We, the volunteers and supportof ACCT Philly, have initiated this petition to respectfully request that the shelter implement essential safety measures at ACCT Philly to protect the safety and welfare of volunteers and staff.
The recent increase in aggressive dog bite incidents over the past 10 months has led us to advocate for change. We need to proactively address the behavior needs of the dogs in ACCT’s care as well as any dangerous dogs and hire a certified behaviorist and/or certified, credentialed trainer with high intake shelter experience in a management role.
Petition to the Board of ACCT Philly
ACCT Philly is an open-intake shelter often forced to care for dogs that we have no behavior background information on. Many of these dogs have been known to have behavioral challenges in the shelter, posing a substantial risk to staff and volunteers yet they remain available to the volunteers and public for handling and adoptions without adequate assessment and intervention to mitigate risk. This has led to severe bites to staff members, volunteers and rescue partners after noted aggressive dogs have been made available.
The uptick in dog attacks is alarming and highlights the immediate need of having skilled personnel to assess and develop a behavioral action plan to care for these dogs in a safe and ethical way. The shelter has been operating without a Certified, Credentialed Trainer and/or Behaviorist for many years yet it is one of the most vital roles in animal welfare for public safety.
What we need:
• We are asking to have the Board fund or fundraise for a management position for a Certified and Credentialed Behaviorist and/or Trainer with significant experience in a high intake shelter environment.
ACCT Philly is ethically and legally obligated to ensure the safety of the staff, volunteers, rescues and the public against dangerous dogs and it is failing with its current approach to care.
The shelter is earning a reputation as a place that is unsafe to serve as a volunteer due to the increase in dog attacks. Now is the time to take action before a grave tragedy forces the hand of the Board and the Leadership Team.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
August 23, 2020
August 21, 2020
The board can no longer ignore this mounting pressure while volunteers continue to get hurt. This momentum proves that the community is fed up with their reckless refusal to hire a professional behaviorist.
Reached 100 supporters
August 20, 2020
95 Comments
I was one of the bad attacks that you see photos of above. We need these changes in order to avoid these things from happening. The dogs and volunteers/staff deserve this safety measure
To those making this decision: If this we’re your spouse, child, family member, friend, friends child, neighbor, etc what would you think then? Would you encourage them to continue volunteering w the shelter dogs WITHOUT a proper behavior evaluation? Think about that.
This is a necessary step to keep volunteers and the public safe. As much as everyone believes all dogs can be rehabbed, that is not the truth. Placing dogs with known aggressive past into the public or not evaluating temperament before people interact with these animals is dangerous and negligent.
Having witnessed an attack, I can't say enough about how important this cause is. Our dogs and our volunteers deserve an on site trainer who is an expert in dog behavior to keep us all safe.
Safety needs to be a priority. Having a credentialed trainer on staff is an absolute necessity now more than ever. Other comparable shelters have multiple trainers on staff, why doesn't ACCT Philly? The increase in dog attacks is concerning and completely avoidable. Please make the steps to fund this position before another person is badly attacked.
Long over due....Good luck....
This is an essential role in any animal shelter to insure safety of staff and animals.
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We, the volunteers and supportof ACCT Philly, have initiated this petition to respectfully request that the shelter implement essential safety measures at ACCT Philly to protect the safety and welfare of volunteers and staff.
The recent increase in aggressive dog bite incidents over the past 10 months has led us to advocate for change. We need to proactively address the behavior needs of the dogs in ACCT’s care as well as any dangerous dogs and hire a certified behaviorist and/or certified, credentialed trainer with high intake shelter experience in a management role.
Petition to the Board of ACCT Philly
ACCT Philly is an open-intake shelter often forced to care for dogs that we have no behavior background information on. Many of these dogs have been known to have behavioral challenges in the shelter, posing a substantial risk to staff and volunteers yet they remain available to the volunteers and public for handling and adoptions without adequate assessment and intervention to mitigate risk. This has led to severe bites to staff members, volunteers and rescue partners after noted aggressive dogs have been made available.
The uptick in dog attacks is alarming and highlights the immediate need of having skilled personnel to assess and develop a behavioral action plan to care for these dogs in a safe and ethical way. The shelter has been operating without a Certified, Credentialed Trainer and/or Behaviorist for many years yet it is one of the most vital roles in animal welfare for public safety.
What we need:
• We are asking to have the Board fund or fundraise for a management position for a Certified and Credentialed Behaviorist and/or Trainer with significant experience in a high intake shelter environment.
ACCT Philly is ethically and legally obligated to ensure the safety of the staff, volunteers, rescues and the public against dangerous dogs and it is failing with its current approach to care.
The shelter is earning a reputation as a place that is unsafe to serve as a volunteer due to the increase in dog attacks. Now is the time to take action before a grave tragedy forces the hand of the Board and the Leadership Team.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
August 23, 2020
August 21, 2020
The board can no longer ignore this mounting pressure while volunteers continue to get hurt. This momentum proves that the community is fed up with their reckless refusal to hire a professional behaviorist.
Reached 100 supporters
August 20, 2020
95 Comments
I was surprised to find that such a position did not exist, since it had existed for many years. It is time to bring it back. A behaviorist can give appropriate evaluations, so that the tough decisions can be made on more of a risk assessments basis, not just medical, or space.
I was one of the bad attacks that you see photos of above. We need these changes in order to avoid these things from happening. The dogs and volunteers/staff deserve this safety measure
To those making this decision: If this we’re your spouse, child, family member, friend, friends child, neighbor, etc what would you think then? Would you encourage them to continue volunteering w the shelter dogs WITHOUT a proper behavior evaluation? Think about that.
This is a necessary step to keep volunteers and the public safe. As much as everyone believes all dogs can be rehabbed, that is not the truth. Placing dogs with known aggressive past into the public or not evaluating temperament before people interact with these animals is dangerous and negligent.
Having witnessed an attack, I can't say enough about how important this cause is. Our dogs and our volunteers deserve an on site trainer who is an expert in dog behavior to keep us all safe.
Safety needs to be a priority. Having a credentialed trainer on staff is an absolute necessity now more than ever. Other comparable shelters have multiple trainers on staff, why doesn't ACCT Philly? The increase in dog attacks is concerning and completely avoidable. Please make the steps to fund this position before another person is badly attacked.
Long over due....Good luck....
This is an essential role in any animal shelter to insure safety of staff and animals.
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I was surprised to find that such a position did not exist, since it had existed for many years. It is time to bring it back. A behaviorist can give appropriate evaluations, so that the tough decisions can be made on more of a risk assessments basis, not just medical, or space.