Massachusetts PILOT

What is Massachusetts PILOT for PETS
HOW DOES PILOT WORK
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
HOW TO PARTICIPATE NOW!

WHAT

PILOT for PETS is a Massachusetts based program, created by members of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) that enables animal welfare organizations to work together to successfully transfer dogs that are in need of placement between organizations that can not place a dog and the organization that can find his or her forever home. Because we just launched the program in November 2007, we are working only with Massachusetts organizations and only with dogs at this time. Although we hope that once we have established the program that other states might join us. We can also use volunteers who can help with a variety of needs like transport and administrative help.

For organizations with a dog in need (sending organizations), we hope a phone call or email will set in motion the things that need to happen in order to get the dog transferred to safety. For organizations that can adopt the animal to its forever home (receiving organizations), it will provide information about the dog and whether it can be accommodated into their program. Each receiving organization will provide or make arrangements with the MAC PILOT to provide: a health check including a heartworm test, spay/neuter, rabies and DHPP shots and a microchip. We are still developing PILOT. Right now we have the database, the email list and a few volunteer caseworkers who can facilitate the transfer by trying to match resources with dogs in need.
The centralized program consists of:

1.a central phone number where sending organizations can call for information and to notify the program of a dog in need. [COMING SOON]
2.this website where participating organizations can share information about the pets and their adoption programs
3.a group mailing list that will automatically notify participants of dogs in need.
4.Some volunteer caseworkers who can help to get resources together (vaccinations, vet visits, transport) that will enable the successful transfer of a dog.

HOW IT WORKS

• An organization with a dog in need of transfer will call, email or fill out a web form including basic information about the dog such as breed, age, general location, time limitations on holding the dog.
• Receiving organizations will be notified immediately via email that there is a dog in need.
• Once a receiving organization agrees to accept the animal, transport (and vet services, if applicable) will be arranged. PILOT may be able to help with the arrangements.
• The receiving organization will do its own behavioral evaluation.
• The receiving organization will place the animal for adoption if it meets their adoptability criteria.
• The animal will be placed in its forever home by the receiving organization. The adoptive family will be informed that the dog is a part of the PILOT and be encouraged to contact PILOT to let us know how the dog is doing.
• If the dog is returned to the receiving organization (and they no longer wish to try to place it) or it does not meet the organization's adoption criteria it will be referred to the PILOT review committee for further action, potentially placement with another receiving organization that can place it in an adoptive home.
  

TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS

Massachusetts animal welfare organizations are welcome to join our efforts. Types of participants include:

• sending organizations - organizations seeking another organization that can place an adoptable animal that is in their care.
• receiving organizations - organizations that currently run adoption programs and can take in and place an animal identified by the sending organization.
• individuals - volunteers who can provide transportation between organizations, take animals to vet visits, do behavioral evaluations and can do follow-up surveys with individuals, organizations and adoptive families as a part of our program evaluation.

Organizations can be both sending and receiving organizations. Sometimes shelters/rescue become filled and can use PILOT to find another rescue or shelter that currently has space.

PARTICIPANT CRITERIA

All participants, whether sending, receiving organizations or individuals, will be expected to act in a professional manner to benefit the animals to the greatest degree.

Each participant:

• will fill out a complete profile to the best of their ability in order to facilitate the matching of dogs and organizations.
• must be willing to accept that other participants may define “adoptable” differently and work towards placing dogs appropriately. MAC is not setting forth criteria for the definition of an “adoptable dog”. It will be up to the organizations to define what their adoptability criteria and communicate to the MAC PILOT those criteria so that, to the extent possible, good matches can be made.
• must be prepared that we may have some “failures”, cases in which we can not find an available receiving organization.
  will be asked to respect differing philosophies and be respectful towards one another, even when there is disagreement.
  

In addition

Sending Organizations :

• must be willing to transmit any information about bite history, behavioral issues, health issues or circumstances of acquisition of the animal that might affect the receiving organization's decision about whether than can serve the animal.
• understand that if the dog does not fit the adoption criteria of any of the receiving organizations that PILOT may not be able to move the dog.
• surrender all ownership rights to the animal when it enters the PILOT transfer program.

Receiving Organizations :

• will provide or make arrangements with MAC PILOT to provide: a health check including a heartworm test, spay/neuter, rabies and DHPP shots and a microchip.
• If the animal fails to pass the organization's temperament evaluation or health check, the receiving organization should share the information with PILOT and PILOT reserves right to re-place dog with another receiving organization.
• will place the dog with an appropriate adoptive family.
• will share information about PILOT with adoptive family.
• must have facility that meet basic health and safety standards.
• must be an organization, a 501C or under the umbrella of a city or town.. We are not working with individuals at this time.
• must have established written adoption policies and procedures
• must be willing to be inspected by a PILOT steering committee member or a designated person.
• must be willing to work with PILOT volunteers including caseworkers.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE NOW!

1) Complete your Organization Application. Though we don't need all of the information right now, we hope to have caseworkers that will be able to use the information to help match dogs and organizations that can place them in forever homes.

2) Once you have completed the organization profile, please complete a volunteer/organizational representative profile. If you are going to be adding dogs to the database/notification system and maintaining information about your organization, please indicate for which organization you are responsible. We will link you and your organization in the database so that only you or our caseworkers in the program can make changes to your information and your dog profiles. Also, please make sure you indicate whether you want to be on the notification email. We are using a yahoo group so you will be able to manage how you receive these emails (individual, read on the web or as a daily digest) yourself. If you are just going to be a sending organization, you may not wish to receive information about PILOT dogs in need. This is your choice.

3) In a few days you will be contacted by one of the PILOT steering committee members to follow up and make sure that your information is complete and that you match the criteria for the program. You will then be given access to the database both to review dogs as well as add dogs to the database.