Humane Network

04/15/2026

📚 Big news for the animal welfare world—and close to home for us! 🐾

Humane Perspectives: Leadership in Animal Welfare is officially out now—and we’re incredibly proud to share that our very own Bonney Brown, co-founder of Humane Network and Options Veterinary Care, is a contributing editor. 💙

With more than six years of impactful leadership locally at Nevada Humane Society, Bonney brings her experience, insight, and heart to this powerful collection.

This book features first-person stories from 45 leaders across the field—offering an honest, behind-the-scenes look at the challenges, decisions, and defining moments that shape humane leadership. From shelter reform to community collaboration, it’s a must-read for anyone passionate about making a difference for animals.

✨ Edited by Cathy M. Rosenthal, with a foreword by Jim Tedford
✨ Contributions from well known leaders across the country including Mike Arms, Richard Avanzino, Julie Castle, Rick DuCharme, Joe Elmore, Gina Knepp, Marc Peralta and many more!
✨ Real stories. Real lessons. Real impact. Lifesaving at its finest.

📖 Now available at:
Barnes & Noble | Amazon | https://humaneperspectives.com

Congratulations to Bonney and all who helped bring this important work to life! 🎉🐶🐱

04/07/2025

Are you seeking fundraising help? Perhaps some essential marketing and development guidance? What about adoption promotion ideas to help animals find homes in a timely manner? Does social media overwhelm you?

If you answered YES to any of these, the online University of the Pacific's Marketing and Development course, which starts on APRIL 14, is for you!

Details are below, and HURRY!
Special guests for hosted Q&A sessions are:
- Sean Farnan: Development Director for SPCA of Northern Nevada
- Kim Klein: Fundraising Consultant for Klein and Roth Consulting
- Lindsay Layendecker: Director of Community Partnerships at The Jacksonville Humane Society
- Kimberly Wade: Expert Consultant for Humane Network in Marketing and Communications
- Christie Keith: Communications Strategist and Media Consultant
- Mark Robison: Local Government Reporter and Community Engagement Director for RGJ Reno Gazette Journal
- Diane Blankenburg: CEO of Humane Network

For more information, check out our website
https://www.humanenetwork.org/shelter-management-certificate
or
Follow this link to enroll https://uc.pacific.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=21279

03/05/2025

😺 Job Alert! 😺 Homeward Bound Cat Adoptions is on a mission to find a people-loving, detail-oriented Development Manager to help them achieve their goals! Your Mission, should you choose to accept it… is that you’ll be the heart and soul of fundraising efforts. You’ll work hand-in-paw with the Executive Director to help their vision come to life, while also working with a small operations team to create a happy and healthy environment for our cats. 📣 Interested? Check out the role's daily CAT-tivities, what kind of PURRson we’re seeking, and what you need to bring the table at the link below. Plus, look for the easter egg we hid for qualified candidates! YOU could be the one to help us raise the funds needed to create a brighter future for Homeward Bound! https://www.homewardboundcats.org/about/

01/07/2025

Are you ready to make a greater impact in your community? Registration is open for the Community Cat Program Management Course in collaboration with the University of the Pacific, Benerd College and it starts January 13! More at the link below!

This unique eight-week blend of online lectures, interactive discussions, and real-world assignments will teach how to implement humane and effective strategies for managing community cat populations, ensuring their health and welfare while engaging positively with the communities they serve.

Animal welfare professionals, veterinary students, animal control officers, nonprofit leaders, and community advocates will benefit from this course.

https://tinyurl.com/4bzkuc6v

Community Cats Podcast University of the Pacific

01/01/2025

Looking to advance your knowledge and caree or get into the field of animal sheltering? You'll learn how to develop all of the necessary community programs that make up a successful, sustainable lifesaving organization. The online University of the Pacific Community Program Development course, starts Monday, January 6!
Presenters include:

Find out more about the program or register through the button below. We hope you join us!
https://www.pacific.edu/education/professional-development/certificate-programs/animal-shelter-management?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7NO7BhDsARIsADg_hIaW7eoT6fE_dpiK6MXoNhH5IAI0Iv-BjAF_XgfR2JoNh5HDQlOVCyEaAgLNEALw_wcB

Learn how to run an animal shelter in this online program.

01/01/2025

Looking to advance your knowledge and career in animal sheltering? Specifically, how to develop all of the necessary community programs that make up a successful, sustainable lifesaving organization, and how they work together? The University of the Pacific Community Program Development course, which teaches you how to involve the community in your work because it's critical to your success, is for you!

Register today or find out more at the link below, but hurry, because it starts Monday, January 6!

