Episode 38: Inside Wallis Annenberg PetSpace: Innovation in Animal Welfare

Nati Rodriguez [2:11] Gabrielle, I’ll be speaking with you first. Thank you for joining me on today’s episode.  

Gabrielle Amster [2:16] Thank you for having me. It’s exciting to be a part of this.  

Nati Rodriguez [2:19] For our listeners who have never been to PetSpace, can you talk a little bit about the center? What can people expect when they’re looking to adopt?  

Gabrielle Amster [2:28] One of the most unique things about PetSpace is its aesthetic beauty. It serves a very utilitarian purpose, which is the care and housing of homeless pets, but it does so in a beautiful way. I think the first thing that people notice when they arrive here is the technology, beauty of the space, and how animals are cared for and treated at Wallis Annenberg PetSpace. And of course, adoption is one of our primary goals here, which is to move animals from homeless status to being with their forever families. We also have an open adoption policy, which means that we don’t have an application process per se. We have a conversation with people who want to adopt from us. We adopt out cats, dogs, and guinea pigs.   

Nati Rodriguez [3:18] Wow. Yes, I must say the space is beautiful. I’ve referred to it as the pet resort. 

Gabrielle Amster [3:23] Yep. Appropriate.  

Nati Rodriguez [3:26] It’s a fantastic space that smells great, and I love hearing the kids and animals in it. Today, I believe there’s a camp going on outside. I have a couple of questions about your service here. Can you explain your role and what it entails? 

Gabrielle Amster [3:44] As the director of Wallis Annenberg PetSpace, my primary role is to make sure that Wallis’s vision for PetSpace is being attended to and that we’re executing her vision exactly as she sees it, and that we’re also staying current with what’s happening in the animal welfare industry, what’s happening to animals and pet owners in our local community across California and across our nation. It’s really important to Wallis that we’re very aware of all the challenges that animals, in this case, homeless pets, are experiencing. It means a lot to Wallis that we are deeply understanding of how challenging it is to be a homeless pet and the very unique needs that we can support. The majority of our pets come from city and county shelters, and right now we’re in a time where those particular facilities are very overpopulated, and so it means a lot to us and to Wallis to do our best to offset some of that burden.  

Nati Rodriguez [4:50] Thank you. Could you share what contributes to the overpopulation of unhoused pets? 

Gabrielle Amster [4:57] Sure. Over time, overpopulation has changed and developed. There were times when spay and neuter was not accessible — this was many, many years ago. We came together as industry professionals to identify that animals were not being altered, so they were reproducing rapidly, faster than we could manage. Animals were being surrendered to shelters and coming in as strays. Many years ago, we developed numerous spay and neuter programs to address that. As time passed, other challenges came into being, around animal housing, whether it was access to pet-friendly housing, access to veterinary care. But the current crisis that we’re facing is a bit of a mystery. And part of that is that we know that during the pandemic, spay and neuter services were not offered because people weren’t working. Veterinarians weren’t working, and agencies that had access to veterinary care were not providing those services. And so, we think that the overcrowding crisis is due primarily to a lack of spay and neutering during the pandemic, and also the fact that pet acquisition has changed. We know now that about 70% of pets are not adopted from shelters. They’re acquired in other ways, and because of that, shelters only have about 30% of the adoption market share, which means that all the animals, or many of the animals that are in shelters, are not leaving quickly.  

Nati Rodriguez [6:26] Got it. How do we raise awareness about that? If we’re trying to reach people looking for a pet, how do you encourage them to choose adoption from a shelter? 

Gabrielle Amster [6:37] I think every agency has its approach, but one of the things that mattered to Wallis and matters to us is that we’re creating an environment that is a destination for adoption. People want to come to PetSpace — again, partially because it’s very beautiful and the animals are cared for well here. But also, because we have such an amazing team of people who are kind, respectful and want to help adopters find a great pet. And I think that’s one of the first things that one can do to set oneself up for success around being a destination for adoption. Also, we make sure that all of our pets are spayed and neutered, they’re vaccinated, they’re microchipped. We’re doing everything we can to move healthy animals out into our community.  

Nati Rodriguez [7:42] What about matching pets with their owners? Can you talk a little bit about what criteria you use, if any? 

Gabrielle Amster [7:48] We don’t have an application specifically, we have a questionnaire where we find out a little bit more about what a potential adopter might be looking for and we have a conversation with them. Some people come in and they know what it is that they want, they’re going to go straight for that dog or cat, and it’s going to be a very uncomplicated process. Some people will spend weeks, months, or years, trying to make a decision about what they think is right for their family. And we try hard to be intuitive about what process that person is going through and meet them at that place. Some people have had many more years of experience than we’ve had with pets. They have had many pets throughout their lifetime and they kind of know how that goes. But most important to us is to serve as a resource for that person’s next steps, and we do a meet-and-greet process. If an adopter already has pets in the home, dogs in particular, we’ll do our best to make sure that that dog in the home is introduced to a dog they might want to adopt to make sure it’s a good fit. And of course, when it’s not a good fit after an adoption and a pet owner wants to return the pet — because maybe they’re allergic or doesn’t get along with a pet in the home or is too energetic — we’re very open to taking that pet back and find a better fit for that person.  

