20 Easy-to-Read Pages that Could Save Thousands of Lives

The No Kill Advocacy Center in conjunction with their Rescue Five-0 partners, No Kill Nation, has just released The No Kill Revolution Starts with You: Reforming Animal Control in Your Community Through Effective Political Advocacy. Admittedly, that's not the catchiest title in the world, but it is an easy-to-read, clearly written, step-by-step guide on how to reform animal shelters with unacceptable kill rates to no-kill shelters (defined as a save rate of over 90%). Authored by Ryan Clinton, profiled in Think Globally, Donate Locally, it is free and can be downloaded as a PDF from the link above.

Some of the advice given could be applied to increasing anyone's success in life:

• Do your homework  
• Identify your goals 
• Identify your audience 
• Craft your message 
• Be professional

I particularly like the "Be Professional" section:  

One of the most important aspects of No Kill advocacy is to be professional at all times, including in your appearance, preparation, presentations, and communications. When you meet with government officials, wear a suit; look like you’ve been there before and you’ll be there again. Come prepared with materials when you speak to officials, leaving behind professionally bound color copies. To be effective, you’ll need officials to believe that you’re not going away—no matter how long it takes or how hard the journey is. If you lose a battle, take it on the chin and move on. Live to fight another day. And remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Be honest, be strong, and always tell the truth. If you lose your credibility, you may never get it back.

The steps to being a change agent in potentially saving thousands of  animals each year are as carefully laid out as the slick, graphical pages; but "easy-to-read" does not necessarily mean "easy to do". Even with such a well-designed plan, it requires time, work, and persistence to change the world—or even one shelter. This publication puts the power in your hands. It's up to you to apply it.