Assignments for Intro to Shelter & Rescue Work
Assignment #1b. What is meant by the term “No-Kill Shelter?” What are the benefits of this type of shelter? The drawbacks?
A no-kill shelter is an animal shelter that does not euthanize their animals just to make space for other animals coming in the door. The greatest benefit of this type of shelter is that animals that are adoptable will not be put down just because they aren’t adopted quickly enough. They are kept in a safe place until they can find the right home. Another benefit is that many people see no-kill shelters as being superior to other shelters. They are more likely to donate to no-kill shelters, or to support them in other ways than they are from shelters that do euthanize to make space for incoming animals. The biggest drawback of no-kill shelters is that they quickly run out of space and can no longer take in new animals. Another drawback is that by providing shelter and resources to animals that are old, infirm or otherwise hard to adopt, they sentence many of these animals to the equivalent of a life sentence in jail. The animals are often kept in cramped quarters and given little or no attention for the rest of their lives.
Assignment #2. What is meant by the term “open admission,” insofar as animal shelters are concerned? What are the reasons animals are euthanized at open admission shelters? In your opinion, is it possible to operate an animal shelter that is both open admission and no-kill?
Open admission means the animal shelter will take any animal that is turned into them, without regard to adoptability. They take in cats that are old and sick, aggressive dogs that are not safe around people, and other animals that would generally be considered unadoptable. In many cases, open admission shelters are supported or run by the government authorities in association with the city or county animal control.
Because of the large number of animals continually coming into open admission shelters, space to put these animals is a big issue. Also, the resources to provide for these animals are a concern. A shelter may enough empty kennels to place dogs in, but if they don’t have enough shelter workers to clean the kennels and feed the dogs, they are not going to be able to care for those animals appropriately. Thus, almost all open admission shelters have to euthanize the animals that have been there the longest in order to make space for the new animals that are always coming in. Many shelters will hold animals only as long as required by the law (often less than a week) and then euthanize them to make room for others. Other reasons animals are euthanized are because the owner requests it, or because of serious behavior issues such as aggression, or because of the age or health of the animal.
In my opinion, it is very difficult to operate an animal shelter that is both open admission and no-kill. It has been done in a very few locations, but it requires the support of the entire community. In many cases, there is little or no community support for local animal shelters, and thus there are constantly more animals coming into the shelter than can be saved.
Assignment #3. Are animals ever euthanized at no-kill shelters? If so, why?
Animals are sometimes euthanized at no-kill shelters. Animals that are suffering due to health issues may be euthanized to put an end to their pain. Also, animals that are considered un-adoptable for other reasons, such as behavioral issues that can’t be changed, may be euthanized to prevent them from suffering for their remaining days. The concept of “no-kill” can range from shelters that will not put down an animal in any case to shelters that will euthanize anytime an animal is deemed unadoptable. However, if the shelter deems the animal unadoptable for a reason that can be changed with some basic training or work, a no-kill shelter should not euthanize that animal without trying to work with the animal to make it adoptable first.
Assignment #4. Interview a staff member from a shelter or rescue. Ask them what abilities it takes to work in a shelter, what skills and knowledge. Focus on what qualities it takes for a person to work successfully in a shelter or rescue environment. Submit a transcript of the interview. It may be done via email or in person (if in person, use a tape recorder or digital recorder). Also include a self evaluation of your personal characteristics as they relate to the field of shelter and rescue work.
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Assignment #5. What is “Compassion Fatigue” and who is at risk? Can Compassion Fatigue be avoided? Reduced? Cured? How?
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Assignment #6. Describe at least five specific canine body language cues that indicate that a bite may be pending. Are dogs housed in a shelter environment more likely to bite than other dogs? Why or why not? What can be done to reduce the risk of bites and improve shelter staff safety?
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Assignment #7. What is "Maddie's Fund" and who is eligible for it?
