general training manual for introductory tasks for volunteers

1. SPAY AND NEUTER KANSAS CITY – FAMILIES BETTER TOGETHER™
VOLUNTEER TRAINING MANUAL
GENERAL CLINIC
RESOURCES
LAST REVISED
10/27/2015
This manual was designed to summarize many of general clinic resource procedures of Spay and Neuter Kansas City. Spay and
Neuter Kansas City reserves the right to modify, rescind, delete or add to the provisions of this training manual at any time. We
will strive to provide you with notification of any changes in a timely manner.

2. 1 | P a g e
Donation Organization
Outreach Closet
All community outreach donations must be organized according to the following categories:
 Cat Litter Boxes:
 Collars: Break-Away, Metal Buckle Collars, Choke Collars, and Martingale Collars
 Crates/Carriers: break down and stack, if needed, they may go in the outdoor storage container
 Distilled Water (gallons)
 Event Materials: bottled water, etc.
 Grooming Supplies: Brushes, nail trimmers, shampoo, etc., All Shampoos, Conditioners, and other liquid
grooming products must have “DONATED” written on them with permanent marker
 Harnesses
 Housebreaking Training Supplies
 Kitty Litter Containers: break down and stack
 Leashes: Retractable/Flexi, Chain Leashes, Canvas, etc.
 Medication, Donated: all medications (flea,tick, etc.,) must have “DONATED” written on them in permanent
marker.
 Pet Beds
 Pet Clothing
 Pet Toys
 Tie-Outs/Cable Leads
 Water Dishes/Food Dishes
Pet Food Pantry
All donated items must be organized appropriately. Please check the expiration date of all dry food and rotate as
needed when putting new donations away. All wet food must have the expiration date written on the top of the can
with a permanent marker and then placed on the appropriate shelf by year and month of expiration date. We typically
do not accept open bags of treats and/or food, however, in the event that a staff member does accept an open
product, please thoroughly inspect the product for insects, etc., and if it appears to be servable, please write open,
the date accepted, and place it in the appropriate area.
Pet food is organized into the following categories:
 Use First: Dog food about to expire
 Dry Dog Food
 Dry Cat Food
 Treats: Cat
 Treats: Dog
 Wet Dog Food
 Wet Cat Food
 Kitty Litter
E-Collars
E-Collars are used for surgery patients to prevent them from licking and chewing at their incision site and
green line tattoo post-surgery.

3. 2 | P a g e
There are 2-3 sets of openings in each e-collar. This allows us to adjust it for the size of the pet’s neck.
There are six sizes of E-collars: 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 25, and 30. Use the following chart to assemble the
different sizes:
E-Collar Size Setting
10 2nd
12.5 1st
15 2nd
20 3rd
25 2nd and 3rd
30 3rd
When the unassembled e-collar is lying on the table, the openings nearest the edge and the number
indicating the size of the e-collar will be considered the 1st setting, the next will be the 2nd. The e-collars
with three sets of openings, the last set of openings will be the 3rd.
Bring the two ends of the e-collar together, overlapping them with the end marked “TOP” on the outside.
Align the slits within the open boxes. Thread the large tab down through the first slit labeled “START” and
out through the slit labeled “OUT”. Then weave the tab over the plastic space of the top of the e-collar and
into the slit labeled “IN” and out through the slit labeled “OUT” and tuck the end of the tab into the last slit
found at the edge of the e-collar. Notice: the small tabs at the top should remain on the outside. DO NOT
pull them into the slit. Then, thread the smaller tabs located at the top of the e-collar towards you into the
slit labeled “IN” and out the slit labeled “OUT”.
For a visual, step by step reference guide, please see the Manual of Volunteer Tasks located at the
Volunteer Work Station.
Upon completion of e-collar assembly, string the coordinating e-collar string by size through the 3 plastic
loops at the top of the completed e-collar. The ends of the e-collar strings should hang just below the
bottom of the e-collar. Once the strings are complete, take the e-collars to the Vet Clinic and hang on the
peg board organized by size.
E-Collar Strings
Using old sheets and/or old fabric, cut/tear the fabric into strips that are 1 inch wide, and using the following chart,
determine the length needed by the size of the e-collar:
E-Collar Size String Length
10 20 inches
12.5 26.5 inches
15 33 inches
20 34 inches
25 37 inches
30 39 inches

