Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction
Abstract
Lead Astray was a study of a citys stray dog management system, its
local culture, and the factors that created and sustained the stray dog
population. The studys purpose was to use design management methods
and practices to understand the social problem of stray dogs in order to
co-develop new solutions for an ethical reduction of the stray dog
population. The study involved conducting primary research in Jacksonville, Florida, of the citys stray dog management organizations and of the
local citizens. Data was collected through surveys of the local population,
interviews with citizens and management organization employees, and
fly-on-the wall observations conducted at animal shelters, adoption
centers, and veterinarian offices served to collect data. This data was then
analyzed along with secondary research of peer reviewed journal articles
and books relating to the subject.
The data analysis led to the development of insights about stray dogs in
Jacksonville. Spay and neuter programs were found to be responsible for
the current success of the system, while the local population was found
to be uneducated about both local stray dog management organization
services and responsible dog ownership practices.
These insights were then translated into design criteria that were used
to define a prototype. The prototype was then tested by a group of
Jacksonville citizens through a kinesthetic modeling session. The information gained from the testing was used to redefine the studys design
criteria, which were then used to develop the final prototype of HEEL
Jacksonville. As a six-step strategic approach to ethically reducing stray
dog populations, HEEL Jacksonville demonstrated through a case study
implemented in Jacksonville how to develop an organization that would
facilitate responsible dog hosting, and stray dog population stewardship.
The structure of this book will serve as an example of how a culture that is
responsible for creating its own social problematic effects can be
understood. With this understanding, a culture of social innovation can be
fostered. Through co-developed innovation, solutions can be proposed to
alleviate unwanted hardships, and produce a positive effect on society.
Dedication
I dedicate this project to my parents for teaching me to follow my own
lead and to never stop working toward my goals, whatever I decided
them to be. I also dedicate this project to my wife; she has supported
me through every step of my schooling, and I sincerely do not believe I
would have succeeded without her. Lastly, I dedicate this to every stray
and homeless dog that I encountered during this project. Their suffering
has been a driving force for me to do my very best, and to provide an
actionable salve for their pain.
Acknowledgment
I would like to directly express my gratitude at this time to the following
individuals, without whose help this project could not have been created.
First, I wish to thank the presidents, managers, and founders of the
Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services, the Jacksonville
Humane Society, First Coast No More Homeless Pets, Pit Sisters, Friends
of Jacksonville Animals, and Pet Rescue North: You provided me with
information, insight, and, more importantly, your priceless time that is
normally directed toward helping the homeless animals of Jacksonville.
Whereas I am only dipping my toes into the stray dog population pool,
whereas you are swimming in it every day to create very real improvements.
Next, I am so grateful to the citizen participants of this project.
Allowing me into your homes, offering me your space, your time, and
going through hours of questions facilitated in bringing your insights
to bear on how to form actionable content. I would also thank you for
sticking with through the initial confusion as we learned the kinesthetic
modeling process together.
To my SCAD colleagues, no other persons could understand what this
final project meant unless they, too, were in this class. Thank you for
looking over my work and providing me with insights and different points
of view that were integral to the development of this project. In addition,
I thank you for offering me only support, even as you allowed me to vent
my frustrations and fears into your kind ears.
Finally, and most importantly, to my professor, this has certainly been a
challenging process. I would like to thank you for believing in a me who
was better than what I was at the time I entered this class. Thank you for
catching all of my errors and then calling me on them. It was definitely
difficult for me at the time, but I believe that both my project and I are
much the better for your patient and persistent guidance.
Table of Contents
Project Framing
Subject of Study....................................... 8
Problem Statement................................... 8
Target Audience Description...................... 8
Purpose of Project.................................... 8
Scope of Project........................................ 8
Significance of study................................ 8
Project Positioning
Opportunity Statement............................. 10
Positioning.............................................. 10
ZAG Steps................................................ 19
Value Proposition...................................... 20
Onliness Statement................................... 20
References
Research Space......................................... 22
Prototype Ideas........................................ 70
Research Methodology.............................. 23
Consent Forms.......................................... 25
Research Protocols.................................... 26
Validation................................................ 84
Appendices
Research Activities................................... 32
Data Maps................................................ 55
Final Prototype........................................ 88
Research Insights..................................... 58
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
Conclusions.............................................. 106
Recommendations..................................... 106
Reframing................................................ 68
Project Framing
7
Figure 1. A combination image of stray dogs. Authors image.
Project Framing
Gain the understanding can now be repeated more readily in
future endeavors.
Subject of Study
Purpose of Project
The purpose of the project was to explore the current practices used
to manage the stray dog population of Jacksonville. Another purpose
was to understand the local populations thoughts and opinions on
the stray dog population. In addition, the project was concerned with
the development of new practices, along with enhancements to
existing practices, to reduce the size of the stray dog population.
Problem Statement
Populations of stray domesticated animals exist in major cities
throughout the world (Carding, 1969). Many negative outcomes are
created from the existence of these stray animal populations.
These outcomes include, but are not limited to, public and private
financial tax strains involved in animal catching, testing, rehabilitating, adopting, spaying and neutering, and euthanizing of these stray
animals (Binelli, 2012). Emotional and health problems in these citys
communities are additional negative outcomes from a large stray
animal population (Beck, 1973). These problems are clearly visible
in Jacksonville, Florida. Even with the help of many local non-profits
that assist Jacksonvilles Animal Care and Protective Services to
solve for the issue, a large stray dog population influences and
affects the community. How might the attitude of the community
towards the stray dog population be understood? How might design
thinking and design management methods create enhancements to
the existing solutions that are currently in place to reduce, manage,
and otherwise ameliorate Jacksonvilles stray dog population?
Scope of Project
The project and testing of prototype(s) took place over a 10-week
quarter at SCAD. The project took place solely in Jacksonville and
included the local population and the government-run institution of
the Animal Care and Protective Services. The study also included the
other local non-profits of First Coast No More Homeless Pets, The
Jacksonville Humane Society, Friends of Jacksonville Animals, and
Pit Sisters. All these non-profits deal directly with the stray dog
population through capturing, treatment, adoption, and
community-wide educational activities.
Project Positioning
Project Positioning
Opportunity Statement
An opportunity existed to conduct research into the current state of
the stray dog population management ecosystem in Jacksonville.
Through this research, the psychological, cultural, and physical factors
that produce the stray dog population became known. Through this
understanding, resolutions were proposed to reduce the stray dog
population and alleviate the current negative consequences and
community reactions caused by stray dogs.
Table 1
Collaborator analysis chart of the World Animal Awareness Society.
Objectives:
Lessons:
Approach:
Public Interaction:
Collaboration Opportunities:
Table 2
Collaborator analysis chart of Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services.
Objectives:
Lessons:
Approach:
Public Interaction:
Collaboration Opportunities:
By being the responsible party for animal welfare issues in the city
By facilitating the adoption of local stray and
unwanted dogs and cats
By removing problem animals
10
Pet adoption
Pet confiscation
Pet licensing
Domestic animal ordinance enforcement
Volunteers
Project Positioning
Table 3
Collaborator analysis chart of the World Society for the Protection of Animals.
Collaborator Name: World Society for the Protection of Animals Website Url: www.worldanimalprotection.us.org
Objectives:
Lessons:
Approach:
Public Interaction:
Collaboration Opportunities:
Education
Volunteers
Governmental consultation
Lobbying
Table 4
Collaborator analysis chart of the ASPCA.
Objectives:
Lessons:
Approach:
Public Interaction:
Collaboration Opportunities:
11
Project Positioning
Collaborator Analysis Charts Continued
Table 5
Collaborator analysis chart of theBest Friends Animal Society.
Objectives:
Lessons:
Approach:
Public Interaction:
Collaboration Opportunities:
Initiative interactions
Advocating on many subjects
Education programs
Pet adoptions
Volunteers
Table 6
Collaborator analysis chart of First Coast No More Homeless Pets.
Objectives:
Lessons:
Approach:
Public Interaction:
Collaboration Opportunities:
12
Project Positioning
International
WAAS
2x2 #1
WSPA
Focus on
education
Best
Friends
Focus on
physical
services
ASPCA
Opportunity Space
FCNMHP
ACPS
Local
Figure 2. 2x2 analysis of the research space. Authors image.
13
The size and reach of an organization displays a lot about their views,
their focus, and the scope of their mission with regards to their overall
influence on their system. Comparing a collaborators size to their focus
on physical or educational value is an indicator of their willingness to
actually do the work that needs to be produced for their goals, rather
than stay in a supportive role. This diagram displays that an opportunity
exists for a local stray dog management organization that focuses on
educational services.
Project Positioning
Hands on services
ACPS
2x2 #2
Organizations in animal welfare have a tendancy to either be fixing the
results of an issue or attempting to change the causes of an issue, such
as rehabilitating a beaten dog v.s. working to make dog beating hold a
harsher punishment.. Both approaches appear valid and necessary, but
when compared to the actual services of the organization, a trend becomes apparent as to where successful organizations find their focus.
FCNMHP
Opportunity
Space
Proactive
management of
stray dogs
Reactive
management of
stray dogs
ASPCA
Best
Friends
Opportunity
Space
WSPA
WAAS
Consultation
services
Figure 3. 2x2 analysis of the research space. Authors image.
14
Project Positioning
Public funded
2x2 #3
ACPS
Opportunity Space
Comparing how these collaborators are funded against how their focus
on enacting stray dog welfare initiatives exists, allows for a visualization
of where a potentially funded organization could exists without overlap.
Opportunity Space
Individual
process focus
Whole system
focus
FCNMHP
ASPCA
Best
Friends
WSPA
WAAS
Donation and
grant funded
Figure 4. 2x2 analysis of the research space. Authors image.
15
Project Positioning
2x2 #4
Because the dog was domesticated by humans (Morey, 1994), and
stray dog populations are created by humans, the logical approach
would be to try and fix the human behaviors that cause stray dog
creation. However, it appears that trying to effect the zeitgeist is more
daunting for the majority of organizations, which instead elect to fix
the human created outcomes and the behavior of the stray dogs. This
researchers opinion is that by attempting to fix human behavior without
also showing a focus and concern for human welfare is the missing
piece to some modicum of potential stray dog reduction success.
Opportunity Space
Focus on
animal behavior
Opportunity Space
Focus on
human behavior
ACPS
WSPA
Best
Friends
WAAS
FCNMHP
ASPCA
Focus on
animal welfare
Figure 5. 2x2 analysis of the research space. Authors image.
16
Project Positioning
2x2 #5
WSPA
ASPCA
WAAS
Opportunity Space
Best
Friends
Supports other
organizations
Supported
by other
organizations
FCNMHP
ACPS
Passive educational
activities
Figure 6. 2x2 analysis of the research space. Authors image.
17
Project Positioning
Gained Insights
Through the collaborator analysis charts and 2x2 collaborator
comparison diagrams, multiple insights became apparent:
While all of the organizations have had success eliminating animal
abuse and reducing stray dog populations, none of them use the
exact same structures.
Education is a key element for large, proactive and national
organizations, while small organizations must focus on being
reactive with physical services.
The focus of the organizations activities are on animal welfare,
and logically so. Integrating human welfare is secondary.
Animal welfare and stray dog management is almost totally funded
by donation. The exceptions to this fact are organizations created to
fulfill government responsibility, which still benefit from donations.
Larger organization success equates to smaller organization support.
The majority of organizations are interconnected and supportive.
18
National animal
welfare organizations
Existing stray dog
reduction practices
International stray dog
education initiatives
Small sections of local animal
welfare organizations
Project Positioning
ZAG Steps
Zag is a 17-step brand producing process
developed by Marty Neumeier (2007).
By following the steps, a user can develop a
brand that exists where competitors do not.
While this projects outcome did not necessarily
compete with its contemporaries, the process
was used to define goals for
potential prototypes.
HEEL, Jacksonville
HEEL, Jacksonville:
Bringing a city into agreement
with its stray dog
management system to
educate responsible dog
hosting and stewardship.
Heel, city, heel.
19
Project Positioning
Value Proposition
The intended value of this project was for the city of Jacksonvilles
stray dog management system, which needs to limit and reduce the
current production of the stray dog population. This projects outcomes
display what proactive management and local population focused
educational solutions need to be developed and how they need
to be implemented.
This was done by researching Jacksonvilles stray dog
management system and the local population for weaknesses and
un-managed factors that support stray dog production.
By developing a holistic view of the situation, a prototype was
proposed that works within the successful aspects of the system.
Unlike current stray dog population management and reduction solutions, this project developed innovations while mitigating the factors
that create stray dogs. The insights for these innovations were developed by analyzing collected data from the local population and
representatives of Jacksonvilles stray dog management system for
common themes, concepts, and needs. These commonalities were
referenced against collected observations for validity, necessity, and
project direction.
Onliness Statement
This project was the only study focused on understanding how to
reduce the stray dog population of Jacksonville by educating the
community on responsible dog ownership, stray dog management
practices, stray dog rehabilitation, and thorough adoption procedures.
20
21
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Ruch-Gallie, R. (1998)
Feral Dog
Rehab
Efforts
Damage
OP
Breeders
Public
Property
Beck, A. (1973)
LE
Local
Population
Owned
Dogs
Private
Property
Volunteers
Beck, A. (1973)
Beck, A. (1973)
Property
Owners
Pit
Sisters
ASPCA
Binelli, M. (2012)
Fearful
Citizens
Bradford
Kill
Shelters
Police
Officers
Georgia
Kill
Shelters
Mott, M. (2003)
Clay
County
Kill
Shelters
Interact with
Figure 8. Ecosystem map of the studys research space. Authors image.
22
Jacksonville
ACPS
Carding, A. (1969)
Gompper, M. (2014)
Mega
Adoption
Events
Coastal
Golden
Retriever
Rescue
Humane
Society
Carding, A. (1969)
L
Animal Care (n.d.)
N M E N TA
NS &
PEOPLE
AL
YS I C
Adoptapet.com
Legislation
VER
Rabies
Social
Media
Pages
GO
Beck, A. (1973)
Spay/
Neuter
Programs
Pet
Education
Programs
First Coast
No More
Homeless
Pets
TIO
Trotman, M. (2013)
Non
Beck, A. (1973)
Fixed
Dogs
Browne, G.(2002)
ZA
Fear
Dolan, E. (2013)
Pet
ownership
education
Petfinder
.com
NI
tations
Spreading
of Disease
Pet
Rescue
of North
Florida
GA
Fear
Breeding Ownership
ExpecDogs
Euthanasia
Programs
Caring
Anger
Unreal
Released
Dogs
Resolve
Anger
Johnston, N. (2012)
Dog Attack
Injuries
PH
Y D
OG
N TA L
RA
Concern
OR
PE
S&
Mega
Adoption
Events
Lethargy
Beck, A. (1973)
ME
AL
Binelli, M. (2012)
Lack of
Training
AL
Abandoned
Dogs
Beck, A. (1973)
Dog
Fighting
Rings
Lack of
Responsibility
MENT
Lack of
Funds
Doig, W. (2012)
TION
Trotman, M. (2013)
P H YS I C
ORGANIZA
Legislation
AL
ENT
G OV E R N M
Causes of
Research Space
Putnam
County
Kill
Shelters
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Research Methodology
Research Questions
For the research methods of the study, qualitative data was the
focus. Emotional and ethical opinions can enhance or hinder logical
solutions. These logical solutions, when implemented, can
effectively fix the problem, but with a negative effect on the
emotions and ethics of the local population. Qualitative data
collection methods assisted to reduce those negative outcomes by
collecting emotional and ethical data which was used to propose
prototypes that took emotions and ethics into consideration.
23
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Research Question Matrix
Table 7
Research question matrix
How might existing management approaches to Jacksonvilles stray dog population be enhanced by applying design management methods to learning about the
interacting system dynamics and co-developing improvements?
What do I need to
know?
What current practices exist
in Jacksonville to manage
the stray dog population?
Who do we
contact?
When do we
What are we taking away?
need to know? What are we learning?
Gatekeepers,
community members
Surveys, interviews,
observations
Jacksonville citizens
Qualitative, institutional
responses, individual responses
and understanding of
institutional interactions
Gatekeepers, community
members
Surveys, interviews,
observations
Jacksonville citizens
Gatekeepers, institution
members, community
members
Surveys, interviews,
observations
Gatekeepers, institutional
members
Interviews,
observations
Qualitative, institutional
Gatekeepers, institutional
responses, and understanding of
members
current practices.
Qualitative, institutional
responses, individual responses,
understanding of institutional
interactions and pitfalls
Secondary research,
institutional members,
community members
Interviews, observations
24
What might
we be missing?
Lead Astray
The following information provides an introduction to field research that will be conducted in Jacksonville, FL,
between January 5th 2015 and January 25th 2015 by Joshua Plotkin, Design Management graduate student at the
Savannah College of Art and Design.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to research the current state of the stray dog population in Jacksonville in order to know
and understand the psychological, cultural, and physical factors that produce the stray dog population. Through this
understanding, resolutions may be proposed to reduce the stray dog population and alleviate the current negative
consequences and community reactions caused by stray dogs.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Our research will be guided by the following questions:
What current practices exist in Jacksonville to manage the stray dog population?
What is the communitys opinion of the stray dog population?
How does Jacksonvilles stray dog managing system fix internal errors and handle external changes?
How do various agencies collaborate to manage the stray dog population?
Research Activities
and Synthesis
What techniques and process are in place to cultivate continual improvements to current managing solutions?
How can design managment methods be applied to the current stray dog managing system?
only by Joshua Plotkin for analysis of interview data. I grant permission for this data
DATA MANAGEMENT
Data will be anonymized at participants request.
I understand that any identifiable information in regard to my name and/or company name
will be removed from any material that is made available to those not directly involved in
Data will be kept until It is no longer needed for study completion. Data will permanently stay in use, in the form of a study
process book.
_________________________________ _________________________________
Printed Name
Signature
CONTACT INFORMATION
This project is being conducted through the Design Management department at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
For additional information please contact Professor Regina Rowland, rrowland@scad.edu, (415) 513-0673.
_______________________________________
Date
Interviewer:
Joshua Plotkin, jplotk20@student.scad.edu, (561) 632-4544.
I grant permission for the interview/inquiry to be recorded and transcribed, and to be used
this study.
Figure 10. Page 2 of the projects informed consent form. Authors image.
25
Consent Forms
In order for the study to be ethically compliant, each named
interviewee must have given informed consent.
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Research Protocols,
observation form
Time:_____________ Date:__________
Observations:
Figure 11. Page 1 of the projects observation collection form. Authors image.
26
Figure 12. Page 2 of the projects observation collection form. Authors image.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Can you describe the last time you encountered a stray dog?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thinking back to a recent time when you encountered a stray dog, what did you think to yourself?
What emotions did you feel?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thinking back to a recent time when you encountered an owned dog, what did you think to
yourself? What emotions did you feel?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If theres a difference: Why do you think you felt differently?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 13. Page 1 of the projects citizen interview form. Authors image.
Can you think of any incentives that would make you or other people want to help with reducing
the stray dog population?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What would be your reasoning for having a stray dog euthanized?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 14. Page 2 of the projects citizen interview form. Authors image.
27
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Research Protocols,
citizen interview form
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Do you believe the community is aware of the stray dog population as an issue? Are there any
efforts to make the citizens of Jacksonville aware of the stray dog problem?
Research Protocols,
management organization employee
and volunteer interview form
How large of a size and a problem do you believe Jacksonvilles stray dog population to be?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How do you feel about the level of control that Jacksonvilles stray dog population is under?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What are some practices currently in use to reduce the stray dog population? How is your
organization involved in those practices, and what are some errors or shortcomings or unintended
consequences of these practices?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What do you or this institution want to be doing to reduce the stray dog population that it is not
currently doing? Specifically, what would you do if you had to control the stray dog population?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 15. Page 1 of the management organization employee and volunteer interviw
form. Authors image.
28
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Can you think of any incentives that would make a person want to help with reducing the stray
dog population?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What hurdles, either legal or community opinion, make reduction of the stray dog population
difficult?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Does the current size of the stray dog population indicate or lead to anything about Jacksonville?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How does this organization interact with other organizations that help to manage the stray dog
population? Has there ever been any issues that youve had to work through with this organization?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 16. Page 2 of the management organization employee and volunteer interview
form. Authors image.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Does this organization measure success? If so what actions are taken if you do not meet your
expectations?
If you could have your organization partner up with another organization in Jacksonville in order
for you to fulfill your mission more effectively, what would the organization be and why?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Are any of your organizations regular activities reliant upon or heavily influenced by another
organization? If so, how?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How has this organization developed and grown over the last 5 years? What were the main
contributing factors to this growth?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Has there been any practices or processes that this organization used in the past that it currently
does not use? If so, why do you no longer use that/those practice(s).
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Figure 17. Page 3 of the management organization employee and volunteer interview
form. Authors image.
Figure 18. Page 4 of the management organization employee and volunteer interview
form. Authors image.
29
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Research Protocols,
management organization employee
and volunteer interview form continued
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Survey and Interview Questions
Fully filled out responses and forms can be found in the appendix.
Yes.
No.
2. Have you ever released a dog into the city?
(from sub-question 1, 2)
Yes.
No.
3. What would you do if you encountered a friendly stray dog?
(from sub-question 1, 2)
Nothing.
Collect it and keep it.
Collect it and call the city authorities.
Leave it where it is and call the city authorities.
Collect it and call an animal rescue organization.
Leave it where it is and call an animal rescue organization.
Post about the lost animal to social media.
Other((please Specify).
4. Do you believe it is ok to capture, spay/neuter dogs, and then
release them? (from sub-question 1, 2)
Yes.
No.
5. Are you aware of any current practices in use to reduce Jacksonvilles stray dog population? If yes, please describe them.
(from sub-question 1)
10. What other issues, besides medical and monetary, does a large
stray dog population indicate to you? (from sub-question 2)
Emotional.
Ethical.
Civil.
Legal.
Other(please specify).
30
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Local Citizen Interview Questions
1. Can you describe the last time you encountered a stray dog?
(from sub-question 2)
10. How does this organization interact with the general public?
(from sub-question 2, 4, 5)
Are you aware of how the city handles stray dogs? If yes, how?
(from sub-question 1)
8. Can you name some local non-profit shelters and animal rescue
agencies? What are the ways in which these agencies interact
with each other? (from sub-question 3,4)
9. Can you think of any incentives that would make you or other
people want to help with reducing the stray dog population?
(from sub-question 1, 2, 4, 5)
10. What would be your reasoning for having a stray dog
euthanized? (from sub-question 2)
31
13. How has this organization developed and grown over the last 5
years? What were the main contributing factors to this growth?
(from sub-question 3, 5)
14. Has there been any practices or processes that this organization
used in the past that it currently does not use? If so, why do you
no longer use that/those practice(s). (from sub-question 5, 6)
15. If you could have your organization partner up with another
organization in Jacksonville in order for you to fulfill your mission
more effectively, what would the organization be and why? (from
sub-question 4, 5, 6)
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Research Activities
1. Secondary research was conducted drawing from 26 academic
peer reviewed research journal articles, news articles, and book
sources.
2. Digital surveys were distributed to 50 anonymous Jacksonville
citizens between January 5th and January 25th.
3. Structured interviews were conducted with 5 ordinary citizens of
Jacksonville.
4. Structured interviews were conducted with 5 Jacksonville stray
dog management organization employees and volunteers.
5. Fly-on-the-wall observations took place at 3 different
Jacksonville stray dog management organization facilities
between January 10th and January 18th.
32
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Q1: Have
you encountered a stray dog
in Jacksonville?
10%
Yes
20%
No
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Survey Introduction
0%
10%
Yes
20%
No
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Nothing.
Collect it and keep it.
Collect it and call the city authorities.
Leave it where it is and call the city authorities.
Collect it and call an animal rescue organization.
Leave it where it is and call an animal rescue organization.
Post about the lost animal to social media.
Other (specified).
Figure 21. Question 3 graphical results. Authors image.
After this studys primary research was conducted, the data was
analyzed through visual methods. Graphs, interview highlights,
SWOT charts, and personas were used for synthesizing the data
into useful insights.
Collect it check for tags or micro chip look for owners if none take to
shelter or rescue group.
Collect, Check for chip, keep a few days while posting signs in the area,
checking nearby vets and social media and local pet stores.
Try to collect and take to be scanned for chip. Next steps would
depend on chip results. If no one claims it would take it to city or rescue.
33
Survey Results
Each survey question was analyzed based on each respondents
answers. In some cases, a question allowed for a detailed response,
those responses were displayed as well.
Research Activities
and Synthesis
10%
Yes
20%
No
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
90%
100%
10%
20%
Yes (specified)
30%
No
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Fosters/rescues.
10%
Yes
34
20%
No
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Research Activities
and Synthesis
10%
Yes
20%
No
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
I really dont know I dont think a lot of people release their pets on
purpose. I just think that their pets get loose on accident.
Some problem, Issue is getting assistance on a timely basis.
Yes but its because animals are going to people who dont know
how to care for them.
No, I am not aware of and havent noticed a large stray dog population
in Jacksonville.
35
100%
Research Activities
and Synthesis
10%
Yes
20%
No
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Other (specified)
10%
Emotional
20%
30%
Ethical
40%
50%
Civil
Legal
60%
70%
Other (specified)
I feel like naturally, dogs exist in the wild, but the ones that are clearly
cases of pet abandonment or neglect are part of a careless
throwaway culture.
36
80%
90%
100%
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Table 8
Survey questions with statistical based answers
94% of respondents stated that they would take some kind action
to help a friendly stray dog
Q4: Do you believe it is OK to spay and neuter stray dogs, and then
release them again?
Q5: Are you aware of any current practices in use to reduce Jacksonvilles stray dog population? If yes, please describe them.
76% of respondents are not aware of any practices to reduce the stray
dog population. 10% are aware of FCNMHP role is stray deduction.
Q6: Have you alerted the city to handle a stray or free-roaming dog
issue before?
37
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Interview Introduction
Two sets of interviews were created for this study, one for the civilians, and one for the representatives of Jacksonvilles stray dog
management organizations. The purpose of conducting civilian
interviews was to fill in knowledge gaps left over from the survey
results while gaining a personal perspective on the practices that
could exist in the city both against and for stray dogs.
The civilians want to help, but sometimes dont know what to do, or
are incapable of helping.
Responsible dog ownership and an invested community is the
agreed upon goal for the local population of Jacksonville regarding
stray dog management.
38
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Table 9
Relating Nicole Broses interview responses to developed common statements
Responsible dog
ownership and an
invested community is
the agreed upon goal
for the local population
of Jacksonville regarding
stray dog management.
Interview Synthesis
So Jacksonville is averaging about a 93-94% ratio on live release rate. Which is considered literally the
best in the country.
You know, sometimes I think because we keep saying were no-kill, I think the message might be to the
community members that were good, we got there, now no one has to donate or adopt because were
no-kill. No-kill is kind of misleading because some animals still do die in Jacksonville. So I think the
community needs to understand that if theyre thinking about it, and they care about pets, they need to,
they need to do something about it.
So spay and neuter, spay and neuter, spay and neuter, making sure the population knows that, or that
yeah the population of Jacksonville and surrounding communities know that were here to do that. Adopt,
adopt, adopt. Dont buy your pets at pet stores or breeders when we have every variety, shape, size under
the moon right here in our own city and surrounding areas.
Learn, I think first people need to learn what the issues are. And then I think second, they need to
access their own situation, meaning can they volunteer, can they donate, can they just attend an event.
We have many events, all of our organizations, that are fun and we raise money. So I think the
community, I think awareness is not just thinking they now whats really going on, researching, doing
your homework.
So I think a lot of the animals that are available for adoption are the pitty mixes, and I feel like somehow
some way if the public can just get more educated on breeds, and why those breeds, you know dont
have to be so scary.
We have a Pets For Life program where our Outreach Coordinator goes into neighborhoods, knocks on
doors and lets people know of services that are provided in the community to help their pets.
Figure 29. Image of Nicole Brose and her dogs. Reprinted with permission.
