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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / February 2005Slightly OT - Shelter software
For those of you who work/volunteer at shelters, what type of software do you use? We currently have nothing. I run the cat database (Access) on my home computer, and if someone wants to know something, they email or call me. I don't even know what the dog people do. For donor/fundraising, it's all Excel spreadsheets. We would like something that puts it all together, and ideally can keep track of an animal's vetting history, and is multi-user on a network. We don't have a network now, but it will be coming. A bonus would be if it can be accessed remotely. We've had one demo that I wasn't impressed with (don't remember the name) and I've just been asked to evaluate another shelter software. I downloaded the demo, but I haven't looked at it yet. I'm still hung up on the fact that it costs $5,000 and it's based on MS Access (??!!??) Access does not work well in a multi-user setting.  Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG > For those of you who work/volunteer at shelters, what type of software do > you use? We currently have nothing. I run the cat database (Access) on my [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > it's based on MS Access (??!!??) Access does not work well in a multi-user > setting. I'm wondering if you can contract a local s/w developer to build and maintain a system. You might want to look around and see if anyone's done shelter software using open source tools, for example using Postgres or Mysql as the database back end. That can save you a lot of money. I know that Mysql's license is dependent on something about whether or not you're a business, but I'm not sure what the license says about non-profits. Also, both Postgres and Mysql are much more stable and reliable than Access. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > I'm wondering if you can contract a local s/w developer to build and > maintain > a system. Yeah, like maybe that guy I live with. My husband is a software engineer. He's sort-of offered to do it, but he doesn't want to do it for free, he's kind of stressed at work. He writes medical testing software, but it's all MS based stuff (MS SQL, VB.NET, etc) > You might want to look around and see if anyone's done shelter software > using [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Mysql > are much more stable and reliable than Access. I did find an Open Source software once, but it wasn't really what I was looking for. I think DH put Mysql on our webserver, I have no idea about the license. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG >> I'm wondering if you can contract a local s/w developer to build and >> maintain a system. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > kind of stressed at work. He writes medical testing software, but it's all > MS based stuff (MS SQL, VB.NET, etc) I can sympathize with your husband. I go through cycles. For a year or so, I was crazy about writing my own software, fiddling with servers, etc., but right now I just want to use the tools when I get home. I deal with enough weird computer stuff at work. > I did find an Open Source software once, but it wasn't really what I was > looking for. I think DH put Mysql on our webserver, I have no idea about > the license. Yeah; I was not necessarily thinking the whole tool had to be open source, but even if there's a proprietary system that uses open source as a back end, that will save you money. Just a thought. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >> I'm wondering if you can contract a local s/w developer to >> build and maintain [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > what I was looking for. I think DH put Mysql on our webserver, > I have no idea about the license. There's a program at our shelter that I used to help cleanup when it got slow, but I can't remember what it was. It's in my email archives on the other computer, so I'll see if I can find it for you tomorrow. The problem they had wasn't due to the software, it was hardware related, so it might be a good solution. They don't have much money, either, so it must be affordable. It comes with support, too. SignatureCheryl > For those of you who work/volunteer at shelters, what type of software do > you use? We currently have nothing. I run the cat database (Access) on my [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > that it costs $5,000 and it's based on MS Access (??!!??) Access does not > work well in a multi-user setting. Access works fine in a multi-user setting... as long as the setup has been done correctly. > Access works fine in a multi-user setting... as long as the setup has been > done correctly. It's OK, but not ideal. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG > For those of you who work/volunteer at shelters, what type of software do > you use? We currently have nothing. I run the cat database (Access) on my [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > that it costs $5,000 and it's based on MS Access (??!!??) Access does not > work well in a multi-user setting. We used Petwhere for awhile which was pretty good in concept but lousy in operation so we developed our own along the same principals. A new an improved version of Petwhere might be available - free - to nonprofit shelters from the ASPCA in NYC. You might want to look into it and give it a shot. Its free so you have nothing to lose. Phil > We used Petwhere for awhile which was pretty good in concept but lousy in > operation so we developed our own along the same principals. A new an [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Phil Thanks! Free is always good :) Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG . > > For those of you who work/volunteer at shelters, what type of software do > > you use? We currently have nothing. I run the cat database (Access) on [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > Phil That's what we're currently using, actually. It was having some pretty major glitches for awhile, though, so we hunted out another software. I think what we're going with is called Adopt-a-Friend or something like that. It's not free, but it's LOADS less expensive than Chameleon, which is apparently a pretty popular shelter software (but the licensing fees are simply obnoxious and cost per computer). I didn't see the demo on any of the software we looked at, though, so I have no idea what the capabilities are. > > > For those of you who work/volunteer at shelters, what type of software > do [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > That's what we're currently using, actually. It was having some pretty major > glitches for awhile, though, I think the problem is its an old and very slow program that causes newer and faster computers to crash. At least that's what I was told. so we hunted out another software. I think what > we're going with is called Adopt-a-Friend or something like that. It's not > free, but it's LOADS less expensive than Chameleon, which is apparently a > pretty popular shelter software (but the licensing fees are simply obnoxious > and cost per computer). The Job Tracker program can be adapted for shelter use very easily and only costs about $100. The Case Manager is probably better (and more expensive) and more complicated. The program you choose must be easy to use for people who aren't computer saavy. I didn't see the demo on any of the software we > looked at, though, so I have no idea what the capabilities are. You can download a free demo of Adopt-A-Friend at: http://www.islandbusinessgroup.com/aafform.htm http://www.islandbusinessgroup.com/_vti_bin/shtml.dll/aafform.htm Install the server set up *first* then the Client. Phil Animal Shelter Manager is good, free software. >For those of you who work/volunteer at shelters, what type of software do >you use? We currently have nothing. I run the cat database (Access) on my [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >that it costs $5,000 and it's based on MS Access (??!!??) Access does not >work well in a multi-user setting. |
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