Maddie’s Fund is a charitable foundation, started by the caregivers of Maddie, a Miniature Schnauzer, to help build a no-kill nation where all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats find loving new homes. Maddie’s Fund supports community collaborations, such as coalitions of rescue groups, animal control agencies, traditional shelters and private practice veterinarians. They offer grants for building coalitions (starter grants), spay/neuter grants, medical equipment grants and lifesaving awards to recognize contributions made by coalitions that have implemented adoption guarantees.
Assignment #8. Write an essay outlining the various liability issues facing a shelter or rescue environment and how one might limit as many of them as possible.
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Assignment #9. What are the most important diseases to be concerned with in a shelter environment?
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Assignment #10. What's more important in a shelter environment -- prevention of, or treatment of disease? Why?
The prevention of diseases is more important in a shelter environment. That is because diseases can quickly spread from sick animals to healthy animals, and if steps are not taken to prevent this, there would soon be too many sick animals to be able to treat them all. Due to the high turnover in a shelter as well as the limited resources most shelters have, by concentrating on prevention of diseases, shelters can most effectively utilize their limited resources to keep the majority of animals healthy.
Assignment #11. What are the most important steps to take to prevent upper respiratory infections in shelters?
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Assignment #12. Which GI pathogens listed in the text are zoonotic, and what problems do they cause for people?
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Assignment #13. What is an ELISA test? What is a PCR test? Which is better, and why?
The ELISA test (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) and PCR test (Polymerase Chain Reaction) are two common diagnostic tools used for a variety of tests, for both plants and animals. ELISA is a serological test that tests for antibodies to verify the presence of a disease. PCR looks directly for a virus’s unique DNA or RNA. It targets genetic material and copies it until quantities are large enough for detection, verification and analysis. PCR is estimated to be between 100-1000 times more sensitive than ELISA. Therefore, when a virus is present in an extremely low amount, it can still be detected by PCR although it would come up negative on an ELISA test.
Assignment #14. Should parvo dogs in the shelter be treated or euthanized? Why?
The ideal solution would be to treat dogs that have contracted parvo, since some of them can survive the disease. However, due to the high fatality rate and the rampant spread of this disease, it is more common to euthanize any sick animals to prevent the spread of the disease to other healthy animals. If the dogs who are showing signs of parvo cannot be safely isolated with full quarantine procedures, they should be euthanized.
Assignment #15. Should demodex dogs in the shelter be treated or euthanized? Why?
These dogs should be treated, since demodex mange is generally not contagious to other dogs, and the dogs will often recover fully with treatment. In a few rare cases some dogs do not respond to any sort of treatment and do have to be euthanized, but the large majority of dogs will go on to a full recovery.
Assignment #16. What are the two main types of mange found in animal shelters? How is each type diagnosed? How is each type treated?
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Assignment #17. Discuss how the following parasites are diagnosed and treated: Hookworms, Roundworms, Tapeworms, Whipworms, Coccidia, and Giardia.
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Assignment #18. Why is the rabies hold 10 days long if the virus can incubate for a year or more?
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Assignment #19. Why is it so important to control odors in the shelter?
It is important to control odors in the shelter for various reasons. First, odors can be a deterrent to good public relations. People will spend less time in the shelter looking for a pet if it has a bad odor. Second, odors indicate the presence of a medium in which noxious organisms and contagions can grow. In other words, odors indicate the shelter is not clean enough. Masking the odors is not a solution, because the unhealthy cause of the odors remains.
Assignment #20. Why should you clean prior to disinfection?
Most disinfectants cannot penetrate and kill disease organisms in organic debris. Therefore if the facility is not cleaned prior to disinfection, the disease organisms will remain in the environment.
Assignment #21. Define "fomite." What's the most common fomite in a shelter environment?
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a fomite is an inanimate object or substance that is capable of transmitting infectious organisms from one individual to another. The most common fomites in a shelter are hands, clothing, litter boxes, water bowls, toys and medical and cleaning equipment.
Assignment #22. Why are footbaths so important in a shelter environment, and how often should the solution in them be changed?
