The document presents a proposed database system for managing operations at an animal shelter. It outlines business needs such as tracking animal care, adoptions, staffing, and donations. The system will classify entities and attributes, such as animal types and medical services. Procedural rules describe workflows for intake, adoption and donations. An entity-relationship diagram and sample reports are provided to demonstrate how the system meets the shelter's information management goals.
2. INTRODUCTION
The Animal Shelter has hired JWJ Database Consultants to create a
database that will enable them to manage their business operations more
effectively. The Shelter rescues animals in need and provides a means for
them to find a loving home.
This presentation reflects the business requirements gained through
multiple interviews with the Shelter’s staff and includes all previously
requested revisions.
The objective of this presentation is to finalize the design for the system and
move one step closer to deployment.
2
3. PROBLEM DEFINITION
Rapid growth in animal rescues caused by the bad economy has increased
the Shelter’s need for readily available information to manage their
business effectively.
The manual systems currently in place no longer meet the needs of the
organization.
The Shelter wants to ensure that the necessary information will be available
to provide proper care to their animals.
The Shelter wants to maximize their operational efficiency through
increased information.
3
4. BUSINESS NEEDS
Animal Care Related:
The Shelter needs to track descriptive information related to the animals
that includes: Animal Type, ID, Name, Approximate Age, Staff Comments,
and Whether Spayed or Neutered.
Animal Type specific data capture needs include: Breed and Size for
Dogs; Breed and Hair Length for Cats; and Species and Description for
all Others.
Data related to the prior history and the delivery of the animals to the
Shelter must include: Date of Arrival, Reason and Comments related to
the circumstances or information available from the donor.
Medical Care also must be tracked and needs to include: Dates of
Service; Cost; Types of Vaccinations; Descriptions of Procedures; and
Prescriptions with Medication Prescribed, Amount and Dosage; and
related Veterinarian information.
Cage Occupancy and Dimensions also need to be tracked.
4
5. BUSINESS NEEDS
Adoption Related:
The Shelter needs to track information related to Adopters that includes:
First Name, Last Name, Street Address, City, State, Zip
Code, Phone, Email, Animal Preferences and Number of Children.
The Shelter needs to track the Date of Adoption.
The Shelter would like to increase future adoptions by tracking
information related to visitors to the Shelter who are unable to find a
suitable pet and contacting them in the future when an animal that
matches their preferences arrives.
In the event that an adopter returns an animal, the Shelter desires a
system that will allow the animal to be re-connected with his previous
history.
5
6. BUSINESS NEEDS
Staffing Related:
The Shelter would like to track information that will allow them to project
their staffing needs more accurately.
Consequently, the system must track information related to specific
special characteristics of both the days of adoption and delivery.
These special characteristics may include: Holidays, Weather Conditions
and any other relevant Comments.
The system will also have the ability to capture information specific to
employees and volunteers in order to analyze efficiency.
6
7. BUSINESS NEEDS
Non-Animal Donations:
As a non-profit organization the Shelter relies heavily on community
support.
Consequently, the Shelter would like to track information related to the
individuals who provide contributions of cash or supplies to assist in
future fund raising efforts.
7
8. STRUCTURAL BUSINESS RULES
Animal Specific
The Shelter maintains only one location and does not plan on opening
branches.
The Shelter accepts all types of animals in need but receives primarily
dogs and cats. Consequently, the Shelter focuses on three main
categories: Dogs, Cats and Other.
The primary information that must be collected related to the animal
upon admission to the Shelter includes: Date of Arrival, Reason for
Delivery, Animal Type, Name and Approximate Age. Specific information
that must be captured for each of the animal types includes: Breed and
Size for Dogs; Breed and Hair Length for Cats; and Species for all
Others.
The Shelter’s employees may collect the following information that
includes: any relevant Remarks about the circumstances of the delivery
or any background information available from the provider; Animal
Name, relevant Comments on animal’s general health or disposition;
and whether the animal is Spayed or Neutered.
8
9. STRUCTURAL BUSINESS RULES
Animal Specific (continued)
The Shelter keeps detailed Medical records for all services performed
while at the Shelter that must include the Date and Cost. Services are
categorized into four types: Vaccinations, Prescriptions, Procedures and
Other. Each type requires the capture of specific information that
includes: Vaccination Type; Prescribed Medication, Amount and Dosage;
Procedure Description; and Other description to be recorded in
Comments.
The Shelter must maintain information on the Occupancy of Cages, Cage
Number, and cage dimensions that include: Length, Width and Height.
9
10. STRUCTURAL BUSINESS RULES
People Specific
The Shelter classifies private individuals (People) related to their
business activities into five main categories: Adopters, Prospective
Adopters, Volunteers, Employees and Other.
The primary information that must be collected for all people includes:
First Name, Last Name, Street Address, City, State, Zip Code, Phone and
Email.
Specific information that must be capture for different categories of
people include: Number of Children for both Adopters and Prospective
Adopters; Animal Preference for Prospective Adopters; and Task
Preferences for Volunteers.
Although the Shelter has indicated that they have an employee
database, this system gives the option of adding the employees Position
and Start Date to facilitate reports for analyzing productivity by these
two factors.
10
11. STRUCTURAL BUSINESS RULES
Veterinarian and Clinic Specific
The Shelter tracks contact information for Veterinarians and their
related Clinics that perform medical services.
The information that must be collected for Veterinarians includes:
License, First Name, Last Name, Email and Specialty.
The information that must be collected for Clinics includes Name, Street
Address, City, State, Zip Code and Phone Number.
11
12. STRUCTURAL BUSINESS RULES
Non-Animal Donation Specific
The Shelter tracks all donations.
Donations are categorized as Cash or Supplies.
Employees must record the date of each donation.
For Cash contributions the employee must record the amount and for
Supplies the employee must provide a description.
12
13. PROCEDURAL BUSINESS RULES
Only employees can process new animal deliveries.
After capturing all required information related to the admission of a new
animal, the employee must assign both an ID number and cage.
In the event that an animal is returned by an adopter the employee will re-
assign the animals previous ID number.
ID numbers will not be recycled for use by new animals.
Employees must assign an ID for every item donated.
13
16. CONCLUSION
The Animal Shelter Management System Fulfills the
Organization’s Information Needs:
Provides accurate, reliable and readily obtainable information for
increasing business efficiency.
Facilitates continued high quality care for the Shelter’s animals.
Facilitates the management of relationships with all people who interact
with the Shelter.
16