BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMAL SHELTERS

Local animal shelters are the backbone of the social management and animal welfare program. The main point is that the shelter should be a safe and comfortable place for animals. If you decide to build a new room, then the present situation can be taken as a basis.
AOSJ will send you a range of shelter projects of various sizes for a small fee. The society will also provide a consultant who will help with the organization of the shelter; a local architect will advise you on creating a new shelter or renovating an old one. For more information contact: HSUS, 2100 L St. N. W., Washington, DC 20037 or to the editorial office of the Cat and the Dog newspaper.
The following standards are recommended for any shelter, regardless of size. A shelter located in a small or old premises with modest funding can function as well as a large, new, well-funded one, while still meeting current standards.
The number of animals entering the shelters annually is approximately equal to 7-10% of the population of the district, regardless of where the shelter is located - in the city, suburb or countryside.

A. AREA FOR ANIMALS
1. Animals should be kept separate from each other to minimize stress and monitor their health.
2. Animals should be housed as follows:
a) dogs - separately from cats;
b) sick and crippled animals - separately from healthy ones;
c) puppies and kittens - separately from adult animals (except for those that need the care of their mothers);
d) males - separately from females in the corresponding biological periods;
e) aggressive animals - separately from the rest;
f) lactating females - separately from other animals.

B. FLOORS
1. Floors should slope towards the sewer line so that water does not accumulate in the room.
2. Floors must be concrete and free from defects; it is possible to use other non-porous materials that are easily disinfected.

B. INTERIOR PARTITIONS
1. Internal partitions must have a height of at least 120 cm, they must not allow water and waste to pass from room to room.
2. For internal partitions, you can use:
a) slag blocks coated with epoxy resin to eliminate porosity;
b) reinforced concrete blocks;
c) fiberglass blocks having a floor, side walls and an entrance;
d) tiled or glass blocks.
3. Rooms should be equipped with a chain holder or metal mesh located at least 60 cm above the internal partition. Rooms for dogs that are in estrus or that can jump or climb over internal partitions should be fenced with metal mesh or special fencing.

D. SEWERAGE
1. The shelter must have a sewerage system and water supply, with the help of which it is possible to carry out daily cleaning of the premises.
2. The sewerage system should prevent cross-contamination of the premises with urine and faeces.

E. HEATING AND VENTILATION
1. Placement of underfloor heaters - perfect option... The floor temperature in rooms for cubs should be at least 24C, and in rooms for keeping adult animals - 18-21C.
2. It is necessary to control the temperature and humidity both in the premises for keeping animals and in the premises for staff and visitors.
3. Provision should be made for ventilation throughout the shelter with vents or ventilators. Ideally, the air in the premises of the shelter should be renewed 8-12 times per hour.

E. DOORS AND LOCKS
All doors must have locks so that animals cannot move without permission.

DOGS
1. Rooms for keeping dogs should be large enough to allow the dog to stand, lie, turn and sit normally.
2. Stainless steel dog rooms or cages should be of the following dimensions:
a) for large dogs weighing over 22.5 kg - 1.2 X 1.8 m, or 2.2 sq. m;
b) for medium-sized dogs weighing 16 - 22.5 kg - 1.2 x 1.5 m, or 1.8 sq. m;
c) for small dogs weighing 4.5 - 16 kg - 0.9 x 1.2 m, or 1.1 sq. m.