39
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Interview Synthesis Continued
Interviewee: Dianne Wiles, Director of Operations
Organization: Jacksonville Humane Society
Table 10
Relating Dianne Wiless responses to developed common statements
And of course a lot of people here in Jacksonville, we are no-kill as of this year, dont understand how
hard we try to find homes for animals and all healthy animals are making it out of the shelters alive..
Well I think fully under control would be that there arent any, but we certainly do have quite a few
strays. I was just going over stats this morning, between JHS and ACPS we brought in 10,541 strays, thats
cats and dogs included.
Oh, our Pet Safety Net program which is our animal missions for if you found a stray you can come to us
youd go to that office. We do everything we can to keep that animal out of the shelter. Now if you found
a stray wed be like, hey can you keep it. Wed put it on the community page, lost and found page, hang
up signs everywhere.
With pet owners, lack of education on the importance of spay and neuter which all three organizations
in our town are very passionate about..
So some people still have that stigma that shelters kill animals and you know, I dont want this animal to
die, its better and Im desperate and I cant take care of it. Ill just dump it and hope for the best, some
good Samaritan finds it.
We dont really have an education program but we do do outreach. We have our volunteers trained to
know which takes it out to a community, of course on social media..
Responsible dog
ownership and an
invested community is
the agreed upon goal
for the local population
of Jacksonville
regarding stray dog
management.
So adoption is number one, spay and neuter is number one. Yeah it would be great if they taught it in
schools. And it makes a better community whether you love animals or not. I mean who wants stray animals running around your yard, marking and scratching and pooing and peeing and what not. It makes a
better safer community to have less animals.
40
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Table 11
Relating Jen Walters responses to developed common statements
Its under control, but theres always room for improvement. I mean, there really is no way to be 100%
under control, but were doing a great job. Of course we wont be happy until there are zero strays.
Well we are a model of success and unique because live-release rate we have is greater than 90%,
making us a no-kill city.
Well we have spay and neuter programs, low cost veterinary care, city ordinances that all adoptions are
already spayed or neutered. Theres a six day hold on owned pets that are collected by us until they are
put up for adoption.
Well all city ordinances are public record, so anyone could look those up. We dont have any full-time
staff members allocated to public education, but we do have a lot of volunteers that will go to schools
and public places.
Responsible dog
ownership and an
invested community is
the agreed upon goal
for the local population
of Jacksonville
regarding stray dog
management.
But people criticize the low-cost veterinary options because they say it supports people that cant afford their pet, but its not true. Just because someone cant afford a $700 surgery doesnt mean that they
cant provide a loving home. Not everyone can own a Mercedes.
The management
ecosystem
is highly
interconnected.
We work through our partnerships to the Humane Society and First Coast
No More Homeless Pets. The Humane Society takes adoptable animals from
us weekly, and FCNHP, which is short term for First Coast No More
Homeless Pets, provides medical help when we dont have the ability.
Well its not just Jacksonville, its the whole country that has the problem. Due to a lack of owner
responsibility, or them not spaying and neutering their pets, financial complications, and a lack of
education. A lot of people dont know that they should spay or neuter their pets or that they need
to be vaccinated.
Figure 31. Image of Jen Walter and her dog. Reprinted with permission.
41
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Interview Synthesis Continued
Interviewee: Jill Mero, President and Founder
Organization: Friends of Jacksonville Animals
Table 12
Relating Jill Meros responses to developed common statements
I know First Coast encourages spay and neuter, which is a very good thing.
We fund the entire heartworm program at the shelter (ACPS) we pay for skin conditions or dogs or
cats hit by cars.
Maybe help educate on how we can help out in the field to keep the pets with their owners.
Our organization actually has an education committee, and the volunteers kind of spearhead going into
schools and talking to the young children to kind of teach them humane education. And we have
educational booths at like the Riverside Arts Market; we have like the kids booth there. So were kind of
targeting the young generation.
Because people dont want to take responsibility for their pets or theyre uneducated on how to take
care of their pets. So if an owner surrender will be willing to keep their pet but they need the financial
help maybe with food or vet bill then we would help pay for that to keep the animal out of the shelter.
The management
ecosystem is highly
interconnected.
We work through our partnerships to the Humane Society and First Coast No More Homeless Pets.
The Humane Society takes adoptable animals from us weekly, and FCNHP, which is short term for First
Coast No More Homeless Pets, provides medical help when we dont have the ability.
Responsible dog
ownership and an
invested community is
the agreed upon goal
for the local population
of Jacksonville
regarding stray dog
management.
I dont think a lot of people realize the responsibility involved in caring for an animal and they give up
easily and turn them loose or turn them into the shelter
So a lot of people just dont see owning a pet as the same as other people. They dont maybe want the
responsibility, maybe they dont have the financial means, they dont have that connection to the animal.
I think responsible breeding. Not selling puppies at a flea market, having more regulations on backyard
breeders. No puppy stores, no puppy mill those are all bad. I dont think people realize when they buy
from a puppy store, the conditions where those animals came from.
42
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Table 13
Relating Jennifer Deanes responses to developed common statements
Responsible dog
ownership and an
invested community is
the agreed upon goal
for the local population
of Jacksonville
regarding stray dog
management.
Its less of an issue than it has been in the past, because of the work that all the animal agencies have
done like Jacksonville Humane, Animal Care and Protective Services, First Coast No More Homeless
Pets. But its still pretty big issue. There are thousands of stray dogs that are taken in by area shelters
each year in Duval County.
So when we get e-mails about people that find dogs on the side of the road, we dont just say we cant
take them. We offer them solutions. We say hey check for a microchip. We try to help with reuniting the
dog if they lost their family. And we also educate on the overpopulation issue.
And I think we have to do a better job educating people on the issues, and you know if you see a dog
running down the street as well, dont turn the other way, and try to help the dog.
Id like to do some PSAs, but PSAs that actually are not running at 2 oclock in the morning, better
where people area actually watching the television and things like that to get the word out so that
people understand what the problem is and how they can help.
I think there are a lot of good Samaritans out there that will try to help, but theres just too many dogs
and not enough people I think.
The management
ecosystem
is highly
interconnected.
We got grant funding from Best Friends Animal Society and from Animal
Friend Foundation, but were partnering with Animal Care and also Clay
County. Were also partnering with Jax Human, First Coast No More
Homeless Pets. So were all in it together.
Well, I think part of the issue is responsibility, right. So a lot of people view dogs and animals as possessions, and not as family members. So if something doesnt work out theyre really quick to let the dog out
in the middle of the road or drop it at a kill shelter.
Figure 33. Image of Jennifer Deane and her dogs. Reprinted with permission.
43
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Interview Synthesis Continued
Interview: Ben Grunzel
Occupation: Digital Media Coordinator
Table 14
Relating Ben Grunzels responses to developed common statements
In our neighborhood it doesnt seem to be a huge issue. I dont see them (stray dogs) that often.
Because I dont think theyre going to live a very fulfilling life outside of having a home.
Or even just better information, cause if you go to the Jacksonville city website, its not very clear who
to contact and the offices are often closed on weekends and early in the evening, and even just more
information out there about what shelters you can contact or if thats an option. Its hard to find resources
I found.
I felt really bad for the dog. He seemed really friendly, he seemed like a nice dog, and yeah so it made
me sad that the dog was injured and didnt have anybody to help it out.
Responsible dog
ownership and an
invested community is
the agreed upon goal
for the local population
of Jacksonville
regarding stray dog
management.
For people. It seems like free spaying and neutering programs would be my best thought for helping
control the population
Well, because I feel like a dog that somebody owns is taken care of, a stray dog needs help.
44
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Table 15
Relating Danielle Houghtbys responses to developed common statements
But I know all that because when my dog got out I had...to figure it out. So its probably a little skewed
because I had to deal with that situation with my dog.
Because if my own dogs got out I would hope that somebody would stop and check for them to see
if they were lost.
But I wonder how many of those dogs end up back on the streets because people dont think about
them or dont realize how much time they take up or, I dont know, I think people want to help but when
it comes to actually doing it that they dont.
45
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Interview Synthesis Continued
Interview: Scott Friedman
Occupation: Customer Retention Manager
Table 16
Relating Scott Friedmans responses to developed common statements
And we just kind of look at them, run by, and no-one picks up a phone or calls, does anything about it.
Theyre reproducing and its leading to more animals in the neighborhood and people just watch it.
there was probably a pack of two or three of them running through the neighborhood. They were, Id
say semi-aggressive and they werent kinds that I wanted the contact with and they didnt come when I
called them. So, Animal Control eventually was out looking for them and found them a few streets away.
because multiple people called because of concern for the children, and I dont know the outcome
of that other than Animal Control was in the area trying to locate them, and they were there for a few
hours.
Just you know because they dont have anyone to take care of them, to feed them. You know, they obviously are not self-sustaining animals, so they need all these different things, and there are services in
Jacksonville but I dont think a lot of the public is aware of that.
You know, theres First Coast No More Homeless Pets would help them, but a lot of people dont know
about that. Thats one little place in a huge city that no one really knows about..
I brought it over to Herschel Animal Clinic, because they were open and they have a system there.
And they were able to pull some information from it that led me to two owners, but they were
eventually able to eventually locate the original owner
Responsible dog
ownership and an invested community is the
agreed upon goal for
the local population of
Jacksonville regarding
stray dog management.
You know, theyre not taken care of so they look dingy. And you know its just unfortunate because they
could be reproducing and then their offspring only knows one way of life and its living out and being
stray and its you know, theyre not fixed. Then theyre having babies and its really just
creating a public nuisance.
Theres dogs that are running the street, theres cat that are running the street, and people just arent
taking care of them. Dogs have four legs, so they can be escaping a very wealthy area and going to this
other area and vice-versa. You know I think thats just part it, they can travel.
46
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Table 17
Relating Mary Carvers responses to developed common statements
I see a lot of dogs wandering around to be honest. So, and again to your point, I dont know if theyre
truly strays or if they just got out of their backyard or off a leash.
Or theyll take it to a shelter which as we all know is highly over-populated right now and theyre always
needing help.
We see a cute animal when theyre babies and we get them for our kid, not really fully realizing the
impact as they get older and the care thats required.
They could have been abused, they could have been brought up that way. If theres something that like
just like with humans, you know theres rehab programs for humans, if theres rehab programs for dogs
maybe that will help.
Responsible dog
ownership and an
invested community is
the agreed upon goal
for the local population
of Jacksonville
regarding stray dog
management.
Where is the owner?... =Well he has to have someone to take care of him.
But yes, I think we as a society need to spay and neuter... our animals and do a better job at that.
I dont know, I just think that people tend to be irresponsible when it comes to their pets at times.
47
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Interview Synthesis Continued
Interview: Sarah Zippel
Occupation: Lead Exotic Bird Technician
Interview Date: 1/12/2015
Interview Time: 6:50 P.M.
Table 18
Relating Sarah Zippels responses to developed common statements
Well, it was a terrier mix who was ratty with flees that someone had brought to my hospital.
But you know we only handle birds.
Well yeah, its a big problem, and I think it spawns from breed housing restrictions.
Im not sure if its mostly people calling about animal problems, or if theyre reporting an issue to get an
officer to come out, or if the officers just patrol the area.
Yeah, you know, housing or places of residence, apartment complexes like that, that put restrictions on
what type of breeds they can own while living there. I went to that recent big adoption event and they
were all pit-bulls because nobody, literally nobody allows people them to have them. Any stray animal is
a problem to me, unless its native of course.
Responsible dog
ownership and an
invested community is
the agreed upon goal
for the local population
of Jacksonville
regarding stray dog
management.
I thought that nobody cared about the dog. Was it because they were too lazy? I felt like I needed to
punch someone, and then I was just sad.
Well because its our responsibility to take care of them. They, the dogs, pets, whatever we have, they
dont really have a choice. And the thing is, dogs can bounce back and theyre the easiest to save, because they only want to make people happy, and for them to be loved. Dogs are just conducive to being
helped.
Well generally not holding people accountable. This in past generations are throw-away generations.
Theyre lazy and they want things immediately.
48
Research Activities
and Synthesis
s
ile
e
os
Br
o
er
n
ea
r
te
al
W
ne
n
Je
n
ia
D
ol
ic
N
l
Jil
rD
ife
nn
Je
No
Sa
ra
h
Z
D
an ipp
ie
e
lle l
H
Sc
ou
ot
gh
tF
tb
r
i
y
ed
Be
m
n
G
a
M ru
n
ar n
y ze
Ca l
rv
er
Yes
Figure 39. Plots showing the difference in beliefs and assumptions between Jacksonville citizens and managing system employees . Authors image.
49
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Observation Introduction
50
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Activity evidence
Observation Synthesis
Figure 42. Section image of observation recordings from 1/16/15. Authors image.
51
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Observation Synthesis
Activity evidence
Figure 45. Section image of observation recordings from 1/10/15. Authors image.
Figure 46. Section image of observation recordings from 1/17/15. Authors image.
Figure 47. Section image of observation recordings from 1/16/15. Authors image.
52
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Activity evidence
Observation Synthesis
Figure 50. Section image of observation recordings from 1/16/15. Authors image.
Figure 51. Section image of observation recordings from 1/17/15. Authors image.
Figure 52. Section image of observation recordings from 1/16/15. Authors image.
53
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Observation Analysis and Insights
ACPS Adoptions
FCNMHP
Chair
Door
Table
Cage
Figure 55. Illustrated observation location blueprints based off of on location sketches. Authors image.
54
Name: Joseph
Age: 35
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Race: Caucasian
Joseph lives in the Arlington area of Jacksonville Florida with his wife Janet, and his black labrador Daisy.
He and his wife take great care of Daisy and make sure that she has plenty of room to run in their backyard and regularly take her to the veterinarian to make sure she is healthy and up to date on her
vaccinations. On his daily commute to his office downtown he occasionally sees a dog running through
his neighborhood or on the side of a main road without a collar on. When he does notice, it makes him
sad, but he has his own problems to deal with.
One weekday night, when Joseph was out walking Daisy, a semi-friendly dog that he had never seen
before wandered near him. Joseph saw that it had no collar and that the dog was not fixed. He was able
to get the dog to follow him back to his house while keeping it safely away from daisy. Joseph called
Animal Care and Protective Services after searching online for animal control, to see what he should
do next; The number was routed to a voice mail. By the time the voice mail was returned two days later,
the stray dog had escaped from his backyard and the ACPS employee stated that they couldnt send
anyone out unless the dog had attacked someone.
Negative Positive
Walking Daisy
Temporarily taking
care of the stray
Being approached
by a stray
Routed to animal
controls voice mail
Figure 57. Journey map displaying the positivity and negativity of the personas experiences. Authors image.
55
Data Maps
The last step in the research synthesis process was to create
personas from the research participants. Three personas were
created to represent one emotionally invested citizen, one
emotionally uninvested citizen, and one stray dog management
organization employee. A journey map of each personas
personal story displays the experiential information that was
collected through research while displaying the wide range of
personal opinions regarding Jacksonvilles stray dog population.
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Name: Jessica
Age: 24
Race: Hispanic
Jessica lives alone in a condo in the Town Center area of Jacksonville. She is a full time bartender at a
local restaurant while she attends night school to get her undergraduate degree. On her one day off
per week, Jessica was on a run when she saw a Pit bull terrier running across the middle of a busy street.
She ran home and brought her car back to the area to see that the dog had not run very far.
She coerced the dog over to her and then into her car with some cold cuts.
Jessica couldnt keep the Pit bull because her condo had breed restrictions against them. She found
the Jacksonville Humane Society on her phone and called ahead that she was bringing the dog in. The
JHS employee went over a lot of options about how Jessica could keep the dog, but she explained her
condos rules.
When Jessica brought the dog in to JHS, she saw all of the filled cages and then thought about how she
would like to help them but simply couldnt keep the dog. She asked if she could sign up to be
a volunteer. Jessica now volunteers 3 hours a week dogs and cleaning cages at JHS.
Breed restrictions
A busy schedule
Limited funding
Negative Positive
Signing up
to volunteer
Bringing the
stray to JHS
Seeing all of the
dogs in cages
Finding
a stray dog
Not able to
keep the stray
Figure 59. Journey map displaying the positivity and negativity of the personas experiences. Authors image.
56
Volunteering
regularly
Name: Jamie
Age: 42
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Jamie lives on Jacksonvilles north side with her husband Bob and her daughter Mary. Jamie commutes
to work at Jacksonvilles animal care an protective services main office in the Riverside area of
Jacksonville. Along with an enforcement officer, Jamie manages the public animal intake for the
shelter from 8a.m. to 12p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and then handles other office clerical work for
the rest of the day. Jaime has been doing this job for over 5 years now, and has seen just about everything good and bad that the citizens of Jacksonville can offer with regards to handling stray and owned
dogs. Whether it is from upset citizens because the shelter is currently full, Peoples lack of education
regarding spay and neuter efforts, or dogs so abused and diseased that they are barely holding on.
While handling stray dogs in large amounts every day is mentally and emotionally taxing and makes
Jamie generally frustrated with peoples lack of responsibility, Jamie still wishes that she could do more
to help and educate the community so that less dogs would be coming in every day.
Emotional exhaustion
Citizens lack of responsible pet ownership
Limited shelter space
Peoples ignorance of stray dogs
in Jacksonville
Negative Positive
Intake doors
open at 8 am.
Driving to ACPS
Intake doors
close at 12pm.
Clearly abused
dog is dropped off
Figure 61. Journey map displaying the positivity and negativity of the personas experiences. Authors image.
57
Moves on to
clerical work.
Research Activities
and Synthesis
Research Insights
With the completion of research collection and synthesis, final insights were developed in order to develop and shape
potential prototypes.
Insight 1
Jacksonvilles stray dog management system has the population
under control and in decline, but the creation of stray dogs
has not stopped.
Insight 2
The spaying and neutering of as many pets as the system can
handle is the key factor to the current success.
Insight 3
Failure in the system lies in the lack of educating the local population
on responsible pet ownership, but the management organizations
wish they could focus on it more.
Insight 4
Stray dogs are approached with negative emotions by even the
emotionally and ethically invested segments of the community.
Insight 5
There exists a societal awareness of the stray dog population and of
key involved management organizations, but awareness is lacking of
their full suite of community services.
58
e educating th
ob
ep
t
s
Wa
nt
Adopt dogs to
re
g h
o sti n g a n d b
g
in
ed
to
du
ci
Animal Care
and
Protective
Services
Growth
Self Pro
h Currently Un
ch
d
ke
ec
ng
w it
l le c t e d b
d co
y
an
p o n s i b le
fo
si
d fo
u n d by
re s
an
al
tu
ly
ea
r n
on
gs
do
pt
t
Ado
gs
do
er
end
Surr
do
Leg
ed
Wa n d e
L a ck o f res p
Cap
r
le
vi
ce
sm
ore
r
se
h
c
public outrea
rs
sh
elt
er d
do
og to
pt
i
on
on
e
vent
s for
id and
es
vet
e
fun
rina
ry care to
din
g to
du
ci
ion
Self Pro
Stray dog
populations
nt
Wa
at
h Currently Un
ch
Growth
a
Is
ar
eo
ul
op
f th
p
e stray dog
Non-city
management
organizations
d
ke
ec
ng
w it
lic
Citizens
ub
of
re
dog own
ers
hi
s
ctice
pra
Lack
ble
nsi
o
sp
Research Activities
and Synthesis
fe
ns
sa
Tra
ort
i
p
pt
Sup
do ov
a
s
Pr
ide
Prov
59
60
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
61
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
Opportunities for Design Matrix
To develop final opportunities from the insights that were
extrapolated from the primary research; each insight was placed
through a three-step process also known as a Design Matrix:
Insight 1
Strengths
Weaknesses
Requires community buy-in
Possible complex execution
Simple concept
The systems current success is built
on cooperation
Lack of funding
Opportunities
Figure 63. SWOT analysis of final insight 1. Authors image.
62
Threats
Insight 2
Strengths
Leverages existing success
Weaknesses
None
Lack of funding
Opportunities
Threats
63
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
Opportunities for Design Matrix Continued
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
Design Opportunities Continued
Insight 3
explore how various avenues can be communicated through to educate the community on responsible dog ownership.
Strengths
Responsible ownership has
more benefits to a person
than disadvantages
Weaknesses
Communicating a message can be
missed by the intended audience
Opportunities
Figure 65. SWOT analysis of final insight 3. Authors image.
64
Threats
Insight 4
Strengths
Emotions are easier to change than
entire belief systems
Can have a stronger effect on the young
in the community
Weaknesses
A haphazard approach could
place people in danger of
aggressive animals
Lack of funding
Opportunities
Threats
65
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
Design Opportunities Continued
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
Design Opportunities Continued
Insight 5
Strengths
Leverages existing success
Promotes growth
Weaknesses
Too much community use could
use up all available services more
rapidly than can be replenished
Lack of funding
Opportunities
Figure 67. SWOT analysis of final insight 5. Authors image.
66
Threats
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
SWOT Results
rat
e
Insight 2:
Spay and Neuter,
Works
Opportunities to
help reduce
Jacksonvilles
Stray dog
population
ort
wh
e
Insight 3:
Responsibility
Education
Al
ig
Figure 68. Opportunity map of final insights. Authors image.
67
nt wants t
geme
ob
e
an a
Insight 4:
Fighting a
Negative
Emotional
Connotation
st
m
re
p po
Su
Insight 5:
Furthering
Organizational
Awareness
stem
t sy
n
e
em
Cele
b
Insight 1:
Current System
Assistance
systems succ
ess
ting
ma
n
cture
stru
t
en
em
is
ex
he
ag
Design Opportunities
and Criteria, Reframing
Reframing
The project underwent a necessary reframing due to the
development of the design criteria and the accompanying
information discovered through research:
1. To help solve Jacksonvilles problems involved with its stray dog
population, the primary research at the projects inception focused
on discovering information that could reveal the causes of these
problems. The research showed, however, that existing
management organizations were already deeply aware of these
dynamic problems, and that their solutions took these problems
into consideration. Therefore, the purpose of the project shifted to
advocating for the missions, abilities, and services that these
organizations offered to the community.
2. The existing managements approaches to the stray dog population
were found to be successful in handling the issues in terms of
reactionary (as opposed to proactive) effectiveness, as well as
obtaining a no-kill title of the city. These existing approaches
fulfill another of the projects initial goals: alleviating current
negative consequences that the stray dog population might cause.
The projects initiatives changed to take a currently lacking
proactive approach, such as educating the population in ways to
stop stray dogs from being produced.
68
Prototype Development
and Testing
69
Prototype Development
and Testing
Prototype Ideas
Using the information gained through the projects primary research
and the developed design criteria, four separate prototype ideas
were conceptualized and tested for validity:
1. Mobile adoption events:
Similar to the areas Mega-adoption events but smaller, more often,
at multiple locations, and with an educational initiative.
2. Stray dog task force:
All of the educational initiatives from Jacksonvilles three large stray
dog management organizations, but with increased focus
and purposeful direction.
3. Educational curriculum:
Teaching lessons focused on responsible dog ownership that align
with local school curricula.
4. Responsible ownership society:
A membership society that would incentivize people in the
Jacksonville community to be more responsible dog owners and
stewards of the stray dog population.
70
Prototype Development
and Testing
Concept Map of Concept One
Jacksonville
Humane
Society
ati
o
Ad
g
Do
e
l
b
pta
Adoptable Dogs
Ad
le
ab
t
op
Adoptable Dogs
Communal
shelter
dogs
g
Do
Ad
op
ta
bl
e
D
og
s
Local Community
Local Community
Local Community
Location A
Location B
Location C
Local Community
Location D
71
ce
on
pt 1 Organiz
pt
ab
le
Do
g
gs
Do
Do
gs
Other
local
shelters
le
tab
op
Ad
Ad
op
tab
le
Pit
Sisters
Ad
o
Animal Care
and Protective
Services
Concept One
Mobile adoption events
Prototype Development
and Testing
Concept Map of Concept Two
Co
2 Organiz
Volunteers
,
First Coast
No More
Homeless
Pets
, funding
ep t
nc
ational me
uc
s
ge
sa
Jacksonville
Humane
Society
ed
at
i
ed
Centraliz
Combined
Task Force
on
The task force would be a small organization with a direct and single
purpose of educating the public on responsible stray dog
ownership, animal empathy, awareness of the services that the
management organizations provide to the public. Funded
communally by the three large organizations and powered by a mix
of employees and volunteers, this task force would assume the
responsibility for all educational outreach efforts in order to focus
and enhance the organizations message so that they can more
effectively focus on their normal operations.
onal m
cati
es
s
unding
e, f
Animal Care
and Protective
Services
u
ed
lm
essages
ational me
s
ag
Volunteers
,
uc
, funding
ge
sa
ed
Volunteers
,
an
dF
tio
ocused educa
Jacksonville
citizens
Local media
72
na
Concept Two
Formation of a stray dog task force
School
system
Public
and private
events
Prototype Development
and Testing
nal me
atio
ss
ep t
nc
3 Organiz
nal me
atio
ss
First Coast
No More
Homeless
Pets
at
i
on
Co
Jacksonville
Humane
Society
c
du
Concept Three
Educational Curriculum
ge
Animal Care
and Protective
Services
c
du
a
E
nal me
atio
ss
ge
c
du
ge
Combined
message
Integrated
information
Local
teachers
Integrated
curriculum
School
system
Figure 71. Map of concept threes service structure. Authors image.
73
Prototype Development
and Testing
Concept Map of Concept Four
Pay membership to
Educates and provides incentives
es
di
sc
Vo
ou
lu
nt
nt
ed
ee
rs
ve
fo
tc
r
ar
e
Pr
ov
id
Jacksonville
civilians
rs,
ito
Mon
Membership
Ssociety
sk
no
wle
dge
Co
at
i
First Coast
No More
Homeless
Pets
to
4 Organiz
y
ra
st
gs
in
br
d
to
an
s
rs
og
ee
td
nt
lu
op
Vo
Ad
ep t
nc
Jacksonville
Humane
Society
on
po
ad
rts
pre
upo
n, collects, s
re
Animal Care
and Protective
Services
Volunteers for
Adopt dogs to
Concept Four
Responsible ownership society
Jacksonville
stray dogs
Figure 72. Map of concept fours service structure. Authors image.
74
Prototype Development
and Testing
Further Exploration of Diverse Concepts
Concept 1: Mobile adoption events
Table 19
PMI index of concept one: Mobile adoption events
Plus
Minus
Interesting
Could prove a replacement for
mega adoption events, (+1)
Could expose stray dog
management organizations
to new sections of the
Jacksonville community.(+1)
Could be used in conjunction with
other public events (+1)
Total: 5
75
Prototype Development
and Testing
Further Exploration of Diverse Concepts
Concept 2: Stray dog task force
Table 20
PMI index of concept two: Stray dog task force
Plus
Minus
Interesting
Total: 11
76
Prototype Development
and Testing
Further Exploration of Diverse Concepts
Concept 3: Educational Curriculum
Table 21
PMI index of concept three: Educational Curriculum
Plus
Minus
Interesting
Is a passive approach to
educating the whole community,
(+0)
could potentially spread to other
school systems (+2)
Total: 4
77
Prototype Development
and Testing
Further Exploration of Diverse Concepts
Concept 4: Responsible ownership society
Table 22
PMI index of concept four: Responsible ownership society
Plus
Minus
Total: 3
78
Interesting
Nothing similar to it exists (+1)
Could lead to a stronger and
more cohesive community (+1)
Prototype Development
and Testing
Local
media
do
gs
pta
ble
Ad
o
e
bl
ta
p
o
Ad
Other
local
shelters
gs
do
The merged concept points to a stray dog task force that produces
mobile adoption events. The combination concept fulfilled the
projects design requirements because its operational activities could
spread awareness of the systems existing successes, advocate community responsibility, attempt to cultivate a positive emotional
connection between the community and stray dogs, and adding
service value to the system without using new system funding.
na
an
dF
tio
ocused educa
Citizens
lm
essages
ed
Centraliz
Multiple
locations
Pit
Sisters
n
tio
Fi n
a
s
og
Local Communities
l
ab
pt
o
Ad
nal me
ss
atio
a
uc
ept Organ
i za
onc
C
l
Communal
shelter dogs
s
og
ed
Ed
First Coast
No More
Homeless
Pets
Adoptable dogs
Volunteers
,
ed
bl
ta
op
Ad
Ad
op
ta
bl
ed
og
s
ational me
ss
unding
e, f
Jacksonville
Humane
Society
uc
ed
ag
Volunteers
,
ational me
ss
unding
e, f
unding
e, f
Animal Care
and Protective
Services
uc
ed
ge
ational me
ss
uc
ed
ag
Volunteers
,
Public and
private
events
School
system
Figure 73. Map of the final concepts service structure. Authors image.
