Indy Animal Care Services Changing How it Operates
Indianapolis Animal Care Services is taking part in a national program to rethink how animal shelters operate.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis Animal Care Services agency has been selected to take part in a pilot program to improve services beyond that of a traditional animal shelter.
IACS says it will take part in a national initiative called Human Animal Support Services.
The agency says the idea emerged during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic to brainstorm ideas on how animal shelters could continue to operate and to provide support for pet owners even during the shutdown. It also seeks to reduce the number of companion animals placed in a shelter.
The HASS website says throughout the healthcare crisis, people across the U.S. adopted, fostered, fed and cared for animals in need as shelters were shut down.
Some of the goals include help for struggling pet owners who need resources to keep their pets and to provide telehealth assessments for people considering pet surrender due to medical reasons.
“We know we can do better when it comes to getting pets home and keeping them with their families,” said Katie Trennepohl, IACS deputy director.
IACS says it has already implemented some of these ideas as part of the Indy CARES program. For example, IndyCARES helps to provide and connect pet owners with resources that include medical vouchers, short-term foster care, and re-homing assistance.
“With this pilot program, we’ll have the support behind us to more effectively develop these services,” said Trennepohl.
Click here to learn more about the program.