Presenters include:
- Diane Blankenburg, Founder and CEO of Humane Network
- Chris Roy, Founder and President of Doobert.com
- Christi Metropole, Founder and CEO of Stray Cat Alliance
- Phillip Zimmerman, Animal Care Services Manager of Front Street Animal Shelter - City of Sacramento
- Anika Moje, Director of Operations & Legal Support for ASPCA and former Manager of Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland (Spay & Save)
- Kenny Lamberti, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of K.L. Strategies and former Director of Grassroots Advocacy for Best Friends Animal Society

Find out more about the program content, download the brochure, or register through the button below. We hope you join us!

Learn how to run an animal shelter in this online program.

12/13/2024

Looking to advance your knowledge and career in animal sheltering or create more positive outcomes for the animals in your shelter? 📢

Sign up right now ⬇⬇ for the University of the Pacific Community Programs course, which starts January 6th!

This six-week online course covers volunteers, foster care, pet retention, spay/neuter, events, and community relations.

This award-winning online certificate program, developed and managed by Humane Network, provides practical information and valuable networking for current sheltering professionals, those looking to advance their careers or move into the field of animal sheltering.

It's the 12th anniversary of the program and over 1000 shelter professionals have already taken one or more of the courses!

Find out more or register using the link below. We hope you join us! 💻

🐾 What Our Students Say 🐾

"Thanks for providing such great learning opportunities. This course changed my career in the best of ways!"
- Elizabeth T.
“Completing the Animal Shelter Management program was the first step in advancing my career; it opened up doors and led to opportunities I never would have imagined.”
- Betsy B.
“You have given me hope and strength in this field. The courses provided me with the insight that has been needed to make lifesaving changes in our shelter and now, in our community, I am proud to take on this new position as interim director of my shelter!”
- Vanessa F.

Learn how to run an animal shelter in this online program.

11/06/2024

Are you looking to advance your knowledge and career in animal sheltering? Or perhaps you would like to create a more positive outcome for the animals in your shelter? The University of the Pacific Shelter Operations course is for you! Register today or find out more below, but hurry! It starts Monday, November 11! ⬇️

The six-week online course covers adoptions, animal care and sheltering fundamentals, animal behavior and enrichment, and customer service. It also provides networking opportunities with experienced shelter leaders and can help you advance your career and make improvements at your organization. Presenters include:

- Kate Hurley UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program and Dr. Julia Levy Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida
- Marc Peralta, Chief Program Officer, Best Friends Animal Society
- Scott Trebatoski, Director, Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center
- Kelley Bollen Consulting, MS, CABC, Shelter Behavior Specialist Alive&Thriving
- Gina Knepp, National Shelter Engagement Director, Michelson Found Animals Foundation

Learn how to run an animal shelter in this online program.

10/29/2024

The six-week online Shelter Operations Course for Animal Sheltering Professionals through University of the Pacific begins November 11! Anyone working in the animal welfare field, whether a shelter, foster-based rescue, or even as a volunteer or board member, will benefit from taking it. Find out more or register now at the link below! ⬇

The care of the animals, the flow of animals, and effective, responsible adoption policies are essential to the success of any shelter, but they take on critical proportions in achieving the goal of saving all healthy and treatable animals in a community. This course gives you the knowledge and skills to develop an effective adoption program while ensuring you are providing quality animal care and excellent customer service, provides networking opportunities with experienced shelter leaders and more!

It's part of the award-winning online Animal Shelter Management certificate program, developed and managed by Humane Network. Over 600 shelter professionals have already taken one or more of the courses! Find out more or register now at the link below! ⬇

https://www.humanenetwork.org/shelter-management-certificate

Learn how to run an animal shelter in this online program.

10/29/2024

Final plea from Agador Sparacus for his fundraiser for Options Veterinary Care nonprofit clinic. He is just $529 away from reaching his goal! If you can help by sharing this post or making a donation - that would be wonderful! Here is his mightycause link: https://www.mightycause.com/story/F6fb7g

His photos for today are of him gearing up for Halloween with his pumpkin and a photo of his with a rose - his gesture of gratitude to all of you who have already given.
THANK YOU!!

10/26/2024

Agador is just $869 dollars away from his goal to raise funds to help dogs and cats who need veterinary care their person cannot afford at Options Veterinary Care nonprofit clinic. If you can help with a donation of any size, here is the link to his fundraiser; https://www.mightycause.com/story/F6fb7g

Agador has pledged daily vigorous play sessions and cat naps to raise money for Options Veterinary Care. Today he has tried to enlist the help of his brothers (by adoption) Armand and Freddie, as you can see in his photos. But in spite of his urging no one else in the household plays with the exuberance of Agador Spartacus!

Agador and I send our sincerest thanks and gratitude to his friends who have already donated to his fundraiser!