HAPPY TOWN HUMANE SOCIETY CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN

April 23, 2015

Group 6: Loren Hagstrom, Teresa Lane, Amanda Scott, Sovannary Srey, Taylor White, Emily Winter

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………….3

Mission Statement…………………………………………………………………………3 Purpose……………………………………………………………………………….…....3 Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………3

Threats to the Organization………………………………………………………………………..4 Crisis Management Team ……………………………………...……………………………..…..5 Crisis Communication Team………………………………………………...…………………....6 Stakeholders……………………………………………………………………………………….7 Crisis Timeline…………………………………………………………………………………...8 Messaging Document Outlines…………………………………………………………………...9 Social Media Management………………………………….…………………………………...10 Messaging Best Practices………………………………………………….…………………..…11 Addenda………………………………………………………………………………………….12

Messaging Document Examples……………………………………………….………...12 Social Media Messaging Document Examples…………………………………………..14 Social Media Login Information and Details…………………………………………….15 Organizational Contact List……………………………………………………………...16 Media Contact List……………………………………………………………………….16 Stakeholder Contact List………………………………………………………………....17

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MISSION STATEMENT To provide exceptional care for the homeless, abused and neglected animals in the community. To aid animals in poor living situations and educate the public on proper animal needs and care techniques. RESPONSIBILITIES Happy Town Humane Society’s main primary priority is always the safety of its animals and the surrounding community. In the case of an emergency or crisis it is the responsibility of Happy Town to provide the community, media and stakeholders with timely and accurate information. Employees and emergency personnel must be given information that enables them to carry out top­notch care during a crisis. PURPOSE The purpose of the crisis communication plan is to outline the necessary steps and best practices to follow in the case of a company crisis in order to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders, including the media. It is designed to equip and prepare Happy Town Humane Society executives and employees to uphold the organization’s mission and value and to protect the animals should there be a crisis. This plan is not intended to answer all questions, but does provide a framework to develop for each specific crisis. OBJECTIVES

Prepare Happy Town Humane Society executives to accurately evaluate crisis and determine the best course of action for the specific crisis based on severity of the event.

Help executives form the appropriate crisis management and crisis communication team, and distinguish between the two separate teams.

Equip teams with steps and best practices to be used to uphold the mission and values of Happy Town Humane Society with both internal and external stakeholders.

Manage the messages and distribution of those messages to the public and media. Create a unified message that can be shared with all internal staff so each employee

understands their role in the crisis and can take appropriate action.

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THREATS TO THE ORGANIZATION

Type of Incident Definition Examples

Human Safety/Care

A threat to the organization caused by humans involved with our shelter.

Sabotage/Employee Misconduct Poor animal conduct Intruders Corruption

Animal Safety/Care

A threat to the organization involving the safety and humane care of animals, whether currently in our shelter or on their way to our shelter.

Escaping animals Animal abuse Rabid/infected animals Excess animals

Environmental/Natural

A threat to the organization caused by a naturally occurring event. A risk to the facility as it could cause significant damage to the building, the animals or surrounding community.

Geophysical: Earthquakes Volcanic eruptions Drought Biological: Disease Infestation

Financial/Management

A threat to the organization caused by an event involving internal organizational leaders.

Robbery/theft/fraud Leadership misconduct Bankruptcy Upper management scandal/death Inaccurate financial reporting

Hazardous Materials Incident

A threat to public health, welfare or the environment caused by an event from hazardous materials.