4. 3 | P a g e
You may either using measuring tape or the tabletop template located on top of the volunteer work station table to
measure the lengths of the e-collar strings. Place the excess e-collar strings in the Tupperware drawer set, located
beneath the volunteer work table, in the second drawer. There are freezer sized Zip-lock bags labeled with the
different e-collar sizes. Place the e-collar strings in the appropriate bag.
Feral Cat Area, Cleaning
The Feral Cat Recovery Area shelves should be cleaned after pick-up of feral cats. To clean this area, remove all
newspaper from the shelves. Generously spray each shelf with Accel and let it sit for 5 minutes. Do the same with the
walls behind the Feral Cat Recovery Area. After the Accel has set for 5 minutes, using a wash cloth, thoroughly wipe
down each shelf and the walls behind them. Sweep and mop beneath the shelves and re-line the shelves with 3-4
layers of newspaper.
Feral Cat Covers
Feral Cat Covers are used to cover the traps that feral cats are brought in for surgery. Covering the traps makes the
cats feel safe by creating a visual bearer for them. Each feral cat brought in for surgery must have a feral cat cover.
To make Feral Cat Covers, we use old sheets or fabric and cut or tear them into large rectangles with a slit cut
directly in the center for the trap handle. The size format for Feral Cat Covers is as follows:
39 inches wide
64 inches long
Go-Home Towels for Cat Carriers
Each cat receiving surgery goes home with a towel in the bottom of the carrier. To make these towels, we often use
old surgical towels and cut them in half or cut old full-size towels into sixths. The Go-Home towels should be
approximately 6.5 inches in width and 10 inches in length.
1 inch
Wide
10 inches long

5. 4 | P a g e
Surgical Towel Template for Go-Home Towels
Full-Size Towel Template for Go-Home Towels
Kennels, Cleaning
Metal Cages
Remove all newspaper and/or towels from within the cage. Throw away all newspaper pulled, and place all towels
into the dirty laundry hamper. Using Accel, generously spray the walls, the ceiling, and the floor of the cage. Let the
cleaner sit for 5 minutes. After the Accel has set for 5 minutes, using a fresh wash cloth (in order to prevent cross-
contamination it is very important to use a new wash cloth for each cage or kennel you are cleaning), wipe all
surfaces clean. You should not see any streaks on the metal surfaces. Thoroughly wipe down the front and back of
the cage door and the front and back of the clipboard on the front of the cage. Once the cage is sterile and clean, re-
line the bottom of the cage with 3-4 layers of newspaper. If there is a laminated Cage Card present on the clipboard,
be sure to remove it, wipe it clean, and place it in the appropriate area.
Wire Kennels
Remove all newspaper and/or towels from within the kennel. Throw away all newspaper pulled, and place all towels
into the dirty laundry hamper. Using the mop, wring out the excess mop water and thoroughly mop the kennel tray.
Once the kennel tray is sterile and dry, re-line the bottom of the cage with 3-4 layers of newspaper. Using a wash
cloth and Accel, thoroughly wipe down the front and back of the cage door and the front and back of the clipboard on
the front of the cage. If there is a laminated Cage Card present on the clipboard or attached to the kennel, be sure to
remove it, wipe it clean, and place it in the appropriate area.
Laundry, Folding
Laundry is folded in a way that our Vet Clinic team can easily grab and unfold during surgery and recovery
procedures.

