Since 2009, the Vanderburgh Humane Society has used shelter management software known as PetPoint to keep track of its animal population, record important medical information like vaccinations, process adoptions, and more.
Effective January 22, 2018 the VHS has made the transition to software called Shelterluv. Shelterluv is a 5-year-old nonprofit company based in California’s Silicon Valley. They are a forward-thinking company that has done a great job of pairing modern technology with the specific needs and issues that animal welfare agencies face. For more information on their history visit www.shelterluv.com.
There is a multitude of ways that this software will help the VHS improve internal operations. But there Shelterluv will also positively impact VHS visitors, foster parents, adopters, and supporters! For example:
· The kennel cards on animals’ cages are now much cleaner-looking, easier to read, and free of less-relevant imformation
· Shelterluv has the capacity to go entirely paperless. Adoptions can now be processed right on an adopter’s smartphone. Those who don’t have smartphones can still e-sign documents, which are stored electronically, saving a lot of money a year in paper & printing costs
· Shelterluv accepts an unlimited number of photos and videos for animal listings, instead of just 3 photos and 1 video with PetPoint
· Shelterluv is capable of tracking where adopters & visitors heard about the VHS, which will be invaluable in determining how & where to most effectively spend marketing resources
· Potential adopters can now apply online to adopt an animal which was not possible with PetPoint
· It will be much easier for potential adopters to see individual attributes about an animal in our online listings, such as heartworm-positive dogs, FIV+ cats, animals who are housetrained, bonded pairs, etc.
· Shelterluv automatically uploads to Adopt-A-Pet.com and Petfinder.com, which will not only save staff & volunteer time but will ensure that those listings are as up-to-date as possible
· Medical histories sent home with adopters are also much cleaner-looking and easier to read
· New foster care opportunities will be easier than ever to implement (stay tuned!)
To see a listing of the VHS’ adoptable animals in the new format, visit www.vhslifesaver.org/adopt!
Additional changes to VHS operations include new microchips. Adopted animals formerly went home with 24PetWatch chips, and will now go home with Michelson Found Animals chips. Registration is still automatically included with the adoption fee.
The VHS will no longer be recording lost & found animal reports. For missing or found animals, the VHS recommends utilizing a website called Pawboost.com where people can list photos & information about the animal. The listings are organized by location so people can easily see any lost or found animals in the Evansville area. Pawboost also allows people to easily share listings to Facebook and print flyers. Both Pawboost’s website and mobile app are free to use.
The Evansville Lost Pets Facebook page is also a great resources for lost & found animals.