Footbaths are used to control fomite disease transmission. They should be changed in accordance to how often that room is used, and what product is used in the footbath. Bleach footbaths must be changed at least once a day. Footbaths with Roccal should be changed daily, and whenever the footbath solution appears soiled.
Assignment #23. Why is it important to keep surfaces dry in the shelter? List some methods for keeping floors dry.
A wet shelter environment is one in which contagions can more easily grow. Odors are aggravated by a wet kennel area, and dogs that are wet are compromised in their ability to stay warm. This could contribute to an increase in disease rates. Some methods for keeping floors dry include squeegee standing fluids into drains, increase the air-exchange rate and increase the airflow in wet areas.
Assignment #24. What's the primary means of transmission of upper respiratory diseases in the shelter? Is bleach a detergent? Does it clean, disinfect, or both?
The primary means of transmission of upper respiratory diseases in the shelter are through fomite contamination. Bleach is not a detergent, it is a disinfectant. It only disinfects and does not clean. If an area is not cleaned and organic matter removed prior to using bleach, it will limit its ability to disinfect.
Assignment #25. What are some other disinfectants, besides bleach, that can be effectively used in the shelter environment?
The other disinfectants that can be effectively used are quaternary ammonium compounds. These include brand names such as Roccal, Spectrasol, Parvo-sol and A33. There are other disinfectants that are effective but due to cost, availability, application or composition, they are impractical as an animal shelter disinfectant.
Assignment #26. List some infectious bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa that need to be disinfected for in the shelter.
Some examples of bacteria in a shelter include leptospirosis, brucellosis, Lyme disease, E. coli, salmonellosis and bordetellosis. Examples of viruses are rabies, canine parvovirus, feline panleukopenia, canine distemper, feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. Examples of fungi include ringworm and cryptococcosis. An example of protozoa is giardia.
Assignment #27. What's the difference between a detergent and a degreaser?
A detergent is a cleansing agent that emulsifies grease and suspends dirt particles. Detergents clean by removing debris (via scrubbing), but they do not disinfect. A degreaser is a type of very strong detergent. A degreaser is made to penetrate the filmy layers that other detergents can’t reach.
Assignment #28. What's the difference between a disinfectant and a sanitizer?
A disinfectant is a chemical solution that destroys microorganisms. Disinfectants are made in with various active ingredients in different strengths, and are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency. Sanitizers are not as strong as disinfectants. They should not be used to disinfect in a shelter setting.
Assignment #29. What's the difference between a disinfectant and a sterilant?
Sterilization is the process of killing all life forms at all levels, including bacterial spores. Disinfection does not kill bacterial spores, although it will kill all of the pathogens that can cause the onset of disease.
Assignment #30. What class of organisms do sterilants fail to kill?
There are no class of organisms that sterilants fail to kill. While some bacterial spores may show resistance to various sterilants, the definition and purpose of a sterilant is to kill all microorganisms, including bacterial spores.
Assignment #31. Should phenols be used to disinfect in the shelter? Why, or why not?
Phenols should not be used to disinfect in the shelter. They are extremely toxic to some animals, including reptiles and cats.
Assignment #32. What's the difference between enveloped and non-enveloped viruses? Which are harder to kill? Why?
Viruses are made up of a piece of nucleic acid or genetic material, surrounded by a protein coat. Some viruses, known as enveloped viruses, have another outer layer that houses the mechanisms that allow the virus to attach itself to a host cell. By destroying the outer layer, the virus becomes inert and can no longer replicate. Other viruses, known as non-enveloped viruses, don’t have this outermost layer. Instead their mechanisms to attach to a host are stored in the protein coat, which is much more resistant to disinfectants. Therefore, the non-enveloped viruses are much more difficult to kill.
Assignment #33. Should disinfectants be rotated in the shelter? Why or why not?