Chemical spill Contamination Waste incidents

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM The crisis management team is responsible for responding to and managing the crisis itself. This team works in partnership with the communication team and should maintain open lines of communication throughout the entire crisis. *See addenda (page 16) for contact information.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM

Director of Facilities/Maintenance

Director of Animal Control/Rescue

County Public Health Official

County Emergency Response Official

Waste Management Official

Humane Special Agent (certified to investigate animal crimes)

Legal Representative

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION TEAM The crisis communication team is responsible for disseminating information to internal and external stakeholders during a crisis, including the media. The PIO is responsible for dividing up tasks among team members as the crisis develops. *See addenda (page 16) for contact information.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION TEAM

PIO (Primary Spokesperson)

Secondary Spokesperson

General Manager

Media Manager

Office Administrator

Community Outreach Manager

*If the crisis is specific to one area, the expert in that area would be required to join the Crisis Communication Team. For example, if the crisis were regarding the sanitary level of the animals’ living environments, the director of facilities would join the team.

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STAKEHOLDERS *See addenda (page 17) for contact information.

PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS

Board of Executives

Shelter Operations

Assistant Director of Shelter Operations

Animal Care Attendants

Adoption Counselor

Development Officer

Financial Officer

Policy Advisor

Volunteer List

Employee List

SECONDARY STAKEHOLDERS

Interest groups

Local residents

Vet clinics/hospitals

ASPCA

Animal ethics groups

Surrounding humane societies

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION TIMELINE 15 minutes following crisis

Inform all staff members of the situation via email Send incident notification via social media; Twitter, Facebook, Blog Ensure updates will be made as information develops Connect personally with stakeholders

1 to 2 hours following crisis

Inform all staff members of update Send emergency update through social media platforms Express empathy when necessary Explain what investigation is going on Explain what public should be doing when information is released Confirm known injuries and deaths (if applicable) Consult with legal team (if applicable)

24 hours following crisis

Send press release with updates of current situation in crisis Share new information as confirmed Apologize and express empathy when appropriate Explain what is being done to ensure this doesn’t happen again Continue to support those that have been affected

Post­Crisis statement and management

Briefly recap crisis Apologize where appropriate Explain that the crisis is not a normal occurrence Explain what is being done to repair crisis Explain what is being done to ensure it doesn’t happen again

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MESSAGING DOCUMENT OUTLINES *See addenda (page 12­13) for examples of this messaging. Incident Notification Outline 1. One sentence explaining what happened 2. One sentence explaining what we’re currently doing to alleviate issue 3. One sentence explaining what the public needs to do 4. Statement saying updates will be provided as available Emergency Update Outline 1. One sentence explaining crisis 2. What is currently being done to resolve the crisis 3. If there is any danger to the public 4. Steps needed to be taken by the public 5. Who to contact with information regarding the incident 6. If the crisis is not well known, define the crisis Press Release Outline 1. What happened 2. What is currently happening 3. How the incident occurred and the history of the incident 4. What we’re doing about the situation 5. What we’re doing to ensure the situation doesn’t occur again 6. Any continuous danger to the public 7. Anything the public would need to do 8. Contact information

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SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT *See addenda (page 14) for examples of this messaging. Social media is a valuable tool to help connect with our external audiences both on an everyday basis and in the case of a crisis. Keep in mind the following social media platforms when communicating with external audiences during a crisis. Twitter

Managed by the Happy Town Media Manager Use SproutSocial to schedule regular posts Encourage visitors to visit the facility and engage with those who tag us Keep up to date with trends and hashtags that relate to the organization In case of crisis, use this account to notify and connect with the public and stakeholders

Blog

Managed by the Happy Town Media Manager with guest posts from other employees Post once a week or more for larger events Monitor comments as well as page views In case of crisis, use this account to provide transparency to connect with the public and

stakeholders. Instagram

Managed by the Happy Town Administrative team, needs photography experience Use to publicize animals up for adoption Encourage online interaction through weekly contests featuring animals who found their

fur­ever home Do not comment on any crisis on this account

Facebook

Managed by the Happy Town Media Manager Post daily about current events and animals currently up for adoption In the event of a crisis, larger news releases should be shared on the Facebook page.

Direct those interested to the Twitter page for more updates.

