Florence is Selected for Innovative Training Program to Increase Cat Adoptions
FLORENCE-The Florence-Lauderdale Animal Services has been selected by The Jackson Galaxy Project (JGP), a Signature Program of GreaterGood.org, to participate in the 2020 class of Cat Pawsitive, a life-saving initiative that introduces positive-reinforcement training to cats in shelters and rescues. Supported by the Petco Foundation, this innovative training program for cats aims to increase feline adoption rates and maintain cat “mojo.”
“Cats can be easily stressed in shelter environments. We are excited to participate in this program. Our volunteer team will train and work with our cats to help them be more adoptable” FLAS Director Cheryl Jones
FLAS Director Cheryl Jones
Jackson Galaxy (star of the television show My Cat from Hell on Animal Planet, and founder of JGP) developed Cat Pawsitive with a team of feline behavior experts. Highlights of the program include:
- Empowering volunteers and staff to maintain cat “adoptability” and feline social skills through human contact and training
- Increasing adoptions and decreasing length of shelter stay
- Showing potential adopters that cats are cool and can even be trained!
Galaxy, a shelter worker in the 1990s, worked with a dog trainer to develop a program that uses exercise and human bonding to help unsocialized, traumatized and disheartened cats learn to interact with people so that they become attractive adoptable members of a new human family. A picture of success, the program has helped 1200 cats in 174 shelters to find homes over the last four years.
The Cat Pawsitive program is designed to keep adoptable cats mentally and physically active in a shelter or rescue environment. The focus is on fun, positive reinforcement-based training sessions that go beyond playtime-as-usual to help cats maintain their mojo and connect more quickly with potential adopters. From teaching high fives and head bumps to “sit” and “come when called,” caregivers at Cat Pawsitive participating organizations engage with cats in a brand new way to really help cats to “click” with adopters.
Galaxy will be sharing highlights of the program on The Jackson Galaxy Project Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
About The Jackson Galaxy Project
The Jackson Galaxy Project is a Signature Program of GreaterGood.org, a public 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Founded in 2014 by leading animal advocate and cat wellness consultant, Jackson Galaxy, host and executive producer of Animal Planet‘s long running hit show “My Cat From Hell” and New York Times best-selling author, The Jackson Galaxy Project seeks to improve the lives of animals at risk and help the people who care for them through innovative programs that educate, inspire and empower staff, rescuers and adopters to continually raise the bar for animals at risk and reduce the number of animals that end up in shelters. For more information, visit TheJacksonGalaxyProject.org.
About GreaterGood.org
GreaterGood.org is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that works to improve the health and well-being of people, pets, and the planet. Over the last 12 years, GreaterGood.org has given over $250 million in cash and in-kind grants to over 3,000 charitable partners worldwide. To learn more, visit GreaterGood.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
About the Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we’ve invested more than $260 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we’ve helped more than 6 million pets find their new loving families, and we’re just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.
Media Release/Rachel Mansell Koonce/City of Florence/Mayor’s Office/Media & Outreach
