Today I had a chance to visit the BEBHS and talk with Anne Barron who is the Development Director in charge of fundraising activities and campaigns. Anne gave me a detailed tour of the shelter, introduced me to several staff members, and sat down with me to discuss ideas for a design project. We talked casually, but I learned a lot about the different challenges and obstacles for humans working with animals within a nonprofit organization.
Some of the most prevalent issues have to do with sanitation and contamination. Handling animals, the staff must constantly keep clean hands and take caution when an animal is carrying one of the common diseases. In a very bad situation, contamination can accrue, like when they recently had to throughout a couch being used in a room where adopters get a first encounter with a potential canine adoptee. Something like this happens and the shelter suffers. Anne says this is a common problem and often times furniture and bedding that is needed are thrown out because of it.
Other issues the adoption center struggles with have to do with sound proofing, food and litter storage and transport, the lack of an outdoor play area for shelter dogs, and the underlying fact that the gated kennels and steel-cage cat cages are simply unappealing. I was reminded why I contacted the BEBHS in the first place. Design for animals includes humans. This means it should also be affordable. Sadly money is another issue at the adoption center. Renovation plans are underway, yet the organization forecasts at the least, a couple years before any real changes are realized.
Above: Lutece a 2-yr. old male cat at BEBHS 'Cat Topia'
No comments:
Post a Comment