Making A Difference Now

MISSION: RESCUE ANIMALS, EDUCATE COMMUNITIES, ADVOCATE FOR ANIMAL WELFARE. WE EXIST TO HELP ANIMALS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND CARE FOR THEM.

EDUCATING COMMUNITIES. MAKING A DIFFERENCE 2023: REIMAGINING ANIMAL WELFARE. EDUCATING COMMUNITIES HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CENTRAL PILLAR OF MADN'S MISSION AND OUR IN-PERSON TRAINING PROGRAMS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SUCCESSFUL, WELL-RECEIVED EVENTS. WITH IN-PERSON EVENTS HALTED BY COVID FROM 2020 TO 2023, MADN PIVOTED TO OFFER WEBINARS AND OTHER VIRTUAL TRAINING OPTIONS, OFTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER EXCELLENT NONPROFIT PARTNERS. WHILE THESE VIRTUAL EVENTS WERE ALSO WELL-RECEIVED AND INFORMATIVE, WE BELIEVE THE NETWORKING AND ENGAGEMENT OFFERED BY IN-PERSON CONFERENCES ARE HARD TO REPRODUCE VIRTUALLY, SO WE WERE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER ONE OF OUR SIGNATURE IN-PERSON EVENTS AGAIN IN 2023, OUR MAKING A DIFFERENCE CONFERENCE IN LEXINGTON. MAKING A DIFFERENCE 2023: REIMAGINING ANIMAL WELFARE WAS OUR FIRST IN-PERSON TRAINING SINCE OUR LAST ON THE ROAD WORKSHOPS (OTRW) ON MARCH 10, 2020. OUR OTRW TRAINING IS ANOTHER SIGNATURE MADN PROGRAM, DESIGNED TO OFFER TRAINING IN OTHER KENTUCKY COMMUNITIES SO STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS CAN NETWORK AND RECEIVE TRAINING IN THEIR OWN AREAS. MAKING A DIFFERENCE 2023: REIMAGINING ANIMAL WELFARE, PRESENTED ON OCTOBER 5, 2023, WAS NOT ONLY OUR FIRST POST-COVID, IN-PERSON TRAINING EVENT, IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST TRAINING EVENT IN OUR AREA TO BE SPECIFICALLY TARGETED FOR BOTH THE ANIMAL WELFARE AND THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMUNITIES. AN EVER-INCREASING VOLUME OF RESEARCH CONFIRMS THE INTERSECTION OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL WELFARE, AND OUR CONFERENCE WAS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THESE OVERLAPS WITHIN BOTH SECTORS. A HIGHLY REGARDED SLATE OF ACCOMPLISHED PROFESSIONALS FROM BOTH SERVICE AREAS PRESENTED AT THE CONFERENCE WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS IN HUMAN SERVICES AND ANIMAL WELFARE, BY INDEPENDENT VOLUNTEERS, AND BY MORE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAN ANY PRIOR CONFERENCES. REGISTRANTS HAILED FROM 10 STATES AND 25 DIFFERENT CITIES. CEUS WERE OFFERED FOR SOCIAL WORKERS, KENTUCKY COUNTY OFFICIALS, AND ANIMAL CONTROL/ANIMAL WELFARE WORKERS. ATTENDEES FOUND THE CONFERENCE HELPFUL AND THOSE WHO COMPLETED EVALUATIONS RANKED ALL PRESENTATIONS AND SESSIONS 4.44 - 4.76 ON A 5 POINT SCALE. IN A FINDING OF SPECIAL IMPORTANCE TO MADN REPRESENTATIVES, 100% OF ATTENDEES REPORTED THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THE CONFERENCE TO OTHERS. WE ARE MAKING PLANS TO CONTINUE THE RELATIONSHIPS AND MOMENTUM THE CONFERENCE OFFERED, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE MORE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE HUGE UNMET NEEDS THAT EXIST AND HOW EVERYONE CAN HELP ANIMALS AND PEOPLE LIVE THEIR BEST LIVES. IT WILL TAKE ALL OF US BECAUSE AS WE DESCRIBE BELOW, ANIMAL WELFARE IS IN CRISIS AND MANY HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS ARE GOING UNMET AS WELL.

