GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — The Animal Humane Society (AHS) will temporarily shut down operations from Nov. 1-7 to "support the well-being" of employees and team members.
AHS, based in Golden Valley but with shelters in a number of metro communities, says all workers will receive a week off with pay. All shelters and vet centers will be closed from Friday, Oct. 29 through Tuesday, Nov. 9.
The organization said in a release that the number of animals on hand have been reduced through the month of October through adoption, foster placements and intake adjustments, including temporarily pausing their transport program and decreasing the number of available non-emergency surrender appointments. Training classes have also been rescheduled.
"Our staff have been working tirelessly throughout this whole pandemic and it has taken a toll on everyone," Director of Staffing and Site Development Molly Morgan said. "Being able to spend a week, recharging and being with your family, getting projects done that you haven't bene able to do is very important."
AHS is doing this for the second year in a row.
"Last year it was getting close to the election and so it was a very different environment then as well," Morgan said. "And we've been running to the pandemic really hard, and giving the whole team a week off was something that was so appreciated last year. This year we were able to plan it out much further in advance to work through the animals in our shelter, and work to bring our animal numbers down."
A small team will provide care for any animals that remain at AHS shelters during the week of closure.
And while this isn't something AHS plans on doing every single year, Morgan said there's something special about a company-wide holiday, as opposed to some personal time off.
"When we're all on PTO it doesn't mean your email box filling with emails, or things waiting for you when you return," she said. "It's really refreshing to know the whole company is going to be in the same position."
Morgan said she believed that this kind of "looking out" for staff makes AHS a competitive company to work for as well.
"Having a week off like this is not something you see very frequently, in many professions," she said. "Organizations are learning in what ways we can make things better, and we're super fortunate that leaders see the same thing and we're able to do something like this."
"Our staff and the leaders go through very compassionate emotional interchanges with customers every single day," Morgan continued. "And that can be taxing. It's just as emotionally charged to shut down for a week, because we are committed to the animals that we serve, and it's been hard knowing that we are going to be serving fewer animals but we will be more refreshed and do our jobs better when we return."
"Animal welfare work is rewarding but challenging — both physically and emotionally," reads an AHS statement. "Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, our staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to meet the needs of the animals and people who depend on us with optimism and determination."
"However, like many organizations today, AHS is also facing significant staffing challenges that impact our capacity to provide services and place additional stress on existing teams. Taking care of our staff ensures we can continue do our best for the animals and people we serve. We believe it’s the right thing to do."
AHS says recommendations for pet owners seeking medical care and other services while they are closed can be found on the organization's website.