Nati Rodriguez [9:01] Got it. So, if someone is interested in adopting a pet and they want to come to PetSpace, what should they do?  

Gabrielle Amster [9:10]  Well, first and foremost, I would suggest looking on our website and get an idea of the amazing pets that we have on-site. And they’re changing all the time. Adoptions are happening five days a week, and that website is constantly being updated with available pets, so you could certainly start there. Even if you’re not ready to adopt, you can visit our pets here and we’ll be happy to go over more details about each pet in our care. We also have amazing technology on-site that allows our potential adopters to sort of interact with that pet’s history and certain qualities that that pet has, whether it’s energetic, a couch potato, or even where it came from — maybe a family surrendered it to the shelter that it came from because they had to move or because it had an injury that that family couldn’t necessarily afford to treat. So those are the sorts of things that we are able to provide information about. 

Nati Rodriguez [10:03] Got it. You mentioned that PetSpace collaborates with other animal welfare organizations. How does that happen and where do these pets come from?  

Gabrielle Amster [10:12] We collaborate most closely with Lancaster and Palmdale County shelters, as well as the City of Los Angeles. Those are the places where we pull animals frequently for transfer. Those relationships have been developed over the years, and right now, we have very close ties with those agencies. We are also very proud of the fact that we try to bring in about 30% of our intake as medical cases. Some shelters are euthanizing for treatable medical conditions just because they have very little resources and very little space. So, if we see an animal that has the potential to be adopted and it’s suffering from something that we believe we can help cure, treat, whatever the situation might be — we will transfer in animals that need further medical care. It’s probably the most important thing we’re doing right now as far as intakes and alleviating that shelter burden.  

Nati Rodriguez [11:11] Got it. If someone isn’t ready to adopt but wants to help animals and build a relationship with them, what can they do at PetSpace to get involved? 

Gabrielle Amster [11:23] There’s all kinds of things. Of course, volunteering is one of the most important, especially fostering. So, if someone wants to bring an animal into their home for a temporary amount of time, maybe it’s an animal who is going through medical treatment and is not quite ready for adoption; maybe it’s puppies who are not ready for adoption — some don’t have moms, and they need to be fed. Others are not quite ready for adoption but are weaned and eating on their own. We also have a big need for foster kitten volunteers, which is especially important this time of year when it’s kitten season. So, there’s lots of babies out there coming from our partner shelters, and many of them do not have moms and many of them are not quite ready to eat on their own. So, we’re always looking for that and we have lots of orientation, training and we provide all the resources to those fosters. All the medical care for the animals, supplies that they may need, and any counsel about how to care for those animals.  

Nati Rodriguez [12:18] Awesome, thank you! Something we like to ask everyone: What are you watching, reading, or listening to these days? 

Gabrielle Amster [12:25] That’s a great question. There’s a good Jake Gyllenhaal series on Apple. It has nothing to do with my industry or profession, but it’s a good series, so I recommend it. As for what I’m reading, I don’t know the name but it’s on Audible, so it’s not really reading, it’s just listening. I love to listen. I don’t read that much anymore, which I’m kind of ashamed to admit because I love books, but mostly I’m a listener these days. 

Nati Rodriguez [12:59] Anything else that you would like to share about your work or PetSpace with our audience?  

Gabrielle Amster [13:05] One of the things I’m most proud about that PetSpace has been able to do over the past few years is tell our story. I think we’ve gotten good through social media and other ways of communicating with our community about the work that we’re doing, especially the work that we’re doing with our partner shelters and talking about the amazing programs. I know that Dave will be on shortly and he’ll talk about some of those education programs. But I’m so pleased with how we’re able to demonstrate Wallis’s vision for the community because we are a destination for our community. It’s not just pet adoptions. Of course, that’s something that’s so important to us and so important to Wallis, but there’s a lot of other things happening at PetSpace. We have an amazing comedy show — it’s a pet-friendly comedy show that sells out every time that we do it. And we have a lot of pretty large events that happen here. We had a Feline Frenzy a couple of weeks ago, where we adopted out almost 30 kittens in a day. And I think we’ve had a Feline Frenzy that we reached almost 50 kittens adopted in a day. We have a Puppy Palooza, or it’s a puppy adoption event every year. This year, I think we adopted out nearly 30 puppies. So, there’s a lot happening at PetSpace other than adoptions. And I would love people to stay tuned in, follow us on social media and see what’s happening here. There’s a lot going on. 

—————————————————————————————————- 

Nati Rodriguez [15:05] All right, next we have David Bard, Education and Programs Coordinator at PetSpace. David plays a crucial role in developing training curriculums and implementing new and existing programs. He also oversees in-house training and communication for the guest experience and animal care teams. Welcome, David, to the Learner Podcast. 

David Bard [15:24] Thank you for having me. 