RESCUE ANIMALS. ANIMAL CAREGIVING - DIRECT SERVICES, COLLABORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS. AS A SMALL NONPROFIT WITH THE BROAD PURPOSE OF HELPING ANIMALS AND THEIR PEOPLE, MADN HAS ALWAYS EMPHASIZED COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION WITH OTHER EXCELLENT ORGANIZATIONS AND HAS WORKED TO CREATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT BUILD ON EACH ORGANIZATION'S STRENGTHS. IN THE EARLY DAYS, MADN VOLUNTEERS DIRECTLY PROVIDED MOST ALL THE RESCUE WORK: TRAPPING FOR SPAY/NEUTER (S/N) FOR COMPANION ANIMALS AND TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN (TNR) FOR COMMUNITY CATS; TRANSPORT TO AND FROM SURGERY AND RECOVERY LOCATIONS; COLONY MONITORING AND CAREGIVING, FOSTERING; AND ANY OTHER SERVICE WE COULD PROVIDE TO SAVE A LIFE. WE STILL DO THOSE THINGS TODAY WHEN NECESSARY, BUT WE PROVIDE MORE SERVICES THROUGH REFERRALS TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUS ON THOSE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS AND THROUGH CONSULTATION AND EDUCATION TO NEIGHBORS TO HELP THEM IMPLEMENT TNR AND CAREGIVING TEAMS. WE ALSO OFFER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES SUCH AS PROVIDING SHELTERS AND FEEDING STATIONS, LENDING CARRIERS AND KENNELS, AND SO FORTH. EXAMPLES OF MADN REFERRALS AND PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDE: MADN VOLUNTEERS TRANSPORTING DOGS THROUGH OUR TRANSPORT COORDINATOR PARTNERS FROM KENTUCKY SHELTERS WHERE THEY ARE AT RISK OF EUTHANASIA TO RESCUES IN NORTHERN STATES WITH MORE OPTIONS FOR FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE HOMES (BECAUSE THOSE STATES HAVE DONE A FAR BETTER JOB THAN KY AND SOUTHERN STATES IN IMPLEMENTING SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS!); WORKING REGULARLY WITH SEVERAL AREA VETERINARIANS TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY AND ONGOING CARE FOR ILL OR INJURED ANIMALS, AND FOR S/N AND TNR SURGERIES; REFERRALS OF ILL/ORPHANED KITTENS TO A SISTER NONPROFIT WITH EXPERTISE IN CARING FOR AND FOSTERING NEONATAL KITTENS; REFERRAL OF ILL, INJURED OR ORPHANED WILDLIFE TO REHABILITATORS WITH EXPERTISE IN CARING FOR THE SPECIES IN NEED; WORKING WITH OTHER KY VETERINARIANS TO HELP COVER THE VET BILLS FOR ANIMALS WHOSE HUMANS CANNOT AFFORD THE NECESSARY TREATMENT, WHETHER FOR OWNED PETS OR RESCUED ANIMALS. WE BELIEVE FAMILIES BELONG TOGETHER AND THE BEST WAY TO KEEP PETS OUT OF SHELTERS IS TO KEEP THEM IN LOVING HOMES, SO WE OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH FOOD, SUPPLIES OR MEDICAL CARE FOR FAMILY PETS, FOSTERS, OR COMMUNITY CAT COLONIES, AS WELL AS S/N AND TNR COSTS. WE WOULD BE SERIOUSLY REMISS IF WE DID NOT REPORT THAT ANIMAL RESCUE/WELFARE IS IN CRISIS, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING AFTERMATH OF THE PANDEMIC. FEW OF US ANTICIPATED THE PROFOUND IMPACT AND LINGERING CONSEQUENCES WHICH NOW AFFECT OUR LIVES AND THE LIVES OF THE ANIMALS AND PEOPLE WE TRY TO HELP. SHELTERS AND RESCUES ARE OVERFULL, OVERBURDENED, AND VASTLY UNDER-RESOURCED. PEOPLE WHO ADOPTED PETS DURING COVID SEEK TO RELINQUISH THOSE ANIMALS WHILE FEWER VOLUNTEER TO FOSTER OR ADOPT. BECAUSE ELECTIVE PROCEDURES WERE HALTED DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE OFFSPRING OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS WHO WERE NOT S/N'D ARE NOW FLOODING SHELTERS AND RESCUES, AND PET OVERPOPULATION THREATENS MUCH OF THE PROGRESS WE HAD MADE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. SHELTERS THAT HAD NOT EUTHANIZED FOR SPACE IN YEARS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO IMPLEMENT THIS PAINFUL DECISION, A DECISION THAT REFLECTS HUMAN FAILURE TO DO WHAT WE KNOW NEEDS TO BE DONE: SPAY/NEUTER ALL COMPANION ANIMALS; NEVER PURCHASE PUPPY MILL, PET STORE, AND IRRESPONSIBLE BREEDER KITTENS AND PUPPIES; EDUCATE EVERYONE ON WHY THESE ACTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL; AND DEMAND THE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION THAT PROMOTES THEM.

