In July, Mandy Evans, Executive Director of Better Together Animal Alliance (BTAA) had the honor of speaking at the ASPCA Cornell Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Conference, held July 11–13 at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Sponsored by the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and supported by Maddie’s Fund, a family foundation focused on increased community collaborations, shelter medicine education, and foster care standards in animal welfare across the U.S. This annual gathering brought together some of the brightest minds in shelter medicine including veterinarians, thought leaders, and changemakers from across the country.
Among a lineup of deeply respected veterinary professionals, Mandy was one of just three invites who were not employees of the ASPCA but independent animal welfare leaders, bringing a non-clinical, community-based perspective to the conversation. During the conference, Mandy presented two sessions. Her first theme focused on getting Back to Basics: Reframing Open Adoption. Too often, animal adoption is reduced to a checklist or a policy update. But in this session, the audience explored how an organization’s culture, customer service, and values must align to truly create equitable pathways to pet ownership. Participants left with practical tools to foster open dialogue, dismantle barriers, and reimagine the adoption process as one rooted in trust.
In the second session, Reclaiming Connection: Strengthening Your Return-to-Owner Program, Mandy explored how language matters in shelter care and how making assumptions about the communities we serve can hinder, rather than help, those who are in need. Conversation focused on transforming return-to-owner efforts from a transactional, punitive model to a collaborative, compassionate one. The group explored strategies to increase reunification rates by working with, not against, the people who love and care for animals in our communities.
“It was an incredible opportunity to engage with leaders in shelter veterinary medicine and shelter leaders and to underscore the importance of partnerships across disciplines,” Mandy explained. “This conference aids in bringing us together to build a more inclusive, humane, and community-rooted future for our pets. It was a powerful reminder of how multidisciplinary the work in animal welfare has become and needs to be.”