How to Conduct a Gelding Clinic

Unwanted Horse Coalition Operation Gelding Program How to Conduct a Gelding Clinic 2016, Unwanted Horse Coalition 1616 H Street, 7 th floor, Washington DC, 20006 202-296-4031 www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org 1

UHC Operation Gelding Program How to Conduct a Gelding Clinic Planning a gelding clinic takes time and effort. According to a survey of 34 Operation Gelding organizers, planning took an average of 11-15 hours, not including the time spent the day of the clinic. Although the UHC requires the Funding Application be submitted 30 days prior to the clinic, it is recommended that planning begins well before that, especially for first-time organizers. This document provides information on how to plan a single-day, on-site clinic. Previous clinic organizers have agreed to share their insights with new planners. Contact the UHC for contact information for a group similar to yours. Who Can Host a Gelding Clinic? Any group or organization interested in reducing the number of unwanted horses is eligible to host a clinic. Past groups have included veterinary schools, private veterinary practices, rescue and rehoming facilities, 4-H and Pony Clubs, and State Horse Councils. Collaboration and Leadership In many cases, groups in the same area work together to coordinate and run the clinic. For instance, a state horse council can work with a local rescue group, a 4-H Club can work with a private veterinary clinic, and vet schools might partner with private stables to provide a central location. The benefits of collaboration include better access to resources (supplies, volunteers, funding, etc.), more opportunities for marketing and outreach, and hopefully the ability to geld more horses in one day. Planning a gelding clinic will be much easier when several people work together. However, the key to the clinic s success is to have one person spearhead the effort, to ensure that all planning tasks have been completed, to be the point of contact for information, and to oversee the actual event. See the Clinic Planning Checklist at the back of this document to see a list of tasks involved. Beginning the Process: Size, Scope and Space Most organizations start planning a clinic 6 to 8 months in advance. This amount of time is often needed to find an appropriate venue and recruit veterinarians. Smaller clinics at a veterinarian s office may not require the same amount of space or planning time than larger clinics. Before securing space for the clinic or recruiting veterinarians and volunteers, you should determine the expected size of your clinic. How many horses do you want to geld? It is advisable for first-time organizers to start with a smaller number of participants in order to become familiar with the process, then expand the program in subsequent years. 2

It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the actual gelding procedure and about one hour for recovery time. Add in registration and pre-surgical exams, and the full process for each horse will take approximately 2 hours. You can set goals for the day using these numbers as a guide. If you have one veterinarian and one or two vet techs at a private practice, you can realistically geld 10 to 12 horses in an 8-hour clinic when adding in time for breaks, lunch, and unforeseen delays. With multiple veterinarians and technicians, the number will be higher. Once you have decided on numbers, you will need to find adequate space. Large clinics with multiple veterinarians and castration stations will require a significant amount of space. Although the procedure can be done in a small paddock or field, consider space for trailer parking, unloading, registration, a waiting area, pre-surgical exams, and recovery. The space will also a require restroom facilities and a place for staff and volunteers to take a break. Identify Costs and Funding Sources The size of your clinic will determine your costs. It is important to set a budget at the beginning of the planning process in order to identify your fundraising needs. Results from a survey of previous Operation Gelding organizers show that clinics can cost from $300 to $5000; larger clinics obviously cost more. Costs will include, but are not limited to: Space Rental Veterinary Services Medications Supplies Marketing Staffing Other (such as lunch for volunteers or a portable toilet) Many of these items are donated to groups hosting clinics, but it is important to know the costs up front. Costs will also vary based on region, so it is difficult to provide a number what will be applicable to all interested groups. Another cost consideration is insurance. Clinics at an off-site venue may require proof of additional insurance beyond that normally carried by the organizing group. The UHC advises groups to ensure they have appropriate liability coverage and, beginning in 2017, requires that the UHC be listed as an additional insured on the host s or veterinarian s insurance policy. See the Funding Guidelines and Application Process for specific information. Proof of endorsement must be received prior to the clinic. UHC Funding The Unwanted Horse Coalition raises funds through grants and private donations to coordinate and advertise this national program. When the program began in 2010, the UHC offered $50 per horse gelded with a maximum of $1000 per clinic. In 2017, the UHC increased the amount of funding available to clinic organizers to $100 per horse gelded with a maximum of $2000 per clinic. There are two levels of funding available. Organizations can receive $60/horse or $100/horse per clinic (up to 20 horses) depending on which option they choose. See the UHC s Funding Guidelines and Application Process for specific information related to each funding level. 3