79
Prototype Development
and Testing
Concept Testing with Target Audience
On February 11, 2015, a kinesthetic modeling session was performed
at Scarlet Studios by six Jacksonville citizens. The session lasted 150
minutes.
Approach
Half of the sessions subjects were previously interviewed as part of
the primary data collection. The other half of the participants were
new to the project. The session began with a synopsis of the
projects purpose, primary research outcomes, design criteria,
and an overview of the current prototype.
After a round of questions to clarify the projects synopsis, an
introduction to the kinesthetic modeling process was given to the
group. The subjects worked together in silence to build from a group
of provided objects on a table covered in white paper,
physical models of the system that would deliver the prototype.
The group subjects were instructed to have their models answer the
question: How might we educate the community about
Jacksonvilles stray dog problems through marketing and dog
adoption methods?
In 27 minutes, the group built the physical models, at which time
the group simply stopped building. The group subjects were then
instructed to state what they saw in the models, without the use of
symbolism, as their responses were written down on the papered
table. The group then went around three more rotations, as it further
interpreted the models. The groups insights and input were recorded.
Upon session completion, feedback was given by the group on the
prototype, the kinesthetic modeling process and its conceptual
outcomes. The subjects ideas for changes to the prototype were
discussed and recorded for future prototype adjustments.
Figure 74. The items used for the model building session. Authors image.
80
Prototype Development
and Testing
Concept Testing Findings
With the testing complete, the session outcomes were reviewed
and developed into usable statements and data that sculpted the
projects final prototype.
Observations
The following observations were made during the session:
The prototypes value was understood without detailed explanation.
Participation in the modeling process varied; some subjects
began building immediately, while others chose to pontificate first.
Social media is a preferred route of receiving
marketing information.
Mobile services are more attractive than stationary ones.
The final prototypes organization must run very efficiently.
All subjects shared a common negative feeling toward the
existing shelter system.
81
Prototype Development
and Testing
Feedback
Feedback from the sessions subjects included:
The prototype cannot cost any more than what the system is
spending currently.
Creating a single focused message and marketing initiative
was viewed positively.
Smaller adoption events with more adoption scrutiny was
unanimously agreed upon as an improvement over the
existing systems practices
There was a disagreement as to whether or not citizens actually
viewed stray dogs negatively, and if that even needed to be a
focus of the prototype.
Displaying the successes of the current system was seen as
something that would happen if general marketing for the
prototype was executed successfully.
82
Prototype Development
and Testing
Insights and Adjusted Design Criteria
While the subjects were slightly disoriented at the beginning of the
kinesthetic modeling session, the session was nevertheless well
received, and the subjects were productive. The feedback and
outcomes from the session were positive, creative, and supportive
of the projects primary research, and useful for developing insights.
The design criteria were adjusted and developed based on the
kinesthetic modeling sessions observations and feedback:
Every part of the final prototype will need to support or enhance
the other parts (as there can be no self-serving aspects).
The citizens who experience the prototype must not be made to
feel pressured or guilty while cultivating a positive emotional
connection to Jacksonvilles stray dog population..
The prototype must re-brand the current stray dog management
system in a positive light in order to reverse the prevailing
negative sentiment.
The prototype must be able to use the current capabilities of the
existing system structure while adding mobility in its services.
The prototype must spread awareness and knowledge of the
successes that Jacksonvilles stray dog management system has
accomplished through its services and fast-paced, consistently
updated media outlets.
The prototype must advocate and educate Jacksonvilles
community about responsible dog hosting practices and
operating procedures.
Figure 81. The group model with observations and interpretations written on the table. Authors image.
83
Prototype Development
and Testing
The prototype that was tested through the kinesthetic modeling
session was created to satisfy design criteria that was developed
directly from in-depth primary research. Key points of information
gained through the testing and modeling session validated the
prototypes success.
Validation
The prototype proved itself to be a basic structure that the citizens
of Jacksonville found meaningful enough to be able to develop their
own opinions rather than denying its validity. Once the prototype
was understood by the session participants, a deeper understanding
of its fundamental structures for its services began to form.
Three of the session subjects took the prototypes concept of
mobile and small adoption events and built upon it. A process of
adoption events that also educated the public was formed.
Increasing mobility of the adoption events through dedicated
vehicles and aggressive marketing were also formed. Once
model-making ceased, ideas of marketing specific dogs were
discussed to increase the mobile events, usefulness and to place a
face to the stray dog population. Validity of the prototype was shown
through the group members focus on expanding mobility, which
would allow for a greater reach of education initiatives.
The other three group members chose to focus on the marketing,
message, and the education section of the prototype while
expanding upon them. A shared concept of social media
marketing with a focus on reversing Jacksonvilles negative opinion
of the animal care system was developed. This displayed validity
of the prototypes goal of educating the community about the stray
dog management system successes.
This split in the group members focus proved that the merging of
concepts to create the prototype was a prudent course of action,
while supporting the validity of both of these fundamental ideas.
84
85
86
Table 23
Fulfillment of design criteria checklist
Yes
No
Amount Fulfilled
100%
75%
50%
87
HEEL
Jacksonville
Figure 82. Front cover of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
88
HEEL
Jacksonville
Knowing that there are systems throughout the worlds cities that could benefit from his solutions, he
set to make this strategic approach applicable to all cites that suffer from stray dog overpopulation
and control issues. The hope for this plan is to give even the most organized stray dog population
control systems a course and direction that will cultivate a caring and kind community that views stray
dogs as an inherent responsibility rather than a terminal issue or a nuisance problem.
The subject of the study was chosen after he viewed and felt the suffering of stray dogs in the
city and believed that there had to be a way to make everyone else care as he did. Using design management methods and practices, he discovered that there is indeed a large amount of
people and organizations that are equally if not more passionate than he is about helping stray
animals in Jacksonville.
Populations of stray dogs exist in cities throughout the world. Negative outcomes from these
populations include public and private financial tax strains involved in animal catching, testing,
rehabilitating, adopting, spaying and neutering, and euthanizing of these stray animals.
Additionally, emotional and health problems in these citys communities are negative
outcomes from a large stray animal population.
These proven successes, while effective at stray population management, have not been able to
stop stray dog creation. This inability to stymie creation spawns from the fact that there is not a
stray dog problem; rather there is a community responsibility problem. Communities that do not
see stray dogs as their responsibility. This fact, combined with an overworked and underfunded
system that is so focused on providing its services, makes it so that it is neither able to market itself
nor provide the education the community needs to become responsible animal caregivers.
Therefore, the same error is repeated throughout the globe.
These problems remain ceaseless even with the help of many international and local
non-profits that assist governmental animal control services to solve for the issues. In the cases
where these stray dog management systems have been successful, it has taken a unified and
cooperative approach to reactively deal with stray dogs by increasing shelter adoptions and
focusing on spay and neutering campaigns.
1.
The problem of stray dogs
2.
Six-step strategic approach
There are a total of 6 steps to foster proper development of a customized HEEL organization in a city.
In the coming pages, these steps are displayed in a form that should allow a city to customize the
process to its specific needs.
An example of this implementation can be seen following the individual steps.
1) Identify
Stray dog population reduction remains possible. Through the use of cohesive educational
messages, community outreach events, and proper marketing, branding, and collaborative
practices, any city can cultivate a community that cares. Once in place, current practices used to
reach the community and reduce the stray dog population can be quantified, tested, and adjusted
for increased effectiveness.
Contents
This strategic approach is the culmination of a study produced in 2015 by Joshua Plotkin with
the subject of the stray dog population and management system in Jacksonville, Florida, in
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Design Management from
the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Step 1.
Identify
HEEL area and partners
Step 2.
Research
Step 3.
Develop
3.
Jacksonville: a Case Study
2) Research
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Key partners, existing management organizations, local population opinions, and educational initiatives
Step 4.
Disseminate
Step 5.
Produce
Step 6.
Reassess
HEELs message
The purpose of this step is to identify how, where, and with whom
this stray dog reduction and community responsibility initiative will
be developed. You will be identifying the citys existing stray dog
management system. The systems are generally composed of a
city-run organization responsible for general animal control, and
any number of animal welfare, shelter, and rescue organizations.
These organizations will hopefully serve as this initiatives key
partners, and will also be the focus of the next step. You will also be
identifying any current initiatives to educate the city on responsible
dog ownership, as well as the local populations opinions on stray
dogs in their community. These educational initiatives will serve as
a comparison for this initiative, along with finding out how saturated
the community already is with stray dog education and responsible
dog ownership messages. Understanding the communitys
opinions on stray dogs will allow you to gauge how emotionally
invested and educated they are on the subject, as well as how
effective system management practices are.
1) Identify
2) Research
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
1) Identify
6) Reassess
4) Disseminate
3) Develop
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Key partnerships and funding, the organizations educational messages, comprehensive adoption procedures, and adoption events calendar and procedures
Stray dog management organization procedures, B2B and B2C interactions, how their brands overlap, current adoption methods, and potential event locations
The purpose of this step is:
2) Research
Secondary research using data from the city and the rest of the
stray dog management system organizations about stray dog
capture frequency and active unlawfulness in the citys areas.
Primary research by visiting locations to access suitability for
potential event layouts.
Does the city accept assistance from the local ASPCA branch?
Do the smaller area shelters agree with adoption practices of the larger
shelter systems and the city?
How do the organizations spread awareness of their individual brands?
What message or messages are the organizations communicating to
the public?
Are there any partnership practices that exist among the
various organizations?
Once your solutions are accepted, you may begin to develop your
small educational seminars to be delivered at the adoption events.
You will want to once again engage your key partners in facilitated activites to develop the general structure for these seminars.
Simultaneously, you will want to develop and finalize your adoption
event calendar, and your procedures for collecting a small
selection of adoptable dogs from your shelter and rescue key
partners. Having this information will assist you in the next step,
as you will want to make the community aware of your events well
before they happen.
1) Identify
2) Research
This step is completed when the key partners are known and
verified to be in support of HEELs development. The key partners
all assisted with creation and accept HEELs developed educational
messages, event adoption procedures, adoption event educational
seminars, and adoption event calendar. Funding for HEEL is known
and can now be used to produce the next step.
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Campaigns of educational messages, city stray dog management system awareness, and marketing for adoption events
1) Identify
2) Research
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Small mobile adoption events with key partner supplied dogs, comprehensive adoption processes and short educational seminars at the events
3) Develop
The purpose of this step is to look over all of the data that you have
collected from your marketing campaigns and events. Here are
some examples of questions you should ask yourself are:
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
This step is completed when there are no more stray dogs being
produced in the city; essentially this step will never be finished.
Use this step iteratively to continually improve HEELs offerings to
the community and to its key partners. The vision of a city that
produces no stray dogs, where every family hosts a dog
responsibly, and where people are well aware of the system that is
supporting them, is the goal of HEEL. Through HEELs existence this
goal can become ever closer.
2) Research
1) Identify
Educational messages, events locations, adoption processes, and marketing tactics to foster further success and community buy-in
Reinforcing survey data with semi-structured interviews allows for verification of assumed information and the
ability to delve deeper on important subjects. The semi-structured interviews give initial evidence as to where
current failures in the system exist, what areas of education the population needs to be educated on, and where
locations for future events might be located.
Figure 4. Image of downtown Jacksonville. Reprinted from Flickr, Rob Bixby, 2013,
Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1E5Bljt. Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 2.0
Generic by Rob Bixby. Reprinted with permission.
FCNMHP, ACPS, and JHS are found to work together to obtain Jacksonvilles current level success. JHS
proves itself to be the citys largest no-kill shelter, ACPS captures and intakes the majority of stray dogs,
and FCNMHP offers low cost veterinary care to the public and offers a very efficient spay and neuter
operation that the other two organizations use to save on costs. Each organization produces its services
efficiently while not overlapping the others. FCNMHP is found to produce a large adoption event every
quarter where city shelters and rescues can adopt out their dogs. The smaller rescues and shelters of
Pet Rescue North and Pit Sisters do not join in the event because they believe that the adoption
procedures are too simple and lead to dogs being placed in irresponsible homes and later re-introduced
as strays back into the citys management system. There is no direct, focused, and planned educational
initiative to be found in any of the organizations.
ACPS
Pet
Rescue
North
Pu
Employees
Employees
FCNMHP
Volunteers
Volunteers
re
every pet
FCNMHP
ter
A ho
e
m
ic
Publ
t
Ve
Public
Loaction
The first event is produced at Forestry Tower Park in Windy Hill. The event is setup by HEEL employees
and FCNMHP provided volunteers. Five to seven dogs from each key partner shelter arrive to the area,
having been chosen prior for event suitability. Citizens made aware of the event through social and
traditional broadcast media arrive at the event location through both regular foot traffic and through short
travel from the surrounding area. The event attendees view the adoptable animals and watch, interact,
and learn from the recurring short education seminar that teaches how to understand what a dog is
thinking by its reactions. Some attendees are interested in adoption of the dogs and are led by
volunteers to monitored play in an open area of the park by event volunteers. The attendees that wish to
move forward with adoptions fill out paperwork before going through a home interview, where one of the
event volunteers transports the dog to the citizens house to see how the dog would interact in the
environment. Attendees are asked for their contact information and receive a free gift bag for the
information. Surveys are sent to the attendees to access the opinions of the event. This event process
is repeated following the event calendar. The total of all events over the first three months comes well
below the cost of one Mega-Adoption event, and all partners are satisfied by this information.
Event
Volunteers
HEEL
Educational
Seminar
lu
n
tee
rs
a nd F u
Event
Tents and
Materials
HEEL
Adoptable
Dogs
Dog
Adoptions
Event
Marketing
Implement
Changes
Property
Manager
Permission
FCNMHP
Volunteers
Pit Sisters
Volunteers
Educator
Tents
Transportation
to Event
HEEL
adoption
Procedures
Social Media
Marketing
Broadcast
Media
Marketing
Trained Dog
Kennels
JHS
Adoptable
Dogs
Volunteers
HEEL
educational
message
Key Partner
promotional
documents
Pit Sisters
Adoptable
Dogs
Adoption
Forms
HEEL
Promotional
Gift Bags
i
nd
Figure 10. Graphic of HEEL Jacksonvilles marketing dissemination process. Authors image and logos reprinted with permission.
Collect
Data
Event
Data
Below is a short table of what composes a standard social media marketing plan, using the Jacksonville
case study as an example.
Table 1
Sample social media marketing plan
Tactics:
Key
Partners
Facilitate
Meetings
Local
Citizens
Analyze
Data
ACPS
Adoptable
Dogs
Tactics by Channel:
1. Create additional channels for HEEL to connect and engage with citizens and animal welfare organizations
2. Educate citizens on the HEEL brands core purpose, personality, and strength, while supporting key partners brands
3. Compete for mindshare with citizens in the areas of animal welfare, dog adoption events, and stray dog stewardship
4. Engage and excite influencers
5. Create and expand reach of thought leadership content
6. Refer Traffic to key partner websites. Although primary purpose of social media effort is not to refer traffic; it is to connect
and engage in-channel, educate citizens and compete for mindshare
1. Research, identify, and connect with citizens and our key partners on the targeted channels
2. Engage with our active key partners best content via reposts, retweets, likes, comments, etc.
3. Initiate discussion around content, produced or curated, that is relevant and timely for citizens and key partners.
Content should manifest the HEEL brands core purpose and personality
4. Use developed educational initiative to create social media
5. Respond to crisis if the case arises
Target Audience:
Google +
- Feed content from other Social Media outlets to Google +
- Comment on posts
- Share engaging content, videos, images and relevant links
Instagram
- Share content, create message focused posts, and interact with key partners and the local population
Twitter
- Build reputation
- Listen to relevant conversations
When it comes to Facebook, brands that post outside of normal business hours see the best interaction rates.
In fact, posting during non-busy hours, which fall between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., leads to a 14% higher interaction
rate. Dont post too often. Brands that post one or two times per day see 19% higher interaction rates than those
who post three or more times per day. Space posts throughout the week to avoid overdoing it.
Figure 12. Graphic of HEEL Jacksonvilles iterative reassessment process. Authors image.
19
20
Table 1
A sample social media plan using HEEL Jacksonvilles case study..............................................................20
Table 2
Kinesthetic modeling session facilitation checklist
For the activity you will need a table covered with a large sheet of paper and 25 objects per
person. The objects can be anything, but you will always want to bring wooden skewers,
paper, straws, string, marshmallows, and paper clips. Ask your participants to bring in their
own 25 items to increase their mental investment in the modeling session.
Table 2
When finished, have each individual in the group talk about what they see in the models
(not the symbolism of the model, but physicality). Write these musings on the table paper.
Have the groups participants go around and talk about the symbolism of the models.
(This round can go on for as long as everyone can handle it).
Appendix
Figure 1
A large HEEL Jacksonville logo................................................................................................................................................1
Figure 2
An image of a shelter dog at the Jacksonville Humane Society........................................................................3
Recapitulate why the group has come together. Explain the question the participants are
answering, and review the kinesthetic modeling process: build together to answer the problem
in silence.
Use a white board or flipboard and go over what the group has developed. Sketch out the
structure you have come up with, and further define its sections and aspects as a group.
Take pictures throughout the whole session and keep everything that was written for your
HEEL finalized concept and presentation development.
Figure 3
An image of a stray dog being surrenderd to Animal Care and Protective Services...........................3
Figure 4
Figure 11. Graphic of HEEL Jacksonvilles adoption events comprising elements. Authors image.
In this strategic approach, there are tools stated as necessary for proper step completion. You may not be
experienced in some of these practices, and so some helpful resources for two of the concepts, a social
media marketing plan and a kinesthetic modeling process, are located on the following pages.
Strategic Goals:
HEEL is making an impact on Jacksonville. A sense of stray dog stewardship can be seen by an increase
in dog adoptions and use of key partner services, and a reduction in both owner surrender of dogs and
stray captures in the locations that are of current focus to HEEL, Jacksonville. Jacksonvilles stray dog
management systems identity continues to grow in validity within the community, While operating
efficiently before, the management system has experienced an even greater sense of partnership with its
affiliated organizations and the community. A sense of stray dog stewardship can be seen. Quarterly HEEL
facilitated meetings further unify key partners and encourage their continued investment. All the while,
HEEL continues to assist in the navigation of the ever-changing issues that plague stray dog populations
so that the goals of ethically reducing the stray dog population and cultivating responsible dog ownership
in the city of Jacksonville, Florida, may be achieved.
18
17
Key
Partner
Data
YouTube
- Develop video content when necessary
- Encourage comments
- Interact with key partner content through comments
and sharing on other Social Media
HEEL
Agents
16
ng
ol
un
teers
nt
eer
s
nt
eer
s
JHS
Ad
,V
opt
able Dogs
PetSmart, Southside
Company supports HEELs initiative.
15
City
Data
FCNMHP
Vo
pt
Ado
pt
Ado
,
ing
F u nd
ACPS
Step 6: Reassess
lu
Dogs and Vo
JHS
Pit
Sisters
Step 5: Produce
What are the outcomes of this step?
ab
le
bli
c Adoptions
lu
Dogs and Vo
HEEL is successfully marketed and known by the local population, supported by its established key
partners. A successful social media plan keeps growth consistent and the HEEL brand is becoming
known. Messages of responsible dog hosting, spay and neuter practices, and the services of key
partners are spread to the community as well. Multiple stories are produced in a variety of local print
and digital publications describing HEEL and its soon-to-be offered adoption events. BIllboard space
is donated by Clear Channel Outdoor, and knowledge of HEEL spreads further. Event location, seminars,
and logistics are finalized.
Key
Partners
ab
le
PetSmart, Regency
Pit
Sisters
14
The educational message is finalized and then translated into marketing material, both through copy and
visualization. HEEL Jacksonville sets up accounts for Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google +, and Instagram.
The key partners introduce the brand through their social media channels, while a social media plan is
developed. The social media plan is carried out while other digital advertising is purchased to target
Jacksonville only, with a focus on the high-density stray dog areas. Once traction is gained in social and
digital media, HEEL representatives reach out to local publications and to traditional broadcast media
outlets. Sections of HEEL continue to finalize the details of their events.
The two sessions develop educational message standards of spay and neuter reinforcement, and
changing the way people view dogs from owned objects to valuable family members.
An event adoption procedure is developed on Pit Sisters current practices that involves the initial
meeting at the event followed by an at home visit, and then a one-week test-ownership period.
The event educational seminars were developed to be no more than 15 minutes long and incorporate
the use of a trained dog. The seminars will educate about proper training for a dog and incorporate the
various services that the key partners provide to reinforce proper care. An event calendar that uses a
different location every week is agreed upon. FCNMHP, and JHS agree to be key funding partners, while
ACPS and Pit Sisters agree to provide volunteers. ACPS, JHS, and Pit Sisters agree to provide shelter
dogs to the events.
Figure 8. Map of Jacksonville with potential event locations. Authors images and reprints with permission.
Step 4: Disseminate
stray dog we
l
Ge
al
er
eu
fo
r
sp
on
sib
JHS
ilit y
Ge
Ge
en
t
m
stray dog we
l
The dog as a
te
r
nd
Spay a
City
Th
lit
y
al
er
eu
Spay and n
Comp
reh
stray dog we
l
ACPS
ce
l policy enfor
re
fa
al
er
ni
ma
i
ib
s a respons
re
fa
adoption
ive
pr
Pit
Sisters
re
fa
s
en
do
ga
res
edu
oc
13
Step 3: Develop
Figure 6. Map of Jacksonville with general survey responses and survey responder images. Authors images and reprints with permission.
12
Figure 5. Logos of potential HEEL Jacksonville key partners. Reprinted with permissions.
11
Oth
e
FOJA
adoption Even
gats
Me
Funds
City stray capture reporting shows a large density of stray dogs in three areas of the city: Westside,
Windy Hill, and Riverside. Public parks from each area are found through an Internet search of the citys
parks. PetSmart store shopping lots are also found near some of the areas. These locations are visited
and found potentially suitable for future event locations. Before moving onto the next step, the City and
the PetSmarts are contacted to verify that the areas can be used for events of this nature before moving
onto the next step.
The selected locations are all available to the public and cost little to nothing to secure for event use.
Assuring that all locations are allowed to have dogs and also have heavy foot traffic eliminates many
safety and legal issues while guaranteeing local population engagement .
Information is collected from mandatory city reporting on stray dog captures to locate the areas of the
city that suffer from the highest rates of stray dogs. Public locations, such as parks, parking lots, malls, etc.
are located in the areas shown to have a high stray dog density. These areas are visited and vetted for
future event appropriateness.
Step 2: Research
izations
euter Pro
nd N
gra
ya
m
pa
n
rga
Five stray dog management organizations are identified for further research because their successful
track record, diversity of services, size of their organization, positive public message, and hierarchy in
the system. Primary data collection from the local population leads to an understanding that public
knowledge of the stray dog management system, and its organizations and services are not well known
and are commonly misunderstood. No knowledge of any educational initiatives outside of spay and
neuter practices is detected.
Interviews with representatives from all six stray dog management organizations are held over the course
of two weeks to gain operational, branding, and system interaction information. Fly-on-the-wall
observations are conducted at the three largest organizations, ACPS, FCNMHP, and JHS, to gain an
impartial view of public interaction and organizational procedures in each organizations
rO
Pit Sisters
Step 2: Research
Scott, North Jacksonville
In order to gain a proper understanding of the local populations opinions and levels of understanding
regarding the local stray dog management system, anonymous surveys are distributed to the
Jacksonville area. Survey answers are Geo-targeted by IP address in order to understand the difference
in population opinion throughout Jacksonvilles large area. (Jacksonville is the largest city in the USA.)
Semi-structured interviews are held with a small amount of citizens in order to gain more detailed
information after the survey results are collected.
Step 1: Identify
Secondary data is collected from local publications and Internet searches to find local animal shelter
and welfare organizations. Direct knowledge that the city requires an animal control organization leads
to further connection to the larger animal shelter and welfare organizations in the city.
an
rs
Shelte
yees
rs
plo
tee
Em
Volun
Step 1: Identify
10
rin
ary
HEEL Jacksonville
Figure 5
Logos of potential HEEL Jacksonville key partners with short descriptions of what they do......12
21
Figure 6
A map of Jacksonville with images of survey responders, their locations, and responses...........13
Figure 83. Thumbnail images of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach pages. Authors image.
Figure 7
89
23
Final Prototype
HEEL Jacksonville
1. Ask questions.
2. Post games and trivia
3. Interact with fan engagement.
Table 24
The projects business model canvas
Key Partners
City of Jacksonville
Local fundraising
organizations
Key Activities
Adoption events
System marketing
Public education
Local shelter and rescue
interfacing
communication to facilitate volunteer
use and adoptable dog logistics and
transport
Key Resources
Citizens of Jacksonville
Shelter dogs
Stray dogs
Volunteers
Vehicles
Event locations
Educational messages
Funding
Value Proposition
Education of the local
population
Consistent adoptions
Comprehensive adoption
screenings
Citizen Relationships
In-person
Dog Owners
On-line
Advertising
Channels
Physical
Emotional
Virtual
Revenue Streams
Cost Structure
Education and message
development
Marketing budget
Travel costs (for events and for
system organization interaction)
Customer Segments
Budgeted Funding
Adoptions
Fundraising
90
Grant funding
Donations
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Figure 84. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass key partners section. Authors image.
91
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Figure 85. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass key activities section. Authors image.
92
Threats
Strengths
All resources can be obtained currently
Weaknesses
A majority of funding is reliant on key
partners securing their own funding
Opportunities
Threats
Figure 86. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass key resources section. Authors image.
93
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Figure 87. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass value proposition section. Authors image.
94
Threats
Strengths
All relationships are relatively simple
All relationships have been used before by existing
key partners
Weaknesses
Relationships are based on the
organization reaching out to citizens,
rather than the reverse
Opportunities
Threats
Figure 88. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass citizen relationships section. Authors image.
95
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Figure 89. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass channels section. Authors image.
96
Threats
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Figure 90. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass customer segments section. Authors image.
97
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Figure 91. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass cost structure section. Authors image.
98
Threats
Strengths
There are multiple revenue streams
The majority of funding is siphoned from
key partners
Weaknesses
Grant and fundraising could compete with
key partners
Funds gained from adoption operations
generally equal out their costs
Opportunities
Threats
Figure 92. SWOT analysis of the business model canvass revenue streams section. Authors image.
99
Mission Statement
The mission of HEEL Jacksonville is to enable the officials and
citizens of a city suffering from a large stray dog population to use
their existing resources to cultivate a community that cares about
dog welfare, and understands how their actions create or eliminate
the stray dog population. Correspondingly, the emotional, physical,
and financial pain associated with stray dogs will also be reduced.
When executed, the strategic approach will consist of a step-bystep process to create an organization that bolsters the citys
existing stray dog management organizations through increased
adoptions, partnership, marketing, and public education.
Value Statement
Through the implementation of HEEL Jacksonville, the values of
knowledge, responsibility, and partnership are cultivated and shared
by people in a local community.
HEEL spreads knowledge of the existing stray dog management
system and targets educational messages into a community to
help its citizens to understand what resources are available to them,
and what the current state of the stray dog population is.
HEEL advocates responsible dog hosting and stray dog
management practices in a community through events,
adoption procedures, and seminars.