ADVOCATING FOR ANIMAL WELFARE. ADVOCATE EDUCATION, RECRUITMENT AND ENGAGEMENT. AS NOTED ABOVE, COVID WREAKED HAVOC IN MANY AREAS OF ANIMAL WELFARE FROM 2020 - 2023, MAKING DIFFICULT, OFTEN HEARTBREAKING, AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS ANIMAL RESCUE WORK EVEN MORE CHALLENGING. IN KENTUCKY, THIS REALITY IS MADE WORSE BY A WOEFUL LACK OF LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND ENFORCEMENT IN ANIMAL WELFARE. KENTUCKY RANKED DEAD LAST OF ALL 50 STATES IN ANIMAL WELFARE AND PROTECTION FOR 13 YEARS STRAIGHT. BECAUSE THE ANIMAL WELFARE COMMUNITY WAS FINALLY ABLE TO INFLUENCE KENTUCKY'S LEGISLATURE TO PASS A LAW BANNING BESTIALITY IN MARCH 2019, KENTUCKY MOVED UP IN THE RANKINGS FROM 50TH TO 47TH. A SECOND LAW GRANTING VETERINARIANS THE RIGHT TO REPORT SUSPECTED CRUELTY AND ABUSE MOVED US TO 44TH BUT THE LACK OF ANY PROGRESS SINCE THEN MOVED US BACKWARDS AGAIN, TO OUR 2023 RANKING OF 46TH. CLEARLY UNACCEPTABLE. LONGSTANDING ANTAGONISM TOWARD ANIMAL WELFARE AND SOME ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS IS CLEARLY A FACTOR WITH SOME LONG-TERM LEGISLATORS, AND TO DATE, ADVOCATES HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OVERRIDE THIS OBSTACLE AND WHATEVER OTHERS EXIST TO PASS COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BENEFIT ANIMALS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND CARE FOR THEM IN OUR STATE. MADN PARTNERED WITH SISTER AGENCIES TO PRESENT ONLINE WEBINARS AND SESSIONS ON ADVOCACY, SUPPORTED THE ONLINE PRESENTATION OF KENTUCKY ANIMAL ACTION DAY 2022, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE FIRST POST-PANDEMIC IN-PERSON KENTUCKY ANIMAL ACTION DAY IN 2023 TO TRY TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND BUILD MORE COMMITMENT TO ADVOCACY. WE HAVE WORKED HARD TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND EXPAND PUBLIC EDUCATION/ADVOCACY, BUT MORE WORK IS NEEDED TO CREATE THE GROUNDSWELL OF PUBLIC SUPPORT APPARENTLY REQUIRED TO MOVE OUR LEGISLATURE FORWARD. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO RECRUIT A VOLUNTEER IN 2023 WITH EXPERTISE IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE COMMUNICATION TO HELP US ENHANCE OUR MESSAGING AND BROADEN OUR COALITION. THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE STRONGER LEGISLATION IS NECESSARY FOR ANIMALS AND THEIR PEOPLE TO BE PROTECTED IN THIS STATE.