Nonprofit Specialist Julia and Community Education Specialist Andie talk about how you might encounter requests outside of the scope of your mission or your capacity generally, and in particular when those requests concern wild living animals. We offer a framework where you can say no, while still offering support, and also what to do when you feel you must say yes! Andie offers additional guidance on safely assisting wild living animals while prioritizing sanctuary staff and resident safety as well!
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This Episode’s Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:

• Compassionate Wildlife Practices At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Compassionate Wildlife Practices At Your Sanctuary Infographic | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Managing Requests to Take In and Help an Animal Outside the Scope of Your Sanctuary's Mission | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Biosecurity Part 1: Introduction | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Biosecurity Part 2: Creating And Implementing A Biosecurity Plan | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Going Green: Your Animal Sanctuary and The Environment | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Determining Your Animal Sanctuary's Capacity For Responsible Care | The Open Sanctuary Project

• How To Create An Effective Rescue Policy For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

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Nonprofit Specialist Julia and Community Education Specialist Andie discuss the importance of peaceful and compassionate coexistence with wildlife. Whether it's through careful environmental management, robust predator protection for residents, stringent biosecurity protocols, or engaging educational programs, animal sanctuaries can be at the forefront of demonstrating how humans and wildlife can truly share space compassionately. It's about recognizing the interconnectedness of all living beings and actively working to create a safe and harmonious environment for everyone. Just as a gardener carefully tends to a diverse array of plants, cultivating each one to thrive while also fostering a healthy ecosystem that supports beneficial insects and wildlife, a sanctuary cultivates a compassionate environment where all residents —both wild and domesticated — can flourish together.
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This Episode’s Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:

• Compassionate Wildlife Practices At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Compassionate Wildlife Practices At Your Sanctuary Infographic | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Late Elementary-Age Sanctuary Education Lesson Plan #3 | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Managing Requests to Take In and Help an Animal Outside the Scope of Your Sanctuary's Mission | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Predator-Proofing For Bird Residents At Your Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Biosecurity Part 1: Introduction | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Biosecurity Part 2: Creating And Implementing A Biosecurity Plan | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Going Green: Your Animal Sanctuary and The Environment | The Open Sanctuary Project

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Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia dedicate an episode to a specific bird type: Pigeons! Pigeons may not be the first animals you think of when it comes to sanctuary, but they are very special individuals who, for many reasons, may find themselves in need of sanctuary, and they deserve individualized, compassionate care. We discuss some of their background, behaviors, and needs, and ways you can help them!

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This Episode’s Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:

• Language Choices At The Open Sanctuary Project | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Pigeons: How We Got Here | The Open Sanctuary Project

• A Guide To Safely Catching Stray Birds For Your Animal Sanctuary Or Rescue Part I: Supplies Helpful For The Safe Capture Of Birds | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Predator-Proofing For Bird Residents At Your Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Why Residents Shouldn’t Breed At A Farmed Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Microsanctuary Resource Center

• Palomacy

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Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss what it means to us when we say that The Open Sanctuary Project is a living library. We talk about how and why we perform regular resource updates to address community feedback, integrate new developments in compassionate care and organizational strategies, and more. We also discuss major updates to our foundational resource on sanctuary capacity metrics. Why did we add governance as a capacity metric? How do participatory boards factor in? We hope this episode gives you greater clarity on our update protocols, as well as some new insights on sustainable governance!
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This Episode’s Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:

• Information Sourcing Considerations At The Open Sanctuary Project | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Determining Your Animal Sanctuary's Capacity For Responsible Care | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Animal Sanctuary Sustainability: Defining and Implementing Plans For Resiliency | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• The Open Sanctuary Project's Contingency Planning Workbook | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Nonprofit Board Basics For Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project

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In the 50th episode of The Open Sanctuary Podcast, Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss a memorable and actionable definition of sanctuary sustainability and break down its elements. We discuss assessing your current capacity needs and limitations, planning to address them in both the near and distant future, and, crucially, cultivating the resilience to anticipate and strategically adapt to unforeseen future challenges. We also thank our community members and supporters who consistently provide guiding input, and look forward to creating even more resources to make every sanctuary a success story!
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This Episode’s Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:

• Animal Sanctuary Sustainability: Defining and Implementing Plans For Resiliency | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Going Green: Your Animal Sanctuary And The Environment | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Determining Your Animal Sanctuary’s Capacity For Responsible Care | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Care Staff Retention At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Estimating Species Lifetime Care Costs At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project
• How To Create An Effective Rescue Policy For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• How To Raise Money For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• How To Develop A Fundraising Plan For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Year-End Fundraising For Your Animal Organization | The Open Sanctuary Project

• A Complete Guide To Major Donor Fundraising At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Developing A Grant Program At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Contingency Planning Workbook | The Open Sanctuary Project
• Nonprofit Board Basics For Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project
• Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management | The Open Sanctuary Project

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Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia discuss contingency planning! We discuss the common challenges individuals face when it comes to contingency planning, as well as the various types of events that your organization should prepare for, including organizational challenges, operational challenges, and resident challenges. We offer a simple framework for you and your team to use, which hopefully might help take some of the stress out of it!

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This Episode’s Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:

• Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Contingency Planning Workbook | The Open Sanctuary Project

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Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia conclude their three-part discussion of succession planning! In this episode, we discuss succession planning for executive directors and other key roles at your sanctuary, contingency planning, as well as the importance of day-to-day resident and organizational recordkeeping!

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This Episode’s Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:

• Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management | The Open Sanctuary Project
• A Founder’s Guide To Organizational Change At Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Creating A Strategic Plan For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

• Recognizing And Preventing Burnout At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project
• Creating An Effective Set Of Contingency Plans For Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project
• How To Create And Organize Permanent Records For Your Residents | The Open Sanctuary Project
• Animal Sanctuary Organizational Record Keeping Basics | The Open Sanctuary Project
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Animal Database | The Open Sanctuary Project
• The Open Sanctuary Project’s Contingency Planning Workbook | The Open Sanctuary Project

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Executive Director Mckenzee and Nonprofit Specialist Julia continue their discussion of succession planning! In our last episode on this subject, we discussed some of the challenges and emotions that can come up regarding succession planning. In this episode, we list some practical steps founders can take to work on a succession plan with their team!

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This Episode’s Referenced Open Sanctuary Project Resources:

• Succession Planning: A Necessary Component Of Responsible Animal Sanctuary Management | The Open Sanctuary Project
• A Founder’s Guide To Organizational Change At Animal Sanctuaries | The Open Sanctuary Project
• Recognizing And Preventing Burnout At Your Animal Sanctuary | The Open Sanctuary Project

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You can learn more about our organization here!

You can send us a question, comment, or topic idea here!

Want more Open Sanctuary Content? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Want to support our nonprofit’s work? Donate here!