Applications for funding are due at least 30 days prior to the scheduled clinic. Applications will be accepted up to 6 months prior to the clinic, and because the UHC has limited funds available, organizations are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Fundraising Ideas When the UHC offered $50 per gelding, which often only covered the medications required for surgery, most organizations had to do additional fundraising. At $100/horse, we hope to encourage more organizations to hold clinics, but still recognize that this will not cover all costs. Fundraising can build community relationships that will allow you to host a program year after year, while keeping costs low for participants. We encourage you to do so. In order from most to least common fundraising tactics, organizers have charged a clinic fee, plus received grants (ASPCA, One Horse at a Time, ERC, State Horse Councils, Community Funds, etc.), inkind donations from drug companies, pro bono or reduced veterinary fees, and donations from private individuals. Some host fundraisers or use their own funds to cover remaining clinic costs. Should you Charge Participants? About one half of the Operation Gelding clinic organizers choose to charge participants a fee. This fee has ranged from $20 to $125. Clinic fees can help cover costs of your program, however, no-cost clinics draw the largest number of participants. The UHC has no requirement related to clinic charges, but recommends the charge be kept as low as possible. In fact, a small charge of $10 to $20 during preregistration may discourage last minute cancellations. Recruiting Veterinarians and Volunteers Veterinarians and volunteers are crucial to your program s success. If this is the first Operation Gelding clinic planned by your organization, the recruitment process for veterinarians should begin early, at least six to nine months in advance. Although it might seem the best use of time to identify willing veterinarians prior to any other planning, successful recruitment is often based on presenting a well thought out plan. Invest time up front to do your research: Have programs been offered in your region in the past? What is the need in your community? What locations are available? How much will the proposed clinic cost and what are possible funding sources? What level of commitment are you asking from the veterinarian in time and resources? Knowing answers to these questions will demonstrate your organization s commitment to the program and allow for a more productive conversation. 4

Reach out to the veterinarians who have a relationship with members of your organization. If they are unable to commit, ask for recommendations of other veterinarians who might be willing to participate. Cold calls are difficult to make, but if you do not have relationships with veterinarians in your area, another option is to contact the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) at www.aaep.org for a list of AAEP member veterinarians in your area who might be able to assist. Don t give up if the first (or second) veterinarian declines to participate. Keep trying. Although you might be asking that they donate their services (or at least reduce the cost), there are benefits beyond creating good will in the community. It is a great opportunity for vets to educate owners about care and identify needed services that a specific horse might have. Many veterinarians have reported to the clinic hosts that they are able to recruit new clients. Plus, any veterinarian working with a non-profit 501(c)(3) clinic host can claim a tax-deduction for some services (be sure to refer them to their accountant for details). A final recruitment technique that some hosts have used is to offer payment in cash. Once a veterinarian agrees to participate, follow up with a personal thank you letter and details in writing. Ask if the veterinarian or a member of his/her staff can join the planning meetings. If they are unable to do so, ask them for input on space requirements for surgery, required staffing, and other services they might wish to provide, if any (coggins tests, vaccines, dental work, etc.). Offering additional services can increase participation, but will also require more human and fiscal resources. Finally, ask the veterinarian to provide you with a list of supplies that will be needed at each clinic station (pre-exam, surgery, recovery). Send reminders three months and one month prior to the event (unless the veterinarian s office is active in the planning process). The number of volunteers you need to recruit will be determined by the size of your event and the services you will offer. Before the event, you might need help with promotion, pre-registration, acquiring supplies, or confirming appointments. The day of the event, volunteers will be needed for setup, parking, registration, general information, horse handling, veterinary support, and clean-up. A photographer/media contact is a plus. Veterinarians will probably bring their own technicians. Ask what additional volunteer support they require, but plan on at least one volunteer for each veterinarian to serve as a runner. Not all volunteers will need to have horse experience. However, all should sign a liability waiver and be given adequate instruction on their specific roles. Remember to take care of your volunteer s needs throughout the day (by providing breaks, snacks, etc.), especially if they will be at the event all day. Getting the Word Out About Gelding Promoting your clinic is almost as critical as veterinary participation. There is no worse feeling than spending days to organize a clinic just to have two people show up. Marketing should begin as early as possible, at least with several save the date announcements several months in advance. Promotion with detailed information should begin about 2 months before the clinic. 5