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MESSAGING BEST PRACTICES The following are general guidelines for effectively using traditional and social media to communicate in the event of a crisis. Only the designated spokesperson should release information to the media. All other employees should refer the media to the designated spokesperson if they are approached. Traditional Media Traditional media has the ability to frame a crisis, and stakeholders generally adopt that frame. Therefore, it is vital to be aware of the information communicated through traditional media and utilize these sources if necessary. Digital & Social Media If a crisis occurs, it is important to respond quickly, accurately, and directly so that our digital media accounts are seen as a credible source of information that stakeholders can count on. Generate short, concise posts for all social media outlets. The posts should contain a short statement about the status of the crisis and provide a link to more information if necessary. Keep all social media outlets consistent with each other and update them as needed. Always Empathize with those affected Be transparent and honest Provide updates as information is confirmed Seek information from experts in the field Ensure channels for two­way communication Never Say “no comment” Falsify information Promise too much Ignore requests from individuals or the media

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ADDENDA MESSAGING DOCUMENT EXAMPLES Incident Notification (Within 15 minutes of the crisis) An animal is missing from the Happy Town Humane Society as of this morning at 8:05 a.m.. Emergency Response Officials have been contacted. The public is encouraged to stay inside and avoid any stray animals they may encounter. Updates will be provided as more information is available. Emergency Update (Within the first hour to two hours) A rabid dog escaped from the Happy Town Humane Society at approximately 8 a.m. this morning (Monday). Happy Town staff noticed the missing animal at 8:05 a.m. and notified local emergency response officials of the incident immediately. The dog was last seen on Third and Pine, two blocks from the humane society. Animal control, local emergency management officials, and our staff are actively searching for the dog. The dog is a black lab and does appear to be dangerous and unstable. We encourage the public to stay indoors and bring all pets indoors until the dog is located. If you encounter the dog, back up slowly and move to a safe location indoors. Do not approach the dog. Then contact Director of Animal Control John Doe at 123­456­789 immediately to notify emergency officials of the animal’s location. After notifying animal control, notify your neighbors that the dog is in your area. In the unlikely event that you are exposed to the dog, go to the nearest emergency room and tell them you have been exposed to a rabid animal. If you are concerned your pet has been exposed, call your veterinarian. Rabies is a contagious and viral disease of mammals that causes madness and convulsions, transmissible through the infected mammal’s saliva to another mammal. It is fatal, if not treated immediately.

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ADDENDA (continued) MESSAGING DOCUMENT EXAMPLES Press Release (Within the first day)

DATE RELEASED Contact: Humane Society Communications Director, phone number, email address Humane Society Safety Director, phone number, email address Humane Society Director, phone number, email address FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Humane Society Safely Captures Rabid Pup HAPPY TOWN, WASH. – Happy Town Humane Society safely captured an escaped black lab at 4 p.m. on Monday, March 23. The dog went missing early in the day around 8 a.m., at which time the Humane Society staff quickly notified local emergency response officials of the incident. After many hours of searching coordinated by the Humane Society’s staff and community management officials the dog was found rummaging in a blackberry bush a mile away from the facility. No instances of injury or contact with the dog were ever reported. The dog has since been put down according to the state guidelines for humane animal treatment. “The safety of our community and our animals is always number one,” said Humane Society director Bill Bobson. “This is just another example of the dedicated staff we have here at Happy Town.” For more information about Happy Town Humane Society’s animal safety initiatives or to report an incident, visit the Humane Society website at: happyhumanesociety.org/safety. ###

