Starting a volunteer behavior program from scratch

In 2011, with a behavior department staff of one, Friends For Life (FFL) Animal Shelter was inundated with calls for help from local pet parents who were unable to afford behavior and training services for their companion animals. Desperate to find a way to prevent animals from coming into the shelter for simple behavior problems, FFL designed and implemented its Shelter Training and Enrichment Program, a tiered behavior volunteer program that provides free education for people of all backgrounds interested in providing enrichment, training and behavior consultation to shelter animals, adopters, fosters and members of the public. Since the advent of this program, 2,251 participants have provided over 25,000 hours of specialized behavioral service to the animals in the Greater Houston area.

Join this workshop to learn how to start a shelter behavior program of your own with a focus on prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion in development, implementation and the workforce carrying them out. The initiatives discussed in this workshop are ones that directly address inequities, including access to affordable wellness services, supplies and behavior consultation, so that pet ownership is within reach for all.

This workshop was originally presented at Animal Care Expo 2025.

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Presenters

• Alese Zeman, Friends 4 Life
• Kira Klawitter, Friends 4 Life