Knowing your community and its needs will help you identify the best methods of promotion. Plan to use a wide range of marketing techniques, but focus your efforts on methods that reach your target audience. Flyers at horse shows, feed and farm stores, or tack retail or consignment shops are an inexpensive technique. Post information (and registration materials) on your website and refer all promotions to that site. Use Facebook and Twitter, asking your friends and followers to share the posts. Craigslist is not always the best option for listing horse sales, but it is a great resource for listing programs such as gelding clinics. Local media outlets often have print and online calendars for free. Other options include asking your State Horse Council to post the information to their website and/or social media, or asking local veterinarians to post flyers at their clinics. Some may feel that the clinic might impact their business, but this could be an opportunity to get other veterinarians involved in the future. Finally, flyers can be mailed directly to stables and farms in your area. Be sure to send information to surrounding counties Animal Control and other humane officers, the local Sheriff, and SPCA. These groups are aware of, and actively monitor, situations where horses may be receiving little or no care, and will be able to identify individual owners that might best benefit from the program. The UHC can offer assistance with promotion by providing advertisement and press release templates on the UHC website, posting all clinics on their website and Facebook page, as well as sending bimonthly press releases with clinic dates to reporters in specific clinic states. Marketing the clinic is also a great opportunity to educate the community about the benefits of gelding. The UHC can provide educational materials and resources to include with your flyers, posts, or press releases. Be sure to send your clinic information to the UHC for inclusion on its website, in the UHC Roundup and press releases. Registering Participants Although adding some work for the planning team, offering multiple registration options (e.g., paper forms, online forms, register by phone) may increase your overall participation, especially in the first year. By tracking how participants register, you can then determine the best method for subsequent clinics in your area. Pre-registration and setting appointment times can help create a smooth schedule the day of the clinic. Of course, be prepared for anything late arrivals, cancellations, unexpected arrivals to name a few. These occur even with the best planned clinics. Determine your plan to deal with such situations well before the clinic date. See the Expect the Unexpected section for more information. Information requested on the pre-registration form should include: name and address of the horse owner, contact information such as email and phone number*, a preferred time slot, and details about the horse to be gelding (name, age, breed). Include all guidelines for participation in your registration materials so that owners don t arrive and discover that their cryptorchid mule that has difficulty breathing will be turned away. The UHC only requires that stallions be in good health and have two descended testicles. The planning organization has the right to set additional limitations such as the number of stallions per family, barn, breed, etc. 6

