ICAWC 2014 Istanbul - Sarah and Carolyn's presentation on setting up Dogs Trust Malta and introducing The Puppy Plan Campaign.

1. Puppy Love:
Setting up Dogs Trust Malta
and introducing
The Puppy Plan Campaign

2. The Maltese Islands
• Malta
• Gozo
• Comino
• 420,000
population
• 400km² large

3. The SPCA and Dogs Trust

5. Why Malta?
• Little animal welfare education
• Numerous stray dogs, cats, puppies &
kittens abandoned
• 60% of people felt neutering was cruel
• 15% of owned dogs were neutered

7. In The Beginning
• Dogs Trust Malta was registered as an NGO in June 2009
• All local veterinary clinics were contacted to take part in the
Dogs Trust scheme
• Rehoming centers were contacted
• Dialogue was created with the Government Animal Welfare
Department
• Established a relationship with all schools and Ministry of
Education

8. 50,000 Latch-key dogs
3,000 Stray dogs

9. Pilot Offer
• Launched in the
Capital city of Valletta
• Available to people on
means-tested-
benefits
• Neutering and
Chipping for €25

10. Change of Plan
• Created an offer for free neutering and microchipping for
people on benefits, farmers, hunters and factory dogs
• Focused a great deal on Education

11. Farm dogs

14. Dogs Trust offered free transport for farm dogs to the clinics
to be neutered and chipped.

15. Saving the cost of a bullet used for
shooting a puppy
= €0.11c

16. • A strategic approach to sourcing farm dogs was put in place.
• Starting from the North East, moving North West, toward the
Southern tip.
The Strategy

17. IT
WORKED!

18. Animal cruelty cases started to become more public and the
people of Malta wanted their voice to be heard

19. ‘Star’ in recovery

20. The authorities were taking note...
Star’s killer got three
months in jail and fined
€10,000
Gaia’s killer was jailed for
nine months and fined
€20,000
(later reduced to €4,000)

21. Over 14,000 dogs neutered and chipped by Dogs Trust since 2009.

23. The importance of Education
• Over 40,000 children reached through
free workshops in public, private and
church schools
• Dogs Trust: -
• Organized school competitions
• Held outings to clinics
• Conducted one-to-one sessions
with children in need
• Held workshops for scout groups
• Visited residential homes and
homes for the disabled
• Spoke in centers for troubled
families

24. Dogs Training Made Easy Campaign
• Complaints about badly behaved
dogs were being received
constantly.
• Dogs Trust created clicker
training packs.
• Thousands of free clicker packs
with instructions were sent out
to people.
• Promoted positive
reinforcement instead of
negative training or punishment.
Created the website
www.dogtrainingmadeeasy.org.

25. Prevention Cure&
=
Dog Training
Made Easy
=
RESULTS

27. Most canine behaviour
problems arise from fear

28. Noise phobia - fear of noises
Separation anxiety - fear of being
alone
Reactivity - fear of strange situations

29. Aggression
Resource guarding - fear of someone taking your stuff
Dog to dog aggression - fear of strange dogs
On lead reactivity to dogs - fear of strange dogs
when you can't run away
Dog to human aggression - fear of strange people

30. Inability to learn
Fear = adrenaline = fight/flight
No learning possible

31. All these fears - and problems
- are preventable with
appropriate puppy
socialisation

32. Not just 'being social' but
instead 'socialisation,
habituation and early
learning'

33. Introducing positively the people and
animals we want the dog to have a
social relationship with
Socialisation:

34. Socialisation only has a positive
effect if the socialisation is
positive

35. Introducing the things in life that
can be ignored because they aren't
scary!
Habituation:

36. There is a time pressure
to this early eduction in
dogs

37. Soft skills
Social interactions
Communication
Conflict resolution
Problem-solving
Behavioural competencies

40. Habituation: pre hazard avoidance
period lasts up to 5-7 weeks – so while
puppies are still with breeder

41. Socialisation: from sentience up
to 12-16 weeks - so both with
breeders and then ongoing with new
owners

42. www.thepuppyplan.com

43. The Puppy Plan Strategy
Phase One:
BREEDERS
Phase Two:
POTENTIAL NEW OWNERS
Dogs Trust put The Puppy Plan into action to get first hand experience

44. • The process was filmed and turned
into a tutorial which would be
given to breeders and new owners
• The daily activity was posted on
the Dogs Trust Facebook page

45. Puppy Plan booklets, mock journals, CD video tutorials and car
stickers were created
Received the backing of The Kennel Club
Malta, the Malta Canine Federation and the
Ministry for Animal Rights

46. An agreement was put in place with an
Insurance company to offer free pet
insurance for one year to anyone
buying or adopting a Puppy Plan
Graduate

47. Started attending Dogs Shows
Set up seminars for breeders
Created The Puppy Plan Facebook group

48. Official Launch to the Public
• Took advantage of every marketing opportunity
• Radio
• TV interviews
• Online
• Print media
• Sent flyers to all households for free workshops on how to spot a
Puppy Plan Graduate and continue The Puppy Plan at home

49. Worked with local councils, local artists and residents to create painted street art
in selected areas around Malta. The project didn’t cost Dogs Trust.
Created Puppy Plan sign posts to put in
dog parks.

51. What can YOU do with
The Puppy Plan?
1. Start implementing The Plan in your shelter. Even if puppies are in-house for only a
short time, every bit helps. It can also be applied to dogs older than 16 weeks.
2. Document what the puppies have experienced.
3. Get the backing. Find any clubs associated with breeders and any means to get close
to them, like at dog shows.
4. Get the endorsement of your Government or Ministry.
5. Make the package more attractive and cost effective. Find a partner to add something
of more value that people will find appealing. Make it available to people buying or
adopting a puppy. In the case of shelters, as you are unlikely to finish The Plan in full,
make the offer available to people adopting and committing to completing The Plan at
home (subject to receiving the journal).

52. In Malta – 63.6% of people would not consider adopting a dog from a
shelter and 41% of those who intend to breed, do so with the
intention of selling them. ¾ of people did not neuter their dogs
because they intended to breed them.
6. Get all other shelters or rehoming centers to take on The Plan.
7. Use the media. Use any means of PR and marketing available including those of your
partners or backers.
8. Get sponsors. Many companies with corporate social responsibility profiles like to get
involved in projects like these where they are part of significant change.
9. Engage with the public. You are their source of information so be open and available.
10. Understand the public. Are behavior problems the main reason for abandonment –
why? What are they expecting from their dogs?
Continued...

53. STICK TO IT

54. A HEARTFELT THANKS
FROM MALTA!