3. Dogs kept in cages should be walked twice a day in rooms measuring 1.2 x 3 m or taken out on a leash for at least 20 minutes twice a day.
4. Premises with a walking area must have the following dimensions:
a) the main room - 1.2 x 1.8 m;
b) a walking area - 1.2 x 2.4 m.
5. When keeping several animals in the same room, each should have enough space to stand, lie, turn and sit normally. This requires an area of ​​at least 1.2 x 1.2 m for each dog. In a 1.5 x 3.0 m room, there should not be more than two large or medium or three small dogs.
6. The premises should be equipped as follows:
a) there must always be a sufficient amount of water in the premises. The water dishes must be clean. It should be regularly disinfected (and mandatory if a new dog is moved into the room). Dishes for water should be positioned so that animals cannot turn them over or urinate into them;
b) when using a food dispenser, mount it so that dogs cannot urinate or empty into it. Dispensers should be cleaned every day and disinfected regularly (especially when a new animal is introduced into the cage). Food should always be clean and dry;
c) if the floor in the premises for keeping animals is not heated, then it is necessary to provide a place for resting animals (bedding). Even if the floors are heated, bedding should still be available for lactating dogs, crippled and sick animals, and for animals kept in the shelter for a long time (for example, in the case of abuse by the owners).
Old blankets, towels, cardboard boxes or other containers that are easy to change and disinfect can be used as bedding and resting places for animals.
I. KOSHKI
1. Separate cat rooms may have stainless steel, fiberglass, or other impermeable fences.
a) the premises must have an area of ​​0.8 m;
b) each room should have a small bedding for the cat;
c) water and dry food should be available to the cat at all times in every room;
d) lactating cats should be kept in isolation.

2. The keeping of cats should be based on the following guidelines (cats for which it is not known what vaccinations were given to them should be vaccinated and isolated for 24 hours for observation before they are placed with other cats).
a) cats should be isolated from cats;
b) lactating cats are isolated from other cats;
c) kittens are isolated from adult cats, with the exception of their mothers;
d) no more than 15 cats or 20 kittens can be kept in one room 3.0 x 4.5 m;
e) the size of the litter for each three cats or five kittens is not less than 30 X 45 cm;
f) water and dry food must be available to the cat at all times (each cat must have utensils for fresh food);
g) it is advisable to isolate the space where shelves, boxes or rest rooms open to animals are located.

K. Admission of animals to the shelter
1. Adequate space should be provided for shelter staff to work comfortably and store equipment and records.
2. The room for the reception of animals must have a sufficient area to accommodate people bringing animals, to ensure that animals entering the shelter are examined and to place the animals separately from each other. The entry of animals should be planned in such a way that they can move from place to place quickly and freely.
3. The passage to the room for storing the corpses of deceased and euthanized animals should be easily accessible from other premises of the shelter. People should not see the carcasses of animals being taken out. For the removal of animal corpses, special transport should be used, and the loading of corpses into it should be carried out from the back door of the shelter.
II. Animal care and nutrition

A. Nutrition
1. Puppies and kittens between 6 and 12 weeks old should be fed 3 times a day. Puppies and kittens between the ages of 12 weeks and 12 months are fed twice a day.
2. Dry dog ​​food can be made appealing to most dogs by using the following recipe: Mix half a can of canned pork or chicken with 1 lb. (450 g) dry dog ​​food, add warm water, mix thoroughly and offer to dogs. If the dogs are fed between 13 and 15 o'clock, then in the evening you need to clear the room of excrement (in this case, the dogs will be in a clean room all night). Dry puppy food should be moistened.
3. Cats and kittens should eat dry food, or canned cat food. Do not feed your cats dog food.
4. It is recommended to use universal food for all animals. Often, the nutrients in such food are not quite suitable and are poorly absorbed. Recent experiments have shown that puppies and kittens fed with universal ANIMAL FEED are more prone to disease, malformations and other physical disabilities, in addition, they need almost 1/3 more food per unit of weight.
Avoid cheap all-purpose pet food. Shop for products made by the nation's leading pet food companies.
B. In observing the state of animal health, the following recommendations should be adhered to:
1. During daily examination of animals and examination upon admission to the shelter, attention is paid to signs of diseases:
a) seals and tumors, hair loss;
b) lethargy, poor appetite, behavior change;
c) vomiting, coughing and sneezing, head shaking, lameness, rubbing on the ground with the area adjacent to the anus;
d) discharge from the ears, eyes and nose, unpleasant odor from the ears;
e) red and irritated gums, loss and darkening of teeth;
f) loose stools or constipation, discoloration and odor of fecal matter.

