Section 01 of 08 · 4 entries
Intake
The first hours decide how the next month is run. What gets written down on arrival, by whom, and how little of it can be verified — plus the two entirely different routes an animal takes through the front door.
Entries in Intake
in the order they happen- 01.1The first seventy-two hoursAn animal arriving at a shelter is at its worst: frightened, over-stimulated and nothing like it will be in a fortnight. Almost every assessment made in this window turns out wrong, which is why good practice is to record and wait.
- 01.2The intake cardWhat gets written down on arrival shapes everything afterwards, and most of it is unverifiable.
- 01.3Strays and surrendersTwo entirely different routes in, with different holding periods and different information — and the surrender usually comes with more of it.
- 01.4NamingA shelter name is an administrative convenience the animal will lose again.
The other seven sections
all 27 entries →
02The Kennel WeeksRuns, rotas, noise and length of stay. 4 entries
03AssessmentWhat a test asks and what it cannot tell you. 3 entries
04FosteringThe single thing that changes an animal's chances most. 3 entries
05The MatchHow a match is made, and how it is refused. 4 entries
06The ReturnThe one everybody dreads, and what it teaches. 3 entries
07DecompressionThe fortnight after the animal gets home. 3 entries
08The TradeThe people who do this work. 3 entries