Shelter experience that goes beyond theory
Emily didn't come to shelter consulting from the outside. She spent more than a decade working within the BC SPCA system — as frontline staff, managing complex behaviour cases, overseeing hoarding and cruelty intakes, and ensuring animals with difficult histories had the best possible chance of successful adoption, all while managing day to day operations in her shelter.
Dogs with complex behavioural needs from across the province were transferred to her location specifically because of that expertise. She understands the pressures of capacity, length of stay, staffing constraints, and the impossible decisions shelters sometimes face, and has proven results in all areas of animal management.
How Emily can help your shelter
Dog and Cat Behaviour Assessments
Structured intake and in-shelter assessments going beyond basic pass/fail to give your team a meaningful picture of each animal's needs, placement suitability, and support requirements.
- Intake behaviour assessments
- In-shelter welfare monitoring
- Placement suitability evaluation
- Enrichment and management recommendations
Adoption Process Consulting
Review and refinement of your adoption screening, match-making, and post-adoption support processes — improving placement success, reducing returns, and improving outcomes for animals and adopters.
- Adoption application and screening review
- Match-making framework development
- Post-adoption support structure
- Return reduction strategies
Length of Stay and Capacity for Care
Identifying animals whose length of stay is compromising their welfare and developing proactive, sustainable strategies to improve throughput without lowering standards.
- LOS welfare impact assessment
- Capacity for care planning
- Behaviour deterioration prevention protocols
- Prioritization frameworks for complex cases
Staff Training and Mentorship
Practical training for shelter staff and volunteers covering animal handling, body language reading, enrichment, and managing animals with complex histories.
- Handling skills and low-stress techniques
- Canine and feline body language
- Enrichment planning and delivery
- Complex behaviour case management
Population Behaviour Management
Shelter-wide behaviour strategies creating consistent protocols, reducing population-level stress, and building a shelter culture that prioritizes animal welfare at every stage.
- Shelter-wide handling protocol development
- Stress reduction strategies
- Environmental enrichment programs
Complex Case Consulting
Individual behaviour case consulting for animals with complex histories — cruelty and neglect cases, long-stay residents, and cases requiring expert assessment before placement decisions.
- Individual behaviour case assessments
- Cruelty and hoarding case support
- Long-stay resident planning
- Euthanasia decision support and documentation
What working with Emily looks like
Every engagement is tailored to your specific location, but here is a sense of how working with Emily is structured.
Virtual “walkthrough”, meeting staff and hearing your concerns
Emily tours the facility virtually, observes current protocols, and meets with management and frontline staff to understand the shelter's priorities, current challenges, and what they're hoping to get from working with her.
Animal assessments and case reviews
Structured assessment of flagged animals — long-stay residents, complex cases, or animals whose placement suitability is uncertain. Emily works with staff in real time, explaining her observations and reasoning as she goes. Staff get case by case support, as well as overall housing and animal management strategies to reduce stress and improve outcomes.
Staff training and skills sessions
Training covering areas identified as priorities — handling demonstrations, body language workshops, enrichment planning, or scenario-based case discussions.
Debrief and written recommendations
A structured debrief covering key findings, priority recommendations, and next steps. A written summary report is provided, including individual animal notes and protocol recommendations.
Flexible engagement formats
Emily works with shelters of all sizes — from small rescues to large municipal operations. Engagements are customized to your organization's needs, budget, and geography. Virtual consulting is available for shelters anywhere in North America.
To start the conversation, reach out via the contact page. Emily will follow up to discuss your shelter's situation and what kind of support would be most useful.
Get in TouchSingle session
A focused virtual session covering a specific area — case reviews, staff training, or a capacity for care assessment. Good for shelters wanting to address one priority area.
Multi-session engagement
A structured series of sessions across weeks or months, covering multiple areas in depth. Includes written protocols and follow-up support.
Ongoing consulting
Regular virtual sessions on a retainer basis — for shelters wanting consistent support, staff mentorship, and a long-term consulting relationship.
Proven results
98%
Peak dog
live release rate
2 days
Dog
length of stay
<2 wks
Cat
length of stay
During her career, Emily achieved the lowest length of stay in the BC SPCA.
Dogs — Live Release Rate
Cats — Live Release Rate