2. It is necessary to have an experienced staff member or veterinarian who would constantly observe and provide care for the animals. He is obliged to record all signs of diseases and, if necessary, go to a veterinary clinic.
C. Cleaning: 1. All premises of the shelter should be thoroughly washed daily with hot water and disinfected, which is the most effective way fight disease. Each room must be cleaned and disinfected before placing a new animal in it. We recommend a mixture of soap and disinfectant with hot water supplied under pressure. You can use a mixture containing 1 part bleach to 30 parts water against parvovirus and other infections.
2. At the time of cleaning, all animals should be taken to other rooms. They should not be treated with water or disinfectants. By the time the animals return to their places, the room must be absolutely dry.
3. Recommended operations for daily cleaning:
a) transfer of all animals to other premises;
b) cleaning the dishes of animals;
c) cleaning of excrement with special scoops and shovels. Do not flush faeces into the drainage system;
d) washing rooms with water from hoses, where it is supplied under high pressure, steam washers or long-handled mops;
e) leave the rooms treated with a disinfectant for 10 minutes and then wash;
f) drying floors,
g) washing and disinfection of animal resting places, utensils for food and water;
h) cleaning and disinfection of bedding for cats, sewers, walls and floors, kitchens and sinks;
i) cleaning and disinfection of premises where animal corpses and dying animals are located;
j) cleaning of the premises used by the staff of the shelter and rooms for the Visitors.

III. registration

(AOSJ will send standard registration forms upon request)

A. For each animal entering the shelter, a standard form is filled out, which contains its description and additional information about the origin of the animal (if any). The records should also contain notes on the medical care provided and the final placement of the animal.
B. Forms should be numbered so that shelter staff can easily find the information they need. When reviewing the records, there should be no doubt as to the date of the animal's arrival, shelter or killing. Information cards should be prepared to be posted outside the animal room.
B. Each animal in the shelter must have a collar or, a tag with a registration number. If the animal is kept in a separate room, then the necessary information can be contained in the information card, in which case the collar and label are not required.
D. At the beginning and end of the day, all animals must be counted, and the presence of animals must be verified against the registration book. The total number of registration cards and the number of entries in the register should be checked each day. All animals arriving at the shelter, abandoned and killed at the shelter, as well as animals returned to the owners, must be recorded daily. The registration books indicate the species, sex and age of the animals (adults are separated from calves under four months of age).
E. Documents on money transfers- donations, payments for services, fines - must be registered daily so that the balance of the bank account can be summed up on a weekly basis (it is advisable to use cash registers that can be locked).

I. Killing individual animals
In addition to the guidelines outlined below, AOSJ has published detailed guidelines for the killing of animals in various ways. Our Animal Friends section answers questions related to the killing of animals and the use of the methods below.
1. Killing of animals should be carried out by the most experienced staff of the shelter staff, since the effectiveness of any method of killing depends primarily on the qualifications of the person executing.
AOSZh branches
a) provide training to personnel and regularly assess the professionalism and level of training of the people concerned;
b) communicate to the staff the extremeness of the tasks associated with the killing of animals, and make every possible effort to mitigate the resulting stress.

2. The killing of animals is done in a humane way. To do this, use the following methods:
a) injections of sodium pentabarbital (intravenous, intracardiac, intracavitary) or oral administration of capsules. The chemical must be stored and handled in accordance with local, state, and federal laws;
b) injections (intramuscular, intracardiac, intracavitary) of the GR-Z composition containing pentabarbital and substances that provide local anesthesia (lidocaine);
c) Animals older than eight weeks can be killed with carbon monoxide (CO), which is either stored in bottles or filtered and cooled. It is not allowed to use hot, unfiltered CO emitted by car engines;
d) it is unacceptable to use the preparation T-61 containing curare poison for the killing of animals. This drug is banned in 25 states.

3. Death is ascertained as a result of careful examination.
a) the killed animals should be placed on separate tables, they should be checked for signs of life (breathing, heartbeat, eye reflex) or signs of death should be obvious;
b) the corpses of animals must be buried in the ground or cremated, it is possible to use other methods permitted by AOSZH.