6. 5 | P a g e
Dog Blankets and Feral Cat Covers
These may be folded in any way as long as they are square and neat.
Cat Recovery Blankets
Cat Recovery Blankets are folded in half, and dependent on size, folded in half again or folded into thirds.
or
Surgical Towels: see Surgical Towels, De-linted
Towels: Small, Full-Size and Extra Large
Towels are folded in half, folded in half again, and then folded into thirds.
Washcloths: folded in half, and then folded in half again
Once the laundry is clean and folded, please organize the clean linens into the appropriate categories and place on
the towel shelves.
Linens are organized into the following categories:
 Cat Recovery Blankets
 Dog Blankets
 Extra-Large Towels
 Feral Cat Covers
 Full-Size Towels
 Go-Home Towels
 Small Towels
 Surgical Towels
 Washcloths

7. 6 | P a g e
Laundry, Washing
We have three laundry containers in the laundry room: one labeled for dirty laundry, one labeled for clean laundry
and one labeled for surgical towels /ties/leashes.
Washer
 Open the washer door, and check the inner ring for pet hair or debris. If either are found, please remove
them.
 Fill the washer with dirty laundry. Be sure that you are not over-filling the washer. It is very important that the
linens have room to move during the wash cycle. Notice: Surgical towels and ties must be washed
separately from other laundry. Shut the washer door.
 Press the “POWER” button. The machine will play a short song while it is powering on.
 Check to ensure the washing machine is on the correct settings:
 Setting: Normal
 Temperature: Warm
 Spin: High
 Time: 45 minutes
 Open the detergent tray located at the upper left-hand side of the washing machine. Place 1/3 cap full of HE
liquid detergent into the “LIQUID ONLY” tray. Very little soap is needed in HE washing machines, and large
amounts of detergent can damage the machines over time.
 In the tray labeled “BLEACH”, fill to the Max Line with bleach and shut the detergent tray.
 Press “START”
Dryer
 Be sure to check the lint trap located within the dryer door prior to beginning a new load of laundry.
 Press “POWER”. The machine will play a short song while it is powering up.
 Transfer the freshly washed linens into the dryer and be sure the door latches when closed.
 Check that the dryer is on the correct settings:
 Setting: Normal
 Temperature: Medium
 Dryness Level: Normal
 Press and hold “START” until the drying cycle begins.
 Once the load is complete and dry, remove all lint from the lint trap and place the lint in the trash. Place the
clean laundry in the appropriate bin.
Micro Chip Packs
-Cut -Sticker -Staple-
It is very important when making Microchip packs to only work with one at a time. Each microchip injector is assigned
one specific number and the stickers accompanying the injector are numbered specifically for that injector. When we
work with more than one at a time, stickers and injectors get confused and then our clinic ends up assigning the
wrong microchip to the pet. Please only make one microchip pack at a time this insures the correct microchip number
stays with the correct microchip injector.
 Cut in between the labels and the injector. Make sure to only cut on the textured area as cutting into the
clear smooth plastic ruins the sterility of the injector.
 Open the small package holding the labels.

