Collaboration - - Coming Together - - Getting it Done

The definition of Collaboration via Wikipedia.

Collaboration is the process of two or more people or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. Most collaboration requires leadership, although the form of leadership can be social within a decentralized and egalitarian group.

It is frustrating, aggravating, tries your patience and, for some of us, lead to words flying out of our mouths that would have earned a good mouth-washing when I was growing up.  The beauty of it is that it works. It really works.  

I did a podcast with Rachael at Animal Rescue Professionals.  As I answered her questions, I realized the “glue” that has worked for PAAS, our Oklahoma partners, and Dumb Friends League (our destination partner) is collaboration.  It is also the reason why we now have a spay/neuter clinic at PAAS in collaboration with Oklahoma Humane Society (located in Oklahoma City). The goal is for it to become a weekly event.  Right now, it is twice a month and we are collaborating with veterinarians, veterinary assistants, volunteers, staff and, if you walk through the door at the right time, we’ll put you to work doing laundry.

Like a big Greek/Italian/Venezuelan family – there are differences of opinion about a lot of things, but when it comes to being the “voice” for pets and homeless dogs and cats – we are all in it together.  And the proof is evident in the number of homeless Oklahoma dogs that now have a new home in Colorado and the hundreds of Oklahoma dogs and cats we’ve fixed through our multiple spay/neuter programs.

There are different ways to save homeless Oklahoma pets and, collectively, they are amazing.  The biggest challenge is finding common ground to maximize resources, increase the “save” rate, and get ‘er done.  We do not have to agree on most things - - we just need to agree on saving a life.