V. Transport
A. Regardless of size, each shelter should have one or more animal collection machines. B. The shelter's transport must ensure their safe transportation and protection from bad weather, each must have its own cage. For the sick and the crippled, special cells are provided. For corpses, a special compartment should be equipped if the shelter does not have special transport.
B. Vehicles must be clean and marked with the name of the shelter and the phone number. Cars are supposed to be convenient for loading and unloading by the driver. Drivers ensure safe driving, respect for drivers of other vehicles.
D. Vehicles must have the following special equipment: cat and dog poles, net, ladder, wire or fiberglass cages, cat carrying bags, leash, ropes and cattle slingshots, footrest, tool kit, ax, shovel, hammer traps for cats and dogs that do not injure animals, a first aid kit for animals and people.
E. Drivers of vehicles must be trained to provide emergency assistance to crippled and sick animals. The killing of animals in vehicles is not permitted, unless the suffering of the animal is excessive. In these cases, the driver should seek assistance from a veterinarian. If this is not possible, then the driver can carry out the killing of the animal himself. In this case, a report is drawn up confirming the need for such an action. As part of their training, drivers can be trained by veterinarians on when to make these decisions.

Setting up your own animal shelter is a social and rewarding endeavor. However, you need to understand that the maintenance of the shelter almost never brings profit to its owner, this direction is hardly worth attributing to business, it is mostly charity. Be that as it may, many people want to open their own shelter, but you need to understand that they have the opportunity, if not to make a profit, then at least significantly reduce their costs, and in some cases even develop their enterprise, because the open shelter turns out to be of interest to patrons and sponsors who are secured or famous personalities... That is, with a competent organization, you can really do what you love without investing too much money in it. And, of course, the maintenance of the shelter can be combined with purely commercial activities, this includes, first of all, the opening of a veterinary clinic, as well as the opening of a hotel for animals, which deals with overexposure. In other words, it is possible to keep an animal shelter as an additional organizational unit based on an existing business. How to open your own veterinary clinic and hotel for animals is discussed in the relevant articles, but here we will dwell in more detail on the work of the shelter itself.

The first issue that needs to be resolved is the registration of your company. If you do not intend to do business, then it makes sense to register as non-profit organization, and it is better to choose the form of an autonomous NPO, but it is worth thinking about the organizational and legal form in order to be able to receive any subsidies from local authorities. Of course, you should not count on this, today the state does not really support people, to say nothing of animals. But if suddenly the activities of the shelter begin to be covered in the press, if they talk about it, then politicians may join in and provide a small amount of funding and material support. If an entrepreneur has no experience in registering a legal entity, then you can contact a competent lawyer who will help in choosing a form. It makes sense to think about opening a shelter and in order to officially engage in charity, and this allows you to receive tax deductions. For individual entrepreneurs, this may be relevant, after all, there is some kind of economy, given that he is engaged in the shelter at the behest of his soul. A lawyer will help to draw up the documentation correctly and will be able to advise on such a complex issue of charity. The fact is that according to the current Russian legislation the system of tax deductions for charity is very complex, the law is constantly being amended, some activities do not belong to de jure charity (and this can include an animal shelter), and you need to correctly classify your activities. Without a lawyer, an ignorant person is unlikely to figure it out on his own, and although there is no point in hiring such a person on the staff, you should have him as an assistant. Moreover, his help will be needed in some organizational matters, because the animal shelter must also be equipped and equipped in accordance with certain requirements. Additionally, his consultations will be useful for those who want to organize a veterinary clinic as well. The solution of all bureaucratic issues can take a lot of time, so you need to initially count on several months.