8. 7 | P a g e
 Place sticker #1 or #2 on the back of the injector package. Note: These two stickers have a sterility
expiration date. This date needs to remain with the microchip injector.
 Place sticker #5 or #6 on the card going home with the client in the area labeled microchip number.
 Staple remaining stickers to the top right corner of the card on the side with the cat/dog picture.
 Staple the microchip injector to the opposite side of the card, on the left side. It should open like a book.
Remember to staple into the textured area and with the yellow square near the top of the card.
Newspaper, Sorting
Donated newspaper must be sorted before we may use it to line carriers, cages, etc.
 Sort through newspaper by removing all “slick” paper and all ads. You can tell the difference of the slick
paper in the texture and look of the paper. The slick paper has sheen to it and feels silkier to the touch. All
slicks and ads removed may be thrown away.
 Keep the regular printed newspaper together and do not pull the newspaper apart individually.
 If it is a magazine style newspaper, all staples must be removed and thrown away.
 Once the newspaper is sorted, it may be placed in the bins labeled “SORTED NEWSPAPER ONLY”
Pill Bottles, Washing
The only pill bottles we may use are the ones with child-resistant and/or snap lids made of clear, hard plastic. We do
not use opaque white bottles, or soft plastic bottles.
To wash pill bottles:
 Fill the sink with hot water and dish soap.
 Lay out towels for the pill bottles to air dry.
 Peel and remove all labels and stickers from the outer surface. If the label is hard to remove, let the bottle
soak in the hot, soapy, water and remove the remaining labels once they are soft.
 Using the hot, soapy water, rinse out all residues from the inside of the pill bottle and the inside of the cap.
Be sure to keep each cap with its corresponding pill bottle as the caps are not universal.
 After residue has been cleaned out, place the pill bottle upside down on the towel to dry, and place the
corresponding pill bottle lid upside-down directly next to the bottle.
 Once all pill bottles and lids are clean and dry, carefully place the correct lid on the correct pill bottle and
place into the “CLEAN” box for pill bottles in the supply closet.
Surgical Instruments
Grab one red or blue tub of dirty surgical instruments from the surgery area and take to the clinic sink for cleaning.
Using designated brushes, thoroughly scrub all surfaces and crevasses of each surgical instrument until it is free of
debris and bodily fluids and/or matter and place into the Ultra Sonic. You may fill the Ultra Sonic with as many tools
as possible as long as they are not sticking out above the water solution in the Ultra Sonic. Once the Ultra Sonic is
full, place the lid on top, and turn the dial to 20 to start the cleaning process.
Return the red or blue tub back to the surgery room and place it on the cart. Do not remove the liquid in the tub until
the end of the day.

9. 8 | P a g e
Once the surgical instruments are finished in the Ultra Sonic, you will remove them and organize them onto a clean
towel by instrument type and size. Be sure to have all instruments open so that all surfaces may dry. Once they are
all organized, you may spray lube onto the hinged surgical instruments. Once they have air-dried, you may close the
instruments, as needed, and place them into their correct labeled bin.
Surgical Towels, De-linting
Once surgical towels have been washed and dried, we have to prep them for use in surgical packs. It is crucial that
the towels used for surgical packs be free of lint, as we do not want to surgical instruments to catch lint onto them
and then be used for surgery.
Using a lint roller, thoroughly pass over one side of the surgical towel as it is laid flat onto a surface and remove all
lint, hair and debris from the towel. Once the first side is complete, turn the towel over and repeat the same actions.
Lay the next towel to be processed on top and repeat until all towels are complete and stacked neatly. Place them in
the appropriate area.
Syringes, Opening
Each shipment box of syringes will be labeled as to which department they are for SX (Vet Clinic), WCC (Wellness
Care Clinic) or FBT/Amanda for Families Better Together™ Community Outreach). The department in which it is
labeled is very important. Please ensure that the syringes get to the correct department for inventory tracking. The
individual boxes of syringes within the shipment box have 100 syringes each.
 To open syringes, remove all 100 syringes from one individual box.
 Open the outer sleeve(s) and remove the syringe(s)
 Carefully tighten the needle(s) to the syringe(s) using the plastic cap(s)
 Once the needle is tight and secure, place the tightened and opened syringe back into the box
 Continue this until you have completed one full box.
 Then, proceed to open a second box of syringes and combine them with the first as you open them.
 Each “OPENED” and complete box should have 200 syringes in them. It is easiest to place 200 syringes
into one box when they are not all facing the same direction. Try to alternate the syringes as you are
dropping them in.
Once the box of 200 opened and tightened syringes is complete, write “200 OPEN” and the APPROPRIATE
DEPARTMENT (SX / WCC / FBT) on the top of the box using a permanent marker. It is important to write the number
of opened syringes so that we may easily track how many we have available in each department. After all syringes
are completed and labeled, deliver them to their assigned department(s).