HEEL bolsters and fosters mutually supportive partnerships
among stray dog management organizations to increase the
effectiveness of their services, while at the same time aligning their
goals in order to provide a unified presence with which to engage
people in their local communities.
Vision Statement
The vision of HEEL Jacksonville is to have an animal welfare organization that can reduce a large stray dog population by fostering
a community of responsible dog hosting practices and stray dog
stewardship. One purpose of each HEEL organization is to achieve
this vision through marketing of all the existing stray dog management key partners and their existing successes. Other HEEL purposes include the creation of educational initiatives to spread stray dog
awareness, and to organize community outreach adoption events to
directly engage people and find homes for shelter dogs in local
communities. These adoptions will open up animal shelter space to
reduce the need for euthanasia.
100
Stray dog management systems exist in every city. Their size and
scale are dependent on the size of the local stray dog population. A
minimally sized system is often comprised of only the local
governmental animal control agency. These agencies manage stray
dog populations in a very simple manner: collect and capture strays,
offer them for adoption, and euthanize when shelter kennel space
becomes full. To remove the need for mass euthanasia, concerned
local citizens and national animal welfare organizations develop
local non-profit animal rescues and clinics to assist the governmental
agency. This interaction between the community citizens, and local
agencies was integral to the strategic approachs design criteria.
Strengths
The local non-profits and animal control agencies are filled with
individuals who care about animal welfare. These organizations
services exist to manage the local stray dog population, a population
that is created by community members. These community members
do not care about animal welfare, are uneducated to the problems
of stray dogs, or are not aware of the stray dog management system
and its public services. With the community working against itself in
this fashion, education, advocacy, and marketing appear to be the
most direct ways to align both sides (animal organizations and the
general public) toward the same goals.
Education and advocacy for stray dog welfare to the community
at large are wanted by stray dog management organizations;
however, they lack the asses to do so. The need of these
organizations to keep their services running is more of a priority
than community outreach. It would therefore be a help to these
organizations if they could continue with their operations even as
they directly interact with the community to spread knowledge of
their services, while educating people about responsible dog hosting practices. A system that could accommodate all of its services
and at the same time foster social change in the community
through education and public outreach, would be a step toward
proactive management of a stray dog population.
Weaknesses
Threats
101
Promotion
The strategic approach will have its own website and social media
presence for self promotion. Distribution of the approach to large
animal welfare and governmental agencies will be followed up by
direct contact with a request for an in person presentation. Once an
organization becomes a proponent of the approach, they will
directly advocate it to other organizations. Once a HEEL
organization is implemented, its standard activities will act
as promotion for the approach.
Price
The strategic approach costs nothing to acquire. Implementation of
the approach will vary based on the size and number of adopting key
partners in the accepting stray dog management systems.
Place
The strategic approach will be distributed to national and local
branches of the ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society, and
governmental animal control agencies. The ASPCA and Best Friends
hold influence over national and local stray dog management
systems, which they support through grants and funding.
Local governmental agencies are linchpins in their managing
systems and interact often with other organizations often.
The strategic approach will also be free to download from
the HEEL website.
102
Step 4: Advocate to
local non-profits
Local communities
et
Targ
Completed implementation of
approach through all six steps
Local animal welfare agency
buy-in and support
Success
Factors
Figure 93. The HEEL strategic approachs step by step map of prototype implementation into the market. Authors image.
103
Approachs successful
outcomes communicated
to other cities
More adoptions and buy-ins of
the strategic approach
inc
re
on
Adop
ti
s es
Ethical
reduction
of stray dog
populations
ns
ea
ncr
ei
us
io
at
Duration: On going
Duration: On going
sts
ho
y dog manag
of stra
eme
dge
nt
e
l
w
org
o
ent organiza
an
kn
m
e
g
t
a
g
iz
i
n
o
ns
in
Ma
e
r
s
v
e
ic
as
of responsible
ies
do
t
i
g
un
m
og steward
d
sh
y
ra
ip
Step Actions
Sp
rea
d
Duration: On going
Objective
s
Co
Involved
Organizations
Step 3: Spread to
local governments
St
104
Conclusions and
Recommendations
105
Conclusions and
Recommendations
Conclusions
Recommendations
You have done an outstanding job over the last seven years using
your variety of organizations, services, and talents to successfully
manage the stray dog population, increase adoptions, and reduce
the need for euthanasia in the city. This success has come from your
strong inter-organizational bonds and efficient use of funds to do
what some might have deemed impossible. Struggling and striving
for your current success may make you hesitant to adopt what might
seem to be a disruptive innovation as the HEEL strategic approach.
I would recommend to you to look at HEEL Jacksonville as the
natural progression of what you have already accomplished.
HEEL can bring you closer, strengthen what is already strong,
and recruit the citizens of Jacksonville to your just cause.
106
References
107Authors image.
Figure 1. A combination image of stray dogs.
Annotated Bibliography
American Strays. (n.d.). American strays. Retrieved from http://www.wa2s.org
Binelli, M. (2012, March). City of strays: Detroits epidemic of 50,000 abandoned dogs.
Rolling Stone. Retrieved from http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/city-of-
The World Animal Awareness Society serves To Observe, Document, Report & Create
Programs About Contemporary Human - Animal Interaction. To Understand Better The
Human Evolutionary Arc.. Their current program of American Strays 2030 serves to
define the amount of stray dogs across the U.S. and too provide tools and education to
communities while spreading awareness of the stray dog issue.
strays-detroits-epidemic-of-50-000-wild-dogs-20120320
www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/18074/Network-Based%20Classrooms.
pdf?sequence=2
This organizations site was used to place the project in its market. The American Strays
initiative was very useful in helping to understand both currently used documentation
methods, and the passion that exists in people about helping stray dogs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Animal Care and Protective Services. (n.d.). Animal care and protective
services. Retrieved from http://www.coj.net
This website is run by the city of Jacksonville and stands as Animal Care and Protective
Services website. Through this portal, a visitor can see their public policies, practices,
campaigns and basically anything that the organization wants the public to be aware of.
This organization was used to place the project in its market. As the responsible
governmental body in Jacksonville for controlling the stray dog population, it was also
a subject of primary research. Its staff was very helpful in understanding the current
culture and management techniques that deal with Jacksonvilles stray dogs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Beck, A. (1973). The ecology of stray dogs: a study of free-ranging urban
animals. Baltimore, MD: York Press.
This book, as its title implies, is a study of stray dog ecology and behavior as well as
Human behavior, which through both negligence and compassion is the driving force for
the size of stray dog populations. The study focuses on Baltimore Marylands stray dog
population. Following an Ecological method of understanding a problem, proposals for
solving the stray dog population problem are given.
This article deals with the state of the stray dog population in Detroit, Michigan. The
article focuses on a hip-hop artist named Dan Carlisle, turned stray dog/animal rescuer
in light of the stray dog epidemic in Detroit. Consideration is given to his exploits,
experiences, opinions, creation of his own non-profits (Detroit Dog Rescue) fund
raising, as well as the experiences of Carlisles other non-profit employees.
This article was only minutely helpful in communicating knowledge about the inner
turmoil that can exist between stray dog management organizations. Such animosity
was expected to be found in this projects primary research, but only minor examples
actually existed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Brown, G. ( 2002). Population study of free-roaming dogs in a remote community in
central Australia. Proceedings of Urban Animal Management Conference, Australia.
Retrieved from http://caid.ca/PopStuFreRoaDog2002.pdf
This three-year study, comprised of 12 visits to an Aboriginal community in the Australian
Tanami Desert, gathered information on free-roaming dogs in the area. The study was
produced to present how to implement fertility control into the free-roaming dog population. The study found that there were already factors such as parasites and disease that
were naturally controlling the population size, these factors were further investigated.
This study provided background for the projects primary research into the reactive stray
dog management techniques currently in use. It supported the researchs validity and
discussed external factors. However, because these external factors were of little use, this
project did not cover them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This book supplied a plethora of information used in shaping the projects ecology map.
The details describing stray dog creation factors and human involvement provided a
structure on which to base assumptions about Jacksonvilles population. These assumptions influenced the primary and secondary project questions. The books proposed
solutions supplied information that supported the projects primary research findings.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
108
Annotated Bibliography
Craig, M. (2000). Thinking visually: business applications of fourteen core
diagrams. London, England: Continuum.
Gompper, M. (2014). Free-ranging dogs and wildlife conservation. New York, NY: Oxford
University Press.
This book is a detailed guide to the use of 50 different types of diagrams. These different
diagrams deal with different needs such as relationships, problem solving, and dealing
with gathered information. the book walks the reader through a diagrams basic use,
options for use, and then the theory behind the diagram as it relates to business use.
This book deals with the relationships between humans and dogs, dogs and wildlife, as
well as the combination of all three. The book proposes that the majority of dogs spend
their lives free roaming, even if they are owned by someone. This places the dog
between humans and the wild world. Covering such topics as a dogs role through
history with regards to predatory function, the book illustrates how human society
deals with free-roaming dogs as a reflection on how humans can deal with wildlife.
This book was used as a reference for the creation of this projects many diagrams.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dalla Villa, P., Di Nardo, A., Iannetti, L., Kahn, S., Serpell, JA., Stuardo, L. (2010).
Free-roaming dog control among OIE-member countries. Preventive Veterinary
Medicine. 97(1), 58-63.
This article is a collection of statistics from a questionnaire distributed to the state
veterinary services of all 172 OIE (the world organization for animal health) countries.
The survey deals with different country approaches to controlling their dog population.
Information regarding dog bites and disease spreading is given as well.
This article provided more support for the current stray dog management practices
used across the world. It also gave support to the notion that a stray dog population
epidemic is common to most large cities.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Doig, W. (2012, January). The secret lives of feral dogs. Salon. Retrieved from
http://www.salon.com/2012/01/14/the_secret_lives_of_feral_dogs/
This article deals with an order in Pennsylvania that instructed the city of Harrisburgs
police to either release in a different area, self adopt, or simply to shoot stray dogs they
encounter in order to save the city in costs. This main point is the first in a long list of
talking points and facts regarding the feral dog and cat problem and its state of solution
across the U.S. at the time of the articles publication.
This articles insights into the sheer size of stray dog populations in smaller U.S. cities
further supports the need of this projects study. It also highlighted how other areas of
the U.S. are certainly not unlike Jacksonville with regards to the importance of saving a
stray dogs life.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This book served as a holistic view of the dog in a human world. While the book does
not communicate it directly, it suggests that some people share an opinion that dogs
belong free-roaming and as part of nature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Komives, S., & Wagner, W. (2009). Leadership for a better world: understanding the social
change model of leadership development. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
This book focuses on social change, specifically how to become a change agent in order
to better facilitate social change. The book introduces the reader to the concept of
social change and its varying facets.
This books ideas were particularly useful to this study because of the existing emotional
ties to stray dog populations. Its concepts led to an understanding of the troubles that
can exist, along with ideas for implementing possible solutions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------LeCompte, M., & Schensul, J. (1999). Designing & conducting ethnographic research.
Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.
This book is the first in the ethnographic tool kit. This specific volume introduces the
reader to ethnographic research, its value, and its use in social sciences. The reader is
instructed step by step on how to create their own ethnographic study and then on how
to be a better ethnographic researcher with consideration given to research ethics.
This book was a solid reference for ethnographic methods used in the collection of this
projects primary research.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
109
Mott, M. (2003, August). U.S. Facing feral-dog crisis. National Geographic News.
Retrieved from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/08/0821_030821_
straydogs.html
This article by National Geographic deals with stray dog populations in the U.S. It gives
accounts of the current state of the issues at the time of publication in the U.S. as well
as other countries. Detail is given to past causes for the issue as well as the difference
in regional capability to handle the problem. There is also a highlight of a St. Louis stray
dog rescuer who has had success with helping to solve the problem.
This article was used to support the need for this projects solutions. It also provided
information that supported other similar articles and books that were used in this study.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mosier, JE., Nassar, R. (1980). Canine population dynamics: a study of the Manhattan,
Kansas, canine population. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 41(11), 1798-803.
This article, as its title states, deals with the canine population dynamics of a city in
the U.S.A. Information regarding how the free roaming dog population sustains its size
while under the conditions of population control efforts are given. The data collection
techniques are prime examples of how to produce an effective study on the subject and
similar subjects as well.
This study was used as a guideline for some of the procedures that took place in this
project. It also was the first resource to display how stray dog populations are resistant
to reduction if solutions are unsupported by the surrounding environments.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mulgan, G., Tucker, S., Ali, R., & Sanders, B. (2007). Social innovation: what it is, why it
matters and how it can be accelerated. London, England: The Young Foundation.
A working paper on the ins and outs of social innovation. This paper gives the reader
an overview of what social innovation is (and why its useful), who does social innovation,
and how to encourage social innovation.
The useful information found in this paper deals with the various stages of innovation,
and how to help to create a successful innovation by combining existing social
elements, moving through existing boundaries, and creating compelling relationships
among the groups who will use the innovation. All of these elements can be seen in this
projects prototype.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annotated Bibliography
Neumeier, M. (2007). Zag: the number-one strategy of high-performance brands :
A whiteboard overview. Berkeley, CA: New Riders.
This books title line is When everybody zigs, zag. Zag is short two hour read that
combines business with design to create superior marketing. It illustrates how and why
a company needs to out maneuver and differentiate itself from competition. By going
where the competition isnt a company can define itself to its consumers.
The Zag method was used in this project to create a brand out of the projects concepts.
When followed, the process defines the project in relationship to its competition, and
solidifies the direction for the projects user base.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business model generation: a handbook for
visionaries, game changers, and challengers. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Business model generation delves into the basics of creating a successful business
model as well as the different types of business structures. It then displays this basic
understanding for the reader to learn how to create, edit, adjust, re-develop, and implement business models that work around and disrupt the existing competitive market.
This book was used as a reference during the creation of this projects
business model canvas.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rogers, E. (2003). Diffusion of innovations. New York, NY: Free Press.
This book deals with the aspects of the creation, implementation, and the diffusion of
innovations into cultures throughout the world. There are many presented case studies
that document the hurdles of innovation, the circumstances for an innovations success,
and the aspects of innovation adoption.
The projects designer strongly believes that you cannot know where you are going until
you know where you have been. This books multiple examples gave information that
was used when building the project implementation road map.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scarlett, J., & Johnston, N. (2012). Impact of a subsidized spay neuter clinic on impoundments and euthanasia in a community shelter and on service and complaint calls to
animal control. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 15(1), 53-69.
Trotman, M. (2013). Regional Realities: Impact of Stray Dogs and Cats on the
Community. Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Barbados. Retrieved from http://www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/regional_realities.pdf
This study evaluates the impact of a spay and neuter clinic in North Carolina on the
collections and subsequent euthanizing of stray animals such as dogs and cats as well
as the number of complaint calls regarding stray animals. A decline in euthanasia was
evident after the shelters opening.
A general synopsis of the effects of stray dogs in the Caribbean islands, this document
touches on some key points that relate to this study. The stray populations effects on
the community, livestock, the economy, and the environment are discussed. While large
amounts of statistics are not given.
This study gave support to the validity that spay and neuter clinics can successfully
manage stray dog populations. This information was mirrored in the projects primary
research, and was used as support for the prototypes need to market the services of
local animal welfare organizations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shore, E. (2005). Returning a recently adopted companion animal: adopters reasons for
and reactions to the failed adoption experience. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare
Science, 8(3), 187-198.
This document provided evidence of how truly negative free-roaming dogs and other
domesticated animals can be to a human community. Its message provided support for
the need of this project to be applied to all cities, and not just to Jacksonville.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Weiss, E., Dolan, E., Garrison, L., Hong, J., & Slater, M. (2013). Should dogs and cats be
given as gifts? Animals, 3(4), 995-1001.
This Journal entry deals with a conducted study into 78 people who had adopted and
returned pets. The study delves into the reasons for returning the adopted animal as
well as adjustments that were made in future adoption plans. Thoughts on how personal
ideas toward pet ownership, and changing of ownership expectations having a positive
effect on animal returns is given.
This article directly supports the projects design criteria, pointing out that the prototype
must educate the community about responsible dog hosting practices. This education
informs a community member about what to expect when one adopts a dog.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Totton, S., Wandeler, A., Ribble, C., Rosatte, R., & Mcewen, S. (2011). Stray dog population
health in Jodhpur, India in the wake of an animal birth control (ABC) program. Preventive
Veterinary Medicine, 98(2-3), 215-220.
A study to understand the correlation, if any, between an animal birth control efforts and
detrimental health issues in stray dogs of Jodhpur, India. The study sheds light of the
benefits of sterilization for wild dogs as compared to sexually active dogs.
This study was useful for its details of the Animal Birth Control programs, as well as its
details of parasite control efforts. These details were used to compare what is actively
used in Jacksonville, Florida, and was included in the projects ecosystem map.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
110
This article debates current policies of not being able to adopt dogs and cats as gifts.
It gives evidence that the policies are unfounded in the fact that their was no connection with receiving an adopted animal as a gift, and the rate of animal relinquishment or
abandonment.
This article provided support for the idea that adoption rates can be increased by
allowing animals to be adopted as gifts. However, the projects primary research did not
support the concept; therefore, the focus on this activity was left out of the
final prototype.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Zawistowski, S., Morris, J., Salman, M., & Ruch-Gallie, R. (1998). Population dynamics,
overpopulation, and the welfare of companion animals: new insights on old and new
data. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 1(3), 193-206.
This article reviews past efforts to understand and document pet overpopulation in the
U.S. The article includes animal shelter statistics over periods of time as well as new
data collected in order to understand how and why these animals came to an animal
shelter.
This is another article that offered general support for the projects topic. The data found
within the article is more quantitative than this projects collected data, but some
support for the project can be found.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional Sources
Mind Tools ( 2015). Plus, minus, interesting: weighing the pros and cons of a
decision. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_05.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Morey, D. (1994). The early evolution of the domestic dog. American Scientist,
82(4), 336-347. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/297752
34?sid=21105304921751&uid=3&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=60&uid=38846152
1&uid=388461511
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
111
Figures
Figure 1
Figure 17
Figure 33
A combination image of stray dogs.............................................1, 7, 9, 21, 61, 69, 85, 105, 107, 120
Figure 2
Figure 18
Figure 34
Figure 3
Figure 19
Figure 35
Figure 4
Figure 20
Figure 36
2x2 collaborator analysis chart comparing fundng methods vs. system view......................15
Figure 5
Figure 21
Figure 37
2x2 collaborator analysis chart comparing behavior subject vs, welfare subject..............16
Figure 6
Figure 22
Figure 38
2x2 collaborator analysis chart comparing system support vs. educational approach..17
Figure 7
Figure 23
Figure 39
Plots showing the difference in beliefs and assumptions between Jacksonville citizens
Figure 8
Figure 24
Figure 40
Figure 9
Figure 25
Figure 41
Figure 10
Figure 26
Figure 11
Figure 27
Figure 12
Figure 28
Figure 13
Figure 29
Figure 14
Figure 30
Figure 15
Figure 31
Figure 16
Figure 32
112
Figure 44
Image of the Interior intake area at ACPS......................................................................................................51
Figure 45
Section image of observation recordings from JHS adoptions 1/10/15..................................52
Figure 46
Section image of observation recordings from ACPS intake 1/16/15.......................................52
Figure 47
Section image of observation recordings from JHS adoptions 1/10/15..................................52
Figure 48
Image 0f the interior intake area at JHS.........................................................................................................52
Figures
Figure 49
Figure 65
Figure 81
Image of the group model with observations and interpretations on the table.................83
Figure 50
Figure 66
Figure 82
Figure 51
Figure 67
Figure 83
Figure 52
Figure 68
Figure 84
Figure 53
Figure 69
Figure 85
Figure 54
Figure 70
Figure 86
Figure 55
Figure 71
Figure 87
Figure 56
Figure 72
Figure 88
Figure 57
Figure 73
Figure 89
Figure 58
Figure 74
Figure 90
Image of the items used for the kinesthetic model building session........................................80
Figure 59
Figure 75
Figure 91
Figure 60
Figure 76
Figure 92
Figure 61
Figure 77
Figure 93
Figure 62
Figure 78
Figure A1
Figure 63
Figure 79
Figure A2
Figure 64
Figure 80
Figure A3
113
Figures
Figure A4
Figure A20
Figure A36
Figure A5
Figure A21
Figure A37
Figure A6
Figure A22
Figure A38
Figure A7
Figure A23
Figure A39
Figure A8
Figure A24
Figure A40
Figure A9
Figure A25
Figure A41
Figure A10
Figure A26
Figure A42
Figure A11
Figure A27
Figure A43
Figure A12
Figure A28
Figure A44
Figure A13
Figure A29
Figure A45
Figure A14
Figure A30
Figure A46
Figure A15
Figure A31
Figure A47
Figure A16
Figure A32
Figure A48
Figure A17
Figure A33
Figure A49
Figure A18
Figure A34
Figure A50
Figure A19
Figure A35
Figure A51
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Figures
Figure A52
Figure B13
Figure C13
Figure A53
Figure B14
Figure C14
Figure A54
Figure B15
Figure C15
Figure A55
Figure B16
Figure C16
Figure B1
Figure C1
Figure C17
Figure B2
Figure C2
Figure C18
Figure B3
Figure C3
Figure C19
Figure B4
Figure C4
Figure C20
Figure B5
Figure C5
Figure C21
Figure B6
Figure C6
Figure C22
Figure B7
Figure C7
Figure C23
Figure B8
Figure C8
Figure C24
Figure B9
Figure C9
Figure C25
Figure B10
Figure C10
Figure C26
Figure B11
Figure C11
Figure C27
Figure B12
Figure C12
Figure C28
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Figures
Figure C29
Figure C45
Figure C61
Figure C30
Figure C46
Figure C62
Figure C31
Figure C47
Figure C63
Figure C32
Figure C48
Figure C64
Figure C33
Figure C49
Figure C65
Figure C34
Figure C50
Figure D1
Figure C35
Figure C51
Figure D2
Figure C36
Figure C52
Figure D3
Figure C37
Figure C53
Figure D4
Figure C38
Figure C54
Figure D5
Figure C39
Figure C55
Figure D6
Figure C40
Figure C56
Figure D7
Figure C41
Figure C57
Figure D8
Figure C42
Figure C58
Figure D9
Figure C43
Figure C59
Figure D10
Figure C44
Figure C60
Figure D11
116
Figures
Figure D12
Figure E3
Figure E19
Figure D13
Figure E4
Figure E20
Figure D14
Figure E5
Figure E21
Figure D15
Figure E6
Figure F1
Figure D16
Figure E7
Figure F2
Figure D17
Figure E8
Figure F3
Figure D18
Figure E9
Figure F4
Figure D19
Figure E10
Figure F5
Figure D20
Figure E11
Figure F6
Figure D21
Figure E12
Figure F7
Figure D22
Figure E13
Figure F8
Figure D23
Figure E14
Figure F9
Figure D24
Figure E15
Figure F10
Figure D25
Figure E16
Figure F11
Figure E1
Figure E17
Figure F12
Figure E2
Figure E18
Figure F13
117
Figures
Figure F14
Page 14 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.................................................................................166
Figure F15
Page 15 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.................................................................................167
Figure F16
Page 16 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach................................................................................168
Figure F17
Page 17 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.................................................................................169
Figure F18
Page 18 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.................................................................................170
Figure F19
Page 19 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.................................................................................171
Figure F20
Page 20 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach................................................................................172
Figure F21
Page 21 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.................................................................................173
Figure F22
Page 22 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.................................................................................174
Figure F23
Page 23 of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.................................................................................175
Figure F24
Back cover of HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach.........................................................................176
118
Tables
Table 1
Table 17
Table 2
Table 18
Table 3
Table 19
Collaborator analysis chart of the World Society for the Protection of Animals...........................................................................................11
Table 4
Table 20
Table 5
Table 21
Table 6
Table 22
Table 7
Table 23
Table 8
Table 24
Table 9
Table G1
Table 10
Relating Dianne Wiless interview responses to developed common statements...................................................................................40
Table 11
Relating Jen Walters interview responses to developed common statements..........................................................................................41
Table 12
Relating Jill Meros interview responses to developed common statements...............................................................................................42
Table 13
Relating Jennifer Deanes interview responses to developed common statements...............................................................................43
Table 14
Relating Ben Grunzels interview responses to developed common statements......................................................................................44
Table 15
Relating Danielle Houghtbys interview responses to developed common statements......................................................................45
Table 16
Relating Scott Friedmans interview responses to developed common statements..............................................................................46
119
Appendices
120Authors image.
Figure 1. A combination image of stray dogs.
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Interviewer: Okay. You mentioned the Tails program before. Could you give me a breakdown of what
that is?
Nicole Brose: Yeah, yeah. It started a couple of years ago and its basically, we have four prison systems
in Florida that we bring animals from ACPS to. And these animals are chosen based on, theyre just
maybe super shy, or maybe they just need some behavior modifications. They just need some extra
work to make them more adoptable. So these are hard to adopt dogs. So we
Interviewer: Are you alright?
Nicole Brose: so we He was like panting really bad and then he just stopped and I was like oh make
sure that hes breathing. Good old Lucky. So we partner, so then we have a program manager that
makes sure that the dogs, that the number of dogs allocated to each prison go in. Our trainers help
them learn how to train, right. And now theyre getting pretty good at it. Some of the prisoners come
and go, but some of them are consistent. These are short-term prison facilities and state correctional
institutions. So there are long termer and short termer inmates that are actually are with these dogs.
The program, I believe it is 9-10 weeks the dogs are there. They live with the inmates. Theyre being
trained. The inmates work in teams of three which is great for them. They learn teamwork. One is the
dog handler, one is the, theres a dog handler, theres a Oh gosh, they each have three separate roles.
Barbara would know better so before you leave ask her. But the beautiful thing is these inmates are
sometimes very isolated from one another so this forces them to work in teams of three. It forces them
to really work with an animal that theyre in complete control of. Learn new skills. We actually had one
inmate that loved the program so much, and he was so good at it when he got out of prison we hired
him as a trainer.
Interviewer: Nice.
Nicole Brose: So now hes going and helping other inmates go and learn what he did for couple of years
and hes great at it. So now not only does he have a new, we used to call the program Saving Lives On
The Inside. So not only are the dogs being saved, because now theyre much more highly adoptable, we
have a 100% adoption rate for our Tails dogs. But also these inmates are also benefitting greatly with
new skills, because the reality is as much as we dont like to think about it sometimes, these inmates are
going to be back on the streets and we want them to be more compassionate, we want them to be
humane with animals, and we want them to have jobs, right.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Nicole Brose: I dont want to pay for them on whatever collection that theyre getting. So I feel like its
such a great program because it saves humans and it saves dogs. And its a great, we havent been
doing it long enough to track the real stats on how many actually go and work maybe in animal welfare,
or maybe go into a similar related industry, but were starting to get that data.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: And its pretty exciting because its very successful. Its done all over the country. We feel
like weve kind of had one of the first programs. And we also feel like we are so closely entwined with
our programs that were getting the stories of the inmates more so.
Interviewer: Poor little guy. So we went over quite a bit in there, but Im still going to ask questions just
to make sure I get what you would want to say.
Nicole Brose: Okay.
Interviewer: How do you feel about the level of control that the Jacksonville stray dog population is
under?
Nicole Brose: Extreme control, right. We have such good agency partners. Our Animal Care and
Protective Services have an amazing staff. Its a fine-tuned machine. They are pretty stellar partners.
And theyre the open admission shelter, and then we have the Jacksonville Humane Society who pulls
from them constantly if not daily on animals that come in that they can adopt out.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: So theyre a limited admission shelter, but they focus all their attention on the open
admission shelter, and that does not happen in other cities for the most part. At least not in a lot of
cities. So were hoping that it actually catches on in more cities, create that coalition vibe that we have
here.
Interviewer: Okay. And what, and again you went over some of them, but what are some of the
practices currently in use to effectively reduce the stray dog population?
