1, 2013. 6. CONCURRENCE The scope of the proposed Volunteer Program has been reviewed with the Animal Services staff and supported by a representative of CUPE. This report has been reviewed by Marie Marano, Director of Corporate Services and Nancy Taylor, Director of Finance/Treasurer, and Andy Allison, Solicitor, who concur with the recommendations. REPORT NO.: CLD-025-13 PAGE 6 7. CONCLUSION Research findings indicate that an animal shelter volunteer program has a win-win-win outcome. Based on volunteer programs and input from various animal shelters and humane societies, staff recommends a team based volunteer model. This volunteer model: • enables the community to participate in the health and well-being of the animals that enter our Shelter, • does not compromise our contractual employment agreements, • ensures a safe environment for volunteers, staff and the animals, • minimizes risk and liability, and • promotes the Clarington Animal Shelter and related services. Based on the foregoing, staff recommends that Council approves the implementation of a volunteer program at the Clarington Animal Shelter and that staff report back in one year to provide Council on the program progress. CONFORMITY WITH STRATEGIC PLAN The recommendations contained in this report conform to the general intent of the following priorities of the Strategic Plan: (Place an "X" in the box for all that apply) Promoting economic development Maintaining financial stability X Connecting Clarington Promoting green initiatives Investing in infrastructure Showcasing our community Not in conformity with Strategic Plan Staff Contact: Anne Greentree, Deputy Clerk Attachments: Attachment 1 —Volunteer Manual List of interested parties to be advised of Council's decision: CUPS Local 74 Liz White, Animal Alliance of Canada Attachment 1 to Report CLD-025-13 E "14.0 radYtv do ir Way Volunteer anua 33 Lake Road Bowmanville, ON L1C 4P8 905-623-7651 anirnalservices @clarington.net Welcome To Clarington Animal Shelter Welcome to the Team! It is with great pleasure to welcome you to our team of dedicated and passionate staff and volunteers. The Clarington Animal Shelter is a municipally owned and operated shelter. Our Animal Services Officers are friendly, caring individuals who are committed to making companion animals valued members of our community. It is through our team that we continue to educate our community on responsible pet ownership and promote adoptions to improve pet's quality of life. The volunteer program at Clarington Animal Shelter offers a variety of opportunities to continue to improve adoptions and animal care. Through the course of your volunteer experience you will be able to learn new skills, create new friendships and build many human animal bonds. Sincerely, The Staff at Clarington Animal Shelter Volunteer Manual Volunteering at Clarington Animal Shelter Clarington Animal Shelter provides shelter and care to approximately 500 animals every year. The Shelter staff continuously strives to provide the best care possible. A Veterinarian is worked with on a regular basis and is scheduled for visits as required. Your contribution as a volunteer will be an invaluable part of the Shelter's goals of enhancing the quality of life for animals. In addition to learning new skills and forming new relationships, you may: • Foster an animal that has special needs. Many kittens are born and brought into Shelter. As kittens are more susceptible to disease, their life expectancy is lengthened when in a home environment. • Take a dog for a walk. What dog wouldn't love to walk around all day? • Socialize a cat or dog. Many animals brought into our care have had little or poor interactions with people or other pets. Having additional assistance with socializing increases the potential for re-homing. 11Page Volunteer Manual General Volunteer Guidelines Definition of a "Volunteer" A volunteer is anyone who, without compensation or expectation of compensation beyond reimbursement, performs a task at the direction of and on behalf of the Clarington Animal Shelter. A volunteer must be officially accepted and enrolled by the Shelter prior to performing any task. Role of Volunteer Volunteers are an integral part of our team and are essential in assisting with additional care for animals brought into our Shelter. Volunteers work directly to improve and promote animal adoptions, are a source for a nurturing atmosphere for animals requiring constant care, and provide additional socialization and exercise for animals. Relationships with Staff Volunteers and Staff are equal partners in achieving the Shelter's goals, with varying roles. Volunteers enhance the work of staff to achieve higher levels of care. This partnership is essential and each party must be respectful of and understand the abilities and roles each play. The day to day operations of the facility is the responsibility of the Animal Services Manager, who directs all staff and program volunteers. Volunteers shall follow all departmental policies and procedures as established by the Manager, or designate. Rights of Volunteers While participating in Clarington's Animal Services Volunteer Program each volunteer has the right to: • Volunteer in a safe and healthy environment; • Receive guidance and direction on tasks to be accomplished; • Be trained for the position; • Have access to the Municipality of Clarington policies and procedures relevant to duties being performed; 2 1 Page Volunteer Manual • Be exposed to varying experiences; • Be heard and make suggestions; and • Be recognized Responsibilities of Volunteers To ensure the health and safety of our volunteers and animals, volunteers shall be responsible for: • Work in a safe manner consistent with policies and procedures; • Be reliable and committed; • Respect and be courteous of the public, staff and peers; • Follow and practice policies and procedures set out by the Shelter; • Promote adoptions, improve quality of care and enhance lives of all animals in a humane and respectful manner; • Treat all information as confidential; • Be willing to learn, train and receive evaluation; • Ask questions when unsure; and • Only perform authorized tasks Clarington Animal Shelter's