Nati Rodriguez [15:27] One of the things I would love to hear about is the variety of educational programs and events offered at PetSpace. I know there’s a lot of kids here for camp today. I would love for you to share some of the experiences that students and kids can have when they come to the space. 

David Bard [15:40] The group you see is taking part in Critter Camp. It’s a five-day program from 9 to 2 every day, geared towards kids 8-11. They will focus on all of the critters we have in Critter Corner — our adoptable guinea pigs, and our ambassador small mammals and reptiles. We have a kingsnake, a box turtle, a hamster, a bearded dragon as one of our newest animals, and a leopard gecko. They’ll learn what it takes to feed and house them, what they’re like in their natural environment, and that these animals — other than dogs and cats — you can find in shelters and take home. We also have another program, Pet Pioneers, for the same age group. There, they focus on dogs, cats, health, photography, physical therapy, training, and everything needed to be a great, responsible pet owner. 

Nati Rodriguez [16:42] Got it. And how does a family sign up for these camps?  

David Bard [16:46] You can visit our website at AnnenbergPetSpace.org, select Programs, and then PetSpace Camp to learn more. This year, we’re launching a brand-new camp for older kids — ages 12–16, called Animal Career Camp. When I was a kid, you thought about taking part in an animal care career, you probably considered becoming a veterinarian or working at a zoo. We want these kids to know they can be veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians, trainers, photographers, livestock handlers, researchers — there are all these opportunities we want to introduce them to.   

Nati Rodriguez [17:20] Got it. And how did you get interested in this work? 

David Bard [17:24] Well, it’s a long story. As I was joking ahead of the podcast, I started in music — I have a background in jazz composition and music arranging. When I moved to Los Angeles, I felt bogged down by the business end of the music industry, so I kept looking for outlets. One of those outlets was scuba diving, and while diving off the coast of California, I discovered this whole other world that felt like it was my secret — all these animals, all this beautiful topography. So I started looking for ways to give back to that environment that had given me so much pleasure and I started volunteering at a wildlife rehab center for seals and sea lions, and I stood still too long and they hired me and, it took someone else to suggest to me this might be a career-changing moment for you. And that’s how I got interested in animals. And then the former director of that facility moved on, and she started following this Annenberg Project that was going on. And she said, “You should probably come over and check out the space.” Again, I started volunteering and right after the opening event, I came on in the education position. So, it’s not only been rewarding on a personal level, but I feel proud to say that I’ve been able to take two volunteer roles — something that I already knew I was passionate about and turning them into a career. 

Nati Rodriguez [18:59] That’s fantastic. Do you still dive?  

David Bard [19:01] I don’t dive anymore, but I still love the ocean and all kinds of animals.  

Nati Rodriguez [19:08] Do you ever play music for the animals?  

David Bard [19:10] No, the guitar gets messy when you bring it into animal enclosures. 

Nati Rodriguez [19:20] Going back to the camps and the children’s experience here, who leads these and what is a typical day for kids? 

David Bard [19:30] We have a fantastic group of counselors, many of whom have been with us for two or three seasons. I’ve been fortunate to hold on to them because they’re all excellent. We strive for a 7:1 camper-to-counselor ratio, meaning we have three counselors for each group of 21–22 campers. Having a background in developing staff orientation and educational curriculum, I’ve learned that everyone has a different way of learning. So, we really try to spread out the types of educational opportunities. A typical day includes observing animal demonstrations, hands-on activities like food prep and enrichment, themed crafts, and outdoor time with pet- and animal-themed relay races. 

Nati Rodriguez [21:01] Do you have pets?  

David Bard [21:01] I do! I have a Sophie — she thinks she’s an 80-pound lap dog and rules the roost at our home. 

Nati Rodriguez [21:12] Got it. Anything else that you would like to share about your role here at PetSpace or the center and what families can expect when they visit? 

David Bard [21:21] I like to tell people, when they ask me what I do, I invent fun. I want people to come here as a community space, enjoy what we have to offer but also leave with a little something, even if they don’t realize they’re learning. I wish that this were a visual medium because I know that you know walking into our space, the website doesn’t do it justice, and talking about it doesn’t do it justice — to come in and see the infographics on the wall that sort of teach people through osmosis. We have pet-themed games and social media content on the video screens. When we were developing these, my primary goal was to make them fun, but sometimes you develop something and you’re like, well, did I put enough educational aspect into it? And I see the kids playing, and then I hear them come up with, wait a minute, Leopard geckos can drop their tails — and I know I’ve got them. They came to play, but they’re leaving with knowledge. We try to instill that through all our programs, field trips, our Girl Scout groups, we’ve got an active Boy Scout program. Education through fun is our mantra. 

Nati Rodriguez [22:33] That’s great, thank you. What are you reading, watching, or listening to these days?  

David Bard [22:37] One of the more recent books I read was Pitbull: An American Icon because my Sophie is considered a pitbull — though that term is a catch-all for several breeds. But it goes through the stereotypes, and backgrounds of pitbulls in American culture and tries to overcome some of the challenges they have in the way most Americans perceive them. 

• Wallis Annenberg PetSpace 

• Wallis Annenberg