Nicole Brose: Aggressive, high-volume, low-cost spay and neuter. Free whenever possible. We spend a
lot of time raising money for grants, and so we can do free surgeries. We want to eliminate all of the
barriers. So spay and neuter, spay and neuter, spay and neuter, making sure the population knows that,
or that yeah the population of Jacksonville and surrounding communities know that were here to do
that. Adopt, adopt, adopt. Dont buy your pets at pet stores or breeders when we have every variety,
shape, size under the moon right here in our own city and surrounding areas. You can go to a rural
community and get any type of dog you want, because they have them in their shelters every day. So
its educating the community on why they need to adopt, and why they need to spay and neuter. I
mean truly those two thing. And then the community cat problem. If you see a community cat thats
ears not tipped, a feral cat, you can come in and for $20 we will spay and neuter, rabies, vaccinate and
ear-tip that cat. We will loan traps out. We have a trapper on staff that will help trap the cats. So we
feel like all those programs, everyone needs to be in place, and were in place perfectly for this city
dynamic. Hence why were at 93% on average now a month.
Interviewer: So the secondary of that is how is this organization involved in those practices? I know
that spay and neuter is your thing.
Nicole Brose: Thats our baby.
Interviewer: The adoptions are really more the other two partners. So in the spay and neuter, your high
volume spay and neuter practice, what are some errors or shortcomings you can think of that youre
currently experiencing.
Nicole Brose: You know just work hard and harder to raise money so we can do free, free, free, free.
Right now, you know, charging $20 for a community cat, two weeks ago that was free, but our grant
money ran out. So what we can do is eliminate cost all together, but in order to keep our doors open
Nicole Brose: So hopefully the world will get a lot of the data and a lot of the stats from us.
Interviewer: Good.
Nicole Brose: To share, so.
Interviewer: Excellent. Very good. How does your organization interact with the general public.
Nicole Brose: Well we have a call bank where we have five employees. Usually its three to four
working at a time. Where our hotline number is very well-known. So people can call in and ask about
anything. So hey, my dog ate poison, my dog just got hit, what do I do, my dog is coughing, do I use
preventatives. So we feel like were really good animal welfare hotline information. So we do help
answer basic questions. The phone bank is really there to book spay and neuter appointments, and lowcost vet appointments, but they also do other things. Theyre very well trained. We also just have you
know a lot of, we have a big presence. Were a very recognizable brand in Jacksonville, so people
constantly e-mail use, Facebook message wall us, ask us questions. We print and distribute a brochure
thats called Adoption Trail and it has all of the, within northeast Florida all of the shelters and recuses
that we recommend getting a dog or cat from.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: So of course we have the Humane Society, and the ACPS, and we have I think theres like
six or seven organizations that we recommend that we help market. Some of these groups dont have a
marketing budget and/or not as far reach as we do, but since were bigger we can actually you know
push out information easier. Jacksonville Humane Society is a big organization with a really big reach.
But we even try to help them as much as we can with directing people to them to adopt.
Interviewer: Okay. Does this organization measure success? Like have
Nicole Brose: Absolutely, absolutely. Were very data driven. We have a database that we enter
everything from if we spay a female, and you know she does have fetuses inside well well even count
that to see how many animals would have been on the streets if we wouldnt have spay and neutered.
So really random things that we try to track, because we want everything to be data driven. So we track
our surgeries, we track where the animals are coming from, we track where theyre coming into the city
shelter from, and we focus some of our programs around zip codes that are high producers of shelter
drop-offs, if you will. We have a Pets For Life program where our Outreach Coordinator into
neighborhoods, knocks on doors and lets people know of services that are provided in the community to
help their pets. Mainly we offer them free spay and neuter. These are very low income neighborhoods.
We offer them free spay and neuter and transport, because we know that those animals are a statistic
away. Like that dog or cat might be a statistic away from being a number that we dont want to track in
our city shelter, right. So if we can stop that and get that animal fixed, were keeping unwanted litters
from being in the community which helps then the stray dog population to keep decreasing. So were
very, without tracking data, and without really measuring that, how would we really know how to focus
our program? Or the zip codes that we want to focus on or anything really. And were really successful
at acquiring grants from public and private groups, because we can tell them data until theyre sick of
hearing about our data. So very data driven as all the groups in town for the most part, and thats why
were successful too. We know what were doing.
Interviewer: Okay
and keep us running we have to charge. In some cases we do offer free, but not to everyone. So our
shortcomings are, raise more money, offer more free services. We also have a low-cost vet clinic that
helps people that may not, they would maybe have to owner surrender their pets to our city shelter due
to just not being able to take care of a broken leg, or a tumor, or an eye laceration. So by offering free,
or very low cost, and in some cases, you know we dont charge. In order for an animal to be not only
taken to the city shelter, but also euthanized just because no one can afford medical treatment.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Nicole Brose: So our shortcomings honestly, were doing what we can do, and we feel like we have our
niche; high quality, low-cost vet care; and high volume, low-cost spay and neuter. But our shortcoming
is how we can get the message out even more and raise even more money and do more free.
need a focus, they need peoples attention in order to maintain a status, and in order for people to, I
mean one day Im hoping there are no more adoptable pet in Jacksonville or very few, and were going
to the rural communities and bringing the Putnam and Lake City and Bradford County animals to our city
to adopt, because we dont have very many in our city. Thats kind of what our goal would be fore here,
and were not there yet.
Interviewer: Yeah. Okay. So you said that because of the no-kill status it makes people feel like the job
is done when its not done.
Nicole Brose: In my opinion it probably does, right. I dont know for certain. I know my own family and
friends I think sometimes they think that.
Interviewer: Gotcha, more message, more education. Alright. What does this institution want to be
doing to reduce the stray dog population that its currently not doing? I think you mentioned right there
that youre doing as much as you can. Do you have any, is there anything thats just completely, youre
incapable of doing because of the funding?
Interviewer: Okay. But are there any efforts to make citizens aware that thats not the case?
Nicole Brose: Yeah, we do a lot of, you know, talks on TV and the media interviews us frequently and
anytime we can plug that people do need to adopt and foster pets, and spay and neuter, we do. Were
working with a couple of media outlets right now on doing a big spay and neuter awareness campaign.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: We know that dogs and cats are dying in rural communities outside of Jacksonville. We
try to help as much as we can, but theyre just outside of our range to go and pick them up.
Nicole Brose: Any chance we get with our very limited budget to market that that is still a need and a
thing we do.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: If we had more money, we would literally have a mobile unit or send transport and go
pick those dogs up, and cats. We know that animals are dying within an hour and a half of our location
and we dont like that. So our mission is to end the killing of dogs and cats in shelters in our community,
in northeast Florida, and the nation. Our community, were good, weve met that goal. Were going to
have to keep it going which is hard. Northeast Florida, were good. We helped Nassau County, Clay
County. But surrounding communities, I mean we want to do more, and we wont literally wont rest
until dogs and cats are not killed in shelters, you know due to space.
Interviewer: Okay. Alright.
Nicole Brose: And Im the Development Director so thats on my shoulder, raising more money.
Interviewer: I understand. Well you seem very skilled if it means anything.
Interviewer: Okay. Good. Can you think of any incentives that would make a person want to help with
reducing the stray dog population?
Nicole Brose: Gosh, just incentives would be you know our dogs and cats have no voice, were there
voice. And so we, I feel with animals, and children, we owe it to them to speak up, and roll up our
sleeves and help in any way we can. Learn, I think first people need to learn what the issues are. And
then I think second, they need to access their own situation, meaning can they volunteer, can they
donate, can they just attend an event. We have many events, all of our organizations, that are fun and
we raise money. So I think the community, I think awareness is not just thinking they now whats really
going on, researching, doing your homework. You can call any one of us any time or send and email and
well tell you exactly what were telling you, right. So we love sharing the message and the story, and
we love telling people how they can help.
Interviewer: Okay, and what hurdles either legal or community opinion make reduction of the stray dog
population difficult. So that means is there anything specifically in your way that you can think of beside
the money issue which you mentioned.
Nicole Brose: You know I think the community has false notions or impressions on the pit-bull mix. I
think the pit-bull breed is still seen as viscous and scary, and no one wants those dogs around when
thats really old-school thinking and its not accurate. So I think a lot of the animals that are available for
adoption are the pitty mixes, and I feel like somehow some way if the public can just get more educated
on breeds, and why those breeds, you know dont have to be so scary. A lot of people love pittys and
there are a lot of supporters, but I do feel like because those dogs sit in shelters longer than any other
dogs that more education needs to be done on, you know on the fact that these animals are the way
they are because of humans, and if an animal can be aggressive and trained to be aggressive, then you
know what, an animal can be untrained. It can be made to be a mellow, calm, loving animal, it just takes
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Interviewer: Are there any actions taken if you dont meet your expectations that youve set yourself
to?
Nicole Brose: If we paid $50k and everyone said they werent coming that would not be good. And so
yeah our record last July we adopted out 1,100 dogs and cats in one event.
Nicole Brose: You know every year we want to increase our spay and neuter surgery capacity, which
you know people say isnt it going to get lower because the more you do the less there is. But honestly
by us reaching out to the other communities too, its still pretty high. When we see that our volume is
decreasing and then animals are decreasing at the shelter drastically, then well be happy. So for us its
really just about going as hard and as fast as we can. Watching the city shelter intake numbers, and
whats happening so far is intake numbers are going down, euthanasia is going down and our surgery
volume and all that were doing is going up. So were still seeing it correlate that the more we can do
the less animals are going to be dropped off at the city shelter, or be picked up as strays. So we really
watch those numbers and those lines and they really need to complement each other, right. So intake
and euthanasia just really has to be going down. And if it starts going up were going to be like whoa,
whoa what are we doing, and well back up and regroup and see what else we can do.
Interviewer: Nice.
Nicole Brose: So yeah, and again, to amazing families and many of those were very, very hard to adopt
animals because I do all the happy tails, so I see them and I now shelters, a lot of those dogs and cats
have probably been around for a while. Probably since the last Mega
Interviewer: Okay, wow. Alright, good. So this is kind of answered again like you already said, but how
has the organization developed and grown over the last five years and what were the main contributing
factors to that growth.
Nicole Brose: Gosh, last five years. We moved into the location that were sitting in right now which is
our large spay and neuter and vet clinic in 2008.
Interviewer: Okay, regroup. But theres not like a set process or something that you guys go through if
your numbers dont hit your expectations or anything, its case-by-case?
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: So far weve hit our expectations on our goals every year. So once that happens there
definitely will be a problem. We will definitely address that because we are very goal driven and data
driven for sure.
Nicole Brose: So in 2008 we could actually have capacity to do more spay and neuter. So if you look at
2007 we were able to do double, triple what we were doing because of the new building.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Nicole Brose: With the whole preface behind are animals dying in the shelters.
Interviewer: Are any of your organizations regular activities reliant upon or heavily influenced by
another organization?
Nicole Brose: We host Mega Adoption events four times a year. Thats where we invite up to ten to
twelve rescues and shelters from northeast Florida. And we rent the fairgrounds, we pay for the
marketing, we set up all the cages. We simply invite the groups to come in with their spay and neutered
pets. Well even help them spay and neuter their pets for a really low rate. So we host those, and were
reliant on the rescues and shelters to come with animals that are ready to be adopted. Again meaning
spay and neutered, vaccinated. Yeah, so we pay for it, and on their end of course they have to pay to
get their animals ready. We even provide transport. So at any given moment if those groups said they
werent going to participate, Mega Adoption events take place over three days and we adopt anywhere
from 800-1000 dogs and cats in one weekend. Those arent our dogs and cats, those are their dogs and
cats, but we just set everything up because we are a larger organization so we can although its super
costly and we always wonder how were going to have the money but we always end up figuring it out
somehow. Those can be $50k for one event, and we paid for that.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: With again sponsorships, we just try to raise the money. So they are reliant on us because
it helps them empty their shelter at least four times a year and get all these animals, and many are hard
to adopt, many have been around for a while in the shelters. New sets of eyes so they get adopted, and
we rely on them to come.
Nicole Brose: The vet clinic only started a few years ago where we really ramped up low-cost vet care.
An Angel Fund which is a fund to help treat animals that have no one to pay for them like little Lucky
who is sitting in this office right now, who was literally thrown from a car and will have to have extensive
surgeries. No ones here to pay for lucky, but were going to Angel Fund Lucky and then find him a good
home. So again, case-by-case we will try to adopt out, but even the Humane Society would take these
animals from us and adopt them once we Angel Fund them. So again thats teamwork at its bets. But
our organization drastically changed in 2008 when we had larger space, better facilities. We could hire
more vets because they had the equipment and the space. And honestly because of the community
donating and supporting us, thats enabled us to keep growing. Because without donations and support
we would have never been able to not only buy the building, but do anything that were doing. It takes
a lot of fundraising and donations to do what we do.
Interviewer: Gotcha. Okay. Has there been any practices or processes that this organization used in the
past that it currently does not use, because they didnt work?
Nicole Brose: That would be a question better for Rick DuCharme our founder, but in all honestly hes
had to mentor Peter Marsh from New Hampshire who is the spay and neuter godfather if you will.
Interviewer: Gotcha
Nicole Brose: Rick, thats his mentor. So he was able to get what he did from someone who in New
Hampshire had done the spay and neuter, high volume, low-cost years before we started it in
Jacksonville.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
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time. It takes trainers. I mean I wish more trainers would volunteer their time one day a week to go to
a shelter and just work with some of these animals. You know we have programs like our teaching
animals and inmates life skills where we take the dogs to the prisons and the inmates are trained by our
trainers on how to train them, and they stay there for ten week time periods, and they are getting
trained, therefore very adoptable at the end of the ten weeks. But we are limited on how many of those
dogs we can take into our program. Usually a couple of dozen every ten weeks when theres a lot more
that actually could benefit from something like that. So, you know, its just being educated which is kind
of with any non-profits in any area areas of need for improvement, right, with any type social issues.
Interviewer: Training and education.
Nicole Brose: Right.
Interviewer: Gotcha. Does the current size of the stray dog population indicate or lead to anything
about Jacksonville particularly?
Nicole Brose: Gosh, looking from 2002 to 2015, it tells the outside world that Jacksonville is
compassionate, humane, caring, they listen to our messaging. Theyve stepped up. Not one of the
agencies give themselves the credit, right. Its all three of the groups; us, JHS, and AHCPC working
together. But its also the community adopting, fostering these animals and donating to our causes. So
I think because the stray dog population has decreased so dramatically and so many, +23k animals were
dying in 2002, a few miles from where were sitting. Last fiscal year that number was a little over 1,100.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: Thats pretty remarkable for a city this size. And 15k are still brought into the shelters. So
you can see how many either got adopted out, pulled by other smaller rescues, or re-homed. Thats an
exorbitant amount of success. So the stray dog population is, but again it takes a lot of work to keep
that going, because at any point you could start going backwards if you dont keep focusing. But yeah,
so the stray dog population in Jacksonville, I mean I think from the outside world, Jacksonville is known
as a humane city.
Interviewer: Okay. Humane city.
Nicole Brose: Weve actually worked a little bit with Savannah on some consulting on best practices. So
weve had our folks that we work with, and Rick our founder going to other cities and actually share how
we did it in Jacksonville. Hes a national speaker at conferences. He was just in New Orleans a couple of
weeks ago helping those folks. Just literally sharing how to do this and control that stray dog
population. So we really feel like Jacksonville is a model city.
Interviewer: Okay. Model city, I like that. So I do kind of know a little bit about this but I still want to
hear it from you, is how does this organization interact with the other organizations that help to manage
the stray dog population?
Nicole Brose: Were a team. Theres not a day that goes by that were not in touch with the Jacksonville
Humane Society or Animal Care and Protective Services. We partner closely with both groups. Our Tails
program pulls animals from Animal Care and Protective Services weekly. We promote their events,
everyone helps with, even though were still all trying to raise money, the city shelter not so much, but
they have their own foundation thats run by citizens that try to raise money , we still promote their
Nicole Brose: So I think Rick was able to learn from his mentors, Gregory Castle at Best Friends Animals
Society is a mentor to Rick. So he was able to also educate him and kind of guide him to how to do
things. So I think because Rick is tenacious attitude and had working. Just kind of dig in there and
research it first, act second, I think that we, and again Im kind of speaking out of term, but I dont think
a lot has been tried that didnt work because Rick has had amazing mentors.
Interviewer: Okay. So move around.
Nicole Brose: And that goes with the mindset its okay to get mentors and guidance and help and ask
questions and because no one has all the answers, and why try to reinvent the wheel, right?
Interviewer: Mhmmm.
Nicole Brose: Let us give you our roadmap and follow it and have Rick help you with questions. Like
that to me, and I think the nation is doing that a lot. Because there are a lot of great cities. Austin,
Texas is a great city with the no-kill movement. Portland, Oregon. Gosh, even New York City is doing
really well. You know a lot of good cities that are making this Kansas City came from really bad
situations to really good. San Diego. You know there are cities that have figured this out and it just
takes following what worked and didnt in the past and you know doing your homework. And I think
Rick and those other folks leading their cities really just figured it out and used each other for guidance
and mentorship.
Interviewer: Okay. I have one more question. If you could have your organization partner up with
another organization in Jacksonville in order to fulfill your mission more effectively, what would that
organization be, and why?
Nicole Brose: Gosh you know what we wouldnt have to do that because were already a team.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: You know I think if we partnered with the Jacksonville Humane Society and merged into
one I still think we would focus on adopting animals and vice-versa. I think the groups work really well
being separate groups but just having each others back. So in Jacksonville I would say it works.
Interviewer: Okay.
Nicole Brose: Dont fix it, were not broken. Some cities I would probably say that they probably either
have to merge some efforts, right. So you have to look at that really closely. Because, you know
donation dollars are limited. Especially during a recession, right. In 2007 and 2008 there was a
recession. We were able to grow during that time and many groups either went away or did have to
merge with someone else. If we ever start going, you know, where we cant keep above water then yes
I think talking to another group about merging because again, the key to this stray dog problem in the
world, you have to have high volume spay and neuter, low-cost, free. You have to. You have to have a
great adoption agency. You have to. Someone who is innovative, they know how to adopt out animals
and do it quickly and effectively, and where theres no or very few returns. You have to have a city
shelter that takes them all in and doesnt euthanize them upon entry. You have to have a city shelter
that also is progressive and does adoptions and has trainers and really focuses on the quality of what
happens to those animals once they enter. So if you have those three groups then you dont have to
merge because you all have your niche. But some cities I will say have to look at it closely and
foundations events. We feel like because were a team and were collaborative, the community trusts
us more, and trusts us with their money more.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Nicole Brose: Because were not, were very transparent. We have our audits and our 9-90s on our
website as do our other partners. Were just a very, they can come in anytime and tour if they want. I
think because of that reason, community members step up and support us more.
Interviewer: Okay. Gotcha.
Nicole Brose: Not one group can end this problem of killing of animals in shelters. Its a team, and
nationally every city has to do what we do. Partner and team or its never going to work, and we know
that for a fact.
Interviewer: So as a team, has there ever been any issues that youve had to work through with those
organizations?
Nicole Brose: You know what, I think, and Rick our founder meets with the founder of JHS and ACPS and
they literally meet weekly and just talk and share the data and the stats, and I can only imagine that it
hasnt always been everyone completely agreeing about everything. I have a feeling and Im guessing
there are probably things theyve worked through as a team. But those three leaders made it look to
folks on the outside, super seamless and that we were all on the same page. I wasnt in those meetings
with those three when they sat down and said okay heres what were going to do, and heres our stats,
and heres what we need. When they bring in folks like us, which, you know I do development, its
these are our goals and this is how were going to make it happen and this is what everyone needs to be
doing. Thats all been very seamless and very smooth really.
Interviewer: Okay, okay.
Nicole Brose: I mean and I work with the Jacksonvilles Humane Societys Development Director on
Hey were doing this event, can we have a booth and theyre like yes, and were like yay you guys. So
yeah were always kind of
Interviewer: Is that Dianne?
Nicole Brose: No, Dianne was the Development Director at First Coast, now shes the operations
director at JHS. Amy is their Development Director. So we do the same role, and so we can, you know,
we pick each others ear for advice, and we can really be a team. At the end of the day we have our
funds we have to raise separately and we do, but we also, if someone called me and said hey, I want to
give money to an adoption program, I would give them her information, and we have done that before.
Because we are not a shelter, although we do have special cases that were trying to find homes for
frequently. We dont say that were a shelter, we dont want to be a shelter. They do that really well,
theyre good at it. Let us do what were really good at which is the spay and neuter and the low-cost vet
care. You know, let us do that and let us host Mega Adoption events to invite the other groups too. Let
us be the conduit to helping get animals adopted, but we dont want that to be our sole focus because
that has to be your sole focus when you have hundreds of animals in your care every day. That has to
be your focus. So we just, yeah we dont ever claim to be a shelter.
determine that first and foremost, and then determine whos doing what. Whos focusing on what? A
lot of groups try to focus on everything. Its really hard to do that, right. Its a costly job. So I think
Jacksonvilles model works very well. In five years if were talking would I be saying that? I dont know,
maybe a merge makes sense. Again, thats speculation.
Interviewer: Okay. Well, thats a lot of information. Thank you very much I really appreciate it.
Nicole Brose: Youre welcome.
Interviewer: Yeah, you did great.
Nicole Brose: Yeah, thanks for caring about this topic.
Interviewer: Youre very welcome too.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Why do you believe there is such a large stray dog population in Jacksonville?
Dianne: Here at JHS we brought in a little more over 2,400 strays just here. So thats in a calendar year.
So yes it is a huge problem. Animals get loose and become a stray for a variety of reason. Sometimes
its no fault of the owner. You know, weve had a lot of stories where someone was babysitting them
and the dog escapes because theyre missing their family.
Interviewer: Ive had that happen to me.
Dianne: Yeah. Thats happens lots. Just because an animals has gone astray doesnt mean its a bad
owner. Yeah it is a problem. I think its a combination of things, but I think if everybody spayed and
neutered their pets wed have much less strays.
Dianne: Yeah Ill try to stay away from that because thats a whole other process where we take care of
stray cats, and theyre not euthanized.
Dianne: Lack of spay and neuter. With pet owners, lack of education on the importance of spay and
neuter which all three organizations in our town are very passionate about. Currently in our hospital
our policy is well treat your animal once, schedule your spay and neuter surgery otherwise you cant
use our services. So how passionate we are about the importance of spay and neuter. Of course here
are very reputable breeders and we dont have any beef with them, but if youre going to have a pet
theres no reason not to spay and neuter. You know when that animal is going to get loose, get out.
Males will travel five miles to go find a female. So, I mean it happens animals get loose during fireworks,
or when the bug man comes and leave the Oh my animal stays inside I dont need to do it. You just
never know, you know if the childs going to leave the door open, or if they get spooked. So, Ive
certainly had my animals escape and theyve gotten back in a couple of minutes, but they could get
loose so its every important to have all your animals spay and neutered.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: Another, some people with the economy, and some people have fallen on hard times, some
people use drastic measures and will dump stays in parks and things like that. I just had that happen to
me last week. I was walking my three dogs and then somebody did it right in front of me
Interviewer: Really?
Dianne: good for that dog because I got to catch him. So people sometimes view a shelter system as
not a good place for an animal to go. Which view it that way as well because the last place we want
animals to go to is a shelter, but its much better than dumping them where they can get hit by cars and
things like that. So some people still have that stigma that shelters kill animals and you know, I dont
want this animal to die, its better and Im desperate and I cant take care of it. Ill just dump it and hope
for the best, some good Samaritan finds it.
Interviewer: Thats really interesting
Dianne: Yeah.
Interviewer: that to me that some people think that thats better.
Dianne: Right, right. And of course a lot of people here in Jacksonville, we are no-kill as of this year,
dont understand how hard we try to find homes for animals and all healthy animals are making it out of
the shelters alive. You know currently, so as long as the community keeps supporting us, spay and
neuter keeps happening, adoption keeps happening, were not killing adoptable animals.
Interviewer: Okay. So that relates again to this. What are some of the currently used practices used to
reduce the stray dog populations?
Dianne: Okay, number one, we do a program here to give pet owners resources because again, like I
said, sometimes animals become strays because owners become desperate. Hard times, lost jobs,
deaths, illness, and they dont want to take them to the shelter, or maybe they give it to somebody and
that person dumps it. I mean who knows, I mean we like to think that all people are good, but there are
some bad people out there. Okay I lost my train of thought on where I was going with that. Oh, our Pet
Safety Net program which is our animal missions for if you found a stray you can come to us youd go to
that office. We do everything we can to keep that animal out of the shelter. Now if you found a stray
wed be like, hey can you keep it. Wed put it on the community page, lost and found page, hang up
signs everywhere. Can you foster it? Because we really feel the worst places for them to be basically in
jail in a shelter, although we take very good care of our animals, give them good enrichment, that animal
would be much more comfortable in your home.
Interviewer: Funding form our city. Okay, that good stuff. Do you believe the community is aware of
the stray dog population as an issue?
Interviewer: So we know what you do sort of now. What do you or this institution want to be doing to
reduce the stray dog population that its not currently doing?
Dianne: We certainly dont and I dont think First Coast does yet, and Animal Control, they used to have
a staff member that used to go out and about, but I think its on an as needed basis like if a school calls
only if you have staff that can do it, and if not you have to say no.
Dianne: More officers in the street to get them off the streets so that theyre not a stray anymore.
Thats one thing that is lacking, which is unfortunate because the non-profits are picking up the slack,
which puts restraints on what we do here. Like we need to build a new shelter. Right now we currently
are funding three employees over at Animal Care and Protective Services to help with behavior dogs and
Dianne: Mhmm community service hours which helps our bottom line you know, because they help
clean kennels and theyve got to do their hours and what not, and I dont have the volunteer hours but I
could get that for you, its incredible.
Interviewer: Its just basically how more efficient or how much support you can get for those things.
Dianne: Right, right. And community buy-in too you know, were really at the point now where its like
you said weve got to get in with the community and educate, spay and neuter, do all these things.
Dianne: BestFriends.org.
Interviewer: Which is the nature of the coalition I guess to make sure youre working together.
Dianne: 856.
Dianne: Yes, we do about 18,000 hours a year of community service which if you get in trouble you can
come here and help the animals.
Dianne: And sometimes people are like oh its kind of just like a factory. People are going to get pets
from somewhere so why not make it from a shelter.
Dianne: No, I think their formula is the same. You know its all these things weve been talking about,
over and over again, the spay and neuter, its pet safety net, its having the resources.
Dianne: So less than 1700 euthanasia per year or 90% live release rate. Were at 91.65% and we only
between ACPS and us only euthanized 856 animals this year, for the whole year.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: So from other cities, do you know of anything theyre doing anything particularly different
than you, other than Jacksonville is to support their success?
Dianne: Yeah, Im not so up on their stats but I can rattle off some just going from conference, Austin.
L.A. is not quite there yet but thats a humongous city and theyre doing amazing things there. You can
look up for that NKLA through Best Friends, theres a big campaign going on no-kill L.A. Best Friends is
running that. You can get a lot of information on who is doing what on Best Friends.
Dianne: And why not make it easy, why not make it low-cost.
Interviewer: Cool, thats a positive. Now you kind of said this is a model, but could you think of any
other cities that have been more successful at keeping their population in check?
Dianne: Huge.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: Most people dont pay for pets if you think about it. Oh, Ive got my friends dog puppy. Come
on in. Hi
Interviewer: So the mega-adoption events, you believe those are a big success?
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: I think that average is around, and you could google this and find the exact numbers, but just to
give you basic stats I think its around $8 per resident. We only pay our taxes for animal control, were
only paying about $3. So we have I think approximately, when you talk to Jen too she could probably
give you these stats, Nicki is the chief and she went through the process with us, lets see how we only
have twelve officers, were the biggest city in the country mile-wise and we only have twelve ACL
officers. So a lot of calls go unanswered, but its prioritized by, is it a danger to the community, is it a
rabid dog, not rabies, but at dog thats feral, tormenting kids riding bike or something like that. They will
have to prioritize their phone calls. I get a lot of calls were Ive called AC and they wont come check on
this dog thats been chained in the backyard and doesnt have food and water. Well, they have to
prioritize and its no fault of their own. Because these guys work hard and work every day of the week.
