Animal Shelter Finds Success with Code Enforcement Software

Earlier this month, we had the privilege of learning from Tara Manning, manager of the Truth or Consequences Animal Shelter. As the guest speaker for Community Development Week at the 2024 iWorQ Summit User Conference, Manning shared her experience using iWorQ’s Code Enforcement software to streamline the shelter’s operations. She provided unique insights into the countless opportunities for customization within iWorQ applications. 

The City of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, has been an iWorQ client since 2016. The city currently uses iWorQ's Fleet Management, Pavement Management, Permit Management, Code Enforcement, and License Management software solutions to simplify its processes. In January 2023, the Truth or Consequences Animal Shelter joined iWorQ, utilizing a custom Code Enforcement module. Manning often cross-references information from the T or C Animal Control Office Licensing Management module to view dog licenses and animal permits. 

Tiffany Rullan, implementation manager for iWorQ, moderated the interview with Manning. 

Rullan: “What was the process like for you before you started using iWorQ?” 

Manning: “Before we started using iWorQ, we had a computer system that was just computer based. It was very old school. You couldn't have multiple screens open, which I am not a fan of. I like to multitask and look at one screen and another at the same time because it just makes my life easier. It was very old-fashioned and out of style in my opinion. I’m all about style when it comes to that sort of thing. 

“It was just absolutely terrible to use. I have monthly reports that I have to do on the first of every month, and I would spend probably eight hours and usually not take my lunch just to finish my report. And now with iWorQ, I don’t have to worry about that sort of stuff. It takes ten minutes. Everything’s right there on my screen; it’s so easy. I can’t stress the word ‘easy’ enough.” 

Rullan: “What made you choose to go with iWorQ instead of stay with your current system?” 

Manning: "Before I even knew about iWorQ, I was researching different computer systems to see what would benefit the shelter and be user-friendly. My supervisor called me one morning and said, ‘Hey, we need you at this meeting.’ So I show up, and it’s all of our animal control officers talking about [iWorQ], rearranging and setting it up for them. I thought, ‘Oh, this is cool for them. Why am I here?’ 

"After the meeting, I sat behind my boss, and she asked, ‘What do you think of the system?’ I said, ‘Well, it’s very cool. It works great. But why am I here? This is for Animal Control.’ She said, ‘How do you feel about using it for your work?’ I just got really excited. I saw how amazing it was for Animal Control and thought I would love using something like this because it would make my life and my staff’s lives so much easier. 

"Let’s face it, everybody wants life to be easier, especially when I can handle more animals, more cats and dogs, and the customers, which is what it comes down to. So we sat down with you, Tiffany, a few weeks later and started getting the ball rolling. I am completely in love with the system." 

Rullan: “How has it been for your new hires to train inside of iWorQ?” 

Manning: “It’s been super easy. I’ve had one new hire since we got iWorQ, and she’s computer-savvy. It took her two days. She called me on her second day while I was at lunch and said, ‘You wouldn’t believe this. I entered an animal, took out an animal, and scanned paperwork.’ I asked, ‘Was it that easy?’ She said, ‘It’s amazing.’ 

“My other staff took about two weeks to get used to it, but during that time we were entering everything into both iWorQ and the old system. So they took a bit longer, but I think it was because I was making them do double work. Now my staff absolutely loves it. My supervisors can call me and say, ‘Hey, we have a question about this animal.’ I can pull up the case number, and they have all the details they need. 

“It’s super helpful for communication. My new staff member loves it. She’s off on Fridays, but on Saturday morning, she checks her phone with iWorQ on it—which is the best part—so she knows exactly what she’s walking into. It’s really convenient. I think that’s my favorite part of iWorQ—the ability to pull it up on my phone and know exactly what I’m walking into. It’s amazing.” 

Rullan: “Because you deal with other departments in the city, how is [iWorQ] working out between you guys?” 

Manning: “Super helpful. There are times when Animal Control uses it, and our City Clerk’s office uses it for animal licensing and dog permits. We can go into their portion and see if there are any outstanding cases. Maybe a dog is a repeat offender, and there are no previous cases on it. Maybe we need to get Animal Control involved because it’s an ongoing issue we need to address.” 

"With city licensing, we’ve had animals come into the building after hours, on weekends, or holidays with a city license tag, but that city is closed, so you can’t call them. With iWorQ, I can just put in their number, pull up all the owner’s information, and get them home, which is amazing. It’s incredibly helpful that, even though we’re all in different buildings, we can work together as a team.”  

Rullan: “You also track donors in the system. Is that right?” 

Manning: “We track everything. We track how many adoptions we’ve done in a day, a week, or a month. Return to owners—we have that going through the roof—and being able to track it makes everything 10 times easier. We track donors and adoption fees. I can tell you how many dogs and cats got adopted, which is great, but how many of them were senior animals versus adults? With iWorQ, I can break all that down and say, ‘We’re getting more puppies adopted than seniors. We need to change this because seniors need to get out faster since they’re older and a shelter can be stressful for them.’ 

“I track all of that, and with it, I can go in front of commissioners and have it all on my phone. I look super smart because I just pull up the data on my phone. I look like a genius.” 

Rullan: “Do you remember the name of the system you were using before?” 

Manning: “It was Shelter Pro. In my opinion, the price difference was extremely high. If you had a question about how to access a certain part of Shelter Pro, you had to call customer service. Then you’d get bounced around between people, and I could never get a straight answer, which is probably why I didn’t like the system from the beginning. 

“The nice thing about iWorQ is, if I have one little question, Tiffany, you are right there. I can email anyone at iWorQ, and my questions are answered in a snap. 

“iWorQ is super user-friendly. I like more user-friendly systems because you get to spend more time with the customers and animals instead of fighting with a frustrating computer system, which I don’t have time for.” 

Rullan: “How do you feel about the documents you got created and put into iWorQ?” 

Manning: “I love them. Our old system was computer-based, so when we did adoptions, we used one of those receipt books from Walmart that recorded who paid, their signature, and the amount—that was it. People just had to hope we were charging them correctly. But iWorQ was able to create an actual receipt for us with the City of Truth or Consequences Animal Shelter logo. When we enter adoption fees and non-sterilization taxes, everything is broken down so they can see exactly what they’re paying. 

“I had a woman come in today, and she said, ‘Why is it so much?’ I showed her the breakdown on her receipt, and she replied, ‘Oh, that makes complete sense as to why the charges are that much.’ So that’s really nice. 

“Our adoption contract looks so much better compared to what it was. Before, it was terrible. Now, I feel like our new adoption contract not only looks professional but also shows that we care about our adopters.”  

Interested in customizing your iWorQ system for your city animal shelter? Schedule a free consultation with our team today!