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ADDENDA (Continued) SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGING DOCUMENT EXAMPLES Twitter: Initial tweet to notify public: “An animal has been reported as missing from the Humane Society. Officials have been notified; avoid stray animals until further notice.” Emergency update: “UPDATE: The missing animal has been identified as a black lab who poses a threat. Please keep your pets indoors & don’t approach the dog.” Second emergency update: “The dog appears to be unstable & dangerous. Contact the Director of Animal Control at 123­456­789 if you encounter the dog.” Blog: At 8:05 a.m. this morning, an animal from Happy Town Humane Society was reported missing. Emergency Response Officials were notified and the public was encouraged to stay inside and avoid any stray animals. The dog was last seen on Third and Pine, two blocks from the humane society. Animal control, local emergency management officials, and our staff are actively searching for the dog. The dog is a black lab that appears to be unstable and dangerous. The public is encouraged to keep all pets inside until the dog is located. If you encounter the dog, please back up slowly, move to a safe location and contact the Director of Animal Control at 123­456­789 immediately. In the unlikely event that you are exposed to the dog, go to the nearest emergency room and explain you have been exposed to a rabid animal. If you believe your pet has been exposed, call your veterinarian. Rabies is a contagious and viral disease of mammals that causes madness and convulsions, transmissible through the infected animal’s saliva to another mamma. It is fatal, if not treated immediately. For more information regarding rabies, visit http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/ Updated will be provided as more information is available. Instagram: Instagram would not be used in this situation. Facebook: Image of the missing black lab. Caption will read: “At 8:05 a.m. this morning, this black lab was reported as missing from the Happy Town Humane Society. The dog appears to be unstable and dangerous. Animal control, local emergency management officials and our staff are actively searching for the dog. Please keep all pets inside. In the unlikely event that you or your pet are exposed to the dog seek medical attention. Please report anything related to the Director of Animal Control at 123­456­789. Check our Twitter for more updates @HappyTownHumane.”

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ADDENDA (Continued) SOCIAL MEDIA LOGIN INFORMATION AND DETAILS Twitter:

Handle: @HappyTownHumane Password: weloveanimals123

In the event of a crisis, use this platform as the main social media page to connect with

stakeholders and the public. Other platforms should connect to the Twitter page. This allows for one main page for up­to­date information.

Blog:

Username: happytownhumane Password: weloveanimals123 URL: happytownhumane.com/blog

In the event of a crisis, publish the first large press release on the blog. Following the

crisis, write and publish a more personal, transparent post about the issue, how it was solved and what the organization is doing to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Instagram:

Username: @happytownhumane Password: weloveanimals123

Do not use this account to comment on a crisis.

Facebook:

Username: Happy Town Humane Society URL: facebook.com/happytownhumane

No password required for Facebook pages. Media manager would have access on their

personal page.

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ADDENDA (Continued) ORGANIZATIONAL CONTACT LIST Crisis Communication Team

Public Information Officer (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com Secondary Spokesperson (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com General Manager (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com Media Manager (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com Office Administrator (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com Community Outreach Manager (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com

Crisis Management Team

Director of Facilities/Maintenance (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com Director of Animal Control/Rescue (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com County Public Health Official (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com County Emergency Response (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Waste Management Official (123)456­7890 Email@email.com Humane Special Agent (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Legal Representative (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com

General Contact List

Main Office (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com Adoption Office (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com Administrative Office (123) 456­7890 Email@happytown.com

MEDIA CONTACT LIST Happy Town News 8

Harry Hassleman (123) 456­7890 hhassleman@htn8.com News Office (123) 456­7890 email@htn8.com

Happy Town Daily Paper

Janet Cooper (123) 456­7890 jcooper@htdaily.com News Office (123) 456­7890 email@htdaily.com

Happy Town Public Radio

Claire Uldritch (123) 456­7890 cclaire@htpr.com News Office (123) 456­7890 htpr.com

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STAKEHOLDER CONTACT LIST Primary

Primary Board of Executives (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Shelter Operations (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com A. D. for Shelter Operations (123)456­7890 Email@email.com Animal Care Attendants (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Adoptions Counselor (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Development Officer (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Financial Officer (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Policy Advisor (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Volunteer Coordinator (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com

Secondary

Interest Group Liaison (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Neighborhood Association (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Happy Town Vet (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Happy Town Hospital (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com Happy Town ASPCA (123) 456­7890 Email@email.com