But theres just no enough funding for animal care. Thats one thing were lacking in this city, is funding
from our city.
Dianne: Right only assist people that need to surrender their animals or just need help with their
animals. Of course we have a community hospital that has low cost vet care and they have programs
too if somebody comes in and gosh their dog got hit by a car and they have no money, and we have
funding and resources to help them so they can keep their animals. And if its something where theyre
not going to be able to continue to keep that animal and take care of that animal, then of course we
would take it in and find that animal a new home. In which some people have to go to that. How else
do we interact, of course we have a huge volunteer program.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: And do you guys have a specific education program. Like is it called something, or is it
just
Dianne: And we had 237 here and all of ours, were a no-kill facility here, so all of ours are, and we pull
out all the stops. If its medical we try to find if its a hospice situation, if it just needs to be comfortable
we do hospice. Adoptions, behavior, weve got two behavioral staff, thats who I was talking about
when we were up front, on staff work with our behavior dogs and give them protocols, our volunteers
are trained to work with these dogs to make them adoptable. And there are times where theyre
dangerous dogs and you cant put them, whatever happened to them in their past life, whatever
humans did to them
Dianne: Yes, we announced it in September. That was our physical year and then of course we ended
with the calendar year of a live-release rate of 91.65%...
Dianne: I think here in Jacksonville we are a model for the entire country. I get calls weekly. Call ins
where theyll call and pick our brain on how we achieved no-kill and how our stats are so good. It really
is no one organization could have done this by themselves. Its all of us working so well together. And a
lot of organizations, there will be your non-profit rescue group and then your animal control, and your
animal control is forced to euthanize the animals because once you run out of space and you dont have
a space for that animal you have to make a decision. Its not their fault, its the communitys problem.
You need to fix your community before you can literally fix the problem. So a lot of times those groups
will but heads, and these guys are youre getting in our way, and you know and it was like that here
years ago, but ever since we formed the coalition and were all working together. We dont always
agree with each other, but were respectful of each other and whatever it takes to save all the adoptable
animals, thats what we do.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: shaking hands and saying were all going to work together. So Ive watched it form its just
kind of morphed over the years just because we see it working, you know. And I dont think theres any
city in the country that works as well as we all do. I go to conferences all over the country and people
ask how do you do that, you know this guys such a jerk, and they dont let us do this, and they dont let
volunteers in. Somebody has to bow down and take away the pride, and Im right and youre wrong,
and do whats right for the animals and thats what weve done here.
Interviewer: Yeah, for like is there a spay and neuter programs or the Pet Safety Net programs, can you
think of anything?
Interviewer: Its kind of what I assumed what the situation was but I just obviously wanted to verify
with the people that know better.
Dianne: Because most people want to keep their pet and they just dont have the resources to do so.
You know, such as moving and trying to find a place that will take your big dog or board them up to a
month, you now things like that. Educating the community, you know that were here to help them so
they dont take drastic measures like dumping dogs.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Yeah, thats kind of, its basically Im just wondering if you think it means anything else.
Dianne: Well I think fully under control would be that there arent any, but we certainly do have quite a
few strays. I was just going over stats this morning, between JHS and ACPS we brought in 10,541 strays,
thats cats and dogs included.
Interviewer: When you say no-kill, you mean your organization or you mean in general.
Interviewer: Okay. Do you know of any possible shortcomings or errors in your, in those programs that
you are a part of, noticeable errors?
Dianne: I dont know if Im understanding the question correctly, but I see more stays of course in
underserved neighborhoods, those that have larger stray populations
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: On our surrenders, well give them resources. Oh, I cant afford to feed him anymore, hes got
this medical condition. So well use resources to you know, fix the medical condition, give them pet food
so that they can keep their pet.
Dianne: No, no, we dont really have a program but we do do outreach. We have our volunteers
trained to know which takes it out to a community, of course on social media.
Dianne: Everything we do is for our mission to stay no-kill. And its not just to say that were no-kill,
that means were not killing adoptable animals.
Dianne: So more outreach to the community, you know different groups all the way from senior centers
down to preschool. You know just educating everybody.
Dianne: I dont think fully. I think we have a huge animal welfare community here and of course were
all aware and were all volunteers and are the people that are passionate about animal welfare, but I
definitely think the media could do a better job to educate. And we try to get those in a couple times a
year, do stories on spay and neuter and what programs are available and of course usually when we get
on the news is when we all fill up and there is an emergency, and of course then we put that message in
there. But I think it kind of gets shadowed by the emergency of get these animals out of here. But what
do we do to keep them from coming in in the first place. You know, so Id like to see more of that.
More education in our schools which all takes money and staff and we just dont have, none of us have
dedicated staff for that. We do it on occasion when were invited and what not to go into schools .So
our groups do that, but theres no organized education program. Especially for our schools because
these are the people that are going to take over our jobs.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: So that kind of leads into this next one which is do you believe that the stray dog
population is under control?
training and play group, and one in animal admissions during that Pet Safety Net. Instead of just people
end up bringing their dogs, they take them, they follow up and then they have to make hard decisions.
We have Pet Safety Net over at Animal Care as well. Oh you found a stray dog, hey would you be willing
to foster it? Well give you some food, well vaccinate it, you keep it til the next regular adoption event
or here are some ways you can try to help find it a home. So we have that counselor there that councils
people and that reduces the euthanization rate by a lot, because it keeps a lot of animals out of the
shelter, which is a good thing. But I think the funding for animal control is way, way below our state
average.
Dianne: Yeah, its kind of very, we dont get paid by the same people but its very blurred, like if I asked
Joan to do something she knows shes mostly expected to help me, and if she asked me I would be
expected to help her and if we dont then were going to have to answer to our Executive Directors who
helped charged us to all work together and help each other and unless we cant..
Dianne: And it makes a better community whether you love animals or not. I mean who wants stray
animals running around your yard, marking and scratching and pooing and peeing and what not. It
makes a better safer community to have less animals.
Interviewer: Okay. Can you think of any incentives that would make a person want to help with
reducing the population?
Dianne: Like I just said living in a better community, a safer community. It saves tax dollars. You know
taking care of animals at animal control, we all pay for that. So the less animals that go to animal
control the less money they need. And currently like I said theyre on a shoestring budget and dont
have the money that they need. But if the community would do more to reduce the pet population,
they could probably stay with the same budget because theyve have less animals to take care of.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: Its not like we have a logo, the Jacksonville coalition, its First Coast No More Homeless Pets, us
and Animal Care and Protective Services and of course we do partner with other rescue groups. Not all
of us are on the same page but we all work together.
Interviewer: What hurdles, either legal or community based make reduction of the stray dog population
difficult?
Interviewer: Okay. Since I know its a coalition now, its a greater organization, has there ever been any
issues that youve had to work through with these organizations?
Dianne: I think its all about money, I dont know legally if theres a whole lot. We rewrote our animal
ordinance back in 2010 I believe. So we have a really good animal ordinance. We wanted it to be a little
more stronger than what it ended up being but you know, restrictions on breeders and breeding
certificates. You know, chaining laws have been changed and a lot of things like that. So legally I think
we have all the laws and animal ordinance, its having the people to enforce the laws.
Interviewer: Okay. Does the large stray dog population indicate or lead to anything else besides
medical and monetary issues?
Interviewer: An agreement.
Sometimes they have more funding, sometimes they have less, sometimes theyre doing it a little bit
different but the core idea is about the same.
Interviewer: Would you say its really supported by the culture or attitude of the city itself, the
population as
Dianne: Well somebody has to be a leader and take charge and set the forth.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: I really view Rick as one of those leaders form First Coast No More Homeless Pets who started
the huge spay and neuter programs. And again, the resources we have here in Jacksonville, we have the
largest spay and neuter clinic in the country so it helps.
Interviewer: Here, or is it?
Dianne: First Coast
Interviewer: Oh, really.
Dianne: I dont know and just kind of with the coalition, me moving from there to here, Rick came to me
and said we think youd be good over there. And Denise kind of asked for my hand, but then he said
yeah I think this is really going to help the coalition and she was willing to let me go. Of course my
feelings were hurt.
Interviewer: You know.
Dianne: I could show you stats all day long. Yeah, we have our Pet Play database. So certainly any stats
that you would like just tell me and I can send you Excel docs and what have you and if you just need
numbers jotted down, were very open with our stats, but our stats are actually posted on our website
as well. And you can go on there, I think its about us, www.jacksonvillehumane.org and its under the
about us and theres chapter statistics posted there.
Interviewer: Okay..
Dianne: I think Dianna is getting ready to post the December ones and its pretty up to date there.
Interviewer: Is there any actions that are taken if you guys dont meet your expectations?
Dianne: Of course we review them and see what else we need to do. We watch our stats very closely
and you know the ebbs and flows and when high seasons and what not and we adjust staffing and
programs to do that. Each mega-adoption is strategically planned, its not like we just oh lets do it in
April, while we knew in May of the year before that, thats why we added it well because in May of that
year we had to euthanize 56 dogs that could have been adopted, thats why we did that.
Interviewer: 2,583 animals a year. Thats a lot. This one is about those other cities again just in case
you know more about them
Dianne: Now I dont have the details on other cities but I think that Best Friends would be a good
resource for you because their satellite cities, other cities that theyve helped as well, but you can
google no-kill cities and kind of see what theyre doing. I would assume when I go out and look or if I go
to a conference and I hear somebody speak from Austin or theyre doing the same things we are.
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Dianne: Right, right. So we cant do it and it costs a lot of money. I dont know if that answered your
question.
Interviewer: I have one more question, and its, does this organization measure its success? Does it
have a way of measuring its success?
Dianne: We did a total of 2,583 transfers from Animal Care to location. Since we are a no-kill and we do
have a little bit more resources than they do because of funding, behavior wise and training wise. So
thats another huge key in becoming no-kill.
Interviewer: It makes sense to me. What hurdles, either legal or community opinion make reduction of
the stray dog population more difficult?
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: Right, it always And people think that non-profits are always asking for money and theyre all
about the money, yes we are all about the money because without the money we cant do it.
Interviewer: Yes. I kind of know some of his but Id like to hear it from you. How does this organization
interact with other organizations that help to manage the stray dog population?
Dianne: sometimes you do have to day no, but rarely do we have to say no to each other.
Dianne: And another thing, we transfer animals from Animal Care and Animal Protective services every
week here.
Dianne: Its something around $250 or something a dog comes in as a stray, it gets vaccinated, it gets
spayed and neutered and we feed water and house it, its like $300. And unfortunately if we do fill up
then hard decisions have to be made, you know like euthanizing, disposing of the body, taxpayers are
paying for all that. Me as a taxpayer, of course Im an animal lover, but I dont know too many taxpayers
that want to pay for killing animals. You know, wouldnt they rather pay for prevention?
Interviewer: Be successful.
Interviewer: Okay.
Dianne: Now is it because they dont know theres low-cost options for spay and neuter, is it because
they dont have adequate fencing, is it because lack of education. I think its all of those things
combined in lower income neighborhoods. And programs are being developed and First Coast is
touching on it and Nicole will tell you about that. You might just want to chat on the side and ask Nicole
about Pets For Life. They were doing that program, theres no funding for it, but I think they still do
some of it where they actually go into underserved neighborhoods knocking on doors hey I see you have
an unneutered dog in your yard thats on a chain, can we help you with the funds, get it spayed and
neutered. I see he's got demodex mange, can we get you some medical help and things like that. So if
funding was unlimited we could fix the problem right here, you know.
Interviewer: Okay. Well thats actually all the planned questions I had.
would help reduce the population, things like that. We are also, and this isnt stray dog, but its any dog,
were trying to reduce the number of dog turn-ins to the shelters by providing training, mobile
training.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jennifer: where we go, we have reporting from Animal Care and from Clay County of the largest zip
codes with owner turn-ins and were going to focus on those zip codes and go out into those
communities and offer free training.
Jennifer: Well, I would like to get out there more in mainstream media. Id like to do some PSAs, but
PSAs that actually are not running at 2 oclock in the morning, better where people area actually
watching the television and things like that to get the word out so that people understand what the
problem is and how they can help. Because I think if enough people knew about it, it wouldnt be as big
of an issue.
Interviewer: Excellent.
Jennifer: Sort of. We got grant funding from Best Friends Animal Society and from Animal Friend
Foundation, but were partnering with Animal Care and also Clay County. Were also partnering with Jax
Human, First Coast No More Homeless Pets. So were all in it together.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Jennifer: And I think that is one thing thats really helped animals as a whole here, is that we dont work
against each other, we work together.
Interviewer: Together. Can you think of any errors or shortcomings in your current practices, the
current stray dog reduction practices?
Jennifer: Well I mean I think the biggest issues like I said is theres too many dogs and not enough
people helping.
Jennifer: Well, I think part of the issue is responsibility, right. So a lot of people view dogs and animals
as possessions, and not as family members. So if something doesnt work out theyre really quick to let
the dog out in the middle of the road or drop it at a kill shelter. And I think we have to do a better job
educating people on the issues, and you know if you see a dog running down the street as well, dont
turn the other way, try to help the dog. So I think education, which Animal Care does a good job.
Theyve been in the media a lot. Whereas two years ago youd never hear a story about the shelter
being over-crowded, now you hear it a lot. So I think the partnership with the media has helped. And I
think there are a lot of good Samaritans out there that will try to help, but theres just too many dogs
and not enough people I think.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Jennifer: So when we get emails about people that find dogs on the side of the road, we dont just say
we cant take them. We offer them solutions. We say hey check for a microchip. We try to help with
reuniting the dog if they lost their family. And we also educate on the overpopulation issue. Right, so
spay and neuter which Im sure First Coast has already talked to you about. Thats a big issue. That
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Jennifer: and they donate PSA digital billboard space. So well have that running for a month. So we
try to, and were at events too, right. So well be at the Saint Francis Chariots of Fire. We have adoption
events every month. So we do fundraising events. So were out and about as much as we can be.
animals we do the introduction with our dog and the other animals. And then we have an adoption
agreement thats signed by both parties basically stating theyll take good care of the dog. If anything
happens for any reason and theyre not able to keep the dog they are to contact us first. Theyre not
allowed to drop them off at the shelter, theyre not allowed to sell them, theyre not allowed to, you
know, any animal cruelty all thats covered in the agreement.
help people that find these dogs. Like, you know, give them resources. I wish we had more funding that
we could say hey, take the dog to the vet, well pay for vet care if you keep the dog, things like that.
Interviewer: Okay. So youve mentioned that youre going to do that mobile training, which I think is an
excellent idea. But can you think of anything else that your institution wants to be doing to reduce the
stray dog population that its not currently doing?
Jennifer: And people are, some people are very naive and they think they can send an e-mail to us and
right away well take the dog in, but what they dont know is we have forty dogs already and no facility,
and thats the 20th e-mail that weve gotten that day.
Interviewer: You dont have a facility?
Jennifer: No, we have no physical facility.
Interviewer: Its just foster homes?
Jennifer: So, you know, thats one. And then the other is we just, were all volunteers, right. So we
work fulltime, we have families, and we run the organization. I wish we could spend more time trying to
Interviewer: Okay.
Jennifer: And then we charge an adoption fee as well.
Interviewer: So you go to the Mega Adoption events as well?
Jennifer: No.
Interviewer: No?
Jennifer: We did in the beginning. The reason why we dont go is the Mega Events are on-site
adoptions, meaning you adopt the dog to that person right there. You dont get to go to their home,
you dont get to do introductions. We dont, thats not our practice.
Jennifer: But you talk to community, I cant tell you how many people say, so well yeah the shelters
animal as the Humane Society, the city shelter, no its not. So I mean even that is confusion, theres a
lot of confusion. So theyre not aware of the issues, and theyre not aware of the resources out there to
help people.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: So are there any efforts, public efforts made to make the citizens more aware currently.
Interviewer: How does your organization interact with other organizations that help to manage the
stray dog population?
Jennifer: So we have a Facebook page with over 22,000 followers. Thats our biggest interaction. But
we also, you know, were on the social media, Instagram, Pinterest, not Linkedin all that good stuff. But
we also have a website where we have Contact Us forms. So we have people e-mailing us, we have
people finding out our phone numbers and calling us. We have other organizations that reach out to us
for help, like Animal Care if they have a particular dog that needs help.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jennifer: Yeah, I mean theres, you know, theres flyers that go out, theres pamphlets. Im not talking
about my organization, but overall. And you know we try to go to the shelter and encourage people to
come down and help and things like that, but its not near what it needs to be.
Interviewer: Okay, okay. Could you think of any incentives that would make a person want to help with
reducing the stray dog population?
Jennifer: I think if they were provided vet care, like free vet care, and maybe some tools, So like the
training. You know a lot of times people wont keep a dog they found off the street because theyre not
potty trained or theyre chewing everything or they dont know how to introduce them to their dog. So I
think if we told people about the issue at a broader level and we offered resources to help, more
resources I should say because there are low cost vet care, right. But I think that that would definitely
put a dent in it.
what dogs we take in. We make sure we temperament test dogs before we take them. We dont want
a dangerous dog regardless of whether its a pit-bull or Chihuahua or a lab or whatever, we dont want a
dangerous dogs in our organization. Weve also aligned ourselves with some experts in the field that are
well respected. But the big thing is a lot of the dogs that weve rescued have been really sick, and weve
been able to get them, nurse them back to health, and that goes a long way. If people share, and we
rescue from our local shelters. Have we taken a dog from Fort Lauderdale? Yeah. Have we taken a dog
from Miami? Yeah. But 99% of the dogs we take are from right here, because we want to help our
community first and foremost.
Interviewer: Okay. Has there been any practices or processes that your organization used in the past
that its not currently using right now.
Jennifer: Were a lot more careful with our foster application and foster process. What weve learned
is, even if we tell people dont do this or dont do that, they still think they know better. And its cost us
money as a result. So weve added some language on our application that says if you dont follow our
directions, and theres some kind of financial implication, youre responsible.
Interviewer: Responsibility.
Jennifer: And we talk to them more about it and say look, were telling you this because we know what
were doing
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Interviewer: Alright.
Jennifer: So, were not saying its a bad idea, it just doesnt go with how we do adoptions.
Jennifer: Yes.
Interviewer: Operate.
Jennifer: Yeah.
Jennifer: So the first step is somebody fills out an adoption application that we have on our website,
you can find it there. And then it comes to us, we look at the application, we ask any questions. So for
example if theres any other animals in the house, we ask if theyre spayed or neutered. We ask for the
vet information. We ask where the dog will be. We ask if theyre outside, what kind of shelter is
provided. Questions that will help us understand whether the person intends to have a family dog or a
resident dog.
Interviewer: Thats fine. Are any of your organizations regular activities reliant upon or heavily
influenced by another organization?
Interviewer: Yeah, this is good. One more question. So if you could have your organization partner up
with another organization in Jacksonville in order to fulfill your mission more effectively, what would
that organization be, and why?
Jennifer: so in three years were over 22,000, soon to be 23,000. I think that the main reason that
weve developed and grown is were very responsible about our organization. We are careful about
Interviewer: Alright.
Jennifer: It just goes to show that you cant please everyone all the time, right. And thats with any big
group of people. Especially a group of people thats very passionate like we are.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jennifer: Well, you know, its like with anything when you get a big group of people, everybody has their
own opinion. And so sometimes you have to decide that a direction that were going that might not be
popular with everybody, but if at least you explain you know your rational, and still keep everybody in
the loop then it works out.
Jennifer: And the other thing, sorry, one with hurdles is cultural, when it comes to opinions on spaying
and neutering dogs.
Interviewer: So you dont use that, you created that process because of the
Interviewer: Okay, alright. Has there been any issues that youve had to work through with those
organizations.
Jennifer: No. Theres a small subset of animal lovers that are aware.
Jennifer: Yes.
Jennifer: And then we do our due diligence, right. Well look at the address thats given to make sure
its owned by the person that says they own it. If its a landlord, we call the landlord and say hey, do
you approve of this person having this dog. If its, the vet, if theres a vet listed we call and make sure
the animals are well taken care of. Thats all done before we even set up a day or time for the family to
meet the dog. And then we bring the family to the home, we do a home visit. And if there are other
Interviewer: Okay. Does the current size of the stray dog population indicate or lead to anything about
Jacksonville? So you already stated a lack of knowledge, but does indicate anything else about..?
Jennifer: And well come and help as well. So its a very cohesive environment.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Okay. How has your organization, you said youve only been around for three years, so
how has your organization developed and grown over the past three years.
Jennifer: The community, because the community doesnt know about it, its not an important issue
with the people that are running the county. Right, so like I said, animal welfare is one of the first to go
when there are budget cuts, because people dont realize. If they knew about the problem they could
put pressure on city council members and say look, this needs to be a priority, you cant just cut. You
know, I think thats a big, big issue.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Interviewer: Okay. Nice. What hurdles, either legal or community opinion make reduction of the stray
dog population difficult?
Jennifer: So were very open, and we try to include the bigger organizations so that, you know, one,
they can speak to it if theyre asked, right. So theyre all going to hand out marketing material for us,
but they wouldnt do it if they didnt understand how it works.
Interviewer: Do you believe the community is aware of the stray dog population as an issue?
Jennifer: So, in the beginning when we did, the only way we did it is we had an agreement with First
Coast that we would come, but that we would do home visits that day. So we ended up doing like 20
home visits in one day.
Jennifer: Not really. I mean we do look at whats going on in other organizations, but we kind of have
our own direction that we go in, and weve stayed the course.
Jennifer: And again, overpopulation is a thing that even just the other day I got an e-mail from someone
wanting to adopt a puppy from us, but wanted to make sure the puppy wasnt fixed. And I took that
opportunity to say not only are our dogs fixed, but heres why.
Jennifer: We just started becoming known as a no-kill community, and thats good and its bad. Its
good because it helps us get funding from national organizations. We get, you know, Best Friends and
Petsmart to help us fund our Mega Adoption events and things like that that we wouldnt have. The bad
part about it is people have a misconception that if youre a no-kill community and you turn a dog into a
shelter, that dog is safe, and thats not the case. We still have a major issue here, you know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jennifer: Oh, thats a hard one because were already partnering with all the big organizations. The
thing I would say there is we mean, because we focus on pit-bulls and pit-bull mixes, we need an alliance
with animal lawyers, were fighting Saint Johns County right now because they dont want to allow pitbull and pit-bull mixes to be adopted, which is a direct violation of one of the Florida statutes. They
have told me, and thats what I was dealing with earlier, that the only way that theyll change it is if a
judge tells them to do it. As a non-profit, we dont have thousands of dollars sitting around to wage a
legal battle. So we need an alliance with some animal attorneys that are willing to work with us to help
stop stuff like this.
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Jennifer: A lot of people think, I dont want to do that to my dog. Or I want my dog to keep his
manhood. I mean you hear all kinds of things. So people need to know what the health issues are if
they dont fix, you know their temperament and things like that.
Jennifer: Well, to give you an example with our mobile training program, we set up an advisory
committee before we finalized all the training materials, and it was made up of First Coast No More
Homeless Pets, Jacksonville Humane Society, Animal Care and Control, Clay County Animal Control and a
K9 aggression expert. So we all got together and talked about what we wanted to do, and we looked to
the larger group for opinions, for suggestions, for input, and we all do that. You know because
somebody who runs Animal Control might have a much better idea than we do about how to address
certain issues.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Interviewer: Its kind of funny that it takes that level of passion in order to be an advocate.
Jennifer: Yeah.
Interviewer: So how does your organization interact with the general public?
Interviewer: Okay.
Jennifer: With training, were going to launch a YouTube channel with training videos, and a separate
Facebook page with ideas about different training to try to help people. Like a community board if you
will. You know and then with the training well have pamphlets, fliers. Well have a digital billboard that
comes out February 5th. That will be in four locations throughout the city talking about our training
program.
Interviewer: A digital billboard, you mean like the
Jennifer: Yeah the big, yeah its donated by Clear Channel. Its called Clearly Jacksonville, its a nonprofit
Interviewer: Nice.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jennifer: Thats what we need. That would help further our mission I think more than anything else.
Interviewer: Okay. Attorney, so legal assistance. Alright, anything else you can think?
Jennifer: No because I mean we already, weve got a good partnership with everybody else.
Interviewer: Alright, well that was it.
Jennifer: There you go, how about that.
Interviewer: That was good, that was good.
Jennifer: We zoomed right through it.
Interviewer: Thank you very much.
Jennifer: No problem.
Interviewer: Youve probably done a lot of good in that time too, right, I would imagine.
Jill: Yeah we raised about $315,000 for the shelter.
Interviewer: Okay, alright. So what these are, is theyre not just questions about your organization only,
Theyre questions about your questions about your opinions on the whole environment as it is right
now. So, Ill just start off with the first one which is, why do you believe there is such a large stray dog
population in Jacksonville?
Jill: Because people dont want to take responsibility for their pets or theyre uneducated on how to
take care of their pets.
Interviewer: Well, why do you think that theyre uneducated about it?
Jill: I dont think a lot of people realize the responsibility involved in caring for an animal and they give
up easily
Interviewer: They just give up easily.
Jill: and turn them loose or turn them into the shelter. Thats not always the case, there are certain
situations like my dog that I adopted from the shelter. She was turned in by her owner because he was
an elderly man, so I can kind of see in some instances
Interviewer: Why maybe he wasnt able to take care of it.
Jill: Yeah, he was kind of getting up there in age, and he didnt turn her loose on the street like some
people would. He actually took her to the shelter. So a lot of people just dont see owning a pet as the
same as other people. They dont maybe want the responsibility, maybe they dont have the financial
means, they dont have that connection to the animal. I dont really know all the answers, these are just
my opinions.
Interviewer: Thats what I want. Thats what I want.
Jill: If you can find out and let us know.
Interviewer: Of course. Do you believe that the stray dog population in Jacksonville is under control
currently?
Jill: I dont really have a comment on that because Im not in the shelter all the time. I do know that the
shelters get full quite a bit. So just based on posts that I see on Facebook and people trying to rehome
their dogs or people seeing animals on the street. I know the shelter does what they can but you
know
Interviewer: Okay.
Jill: I guess to really get to know for sure is to actually talk to the field officers that are actually out in the
field.
Interviewer: Okay, okay. Do you know, what are some currently used practices to reduce the stray dog
population in Jacksonville?
Jill: Yeah. And it wouldnt have to be an owner surrender, it could be with someone with a stray dog
that they found. Would they be willing to keep the dog if we helped, maybe they could keep the dog to
foster it or find it a home if we help financially kind of thing.
Jill: I know First Coast encourages spay and neuter, which is a very good thing.
Interviewer: I can imagine that would be really useful. A lot of people just cant afford their animals.
Jill: Right.
Jill: Thats probably the biggest thing. And they also try educate, they also offer free and low cost spay
and neuters. Theyre kind of the whole awareness and trying to focus on that very issue.
Interviewer: Do you believe that the community as a whole is aware of the stray dog population as an
issue?
Jill: No. Because so many people still dont know where the shelter is. And that was one of the main
reasons that we formed was to tell Jacksonville that we have a city animal shelter. A lot more people
know about it, but still if you ask five people in this room, I bet three would say no theyve never heard
of it.
Jill: No.
Interviewer: Like in any way, no funding or volunteers?
Jill: Yes. Really, why do you have a dog, I mean whats the purpose.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jill: I mean, true dog lovers understand why, but there are those that are like
Interviewer: Thats kind of more along the lines of making the person be more responsible about their
actions.
Jill: Right, and if youre not going to take responsibility then maybe you really shouldnt have a dog. I
mean thats, I hate to be so blunt but thats just the way. After doing this for so long you get tired
because its, it doesnt seem to ever stop.
Interviewer: Thats a great quote by the way, it doesnt seem to ever stop.
Jill: It doesnt. So, I mean, that is a good, where can all the animal welfare people and all the other
friends groups and volunteers put their focus to make it better.
