Shelter Mentorship program

The goal of the Shelter Mentorship program is to provide resources and expertise to shelters that are committed to addressing some of the most common challenges in animal welfare. Through grant funding, training and policy engagement, the program partners with selected shelters on one of three topics: community cats, pet-inclusive housing and wildlife.

Over the course of the year, the selected shelter and subject matter experts at Humane World and beyond will connect to discuss community-specific goals related to data analysis, local and/or state policy change, and program development. Each mentorship is also supported by a $15,000 grant. 

Applications for the 2026 mentorship cohort will open this summer. Be the first to know by subscribing to our HumanePro e-newsletter.

Community cats

Our community cats-centered mentorship aims to help cats through effective policies and programs that will, over time, reduce the number of outdoor cats in the community. We’ll help you implement a holistic approach to managing dynamic populations of cats in your community through tactical trap neuter-return, practical pathway planning for cats entering the shelter and coordination of programs across your organization. 

Together we’ll review relevant local and state laws, standard operating procedures and other policies, then develop a roadmap for navigating obstacles, clearing bottlenecks and changing policies. Participating organizations will have the opportunity to co-host a town hall and training event for staff and the community with Humane World for Animals. These in-person or virtual conversations will set the bar for best practices for cat caregivers, trappers and other volunteers; help build a network of cat advocates; and provide a platform for the mentee shelter to gain support for its community cat programs.

Pet-inclusive housing

Safe, stable and secure housing is a foundational building block in creating equity for pet ownership and keeping families together. Our housing-centered mentorship seeks to build awareness and action that will reduce the number of animals flowing into shelters and keep more pets in their homes. 

Together with other experts in the field, Humane World for Animals will provide background on the systemic issues of poverty, housing insecurity, and government-sanctioned programs and policies that have resulted in a legacy of economic and racial segregation and income inequality. Shelters participating in the mentorship will collect data on affordable housing in the communities they serve to identify the challenges families face and will complete training to help them better support pet owners facing eviction. These approaches may include local or state policy initiatives and expansion of safety net programs.

Wildlife

Millions of wild animals are killed each year due to real or perceived conflicts with humans. These conflicts can often be solved with simple advice given over the phone. Many shelters want to incorporate wildlife into their mission to help animals, but with limited resources and competing demands, it can seem like an insurmountable challenge. Our wildlife-focused mentorship will equip shelters with the tools needed to respond humanely and effectively to inquiries from the public about wildlife.

Data collection provides invaluable insights on where to spend limited time and resources to achieve the greatest impact for animals. Together, we’ll create a system for tracking inquiries from the public about conflicts with wildlife. We’ll use this information to tailor trainings to participating shelter staff on topics such as solving problems with species from squirrels to bears, reuniting and renesting orphaned wildlife, wild animal capture and handling, and more.

Looking for more information? Find additional resources here.