* A note about phone numbers. Not all owners have access to email, and email addresses on handwritten forms are more likely to be misread than phone numbers. A phone number is often the best way to contact your participants the day of the clinic. Ask for one. Call to confirm with each registered participant 2-3 days before the clinic. Remind them of their scheduled time, the location, any other important information. Remind them to bring any required paperwork and encourage them to have as much pre-filled as possible to save time during registration the day of the event. The Day of the Clinic Allow adequate time for set up and volunteer orientation. All veterinarians, staff, and volunteers should be scheduled to arrive well before the first participant in order to ensure a smooth flow beginning with the first appointment. Be sure that each volunteer has signed a waiver and is clear about their role, and provide volunteers with a method to ask questions should they arise (e.g. wait for a runner to ask the question, text or call a specific contact person, report to a specific location if they can leave their position). Signage for parking and registration are often not enough. Assign a volunteer (or two) to meet participants at the main entrance to guide them to parking and registration. Each owner should have at least one experienced handler with them to stay with the horse at all times. The handler can unload and wait with the horse while the owner completes registration. You selected a site based on the pre-determined size and scope of the clinic. Have maps of the site available for volunteers (and owners) to help them navigate the process. Collect all required paperwork (waivers, health records) before allowing the horse to move from the holding area to pre-examination. Ideally, there will be separate areas for unloading, parking, registration, holding areas, pre-examination, surgery, recovery, and the guest waiting area. Loading may or may not be located in the same place based on availability of space at your site. Try to create a flow that will make ingress and egress as smooth as possible. Plan a formalized check-out process to ensure that all horses have been cleared and owners receive the required aftercare procedures. Expect the Unexpected Weather Most sites do not have adequate space to conduct surgeries indoors, so it is advisable to schedule a rain date if possible. If a clinic is going to be cancelled, contact all registrants by phone as soon as possible. If the clinic will be hosted within 90 days, the UHC will hold the funding that was allocated to your clinic. The UHC must be notified of the change within 15 days of the cancelled clinic. 7

Cancellations Participants It is not uncommon for participants to cancel (or simply not show up). One way to minimize cancellations is to require the clinic fee be paid at the time of pre-registration. It might be helpful to create a short waiting list once the clinic is full. If you are notified of a cancellation before the clinic, you can contact those on the waiting list. Volunteers The easiest way to deal with cancellations is to recruit more volunteers than you will need for the day. Be sure to provide several reminders before the day of the clinic. Veterinarians Although not common, emergencies do occur and a veterinarian might have to cancel. The best option is to recruit one more veterinarian than needed for that day. If this is not possible, the planning committee should think through this scenario in advance to have a backup plan, be it extending the day or cancelling participants. If the latter is the only option, consider offering a voucher instead. Walk-ins If an owner takes the time to drive to the clinic, it is best to try to accommodate the owner if at all possible. Leaving one or two spaces in the schedule open can help. There is always a chance of other participants needing to cancel. Just be sure to have extra supplies and materials readily available if you plan to accept walk-ins. Cryptorchids Upon initial exam, it might be determined that both testicles are not fully descended. These cases require more sterile surgical conditions and are rarely done in a clinic setting. Costs are significantly increased as well. Making the requirements clear on advertisements helps minimize the occurrence, however some owners simply may not be aware. If you are offering other services at the clinic, allow them to participate in those services. If a gelding voucher is an option, provide one. Owners want to get their stallions gelded, so we want to be as accommodating as possible. Horse Handlers Each owner should have at least one experienced handler with them to stay with the horse at all times. Plan how you will handle the situation if an owner shows up alone. Options might include having a volunteer remain near the trailer while the owner checks in or having a volunteer bring the paperwork to the owner at the trailer. A Sick Horse Have a plan in place in case a horse shows up in distress, injured, or ill. If staffing is limited, it might be best to turn the horse away and provide a voucher if available. If this is a larger clinic, it might be possible to have a veterinarian examine the horse and make a recommendation. At a minimum, be sure to have a designated area available to keep the horse from coming in contact with others while a decision is being made. Dogs or Children A gelding clinic is not the appropriate place for dogs, and dogs are often not covered in general liability insurance for these types of programs. If a participant shows up with a dog, ask them leave the dog in their locked vehicle with windows partially open or air conditioning on depending on the temperature. If dog-savvy volunteers are available, they can keep the dogs in a designated area. Having an extra leash or two on hand can be helpful. 8