Jill: No, our mission is to solely promote and fundraise for the city animal shelter where the city doesnt
have the funds to pay for certain medical costs then we kick in, we fund the entire heartworm program
at the shelter we pay for skin conditions where dogs or cats hit by cars
Interviewer: Do you know of any efforts that are, current efforts at least in order to educate the citizens
of Jacksonville? Besides your company or corporations, organizations goal.
Interviewer: Okay. What do you or your institution want to be doing more to reduce the stray dog
population that its not currently doing? If the sky was the limit and you had any choice at all, what
would you like to do?
Jill: Our organization actually has an education committee, and the volunteers kind of spearhead going
into schools and talking to the young children to kind of teach them humane education. And we have
educational booths at like the Riverside Arts Market, we have like the kids booth there. So were kind of
targeting the young generation.
Interviewer: So moving on from that So theres a lot of hurdles that you deal with, theres legal
hurdles and theres community opinion hurdles that are kind of in the way of stray dog population
reduction, such as the fact that dogs are the property of the person, its theirs. So that person cant
actually made to have them help fix it. Can you think of any other hurdles, like something like that, that
makes reduction so difficult? Like anything specific about Jacksonville that makes it even more difficult
to keep the population in check.
Jill: Personally, this isnt something that my organization, well Ill tell you what my organization is trying
to do. Theres an intake side to the city animal shelter thats where people turn in their animals. Thats
if you find a stray, people turn in strays on the intake side, people turn in their pets on the intake side.
We are trying to help financially on that side to help reduce the population at the shelter. So if an
owner surrender will be willing to keep their pet but they need the financial help maybe with food or vet
bill then we would help pay for that to keep the animal out of the shelter. Thats not necessarily the
stray population, but me personally I see maybe a new chapter in kind of paling up with the field officers
and so when they go out to visit these owners to keep them from becoming strays to begin with. Maybe
help educate on how we can help out in the field to keep the pets with their owners.
Jill: Just loving animals. I dont think a financial, I think you get into, run into problems.
Jill: I think responsible breeding. Not selling puppies at a flea market, having more regulations on
backyard breeders. No puppy stores, no puppy mill those are all bad. I dont think people realize when
they buy from a puppy store, the conditions where those animals came from.
Jill: Yeah, I think if you start, unless youre talking about maybe a person and thats all that they did.
Jill: Thats not something thats just a pipe dream I had. I havent had time to do that.
Interviewer: Im just thinking of anything that you could think that would make even a person that
doesnt even care that much to not release their dog this time. Besides like giving them money like you
said before to keep them, can you think of anything at all, like just a pipe dream? If no, then just a
person yelling at them.
Jill: No. Again, it goes back to education. They just see a cute puppy in a pet store, they dont realize
theres a whole back story there.
Interviewer: Population, thats fine. You know, money is always a restriction on everything, but it
doesnt mean theres not a quality solution somewhere just because you cant afford it right now.
Jill: Nobodys doing that currently that I know of. We have the name of the program if you want to
write it down for the intake window, its called the Pet Safety Net, and thats where we help
Interviewer: Pet Safety Net.
Interviewer: Theres some sad worn out breeding dog thats not really taken care of.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jill: Kept in a cage thats never been on ground. And that reminds me, the Sheriffs Department or the
police officers would be a good resource because theyre always driving the streets. And they very often,
I bet if you ask them, I have a few police officer friends, they very often see stray dogs running around. I
bet if we asked And very often they cant really do anything about it unless the dog is injured or bit
somebody.
Jill: Thats I guess where maybe talking to them and explaining to them.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: How does this organization, your organization, interact with the general public?
Jill: Yeah and then you have several rescue groups, its just an animal welfare coalitions. Loosely
termed.
Jill: So now the numbers are totally different. Its much better, much better.
Interviewer: Collaboration coalition group. Taskforce. So you said you dont know much about it but
Im going to ask anyways. Do you know of some differences in the culture or attitude of Jacksonville and
the culture and attitude of Austin, Texas towards their animals? You had mentioned earlier that a lot of
people just dont have responsibility here, is that a different scenario there that you know?
Jill: Yeah, I dont really know
Interviewer: Thats fine. I cant expect everyone to know this stuff you know.
Jill: Yeah, I dont.
Interviewer: How does your organization measure success?
Jill: The increased adoptions. Live-release rate. Because the dogs we help would be otherwise
euthanized.
Interviewer: Have you ever not met your success that you were expecting?
Jill: We exceed every year. 2014 was our best fundraising year ever.
Interviewer: Okay. Its the beginning of the year, so I have a question, what actions are taken if you
dont meet your expectations?
Jill: Weve never had that happen.
Interviewer: Thats awesome.
Jill: Probably equal to us or maybe a little more successful would probably be Austin.
Jill: Yeah.
Interviewer: Youve never had that happen. If you did have that happen, do you know how youd go
about handling, what the first steps to trying to turn that around?
Jill: Yeah. But Jacksonville is a model city for the entire United States.
Interviewer: Do you know why Austin is successful or as equal?
Jill: I think its because of an organization called Austin Parks and Wildlife. I dont really know too much
about it, I just heard that theyre kind of a model city too.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jill: But I think Jacksonville, were probably a close second if not ahead of them because of the good
working relationship between all of the animal welfare organizations. We dont complete, we
collaborate.
Interviewer: Thats good, collaboration is.
Jill: And that would be the Jacksonville Humane Society, First Coast No More Homeless Pets, the animal
care and protective services and then us working.
Jill: Well, I think, lets just pretend that our organization decided were tired, we cant do this anymore.
I think the shelter is a lot better off now than when it started. I think we would feel a little more
comfortable and there are other groups that are starting up that might take the reins. Because you
know when we started, the intake rate at the shelter was about 24-26k animals a year and maybe 3-4k
made it out alive. And thats when the shelter was located off McDuff, next to the dog track.
Interviewer: And this was in 2008?
Jill: Thats 2008 when I started volunteering at our city animal shelter.
Interviewer: And 4000, though?
Jill: Three to four thousand animals out total. All the rest were euthanized.
Interviewer: Thats amazing.
Jill: Thats what motivated me to do that.
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Interviewer: Hi Danielle.
Interviewer: Anywhere. Anytime that it occurs to you that you actually can remember.
Danielle: Hello.
Interviewer: Thank you for spending some time with me to go over this citizen interview form. Okay,
Im just going to jump right into the questions. Can you describe the last time you encountered a stray
dog?
Interviewer: When you, thinking back to a recent time when you encountered an owned dog, what did
you think to yourself and what emotions did you feel?
Danielle: Well, I love dogs so I guess I dont know if happy is the word but I like to pet it.
Interviewer: Okay.
Danielle: I like to interact with the dog, so I guess its happy.
Interviewer: I like to interact. Okay. So as theres definitely a difference between those two, you know
the reactions. Why do you think that you feel differently, or felt differently in both of those
experiences? Theyre basically the same animal, its just.
Danielle: I think because of the owned dog is in a controlled area with the owners, and so if the dog was
aggressive I would know, they would be able to warn me, whereas I dont have that safety with the dog
just on the streets.
Interviewer: No safety on the streets. Okay. Even if it is like a perfectly nice dog, you just cant know?
Danielle: You just never know.
Interviewer: Okay.
Danielle: It may be different too if I was walking versus if I was in the car.
Interviewer: Okay, why is that?
Danielle: I think if I was closer to it I may have you know been able to tell easier if it was trying to be
aggressive or shy, or if it came right up to me then I probably wouldnt be as nervous. If the dog comes
running up to me wagging its tail versus a dog thats skittish or looks lie its going to be aggressive.
Interviewer: Okay. Good. Moving right along. How do you feel about Jacksonvilles stray dog
population?
Danielle: I think theres too many dogs out there.
Interviewer: Okay. Anything else besides this?
Danielle: No, I just think theres so many stray dogs out there, and not enough help around the city, and
the people that do help are just so overwhelmed. Theyve been trying to bring it down or to find more
homes. I just think theres more dogs than there is possible help for them.
Interviewer: Do you think thats just kind of the nature of it or do you think its something that can be
changed? The fact that theres more dogs than people that want to help.
Danielle: I dont know because I see all those pet adoption, all the pet adoption days or weekends they
have, and everybody wants to go help dogs. But I wonder how many of those dogs end up back on the
streets because people dont think about them or dont realize how much time they take up or, I dont
know, I think people want to help but when it comes to actually doing it that they dont.
Interviewer: Okay, good. Can you name some local non-profit shelters and animal rescue agencies in
the area?
Interviewer: I think what youre trying to describe is romanticizing the concept rather than the actual
practice.
Danielle: I think I just know the big one then, First Coast No More Homeless Pets, and Im on a couple of
Facebook groups for lost pets. The Northeast Florida Pets, or I dont even know the names of them. The
Facebook groups, thats really about it.
Danielle: Something like that. I know I run into the same problem because whereas I want to help these
dogs, Im not in a position to do so. So all I can do is feel bad for them.
Interviewer: Okay. Good. Does the large stray dog population, does it indicate or lead to anything
about the community as a whole?
Danielle: Other than yeah that everybody wants to do go but never ever does anything. I think you find
that with other organizations Ive been part of where everybodys like oh yeah thats great, or when it
comes down to it I dont have time or the resources or they forget or And I think the people that want
to help, who really, really truly care about pets will help, but I dont think that is the general population.
Interviewer: Okay. Are you aware of how the city handles stray dogs?
Interviewer: Do you have any idea how any of these groups interact with each other.
Danielle: No.
Interviewer: Okay. Alright. Can you personally think of any incentives that would make you or other
people want to help with reducing the stray dog population?
Danielle: Any incentives.
Interviewer: Something that would actually make a person do something rather than just want to as
you described earlier.
Danielle: Im sure theres something but I wouldnt be able to think of what it is, because I think this is
one of those where that if they want to do it theyre going to do it anyways.
Danielle: I mean, I know for a dog to be on the loose or a nuisance dog, you have to like have like two
people notarize for them to come out to look for the dog. Which I have a problem with that because my
neighbors know that I called on them, like it gets published. They can look up who it is and I dont want
them to know that Im the one that called. Like, theres a dog in the neighborhood that just looks awful,
and Im afraid of it because its charged me and my dog before, but I dont want, you have to have two
people call for the same issue, and then on a separate issue, I know when a dog gets picked up, after
they scan it then you have like a week to claim your dog, but after that I dont know what their policies
are.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Okay.
Danielle: You know, its more of a feel good, and if theyre already wanting to help then
Danielle: But I know all that because when my dog got out I had
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Danielle: I had to figure it out. So its probably a little skewed because I had to deal with that situation
with my dog.
Interviewer: Alright.
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Danielle: Well Im thinking in my head like different incentives you could do, but if somebody doesnt
want to, its not like theyre earning points for a trip or
Interviewer: Yeah
Danielle: you know, this is more helping the stray animals I think is more of a make yourself feel good
kind of a feeling, you really want to help, and I dont think there would be anything that you could do.
Danielle: Other than maybe like high school or kids that would want to help, because theyre prize
incentives would be much cheaper. You wouldnt have to make it like so big, and then start them young
maybe.
Interviewer: Alright. This is the last question, its kind of heavy. What would be your reasoning for
having a stray dog euthanized?
Danielle: If it was sick.
Interviewer: Anything else?
Danielle: I guess maybe, I guess it would depend on the offenses. I mean if the dog was just so
aggressive, but I know there are so many different training techniques and people want to take dogs
that are naturally aggressive, so that one would be like a gray area. But it would depend on the type of
offenses the dog had committed and what type of aggression. But I know there are so many different
things you can do to help train a dog that I dont think that would even be a
Interviewer: Okay.
Danielle: All I can think of if the dog was just so sick that it couldnt be helped or it would be living its
life in pain after being rescued, or...yeah.
Interviewer: Well thats it. Thank you for your time.
Danielle: Youre welcome.
that I wanted the contact with and they didn't come when I called them. So, Animal Control eventually
was out looking for them and found them a few streets away
Interviewer: Gotcha.
Scott Friedman: because multiple people called because of concern for the children, and I dont know
the outcome of that other than Animal Control was in the area trying to locate them, and they were
there for a few hours.
Interviewer: Okay, good. So, you can choose either of those situations, but thinking back to a recent
time when you encountered a stray dog, what did you think to yourself.
Scott Friedman: You know, Ill reference the strays that we didnt locate the owners, just because I feel
that theres several of those in the city. Its a little disheartening, just you know because they dont have
anyone to take care of them, to feed them. You know, they obviously are not self-sustaining animals, so
they need all these different things, and there are services in Jacksonville but I dont think a lot of the
public is aware of that. And we just kind of look at them, run by, and no-one picks up a phone or calls,
does anything about it. Theyre reproducing and its leading to more animals in the neighborhood and
people just watch it.
Scott Friedman: No, I mean I think in a way there is a higher population in our areas that are a little bit
more urban, and theyre not as, the gross income isnt as high, its not as affluent.
someone that isnt familiar with pets will have no knowledge and have no, not know what to do which
will lead them not to do anything at all.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Okay. So without knowledge they wont do anything at all. So you think that, with it
people would respond?
Scott Friedman: And I think that just, I think theyre kind of like birds and they flock together. They find
people, maybe one or two people that do feed them, or do offer shelter on, you know, a non-consistent
basis and they stay in that area, and more and more just continue to come and no one takes care of it.
So the problem just gets larger and larger. Versus those that may have a little bit more income, they
may offer a little bit more assistance, because theyre able to, and it doesnt get as out of control. But
unfortunately for Jacksonville, theres more areas that dont have the money, so the problem is a little
bit larger.
Scott Friedman: I just think its just the what-ifs. I know inside which isnt always the case that a dog
that has a family is being taken care of, its getting fed, its getting groomed, its having baths. It doesnt
have fleas and ticks. Its not being a nuisance to, you know a danger to kids. It has rules. The stray dogs
are just running through. Sometimes they are aggressive, but they have to be in a way because theyre
living in the wild. Theres other nature and animals that you know can probably come after it
Interviewer: So affluence plays a big role. Are you aware of how the city handles stray dogs?
Interviewer: So if you had to put an emotion on that, emotions on that, what did you feel?
Scott Friedman: Im saddened. You know, its disturbing and sad just to you know, to think of all the
what-ifs.
Scott Friedman: so it doesnt separate a person, to a kid, to an animal. So everyone is out to get it per
say. And theyre just usually more aggressive. They dont look nourished. You know, theyre not taken
care of so they look dingy. And you know its just unfortunate because they could be reproducing and
then their offspring only knows one way of life and its living out and being stray and its you know,
theyre not fixed. Then theyre having babies and its really just creating a public nuisance.
Scott Friedman: So I would think so. Im not 100% up to date on that. I do, what I understand is that
they do, unfortunately they are not a no-kill shelter. Just because they dont have the room, or the
finances to do that. So that again, thats another thing that you know, that big picture of the stray dogs
kind of sad Id say, because some of them may be put to sleep.
Interviewer: Saddened. So on the opposite side, thinking back to a recent time when you encountered
someones owned dog for the first time, someone youre not familiar with, what did you think to
yourself.
Scott Friedman: You know I think the original thing that I was like, what if it was my dog, my main goal
was to reunite it with its family because I felt someone else was upset or having some emotional
problems because part of their family was missing. So thats why I kind of went out, took the extra mile
or two to find out to see if it had a microchip which it did and find its owner.
Interviewer: So you felt, when you saw it
Scott Friedman: Determined, I felt, you know
Interviewer: Okay.
Scott Friedman: I don know what the feeling was, there was probably several different feelings, but I
was more concerned about you know the person that had lost him at that point in time.
Interviewer: What about when youve met like someones dog in their home? Like you first
encountered it. How did you, what did you think to yourself then?
Scott Friedman: You know typically Im an animal lover, so typically I feel excitement. You know, I pet
the dog, you know. You know just kind of engage with it to a certain extent. You know, not make sure
but most of the dogs I come in contact with in that type of environment are taken care of spoiled. So I
get to know then, you know.
Interviewer: Okay. Gotcha. Very good. Alright, cool. I have six more here. Next is, how do you feel
about Jacksonvilles stray dog population.
Scott Friedman: You know, I think its different area by area, but I think overall just looking at big
picture and the involvement Ive had in it, theres a lot. Theres quite a few. And you know I think some
areas are harder than other, but it doesnt matter if youre in an area that has $100k homes or an area
that is a little bit more urban and, you know theres some poverty, youre going to see, its a pretty
consistent. Theres dogs that are running the street, theres cat that are running the street, and people
just arent taking care of them. Dogs have four legs, so they can be escaping a very wealthy area and
going to this other area and vice-versa. You know I think thats just part it, they can travel.
Interviewer: Why do you think people allow that to happen?
Scott Friedman: You know I think, you know its comfortability. People dont pick up the phone. Theyre
so busy with their own lives. They dont take that extra step to call someone to get it taken care of.
People dont have knowledge or education on what a huge problem it is, or how to handle it. You know,
theres First Coast No More Homeless Pets would help them, but a lot of people dont know about that.
Thats one little place in a huge city that no one really knows about.
Interviewer: Okay, well good. So this kind of relates to that, but does the stray dog population indicate
or lead to anything about the city?
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Scott Friedman: Im not. I know how First Coast No More Homeless Pets handles it, but Im not 100%
familiar with the policy, for you know for the Humane Society or Jacksonville, the city.
Interviewer: So, do you believe that the Humane Society and the city are connected?
Interviewer: So youve already kind of named a few of these, First Coast No More Homeless Pets, the
city, Jacksonville Humane, but can you name some other local non-profit animal shelters and animal
rescue agencies?
Scott Friedman: For dogs I cant.
Interviewer: Okay. You can for cats?
Scott Friedman: There is Forever Pets. Like if you are ever pets that does cats, they may even do dogs
too. But other than that Im not aware of any others.
Interviewer: So with First Coast No More Homeless Pets, the city and Jacksonville Humane. Do you
know what ways they interact with each other?
Scott Friedman: So I know First Coast No More Homeless Pets has large events a few times a year for
the adopt-a-thons. That actually incorporates the City of Jacksonville to get some dogs into that, so that
some of those dogs can be adopted. And from what I can understand, most recently theyve been doing
some of these adopt-a-thon outside of our city limits to really try to get some more dogs out for some
areas and cities that dont have such a large problem like we do here in Jacksonville.
Interviewer: Okay. Can you think of any incentives that would make you or other people want to help
with reducing the stray dog population.
Scott Friedman: Yeah and I dont even think its an incentive, I think its more education. You know, and
maybe that is an incentive. An incentive would be city dollars or city funding to more marketing of, to
educate the city, and educate people. Because I know some, but I dont know a lot, and I can tell you
Scott Friedman: I feel, I dont want to say everyone, but I feel like the percentage would be bigger. Will
it rectify the problem? No, but it would help it out drastically.
Interviewer: Okay. Let me catch up on what youre saying.
Scott Friedman: No problem.
Interviewer: Okay. And the last question is kind of heavy. What would be your reasoning for having a
stray dog euthanized?
Scott Friedman: You know, I would say nothing, but thats not realistic. You know, and I think the
example I gave you of the dogs that were overly aggressive, that I had no control over. You know, they
wouldnt come near me, and if they did they were growling, and they just didnt respond well to
humans. There is no way to put them into a human environment to train them from the way they
currently are
Interviewer: gotcha.
Scott Friedman: and they could put a humans health into danger, or attaching them. That would be
really the only reason. Or a stray do that may have had very, very serious health conditions that arent
curable. I wouldnt want to see them suffer either.
Interviewer: Okay. And thats only if its not fixable at all or?
Scott Friedman: I think theres got to be some parameters of you know what is fixable and what isnt.
And again not being a vet, I dont know what the long-term and short-term ratios are. I would say a long
term if a dog had cancer, or you know, was it able to see, hear, it wasnt eating and just wasnt
responding, its going to suffer. You know I think you have to make a decision.
Interviewer: Okay. Alright. Well thats all the questions I have unless you want to say anything else.
Scott Friedman: No, I dont have anything else to say.
Interviewer: Okay, well thank you very much.
Scott Friedman: No problem.
Interviewer: Okay, where is the owner. Where is the owner. Because you assumed that the dog has to
have an owner from the get go or?
Mary Carver: Well he has to have someone to take care of him.
Interviewer: Someone to take care of him. So what did you feel? Did you have any, do you remember
any emotions specifically when you?
Mary Carver: I felt sad because he wasnt with anybody.
Interviewer: Okay. Because he wasnt with anybody.
Mary Carver: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. So again, hes supposed to be with somebody?
Mary Carver: Mhmmm.
Interviewer: Okay. Alright, so on the opposite side, thinking back to a recent time when you
encountered an owned dog, someone that, like a dog that was owned, that was not your own, that you
werent familiar with, what did you think to yourself, and what emotions did you feel then?
Mary Carver: He just came up to me in the parking lot and seemed friendly.
Mary Carver: Id have to say it was the dog downstairs, it was a husky, and that was yesterday, yeah.
Cute dog, looks healthy, seemed happy. Owner was walking, it had it on a leash.
Interviewer: Okay. Didnt think anything of it, or it was just kind of in the background?
Mary Carver: Yeah.
Interviewer: Okay. You didnt feel anything specific?
Mary Carver: Its a cute dog.
Interviewer: Okay, its a cute dog. Okay, alright. Alright, so as you can see theres a big difference
there. So why do you think theres a difference there between the sadness you felt seeing something
like that, like the stray dog, and then not even really feeling anything at all?
Mary Carver: Probably because my brain was telling me that the dog that had the owner was being
taken care of, being fed, had a place to go when its cold or when its too hot. Not wandering the
streets. It could get hit, you know, or hurt.
Interviewer: Gotcha. It can get hurt. Okay. Good. Youre very good at these answers by the way.
Mary Carver: No he just came up to me, I didnt try to pet him or anything.
Interviewer: Okay. Alright, cool. So thinking back to that time, what did you think to yourself when you
were approached by this animal?
Interviewer: So how do you feel about Jacksonvilles stray dog population if anything at all?
Mary Carver: I see a lot of dogs wandering around to be honest. So, and again to your point, I dont
know if theyre truly strays or if they just got out of their backyard or off a leash. But yes, I think we as a
society need to spay and neuter
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Okay.
Mary Carver: Theres one called No Pets, I cant remember the name of the
Interviewer: Spay and neutering being the easiest option to reduce or?
Interviewer: Okay.
Mary Carver: Yeah, if there was no chance of survival for the dog in any way, then yes.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay, alright. So you could say its a large population.
Interviewer: Okay. Do you know what ways these agencies interact with each other?
Interviewer: Okay. No chance for survival, okay. So this is kind of a second supplementary question off
of that. A lot of people believe that aggression is a big part, that if its so aggressive towards everything
then they have to euthanize it as well. Is that not a belief or yours too?
Mary Carver: No. I think its all in how the dog is treated.
Interviewer: Yeah. So, does the large stray dog population indicate or lead to anything about
Jacksonville? Or as you said in general maybe just the entire population.
Interviewer: No.
Interviewer: Okay.
Mary Carver: I think if people would, if there was a recovery program for animals like that it can be
tried
Mary Carver: I dont know, I just think that people tend to be irresponsible when it comes to their pets
at times.
Interviewer: Okay.
Mary Carver: In my opinion, theyd rather discard an unwanted animal rather than to find a home for it.
Interviewer: Mhmmm.
Mary Carver: Or theyll take it to a shelter which as we all know is highly over-populated right now and
theyre always needing help.
Interviewer: Okay. Can you personally think of any incentives that would make you or other people
want to help with reducing the stray dog population in Jacksonville?
Mary Carver: Incentives, no.
Interviewer: Something that would make people want to care or want, not even, caring is actually
supplementary, that makes people do.
Mary Carver: Thats hard
Interviewer: Okay. So you say its just about the culture is just irresponsible in general.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Mary Carver: because I think its just gotten to that point where thats just the way it is.
Interviewer: Do you think thats systemic? Like its supported, that level of responsibility?
Mary Carver: Yeah, I think it is. Maybe its just part of our culture. We see a cute animal when theyre
babies and we get them for our kid, not really fully realizing the impact as they get older and the care
thats required.
Interviewer: Okay. Okay. Good, very good. Are you aware of how the city handles stray dogs?
Mary Carver: I only know that when theyre called, they send a catcher out but
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Ive been told its kind of heavy, but bear with me. What would be your reasoning for
having a stray dog euthanized?
Interviewer: Okay. Send a catcher. Okay. Can you name some of the local non-profit shelters and
animal rescue agencies?
Mary Carver: Oh gosh, theres, I know there are several. I dont know if theyre non-profit though. I
know that theres the Humane Society.
Interviewer: Mhmmm.
Mary Carver: Theres the no-kill shelter but I think thats over in Clay County though.
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Interviewer: Okay.
Mary Carver: to make them They could have been abused, they could have been brought up that
way. If theres something that like just like with humans, you know theres rehab programs for humans,
if theres rehab programs for dogs maybe that will help.
Interviewer: Okay. Good. Alright, well I appreciate your time. Thank you, thats all.
Mary Carver: Thanks.
Ben Grunzel: Not really because I imagine stray dogs are an issue pretty much in any population. Im
glad to know that Jacksonville handles it fairly well, but
Interviewer: Okay. Have to be aware of at their house. Okay. So you didnt have any particular
emotions towards it?
Interviewer: Okay.
Ben Grunzel: Not really, because if its somebody elses dog Im thinking more of respectful as part of
their household, part of their property.
Interviewer: Just trying to be respectful, okay. So, its obviously a difference there in the way you felt.
Why do you think you feel differently about one or the other?
Ben Grunzel: Well, because I feel like a dog that somebody owns is taken care of, a stray dog needs
help.
Ben Grunzel: Only when its come up, when calling the city or something like that. So only a little bit of
information.
Interviewer: Okay. Can you name some of the local non-profit shelters and animal rescue agencies in
Jacksonville?
Ben Grunzel: Because I dont think theyre going to live a very fulfilling life outside of having a home.
Interviewer: Okay. Can you think of any incentives that would make you or other people want to help
with reducing the stray dog population in Jacksonville?
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Okay. So, you see a stray in Jacksonville, so you know when were referencing as a group
we call it the stray dog population, which also means free roaming or wandering dogs, which is dogs that
are peoples but they dont manage them or keep them at home. So how do you feel about
Jacksonvilles stray dog population?
Interviewer: Okay. So thinking back to one of those times when you saw them, what did you think to
yourself when you first saw them?
Ben Grunzel: For people. It seems like free spaying and neutering programs would be my best thought
for helping control the population.
Ben Grunzel: Picking one, one I saw that was injured, so I wanted to do something to help it.
Ben Grunzel: In our neighborhood it doesnt seem to be a huge issue. I dont see them that often.
Interviewer: Okay. Spaying and neutering programs to reduce the actual multiplication of the animals.
Ben Grunzel: We were, other than trying to call the city, we werent able to at the time.
Ben Grunzel: I actually dont give a lot of thought to the stray dog population as a group.
Interviewer: Okay. So you wanted to help it, but can you think of any particular emotions that you felt
during that time?
Ben Grunzel: I just know that from our limited experience with the city that when you call the city to
report a stray animal, they seem to be under staffed to handle it, so that doesnt seem like a very good
solution.
Ben Grunzel: I felt really bad for the dog. He seemed really friendly, he seemed like a nice dog, and
yeah so it made me sad that the dog was injured and didnt have anybody to help it out.
Interviewer: Okay. Sadness. Okay. And so, I see that you have dogs of your own, but thinking back to a
recent time when you encountered someone elses own dog, what did you think to yourself then?
Ben Grunzel: Encountering someone elses
Interviewer: One that youre not maybe familiar with, but
Ben Grunzel: Yeah, Im trying to think of the last time I encountered. I really dont have much of a
reaction other than its something else I have to be aware of at their house.
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: Okay. So possibly something involving getting people to actually deal with it themselves?
