Watch out Match.com, eHarmony and Yahoo
Personals, the Lee County Humane Society now has the Meet Your Match
program for our dogs. The American Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) developed the Meet Your Match program
in 1999. Here is what the ASPCA has to say about the program:
It’s fun and it’s got serious science behind it. Developed by the ASPCA and Emily Weiss, Ph.D., C.A.A.B., the program uses proven behavior assessments to predict how a shelter dog, puppy, or cat may behave in his or her new home for the first several weeks. The assessments are used with innovative adopter surveys to match adopters with appropriate animals.
It’s also highly effective.
Shelters using the ASPCA’s Meet Your Match™
report reduced return rates, better customer service and increased adoptions;
and the use of this science-based methodology also helps them to better
highlight the animals they have available for adoption.
Potential adopters at the Lee County Humane Society can choose to participate in the Meet Your Match program or take the traditional route. If they choose Meet Your Match the adopter is given a one page Dog Adopter Survey that helps the staff understand what type of dog they are looking for. The survey is lighthearted and upbeat, and after taking it, potential adopters find out what color they are.
- Green adopters are most successful with pooches who like to be physically and mentally engaged.
- Orange adopters are a good fit with middle-of-the-road dogs who are responsive and enjoy regular activity and interaction.
- Purple adopters are comfortable with canines who have a laidback attitude and prefer an easygoing lifestyle.
With color code card in hand the adopter
heads to the kennel area to find their match. Each dog has a color-coded
card hanging on his or her gate that helps the adopter find the right
match. The dogs have been assessed using the SAFER method.
Since 1999, the Meet Your Match SAFER Assessment has helped animal welfare professionals all over the country identify potential aggression and opportunities for behavior modification, ultimately leading to more adoptions through appropriate placement. MYM SAFER is a program of the ASPCA, and was developed by Dr. Emily Weiss, C.A.A.B.
The Meet Your Match program is a fun and proven method to help match potential adopters with dogs who need a new home. Come by the Lee County Humane Society and give it a try. There is no obligation, as the ASPCA says “Love at first site does happen” without a matching program.
Jack Fisher
Board of Directors
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