Give shelter staff and volunteers a strong foundation in animal welfare without creating more work for already-busy managers.

The Framework of Dogs’ Needs Lunch & Learn Series makes staff training simple, approachable, and easy to fit into the workday. With six sessions lasting 45 minutes or less, the course can be incorporated into onboarding, team meetings, volunteer training, or lunch-and-learns with minimal preparation.

Instead of waiting for staff to learn through experience, or after mistakes are made, this series helps them understand welfare from the beginning. Participants become more observant, more intentional, and better able to recognize how everyday handling, care routines, environments, and interactions affect the dogs in front of them.

The result is a team that notices more, thinks critically, communicates more clearly, and understands that improving welfare happens through every movement and interaction throughout the shelter. Worksheets designed by Dr. Karen Griffin help turn learning into practical application while giving managers ready-made discussion points for meetings and ongoing staff development.

Designed specifically for entry-level shelter employees and volunteers
Flexible, on-demand format allows shelters to complete the course at their own pace
Included worksheets for application and reflection
Easy to incorporate into lunch-and-learns, onboarding, volunteer education, or ongoing staff training
Translates animal welfare science into practical, everyday shelter applications
Helps participants understand how routine care, handling, enrichment, and daily decisions affect welfare
Builds a shared welfare language across staff, volunteers, and departments
Encourages intentional thinking instead of relying on staff to learn only through experience
Grounded in published, peer-reviewed research while remaining approachable and relevant to real shelter work

*1:1 Coaching with Dr. Karen Griffin available via Zoom

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