Center for Shelter Dogs
Summer Institute
The Summer Institute is a unique, intensive, week-long training opportunity for animal care professionals whose job involves dog intake, behavior evaluation, training, and adoption. Topics include:
- How to collect the most useful and predictive intake information from the previous home/organization
- How to perform the Animal Rescue League MATCH-UP behavior evaluation, interpret the results, and implement any necessary behavior rehabilitation
- How to find the “right” home for a dog and how to perform post-adoption follow-up
We are currently in the planning stages for the 2010 Summer Institute and will post updated information when it becomes available.
Center for Shelter Dogs 2009 Summer Institute Gives ARL of Boston
“National Presence in Shelter World”
According to CSD Director Dr. Amy Marder, the Summer Institute served two vital purposes.
“First of all, I think every part of what we presented was important in saving animals’ lives,” she notes. “Equally important, thanks to the Summer Institute we now have a national presence in the shelter world. I’ve been working on these areas of study for the past 10 years and for the ARL of Boston and the Center for Shelter Dogs to become recognized as a leader in these areas has been one of my goals.”
For ARL of Boston President Jay Bowen, the Summer Institute is a good example of the role of the League as a thought leader in the national animal welfare community. “Through the dissemination of information during the Institute and the ongoing dialogue that continues between the CSD staff and participants, the Animal Rescue League of Boston is making a difference in the lives of shelter dogs across the country,” he adds.
Marder credits the CSD staff for producing a stellar event. “From Day 1 when we first envisioned the Summer Institute, Jackie Fantuzzi was the key player in coordinating logistics and developing the program agenda. She really took care of all the details even arranging for excellent food being provided by several local restaurants something that many of our participants commented on favorably. And with Jackie out on maternity leave, Laney MacDougall, Mercedes Carota and Sarah Jones were instrumental in helping make sure that the whole program ran smoothly.”
In addition, she says, “We also had so many different people from virtually every department who helped out. Whether it was main speakers, small group seminars, dessert lectures, hands-on activities all of the attendees gave us positive comments.”
Filling a Knowledge Gap
Marder notes that the whole purpose of both the CSD and the Summer Institute are to fill an important knowledge gap when it comes to shelter dogs.
She explains, “When the Stanton Foundation provided the $3 million grant to establish the Center for Shelter Dogs last year, their request was that the CSD have a ‘DVD’ focus: Development, Validation and Dissemination. While we’ve been lecturing and spreading the word about the CSD throughout the various professional conferences over the past several months, the Summer Institute is our first major ‘dissemination’ activity.”
Participants particularly appreciated learning from people who had the science background and could tell them about research, but also had the practical knowledge.
“At present, there’s no standardized, validated way of evaluating a dog’s behavior,” explains CSD Senior Applied Animal Behaviorist Dr. Sheila D’Arpino, a key presenter at the Summer Institute. “In fact, many shelters don’t do behavior evaluation tests or are uncomfortable with the evaluations they’re using. That’s what we’re working on here at the Center for Shelter Dogs validating a behavior evaluation test. So it was really valuable to show how we do our evaluations and work with dogs to get them adopted.”
Marder agrees. “What the participants particularly wanted was on materials, they could take home, practical, usable things that they can use in their shelter,” she adds.
Participants Highly Motivated
Marder notes that the participants themselves were a very special group. While 10 scholarships covering tuition, room and board were available, most attendees were there at their own expense.
“We had a group of very devoted people coming to the Summer Institute, and it was a smart group with experience at all levels. Some of the attendees were volunteers and some were close to the executive director. We had people like Dr. Brenda Griffin who is one of the top shelter medicine veterinarians and her two residents who were very experienced as well as upper echelon animal control officers.
She says enthusiastically, “All of attendees were committed and they were educated they took a week of their lives to come learn. How exciting is that in the shelter world!”
Immediate Results Evident
Marder notes that almost immediately after the Summer Institute, its effects were becoming evident.
“We’ve gotten several emails, and I’m already doing training by email with the participants from Multnomah County Animal Services, a very forward thinking municipal shelter outside of Portland, Oregon. The Edmonton [Alberta, Canada] Humane Society has also been very eager to work with us.”
She continues, “Here in Massachusetts because people now know what a successful evaluation program we have, I’ve evaluated a dog from Boston Animal Control, another one for a court case from Cohasset and I just got an email from the Gardner ACO who wants me to evaluate two dogs - all of this is in rapid succession. We even managed to transfer one of the dogs that we evaluated at the Summer Institute to a dog trainer who work closely with [Rosemary from the PILOT Program] who was one of the attendees, so we’re getting this dog cared for properly. All of this has happened as a direct result of the Summer Institute, so I’d say we’ve definitely made a mark.”
Already Looking Forward to Next Year’s Summer Institute
Based on the highly positive evaluations from the participants, CSD staff are already preparing for the second Summer Institute likely in June 2010.
In July, Marder will be attending the American Veterinary Medical Association annual convention in Seattle where she plans to continue to spread the word about the work of the CSD and the Summer Institute.
“The large majority of people were very happy with what they learned, and we learned quite a bit from their evaluations so we can do even better next year,” says Marder. “And hopefully, next June the weather will cooperate!”
For more information on the first-in-the-nation Center for Shelter Dogs, click here.
Photo captions (top to bottom): The Summer Institute “Class of 2009” with Dr. Amy Marder (front center) and Dr. Sheila D’Arpino, back left. A pensive Dr. Marder assists dog trainer Kim Melanson in the hands on evaluation exercise. Laney MacDougall, vet student Holly Brown, CSD researcher Sarah Jones, and ARL of Boston volunteer and Summer Institute attendee Julie Robitaille at dinner. Dr. Sheila D’Arpino demonstrates evaluating a dog for possible behavioral issues around food. Instructor and faculty member Sarah Wilson engages in hands on evaluation activities. Below: ARL of Boston Volunteer & Educational Programs Manager Debby Vogel presents at the Summer Institute.
