Animal Shelter Pathway Planning
Pathway planning is an important process to maintain the shelter population within its capacity for care and support the welfare of the animals in our care. It is a proactive approach to identifying an animal’s most likely outcome and taking steps to help them get there as efficiently as possible. While pathways are often defined at intake, they should be reviewed regularly (during Population Rounds) and updated as a shelter learns more about an animal’s individual characteristics and needs.
Common pathways:
- Return to field/Return to owner
- Adoption
- Transfer to local partner organization
- Relocate to distant partner organization
- Euthanasia
Each animal will need certain steps, or critical flow through points, to keep them moving along their pathway. Knowing what pathway an animal is on ahead of time helps ensure the appropriate resources are available to move them through those steps and minimize Length of Stay.
Common critical flow through points:
- Spay and neuter
- Adoption
- Behavior modification
- Medical treatments
- Placement in foster care
Creating a pathway plan flowchart for each pathway and critical flow-through point can help shelters and shelter personnel new to this concept identify what resources are available and which are needed to keep animals flowing through the shelter system. In addition to analyzing resources, fast-tracking animals that require fewer resources can help shelters minimize length of stay.
This sample Pathway Planning [PDF] protocol can help guide the creation of a Pathway Planning process that works for your shelter.
Resources & Downloads
- Pathway Planning SOP [PDF]
- ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters (Population Management section)
Last reviewed January 2025