Right and Responsibilities To ensure the success of the Clarington Animal Services Volunteer Program, Clarington Animal Shelter staff may: • Assign and make volunteer positions; • Review performance and evaluate suitability for volunteer roles; • Expect volunteers to be reliable, punctual and perform tasks to best of their ability; • Expect volunteers to abide by policies and procedures set out by the Shelter; • Expect volunteers to act in a professional manner with public, staff and peers; and • Release volunteers at the Municipality's discretion 31 Page Volunteer Manual To ensure health and safety of volunteers and animals Clarington Animal Shelter will: • Provide training and direction; • Provide a safe and healthy atmosphere free of harassment and violence; • Make available policies and procedures; • Supervise and support Volunteers in their role; • Educate on risks and dangers within shelter atmosphere; and • Ensure the rights of workers under the CUPE Local 74 and Municipality of Clarington Collective Agreement Bites/Scratches/Injuries Volunteers are to interact with approved animals as determined by staff; as the safety of our volunteers is paramount. Even when following safe handling techniques and procedures there is a risk of being bitten, scratched or injured. Any bites, scratches or injuries shall be reported to Shelter Staff. Thoroughly wash and rinse any area that has been scratched or bitten and monitor for infection. All bites or scratches that have broken skin need to be reported to Durham Region Health Unit and a mandatory quarantine is placed on the animal. Injuries suffered during the performance of your duties with the Shelter shall be reported to staff immediately. If required, first aid or medical treatment shall be received. An Injury Report form shall be filled out for all bites or injuries. 41 Page Volunteer Manual Shelter Disease Prevention Volunteers will only enter approved areas as determined by staff. If volunteers are entering restricted areas all disease prevention policies shall be adhered to. The most common transmission of infection in shelters is between foot paths and human contact. Volunteers shall ensure that hands or points of contact shall be washed or sanitized prior to handling another animal. Any carriers or blankets shall only be used once per animal. There is a heightened risk of disease within a shelter, and therefore it is imperative that all volunteers follow all policies on disease prevention. Dog walking As a volunteer socializing and walking dogs it is important to be focused and aware of changes in a dog's behaviour. As little history is known about the dogs within the Shelter's care, you must be aware that sudden changes in surroundings or encounters with unfamiliar people can significantly affect a dog's behaviour. All volunteers will be directed to which dogs may be handled and areas they may be taken. If there are any concerns with a dog's behaviour volunteers will be notified. Only volunteers with experience and training will be permitted to handle dogs that may need training. If for any reason a volunteer does not feel comfortable handling a specific dog, their concerns shall be communicated to the Shelter Staff so alternate arrangements may be made. At no time shall dogs be unleashed or permitted in leash-free parks. A collar with appropriate tag will be worn to readily identify a dog. Cat Socialization Staff will direct volunteers to which animals may be handled. Some cats will have had minimal contact and patience will be required by volunteers. It is important 51 Page Volunteer Manual to watch for any warning signs that a cat may become agitated. A cat showing any signs of agitation shall be left as to not cause any added stress. Removing cats from cages must be done with care and caution. When removing cats, ensure they are lifted and supported as to not cause injury to the cat or yourself. It is always recommended to have a carrier available if moving a cat from room to room. Foster Care As a foster volunteer, animals with special needs will enter into your home. Animals that come into our care require a varying range of special needs. At times these animals may require continuous care and a watchful eye. As a foster, exceptional skills or experience are needed to ensure that the health of the animal does not become further compromised. Foster parents are an integral part of a successful rehabilitation for shelter animals. It requires extreme dedication and compassion, and at times it can be difficult as bonds are always formed between the foster and the animal, making good-byes difficult. A home visit will be conducted by an Animal Services Officer to ensure conditions will be met for the safety of the animal. Any owned animals must have current vaccinations and Rabies shots. All fostered animals will be kept in compliance with Clarington's Responsible Pet By-laws. Medications, feed and day-to-day items will be supplied by the Shelter. Any additional purchases for the foster animal will be at the foster's expense. If items are required, the Animal Services Manager must pre-approve the expenditure, if there is an expectation of reimbursement. Any Veterinarian care will be confirmed prior to the foster attending a clinic. The Shelter follows strict policies on veterinarian care and fosters must abide by these policies. Any un-approved veterinarian visits shall result in the foster being responsible for the costs. 61 Page Volunteer Manual General Orientation and Training As a volunteer you will be required to assist in promoting adoptions, educating residents and being an ambassador of the Clarington Animal Shelter. Educating yourself on Clarington's adoption policies and by-laws will assist you through your day to day duties. Clarington is committed to ensuring the safety of all animals, staff and volunteers. Adhering to Clarington's internal policies and procedures will assist in the daily operations of the organization in a safe environment. To successfully be accepted as a volunteer, a mandatory orientation will be required. In addition to general orientation, further training will be required for more specific duties based on a volunteer's ability and experience. 71 Page