The next question is finding a place to work, and this is where the first difficulties begin. According to the law, the place of keeping animals, regardless of its intended purpose (be it a veterinary clinic or even some private zoo) must be located no closer than three hundred meters from the nearest residential building, it is prohibited to place such institutions on the territory of residential areas. Also, the institution must be equipped internally with cages and fences, the height of the fences must be at least two and a half meters. That is, you have to find some site, if not outside the city, then at least in some vacant lot. Moreover, it is necessary to count on the territory to be, if not in ownership, then at least in a long-term lease, so that there are no additional prerequisites for constructing residential buildings nearby. This is just practical advice given the realities of Russia; a trivial example - a certain construction organization decided to build several high-rise buildings on the territory not far from the shelter, she will not be interested in the fact that the buildings should be far from it (after all, corruption has not yet been defeated, and you can get permission for any project for money), and when residential buildings are built, it is the shelter, as the least protected institution from a legal point of view, that will be forced to change its location. The size of the territory is determined by the capabilities of the entrepreneur, in general, ideally, you need several ares of land, as well as at least a small area for walking animals. The cost of the site varies greatly depending on the city of work and the location in it, but you still need to count on several million. Additionally, buildings need to be erected, and here the entrepreneur can, in order to save money, choose non-capital structures or pre-fabricated buildings, contact a company that deals with frame construction... That is, there are, of course, options to save money, however, even for a small pre-fabricated building, at least a million will have to be allocated, and this is without finishing and additional services, such as insulation, laying of utilities and the like. That is, if an entrepreneur does not have a suitable building with a territory, you need to have 2-3 million to buy out the territory and build a minimum. This is generally a very modest figure, usually much more is required. Of course, you don't need to make a very high-quality interior, invest too much in finishing, but in any case, building a building and improving the territory is not a cheap pleasure. Some funds will be needed for asphalting, here the bill goes for several hundred thousand rubles, but a hard surface on the territory of the shelter is really needed, this is one of the requirements for keeping animals. However, already at this stage, you can start looking for patrons of art, who may have old and unnecessary buildings somewhere on the outskirts of the city. Of course, you shouldn't think that sooner or later it will be possible to find such an option, but sometimes some entrepreneurs are very lucky. It makes no sense at all to count on the support of the common population at this stage.

The next point is the purchase of the necessary equipment. Here you need to decide exactly on the format of your work, because depending on what kind of animals will be kept, equipment is also purchased. Usually shelters are focused on stray dogs and cats, it is hardly possible to find a stray hamster or a turtle, so it makes no sense to focus on other animals, except for the two main partner animals. Although the shelter sometimes counts on accepting other animals, because in its work it not only picks up homeless people, but also those who were brought by not very good owners who decided to abandon their pet. However, let's dwell in more detail on a shelter that works with dogs and cats. All incoming animals are divided into several categories, these are usually sick, healthy, as well as vaccinated and generally well-groomed - these are almost always those brought in by the owners themselves. Moreover, even depending on the type of disease (skin or infectious), animals are divided into groups. It is clear that animals from different groups keep in different blocks, they do not contact each other, breeds, behavioral features and many other factors are also taken into account. It is already becoming clear that a full-time veterinarian must work in the shelter to receive animals. Ideally, the entrepreneur himself is a veterinarian and can do without outside help. However, there should still be assistants, because sometimes one person cannot cope with an animal, especially a wild one. Moreover, if you come across very dangerous specimens, for example, sick with rabies. By the way, such animals, alas, have to be euthanized (rabies is even in a slightly neglected form and cannot be treated in people), and then you need to think about how to get rid of the bodies, because they also need to be buried only in accordance with sanitary requirements. Alternatively, you can find a cemetery for animals or a crematorium for them (but even in large cities this is rare). So, you need to buy everything you need for a veterinary clinic, at least the simplest equipment. The cost can vary greatly, in more detail - again in the corresponding article, but here we note that it is a good veterinary office with all the equipment that will cost an entrepreneur about 2 million rubles. By the way, a rare animal shelter can afford it, so usually there are savings on everything. No matter how sad it may be, it will not be possible to help all the animals, some of them still die from diseases, and at least veterinarians can simply end the suffering of the unfortunate person.

Profitable franchises

Investments from 1,000,000 rubles.

Next, you need to buy equipment for keeping animals, for cats and dogs these are special cages. The cost of a small cage is about 25 thousand rubles, a rather large enclosure for keeping dogs - about 60 thousand, here the final amount is calculated depending on the size of the shelter. Small shelters are usually designed for no more than ten animals (but it makes no sense to create less), moreover, vaccinated and non-dangerous animals can be kept simply in a fenced area, which significantly reduces costs. If the shelter expects to receive small animals (guinea pigs, turtles and the like), then you can buy a special rack with terrariums, which will cost 10-30 thousand rubles. I must say that if you need to buy as many cages as possible, then one rack will be enough even for a relatively large shelter, because such animals are not brought in too often, and one rack can accommodate about 10 animals. Summing up, we can say that to equip your shelter, you need to have an amount of about a million rubles, most of these funds will be spent on the purchase of veterinary equipment and medicines, and not the most equipped clinic is taken into account, but a certain minimum.

