Agenda - 09-19-2006-7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orange County Animal Services Sheltering Practices and Philosophies ~$ model, yes, to find out what they're doing.. But don't look at it with the idea that it's going to be the solution for [your] own community." "I think that there has to be aself-analysis as to whether it makes appropriate sense," Avanzino says, "Maddie's Fund is not for everybody. ,.. And if what we are asking for doesn't make a gcod fit, then they should look for other alternatives to achieve the same result, if in fact that is where they want to ga," The Power of Teamwork Self-analysis is just what Debra Griggs is trying to foster in her approach toward collaboration and planning in Norfolk, Virginia. As the founder and president of Animal Rescue of Tidewater, Griggs has built up a coalition of 50 people representing animal care and control agencies, private shelters, rescue groups, and the veterinary community, Even though the group is considering pursuing a Maddie's grant, not all the members are convinced that Maddie's guidelines and requirements are the appropriate solution for their area's goal of ending euthanasia of healthy, behaviorally sound animals, says Griggs. And regardless of whether the participants obtain a Maddie's Fund grant, the coalition is here to stay-and it's only going to help animals in the long run. For one thing, a primary focus of the group is to ensure that the work of area agencies isn't redundant, freeing up resources that can be spent better elsewhere, Griggs is quick to give credit to the existing agencies in Norfolk; her entire approach to the field began with the desire to help, Instead of criticizing the animal control department for aspects of its programs and methods she disagreed with, Griggs says, "the first thing I personally did with Norfolk Animal Control three years ago was walk in and say, 'Haw can I help you?' I think that the people who deliver service in our publicly funded animal control facilities have the hardest job, .., It's easy for a lot of people to call them the bad guys. But ... I really think ,.. that the most important role of those of us who think we have the solution is to ga to the people who have been doing this for many years and say, 'Tell us what's the solution,' " That desire to help existing agencies do a better job has been at the core of the group's mission as an unsheltered humane group. "The role we fill in this community is to not duplicate the services of others. We are really committed to supporting and augmenting existing services ,,. because we have really great people offering really great service to homeless animals, We simply need to help them do what they do with more resources." At the time of Animal Sheltering's interview with Griggs, she was applying for a grant to help fund a thorough study of community needs-the resulting data will be, Griggs hopes, an invaluable resource for the groups to continue determining where specific services shculd be targeted.