Ben Grunzel: Or even just better information, cause if you go to the Jacksonville city website, its not
very clear who to contact and the offices are often closed on weekends and early in the evening, and
even just more information out there about what shelters you can contact or if thats an option. Its
hard to find resources I found.
Interviewer: Okay. Hard to find resources.
Interviewer: Do you think that that population indicates anything about Jacksonville?
Interviewer: Okay. Do you know off the top of your head of any cities that are more successful at
keeping their population in check?
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Interviewer: Okay, thats pretty straight forward. Okay, next question is, do you believe the community
is aware of the stray dog population as an issue?
Interviewer: Okay, that makes sense. So how does this organization interact with other organizations
that help to manage the stray dog population?
Jennifer: Hello.
Jennifer: Yes. The community can see it. People can be a little over-sensitive of the actual problem. A
lot of times a person will see a free-roaming dog or a recently escaped owned dog and assume its a
stray.
Interviewer: Thank you for meeting with me today on the 9th of January 2015, it is 12:15pm, and lets
just jump right into this. Why do you believe theres such a large stray dog population in Jacksonville?
Interviewer: Free-roaming, Ive heard that before. Are there any efforts to make the citizens of
Jacksonville more aware of the stray dog problem?
Jennifer: Well we work through our partnerships to the Humane Society and First Coast No More
Homeless Pets. The Humane Society takes adoptable animals from us weekly, and FCNHP, which is
short term for First Coast No More Homeless Pets, provides medical help when we dont have the
ability, like x-rays. When a dog needs and x-ray, we send it to them. Which allocates a lot of time when
an officer has to take the dog over. We recently had a fundraiser, we raised enough money to buy our
own x-ray machine. So we wont have to do that anymore thankfully.
Jennifer: Well its not just Jacksonville, its the whole country that has the problem. Due to a lack of
owner responsibility, or them not spaying and neutering their pets, financial complications, and a lack of
education. A lot of people dont know that they should spay or neuter their pets or that they need to be
vaccinated.
Jennifer: Well all city ordinances are public record, so anyone could look those up. We dont have any
full-time staff members allocated to public education, but we do have a lot of volunteers that will go to
schools and public places. We have volunteers that set up booths at places like the River Side Arts
Market, or RAM.
Interviewer: Okay, alright. Do you believe that the stray dog population in Jacksonville is under control?
Interviewer: RAM?
Jennifer: Its under control, but theres always room for improvement. I mean, there really is no way to
be 100% under control, but were doing a great job. Of course we wont be happy until there are zero
strays.
Jennifer: Mhmmm.
Interviewer: Hi Jennifer.
Interviewer: Has there ever been any issues that youve had to work through with these organizations?
You know, beyond the normal problems that people can have?
Jennifer: Well, how we interact is leading the country. We try not to overlap in our services in order to
avoid butting heads.
Interviewer: Okay, alright. Okay, we only have four more questions left.
Interviewer: Okay. Can you think of any incentives, you know, things, you know, incentives that would
make a person want to help with reducing the stray dog population in Jacksonville?
Jennifer: Okay.
Interviewer: How does this organization interact with the general public?
Jennifer: Well theres always financial incentive which seems to work. Such as like the low-cost spay
and neuter programs. When a person comes in to spay and neuter their animal it allows them to be
educated to things like a rabies license being necessary.
Jennifer: Well any general public concern, such as stray and neglect cases are dealt by us. We dispatch
our officers to deal with the issue. The public comes to us to reclaim their collected pets and to adopt
pets as well. We also handle all of the city licensing and maintain the license database.
Jennifer: Mhmmm.
Interviewer: Okay. What hurdles, either legal or community opinion, make reduction of the stray dog
population difficult?
Interviewer: Okay, good. Alright. So, do you know of any cities that are more successful at keeping
their stray dog population in check?
Jennifer: Well, its that the animals qualify as owned property that makes it completely the owners
decision to spay or neuter their pet. We cant force them into anything unless we end up collecting the
animal.
Jennifer: Well we are a model of success and unique because live-release rate we have is greater than
90%, making us a no-kill city.
Interviewer: You mean you actually have the animal with you then you have some say over it?
Jennifer: No, that we, its that its our dog that they have relinquished their dog or their animal I should
say.
Interviewer: Gotcha. Okay, next question is, does the large stray dog population indicate or lead to
anything else besides medical and monetary issues. And by this I mean, medical as in injuries that dogs
cause to people or they cause to themselves, and monetary is the tax papers money to actually manage
the problem.
Jennifer: Well there is the public safety aspect. People really have no idea how much damage their
roaming dog or a stray is doing. People have a tendency to put their blinders on and not see it as a
problem.
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Interviewer: Okay, alright. So that means I can probably skip over this next one, which is fine, and go to
our last one. Which is, how does this organization measure success?
Jennifer: Well, we monitor live release rates, the city perception of us, customer service feedback, and
active scorecard with the city. We have specific goals set by the city scorecard. We also monitor how
many foster animals we have. How many adoptions and goals for volunteer hours.
Interviewer: So, are there any actions that are taken if you dont meet your set expectations?
Jennifer: If we dont meet our goals, we re-evaluate why. Theres no set way of how we handle this.
The approach is different for each goal.
Interviewer: Alright, well thank you for your time.
Jennifer: No problem.
Interviewer: Okay. Do you know what ways these agencies interact with each other?
Sarah Zippel: Well yeah, its a big problem, and I think it spawns from breed housing restrictions.
Sarah Zippel: No, Im not entirely sure. Im sure theres some back and forth when one doesnt have
the service or facilities that they would need.
Interviewer: Hi Sarah.
Sarah Zippel: Yeah, you know, housing or places of residence, apartment complexes like that, that put
restrictions on what type of breeds they can own while living there. I went to that recent big adoption
event and they were all pit-bulls because nobody, literally nobody allows people them to have them.
Any stray animal is a problem to me, unless its native of course.
Sarah Zippel: Well, Id just say education. You know, when I was younger, I thought about making a
video to just broadcast anywhere.
Sarah Zippel: Just all of the horrible things that happen to animals.
Interviewer: Okay, gotcha. Alright, so does the large stray dog population of Jacksonville indicate or
lead to anything else besides medical and monetary issues? And by medical we mean the costs that
actually ensue and, then I mean monetary cost, the damage that a dog can do to a person, and then
monetary is what tax papers have to go through.
Interviewer: You mean like PETA, like with slaughter houses and just animal cruelty in general?
Sarah Zippel: Okay. Well generally not holding people accountable. This in past generations are throwaway generations. Theyre lazy and they want things immediately.
Interviewer: Okay, alright. Can you personally think of any incentives that would make you or other
people want to help with reducing the stray dog population?
Interviewer: Okay.
Interviewer: You dont really travel much. You do have about seventeen animals, right?
Sarah Zippel: They wont do anything thats difficult. They want it easy like the internet per-say, and it
is very easy to not be responsible about a pet.
Interviewer: Okay. This next question is about location too, so Im just going to jump into the last one.
Its kind of a little more serious than the other ones. So, what would be your reasoning for having a
stray dog euthanized?
Interviewer: some people dont know what theyre getting into I guess.
Sarah Zippel: Well, if it cant survive on its own because of health issues is definitely a reason. Behavior
is extremely questionable, only if they are extremely aggressive to everything.
Sarah Zippel: Mhmmm, and they want that instant gratification of having that well trained dog without
having to do any of the training.
Interviewer: Everything?
Sarah Zippel: Everything. I like to think that you can find a home for just about everything. They dont
think like humans, so we cant hold them to human behavioral standards.
Interviewer: Okay. Are you aware of how the city handles stray dogs?
Interviewer: So, okay, I got you. So, theyd have to be very aggressive in order for you to want them to
be euthanized.
Sarah Zippel: To be honest, Im not really sure. Im not sure if its mostly people calling about animal
problems, or if theyre reporting an issue to get an officer to come out, or if the officers just patrol the
area.
Sarah Zippel: Very, very, very aggressive, or else, you know, they are at either, if theyre at the end of
their life-span and its almost impossible for them to walk anymore, or theyre so sick that they cant
breathe anymore that you can obviously tell that theyre struggling to live or survive as-is.
Interviewer: Okay, gotcha. Can you name some local non-profit shelters and animal rescue agencies in
Jacksonville?
Interviewer: Okay, alright. Well that was the last question I had. Thank you again for your time.
Sarah Zippel: I know of First Coast No More Pets, the Jacksonville Humane Society, and I believe that
there are some rescues for specific breeds.
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Figure D14-D19. JHS intake area observation recordings, taken before form development. Authors image.
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Figure D20-D25. JHS adoptions area observation recordings, taken before form development. Authors image.
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Figure E1-E4. Images of the projects working wall as it was built. Authors image.
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Figure E5-E8. Images of the projects working wall as it was built. Authors image.
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Figure E9-E11. Images of the projects working wall as it was built. Authors image.
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Figure E12-E13. Images of the projects working wall as it was built. Authors image.
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Figure E14-E15. Images of the projects working wall as it was built. Authors image.
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Figure E16-E18. Images of the projects working wall as it was built. Authors image.
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Figure E19-E20. Images of the projects working wall as it was built. Authors image.
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Figure E21. Image of the projects working wall at the end of the project Authors image.
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HEEL
Jacksonville
A strategic approach for fostering stray dog population
reduction and community stewardship
Figure F1. Front cover of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
153
Knowing that there are systems throughout the worlds cities that could benefit from his solutions, he
set to make this strategic approach applicable to all cites that suffer from stray dog overpopulation
and control issues. The hope for this plan is to give even the most organized stray dog population
control systems a course and direction that will cultivate a caring and kind community that views stray
dogs as an inherent responsibility rather than a terminal issue or a nuisance problem.
The subject of the study was chosen after he viewed and felt the suffering of stray dogs in the
city and believed that there had to be a way to make everyone else care as he did. Using design management methods and practices, he discovered that there is indeed a large amount of
people and organizations that are equally if not more passionate than he is about helping stray
animals in Jacksonville.
Contents
1.
The problem of stray dogs
2.
Six-step strategic approach
154
3.
Jacksonville: a Case Study
These proven successes, while effective at stray population management, have not been able to
stop stray dog creation. This inability to stymie creation spawns from the fact that there is not a
stray dog problem; rather there is a community responsibility problem. Communities that do not
see stray dogs as their responsibility. This fact, combined with an overworked and underfunded
system that is so focused on providing its services, makes it so that it is neither able to market itself
nor provide the education the community needs to become responsible animal caregivers.
Therefore, the same error is repeated throughout the globe.
Stray dog population reduction remains possible. Through the use of cohesive educational
messages, community outreach events, and proper marketing, branding, and collaborative
practices, any city can cultivate a community that cares. Once in place, current practices used to
reach the community and reduce the stray dog population can be quantified, tested, and adjusted
for increased effectiveness.
3
Figure F3. Page three of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
155
Step 1.
Identify
HEEL area and partners
Step 2.
Research
Step 3.
Develop
Step 4.
Disseminate
Step 5.
Produce
Step 6.
Reassess
HEELs message
4
Figure F4. Page four of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
156
1) Identify
2) Research
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Key partners, existing management organizations, local population opinions, and educational initiatives
The purpose of this step is:
The purpose of this step is to identify how, where, and with whom
this stray dog reduction and community responsibility initiative will
be developed. You will be identifying the citys existing stray dog
management system. The systems are generally composed of a
city-run organization responsible for general animal control, and
any number of animal welfare, shelter, and rescue organizations.
These organizations will hopefully serve as this initiatives key
partners, and will also be the focus of the next step. You will also be
identifying any current initiatives to educate the city on responsible
dog ownership, as well as the local populations opinions on stray
dogs in their community. These educational initiatives will serve as
a comparison for this initiative, along with finding out how saturated
the community already is with stray dog education and responsible
dog ownership messages. Understanding the communitys
opinions on stray dogs will allow you to gauge how emotionally
invested and educated they are on the subject, as well as how
effective system management practices are.
5
Figure F5. Page five of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
157
1) Identify
2) Research
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Stray dog management organization procedures, B2B and B2C interactions, how their brands overlap, current adoption methods, and potential event locations
The purpose of this step is:
The purpose of this step is to gain a deeper understanding of how
the citys stray dog management system and its organizational
components work and in some cases do not work. You will research
the organizations that you uncovered in step one. You will need to
understand how these organizations interact and work along side
of each other in order to develop a single unifying HEEL brand,
including an educational message that the majority of organizations
can get behind. These are examples of some questions you may
want to answer:
Does the city accept assistance from the local ASPCA branch?
Do the smaller area shelters agree with adoption practices of the larger
shelter systems and the city?
How do the organizations spread awareness of their individual brands?
What message or messages are the organizations communicating to
the public?
Are there any partnership practices that exist among the
various organizations?
6
Figure F6. Page six of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
158
1) Identify
2) Research
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Key partnerships and funding, the organizations educational messages, comprehensive adoption procedures, and adoption events calendar and procedures
The purpose of this step is:
The purpose of this step is to finalize which organizations in the
citys stray dog management system are willing to become key
partners with HEEL. These partners will be funding HEEL with what
they would normally spend on their marketing, education, and
exterior adoption initiatives. This funding will allow HEEL to assume
those responsibilities. It is very important that this relationship is
clearly understood, because while HEELs ultimate goal is reducing
stray dog populations, the benefit to the key partners is the time
and focus they can now have on their primary organizational goals.
Once these partnerships are finalized, you can develop HEELs
primary educational message and comprehensive adoption
procedures through facilitated meetings and activities with the key
partners. The research you conducted in the previous step will
assist you with a general understanding of the key partners goals
and procedures, but ultimately the solutions will need to be
accepted by your key partners.
Once your solutions are accepted, you may begin to develop your
small educational seminars to be delivered at the adoption events.
You will want to once again engage your key partners in facilitated activites to develop the general structure for these seminars.
Simultaneously, you will want to develop and finalize your adoption
event calendar, and your procedures for collecting a small
selection of adoptable dogs from your shelter and rescue key
partners. Having this information will assist you in the next step,
as you will want to make the community aware of your events well
before they happen.
7
Figure F7. Page seven of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
159
1) Identify
2) Research
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Campaigns of educational messages, city stray dog management system awareness, and marketing for adoption events
The purpose of this step is:
The purpose of this step is to begin marketing your newly
developed educational message and awareness of the city stray
dog management system to the community. You will begin to let
the population know of HEEL and its key partners as a brand to be
cultivated and used to facilitate change in the zeitgeist toward stray
dogs. You will need to begin your advertising campaign through the
use of social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
and Youtube; and other on-line delivery media, such as banner
advertising; and through engagement with local on-line news
media. Once all of the elements are established, you can begin
using traditional broadcast media, such as newspapers, billboards
and television networks. Once all of these channels are established
and received by the community, you should begin to market your
future adoption events in a similar manner as your message. You
should also take this step to further finalize the details of event
location, setup, seminar production, dog collection from key
partners, and adoption protocols.
8
Figure F8. Page eight of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
160
1) Identify
2) Research
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Small mobile adoption events with key partner supplied dogs, comprehensive adoption processes and short educational seminars at the events
The purpose of this step is:
The purpose of this step is to begin bringing HEELs ultimate
purpose to the public as you begin to produce your adoption
events. While the moment has been a long time coming, it is
important to measure all points of the process in order to compare
it to how the stray dog management system fared prior to HEELs
existence. Monitor dog adoptions and follow-up with participant
surveys to verify their experience. It may take quite a bit of time to
see success in local population awareness of the stray dog
management system; to experience a change in how dogs are
hosted; and to see an increase in concern for stray dogs.
Remember, however, that all of this must be quantified to prove
success to your key partners, and verify the value that HEEL
brings to the city.
9
Figure F9. Page nine of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
161
1) Identify
2) Research
3) Develop
4) Disseminate
5) Produce
6) Reassess
Educational messages, events locations, adoption processes, and marketing tactics to foster further success and community buy-in
The purpose of this step is:
The purpose of this step is to look over all of the data that you have
collected from your marketing campaigns and events. Here are
some examples of questions you should ask yourself are:
Have you been successful?
Have the stray dog management systems services been used more
since the introduction of HEEL?
Are less stray dogs being submitted to shelters since
HEELs introduction?
Are adoption numbers higher than before HEELs introduction?
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Figure F10. Page 10 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
162
Figure 4. Image of downtown Jacksonville. Reprinted from Flickr, Rob Bixby, 2013,
Retrieved from http://bit.ly/1E5Bljt. Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 2.0
Generic by Rob Bixby. Reprinted with permission.
11
Figure F11. Page 11 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
163
Step 1: Identify
Pit Sisters
Figure 5. Logos of potential HEEL Jacksonville key partners. Reprinted with permissions.
12
Figure F12. Page 12 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
164
Step 1: Identify
Reinforcing survey data with semi-structured interviews allows for verification of assumed information and the
ability to delve deeper on important subjects. The semi-structured interviews give initial evidence as to where
current failures in the system exist, what areas of education the population needs to be educated on, and where
locations for future events might be located.
Figure 6. Map of Jacksonville with general survey responses and survey responder images. Authors images and reprints with permission.
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Figure F13. Page 13 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
165
Step 2: Research
Neuter Prog
and
ram
y
pa
Interviews with representatives from all six stray dog management organizations are held over the course
of two weeks to gain operational, branding, and system interaction information. Fly-on-the-wall
observations are conducted at the three largest organizations, ACPS, FCNMHP, and JHS, to gain an
impartial view of public interaction and organizational procedures in each organizations
Funds
Oth
e
rO
Information is collected from mandatory city reporting on stray dog captures to locate the areas of the
city that suffer from the highest rates of stray dogs. Public locations, such as parks, parking lots, malls, etc.
are located in the areas shown to have a high stray dog density. These areas are visited and vetted for
future event appropriateness.
ACPS
s
yee s
r
plo
Em untee
Vol
Pet
Rescue
North
an
rs
Shelte
City stray capture reporting shows a large density of stray dogs in three areas of the city: Westside,
Windy Hill, and Riverside. Public parks from each area are found through an Internet search of the citys
parks. PetSmart store shopping lots are also found near some of the areas. These locations are visited
and found potentially suitable for future event locations. Before moving onto the next step, the City and
the PetSmarts are contacted to verify that the areas can be used for events of this nature before moving
onto the next step.
Pu
Employees
Employees
FCNMHP
Volunteers
Volunteers
JHS
Pit
Sisters
bli
c Adoptions
14
Figure F14. Page 14 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
166
rin
ary
FCNMHP, ACPS, and JHS are found to work together to obtain Jacksonvilles current level success. JHS
proves itself to be the citys largest no-kill shelter, ACPS captures and intakes the majority of stray dogs,
and FCNMHP offers low cost veterinary care to the public and offers a very efficient spay and neuter
operation that the other two organizations use to save on costs. Each organization produces its services
efficiently while not overlapping the others. FCNMHP is found to produce a large adoption event every
quarter where city shelters and rescues can adopt out their dogs. The smaller rescues and shelters of
Pet Rescue North and Pit Sisters do not join in the event because they believe that the adoption
procedures are too simple and lead to dogs being placed in irresponsible homes and later re-introduced
as strays back into the citys management system. There is no direct, focused, and planned educational
initiative to be found in any of the organizations.
FOJA
adoption Even
gats
Pu
t
Ve
c
bli
izations
Me
n
rga
Step 2: Research
The selected locations are all available to the public and cost little to nothing to secure for event use.
Assuring that all locations are allowed to have dogs and also have heavy foot traffic eliminates many
safety and legal issues while guaranteeing local population engagement .
PetSmart, Southside
15
Figure F15. Page 15 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
167
every pet
eu
fo
r
ilit y
sp
on
sib
re
Ge
Ge
Comp
reh
Ge
en
t
lit
y
The dog as a
stray dog we
l
FCNMHP
te
r
JHS
al
er
re
fa
stray dog we
l
nd
Spay a
ce
l policy enfor
eu
Spay and n
ni
ma
i
ib
s a respons
al
er
re
fa
re
fa
stray dog we
l
ACPS
a
do
ga
Four potential key partners are decided upon for HEELs initial creation: FCNMHP, JHS, ACPS, and Pit
Sisters. A general understanding of all of the organizations from step 2 lead to the development of broad
educational concepts, adoption procedures, and event structures that are used to develop facilitated
meeting frameworks. Representatives from the four organizations and a sample of Jacksonville citizens
are brought together for two small workshops: A lateral thinking exercise that uses the acting out of
scenarios and a kinesthetic modeling process. Through meeting facilitation, the group develops
conclusions on HEELs procedures. The concepts are crafted into presentations and an initial event
calendar is developed using the locations selected in step 2. The presentations are delivered to the
potential key partners for them to accept, and to finalize their partnerships with HEEL.
al
er
City
Th
Pit
Sisters
res
edu
oc
Step 3: Develop
ter
A ho
e
m
lu
Dogs and Vo
Ad
,V
opt
able Dogs
16
Figure F16. Page 16 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
168
FCNMHP
lu
n
tee
rs
ng
nt
eer
s
nt
eer
s
ab
le
JHS
Vo
lu
Dogs and Vo
,
ing
F u nd
ab
le
ACPS
pt
Ado
pt
Ado
Pit
Sisters
ol
un
teers
a nd F u
i
nd
Step 4: Disseminate
The educational message is finalized and then translated into marketing material, both through copy and
visualization. HEEL Jacksonville sets up accounts for Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google +, and Instagram.
The key partners introduce the brand through their social media channels, while a social media plan is
developed. The social media plan is carried out while other digital advertising is purchased to target
Jacksonville only, with a focus on the high-density stray dog areas. Once traction is gained in social and
digital media, HEEL representatives reach out to local publications and to traditional broadcast media
outlets. Sections of HEEL continue to finalize the details of their events.
HEEL is successfully marketed and known by the local population, supported by its established key
partners. A successful social media plan keeps growth consistent and the HEEL brand is becoming
known. Messages of responsible dog hosting, spay and neuter practices, and the services of key
partners are spread to the community as well. Multiple stories are produced in a variety of local print
and digital publications describing HEEL and its soon-to-be offered adoption events. BIllboard space
is donated by Clear Channel Outdoor, and knowledge of HEEL spreads further. Event location, seminars,
and logistics are finalized.
Key
Partners
Figure 10. Graphic of HEEL Jacksonvilles marketing dissemination process. Authors image and logos reprinted with permission.
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Figure F17. Page 17 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
169
Step 5: Produce
Public
Loaction
Event
Volunteers
HEEL
Educational
Seminar
Event
Tents and
Materials
HEEL
Adoptable
Dogs
Dog
Adoptions
Event
Marketing
Property
Manager
Permission
FCNMHP
Volunteers
Educator
Tents
Transportation
to Event
HEEL
adoption
Procedures
Social Media
Marketing
Pit Sisters
Volunteers
Trained Dog
Kennels
JHS
Adoptable
Dogs
Volunteers
Broadcast
Media
Marketing
HEEL
educational
message
Key Partner
promotional
documents
Pit Sisters
Adoptable
Dogs
Adoption
Forms
HEEL
Promotional
Gift Bags
ACPS
Adoptable
Dogs
The first event is produced at Forestry Tower Park in Windy Hill. The event is setup by HEEL employees
and FCNMHP provided volunteers. Five to seven dogs from each key partner shelter arrive to the area,
having been chosen prior for event suitability. Citizens made aware of the event through social and
traditional broadcast media arrive at the event location through both regular foot traffic and through short
travel from the surrounding area. The event attendees view the adoptable animals and watch, interact,
and learn from the recurring short education seminar that teaches how to understand what a dog is
thinking by its reactions. Some attendees are interested in adoption of the dogs and are led by
volunteers to monitored play in an open area of the park by event volunteers. The attendees that wish to
move forward with adoptions fill out paperwork before going through a home interview, where one of the
event volunteers transports the dog to the citizens house to see how the dog would interact in the
environment. Attendees are asked for their contact information and receive a free gift bag for the
information. Surveys are sent to the attendees to access the opinions of the event. This event process
is repeated following the event calendar. The total of all events over the first three months comes well
below the cost of one Mega-Adoption event, and all partners are satisfied by this information.
Figure 11. Graphic of HEEL Jacksonvilles adoption events comprising elements. Authors image.
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Figure F18. Page 18 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
170
Step 6: Reassess
City
Data
Implement
Changes
After one month of events being produced, gathered data from event attendee surveys are analyzed to
validate and understand how the events are impacting attendees. The number of adoptions from the
events are compared to existing data from Mega-Adoption events, and overall adoption numbers are also
compared to numbers from before HEELs creation. Surrender and capture of dogs adopted through the
events is analyzed to discover increases or decreases in adopter responsibility. Use of key partner
services are compared against previous numbers, and analytics dealing with social media and other
marketing initiatives are used to understand the reach of the HEEL brand and the spread of its message.
All of this data is then used in facilitated meetings with key partners and Jacksonvile citizens to modify,
enhance, and direct design changes in the HEEL organization. The process is repeated every quarter to
keep HEEL relevant and effective
Key
Partner
Data
Collect
Data
Event
Data
Key
Partners
Facilitate
Meetings
Local
Citizens
HEEL
Agents
Figure 12. Graphic of HEEL Jacksonvilles iterative reassessment process. Authors image.
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Figure F19. Page 19 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
171
Analyze
Data
Strategic Goals:
Tactics:
Tactics by Channel:
1. Create additional channels for HEEL to connect and engage with citizens and animal welfare organizations
2. Educate citizens on the HEEL brands core purpose, personality, and strength, while supporting key partners brands
3. Compete for mindshare with citizens in the areas of animal welfare, dog adoption events, and stray dog stewardship
4. Engage and excite influencers
5. Create and expand reach of thought leadership content
6. Refer Traffic to key partner websites. Although primary purpose of social media effort is not to refer traffic; it is to connect
and engage in-channel, educate citizens and compete for mindshare
1. Research, identify, and connect with citizens and our key partners on the targeted channels
2. Engage with our active key partners best content via reposts, retweets, likes, comments, etc.
3. Initiate discussion around content, produced or curated, that is relevant and timely for citizens and key partners.
Content should manifest the HEEL brands core purpose and personality
4. Use developed educational initiative to create social media
5. Respond to crisis if the case arises
Target Audience:
Google +
- Feed content from other Social Media outlets to Google +
- Comment on posts
- Share engaging content, videos, images and relevant links
Instagram
- Share content, create message focused posts, and interact with key partners and the local population
Twitter
- Build reputation
- Listen to relevant conversations
When it comes to Facebook, brands that post outside of normal business hours see the best interaction rates.
In fact, posting during non-busy hours, which fall between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., leads to a 14% higher interaction
rate. Dont post too often. Brands that post one or two times per day see 19% higher interaction rates than those
who post three or more times per day. Space posts throughout the week to avoid overdoing it.
1. Ask questions.
2. Post games and trivia
3. Interact with fan engagement.
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Figure F20. Page 20 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
172
YouTube
- Develop video content when necessary
- Encourage comments
- Interact with key partner content through comments
and sharing on other Social Media
1
2
3
4
For the activity you will need a table covered with a large sheet of paper and 25 objects per
person. The objects can be anything, but you will always want to bring wooden skewers,
paper, straws, string, marshmallows, and paper clips. Ask your participants to bring in their
own 25 items to increase their mental investment in the modeling session.
Recapitulate why the group has come together. Explain the question the participants are
answering, and review the kinesthetic modeling process: build together to answer the problem
in silence.
7
8
21
Figure F21. Page 21 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
173
When finished, have each individual in the group talk about what they see in the models
(not the symbolism of the model, but physicality). Write these musings on the table paper.
Have the groups participants go around and talk about the symbolism of the models.
(This round can go on for as long as everyone can handle it).
Use a white board or flipboard and go over what the group has developed. Sketch out the
structure you have come up with, and further define its sections and aspects as a group.
Take pictures throughout the whole session and keep everything that was written for your
HEEL finalized concept and presentation development.
Appendix
Figure F22. Page 22 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
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Figure F23. Page 23 of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
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HEEL Jacksonville
Figure F24. Back cover of the HEEL Jacksonville strategic approach. Authors image.
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