The next moment is the search for personnel. Here, as one could understand, a veterinarian with a higher education is needed, and he will have to pay a lot. In an average city it is about 30 thousand rubles, although the amount of wages can vary greatly. In addition to the veterinarian - at least one more assistant. His salary is from 15 thousand rubles. At the same time, you need to understand that veterinarians must be prepared to come to the shelter if necessary. That is, you need to look not just for professionals, but for those who love animals and are ready to devote themselves to their work. Fortunately, people who are really not indifferent to animals usually go to study to be a veterinarian. Further, you need at least two more people who are engaged in cleaning the territory and enclosures, these are simple service personnel, but you also cannot take the first ones that come across, these people must also love the pets that have ended up in the shelter, and this is much more difficult. You shouldn't count on volunteers, but sometimes they appear, and this greatly simplifies the work. The entrepreneur himself can (and should) take part in the work process, if he is not a veterinarian, but he should deal with all administrative and organizational issues. In general, in such an enterprise you need to look for a team of like-minded people, maintain good relations in the team, but whatever the desire of people to help animals, no one will work for free. The salary fund usually lies in the range of 100 thousand rubles a month, and although this is not too large an indicator for the same veterinary clinic, it may turn out to be overwhelming for a shelter. Indeed, in addition to salaries, there will be a lot of expenses: food, medicines, utilities. The amount of these costs is determined depending on the type of animal, on its condition, on their number, of course, but even one thousand rubles a month for the maintenance of one pet may be critically lacking, especially if you have to deal with very sick animals. Medicines can be very expensive, and some of the more expensive medicines are sometimes unmatched.

In total, a lot of funds are needed to maintain the shelter, and you need to look for sources of funding. If an entrepreneur does not receive hundreds of thousands of rubles a month from the main source of income (and it is desirable for him to have passive income, because maintaining a shelter takes a lot of time and effort), he needs to look for sponsors. You should not save on everything that is possible, otherwise the meaning in organizing a shelter will be completely lost.

But who is ready to help in such an undertaking? Many people, having learned about the organization of the shelter, are ready to support it, but their support ends where actions are needed, not words. From the experience of many shelters, we can say that a certain part of not funds, but food, medicine and some other things, will come from the population. There are some movements that organize constant fundraising, and among them there are those who are not indifferent to animals, they will provide some kind of help, but there is no need to talk about the normal amount of money or even materials. Therefore, the shelter should think about promoting its activities, conveying information about itself, causing a resonance in society, making people not be indifferent to such a problem. You need to contact the press, maintain your pages on social networks, attract volunteers, if no one knows about the shelter, then it will remain a place where its organizer brings selected homeless animals that cannot receive much help. The fame of the shelter may not turn out to be very useful, because the flow of people carrying all the animals indiscriminately will increase, but those who want to take animals will not increase too much. However, sooner or later, the shelter that has become popular, which is talked about and which attracts many sympathizers, will be able to accept a sufficiently large number of pets, nurture them and immediately transfer them into good hands. Thus, there will be no acute problem with placements. In general, there is serious organizational work to be done, but it is only necessary to involve non-poor people in this problem (or better, several enterprises and / or politicians, because then little by little it will be possible to receive from everyone), the affairs of the orphanage will improve significantly.

Profitable franchises

As a result, when opening your shelter, you need to either look for sponsors as early as possible, or have a considerable passive income (and work exclusively to satisfy your desire to help unhappy animals), or open an overexposure center and a veterinary clinic with the shelter. An animal shelter is a very good, useful direction, if more attention was paid to this problem, there would not be so many abandoned pets and poor wandering animals. An animal shelter makes the world a little better, and if there is an opportunity to open one, it is definitely worth doing it. At least for the sake of karma. Moreover, a good example is a little contagious, and as soon as there is a not indifferent person, others will also reach out. But, of course, this area of ​​activity is not suitable for everyone, because it is often thankless and very hard work. And it is worth showing respect to all those who keep shelters and really deal with the fate of abandoned animals.

Matthias Laudanum
(c) - portal of business plans and guides for starting a small business.

08.10.2015 14:36:42

To open a small beauty salon for animals, you will need from 400 thousand rubles. You can, of course, get by with a much smaller investment and receive clients at home. Reach the payback level ...