Disinfectants should be rotated in a shelter, since it increases the probability of killing germs that a different disinfectant may have missed. Rotating bleach and a quaternary ammonium compound is the preferred method, since bleach is effective against more microbes, but quats can clean in addition to disinfecting, so rotating the two provides a better chance of killing more germs overall.
Assignment #34. What's the main thing that prevents disinfectants from working properly in the shelter?
The main thing that prevents disinfectants from working properly in the shelter is the presence of organic waste which can neutralize the disinfectant.
Assignment #35. Discuss some techniques to keep animals safe from chemicals while their kennels, cages, and general areas are being cleaned.
Animals should always be removed from the immediate area while their kennels or cages are being disinfected (with the exception of spot-cleaning cat cages). One technique for cats is to place each cat into an empty clean cage – as one cage is finished, the next cat is placed into the clean cage. Another method is to keep an empty cage or carrier for each cat. This is a luxury that most shelters do not have. A third option is to have one person hold the cat and examine/interact with it while another person cleans the cat cage. Dogs can be removed from the area by placing them into one closed-off side of the kennel, in the case of two-sided runs. If this option is not available, a communal holding area, or outdoor play area, may be used. This can be a source of contamination and disease spread, but it may be unavoidable unless there is a disease outbreak.
Assignment #36. How often should degreasers, detergents, and disinfectants be used?
Degreasers, detergents and disinfectants should be used at least on a daily basis to clean dog and cat kennels, as well as any other surfaces that an animal comes into contact with. This includes kennel walkways, transport cages, leads, collars, exam tables, etc.
Assignment #37. How often should the shelter be steam-cleaned?
The shelter should be steam-cleaned monthly, or possibly even weekly. Steam cleaning can help to dislodge the most difficult to remove germs. Some shelters use steam cleaners as a daily cleaning procedure, but as a practical matter, many shelters cannot afford the time that it requires each day.
Assignment #38. Do alcohol hand rubs kill parvovirus? Calicivirus?
No, alcohol hand rubs do not kill parvovirus. Some alcohol hand rubs, such as a gel made of 70% alcohol, will inactivate some caliciviruses. Ethanol is the most effective of the alcohols against calicivirus.
Assignment #39. Do alcohol hand rubs disinfect dirty hands?
While alcohol-based hand rubs can reduce the number of microorganisms on skin, they are also inactivated by the presence of organic material such as dirt, saliva or other debris, similar to surface disinfectants.
Assignment #40. How should bleach be diluted for disinfection? Should hot or cold water be used?
Bleach should be diluted with water at a ratio of 1 part chemical to 32 parts water, assuming the bleach contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. If disinfecting for ringworm, however, bleach should be diluted in a 1:10 solution. In order to best disinfect a clean surface, bleach should be mixed with cool water. Hot water will release more chlorine gas into the environment, putting more irritants in the air and leaving less disinfecting power in the bucket.
Assignment #41. Once diluted, how quickly should bleach water be used?
Once bleach has been diluted, the chlorine is only present from around a half an hour to an hour. This means bleach water should be used immediately, and fresh buckets should be prepared daily, or each time you disinfect.
Assignment #42. What viruses that are killed by bleach my not be killed by other disinfectants?
Two viruses that are killed by bleach and not by most other disinfectants are parvovirus and calicivirus. These two viruses are “nonenveloped” which means they are much more resistant to disinfectants.
Assignment #43. Will bleach kill worm eggs? Protozoan oocysts?
Bleach will not will worm eggs from cestode tapeworms. However, bleach has been shown to be effective in a 1% solution against hookworm eggs and roundworm eggs. Bleach has also shown to be effective against protozoan oocysts.
Assignment #44. Bleach loses its efficacy over time. How can you tell if your old bleach is still effective?
One way to tell if bleach is still effective is to smell it – if there is no longer a chlorine smell, it can be assumed that the bleach is no longer effective.
Assignment #45. Describe the complete vaccination protocol for dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens in a shelter environment. Include details regarding specific diseases the vaccines help prevent, the schedule on which each should be given, method of delivery, and specific injection sites.
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