Owners should also be discouraged from bringing children, however, some may not have child care and this could result in one less stallion being gelded. After the first year, most organizations have a good sense of the audience and can plan accordingly. Consider setting up a safe, confined waiting area for families with children. Some organizers even provide small activities, crayons, or books to keep them occupied. Post-Clinic Follow-up Participants: Although it is not required, it is good practice to follow up with the participants to thank them for choosing to geld their horse and to remind them to follow up with their regular veterinarian. Participants may be willing to share information about your organization or upcoming clinics with their friends. Veterinarians: First and foremost, thank the veterinarians for their time and willingness to help you reduce the number of unwanted horses through gelding. Ask them to complete and sign the UHC Veterinary Statement and prepare an invoice for all castrations performed that day. These documents will be required by the UHC for reimbursement. Invite them to a debrief meeting (or call), or to provide you with feedback about the clinic process. Payment to Veterinarians: Clinic organizers are responsible for paying the veterinary fees per the original planning discussions. The UHC will write a check to the clinic organizers (organization) or veterinarian. Reimbursement levels are $60 or $100 per horse depending on the option selected. Volunteers: Thank your volunteers for helping make the clinic a success. Planning Team: As with any event, it is important to discuss what worked and didn t work in order to improve the program in the future. This is an easy step to skip when people are just relieved that the clinic is done, or they have already moved on to the next task. Try to schedule the debriefing within two weeks of the event. Return Materials to UHC Collect all required materials and return them to the UHC by mail within 30 days of the clinic. Retain copies for your records for at least 3 years. Checks will be sent after receiving all materials and are printed on the 1st and 15th of the month. See the Funding Guidelines and Application Process document available on the UHC website for specific details. 9

Tips from Other Operation Gelding Clinic Organizers These tips come from a recent survey of clinic organizers in order from most to least frequently mentioned: Advertise aggressively / well in advance Start planning well in advance Find supportive vet; ask if they will reduce rates Have participants fill out paper before showing up at the clinic Use social media Select an accessible location Assign times Work with Humane Agents / local rescues Involve local vet schools Get a deposit to decrease no-show rate Utilize available materials / don t recreate the wheel Fri-Sun usually best for clients Have an organized technician / receptionist! Start planning at least a month in advance. Have a weather contingency plan, a wild patient plan, and a complications plan. Talk to drug reps about possible donations. Be organized and plan as much as you can before the event. Make certain to have clear communication with the veterinarian on their participation, have enough knowledgeable volunteers, have all your paperwork in order prior to the event etc. Although we try to be very clear with our participants, there is often a lack of understanding on their part. I believe that education in the communities needs to be a forerunner to any type of outreach event. Start a list early in the year. Advertise early and often. Pick a time of year that really works for your area. Have your protocol for everything typed up in a checklist format. Run through it with all involved people. Then run through it with someone who knows nothing of your system. This will show you where the problems are. Start with just a few castrations and work your way up. We tried to do 16 one year and almost killed ourselves. If it was just the doctors we would be fine but adding in students makes everything take longer. Think of all the horse people involved and enlist their aid for additional donations. Be prepared for all of it to take longer than it should and for complications to arise. But in the end it is soooo worth it. The UHC thanks all clinic organizers, volunteers, and veterinarians who do the hands-on work to make these clinics happen. Stallions are being gelded because of you! 10

Clinic Planning Checklist o Create a Planning Committee o Seek Organizational Collaborators o Determine Size and Scope of the Clinic o Select Tentative Dates o Identify and Contact Veterinarians o Reserve Location o Ensure Adequate Liability Insurance o Write a Marketing and Fundraising Plan o Recruit Volunteers for Planning Tasks and Day of Event o Apply for Funding; Seek Donations and Sponsorships o Plan the Event Schedule o Determine Fee for Participants o Create Registration Materials o Advertise the Clinic o Determine Plans to Expect the Unexpected o Send Press Releases o Send Reminders to Vets, Volunteers, and Registrants o Create Map of Property o Procure Supplies and Materials o Create Signage o Train Volunteers Prior to Clinic o Ensure Sufficient Help for Set Up o Greet and Register Participants o Remember to Breathe During the Event o Take Photos During the Event o Provide Aftercare Instructions to Participants o Acknowledge and Thank all Supporters and Volunteers o Return all Required Documents to Funders o Meet to Evaluate the Clinic 11