Under Governor Tim Waltz’s Executive Orders, identified businesses that are in operation during the peacetime emergency are required to establish a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.
We will remain open by appointment only at this time to ensure everyone’s safety. We are able to open more of our services to the public at this time. Doing everything by appointment will ensure we can take the appropriate measures to keeping a clean and safe environment for the volunteers, adopters and staff. We appreciate everyone understanding and support during this time.
River Bluff is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all our workers and customers. To ensure we have as safe and healthy workplace, we have developed the following COVID-19 Preparedness Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers and workers are all responsible for implementing this plan. Our goal is to mitigate the potential for transmission of COVID-19 in our workplaces and communities, and that requires full cooperation among our workers [and] management [and customers]. Only through this cooperative effort can we establish and maintain the safety and health of our workers and workplaces. Management and workers are responsible for implementing and complying with all aspects of this COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. River Bluff Humane Society managers and supervisors have our full support in enforcing the provisions of this policy.
Workers have been informed of and encouraged to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. The following policies and procedures are being implemented to assess workers’ health status prior to entering the workplace and for workers to report when they are sick or experiencing symptoms.
Some things that will be changing:
Boarding: We will be opening, please call us at 651-388-5286 to book your boarding. We ask that all boards give us a time for drop off and pick up for the animal. This way we can ensure to be maintaining the limit of people in the building.
City license: You can call to make an appointment to come in to get your city license or we can continue to do it over the phone; Whichever you are more comfortable with.
Stray and Impounds: We ask that you call first, so we can have the paperwork ready for you. This will help limit the time we have people in the building. For strays this will help let us get things ready for the animals in order to make a smoother drop off.
Nail trims/ bathes: We are going to continue to do these by appointments only.
Food Shelf: Please call ahead of time, so we can have it ready for you to pick up. We offer Cat/kitten and Dog/puppy food for any one in need. We might not be able to meet specific brands, but we will try. You can come up to 5 times a year for this program. We just ask for a driver’s license.
Volunteering: We are asking you call ahead of time to make an appointment to come in this way we can maintain the appropriate social distancing. We are asking that there are no larger groups then 3 people and no kids under 13. Visitors must wear masks. We do apologize for any wait this may cause.
Our Hours will be Tuesday through Sunday 11 am to 4pm.
The last appointments will be made at 3:30 to ensure we are able to close at 4pm.
Infectious prevention, Cleaning, Disinfecting Protocols:
Staff at the shelter want to make sure to maintain the highest of sanitation since we work closely with the animals and each other.
We will continue to wipe down all surfaces after use. Things such as the socialization room, door knobs, bath rooms, desks and pens. In order to do this, we do apologize if there is any wait for your appointment.
We ask that everyone please wash their hands. Basic infection prevention measures are being implemented at our workplaces at all times. Workers are instructed to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water frequently throughout the day, but especially at the beginning and end of their shift, prior to any mealtimes and after using the toilet. All customers and visitors to the workplace will be required to wash or sanitize their hands prior to or immediately upon entering the facility.
Hand-sanitizer dispensers (that use sanitizers of greater than 60% alcohol) are at entrances and locations in the workplace so they can be used for hand hygiene in place of soap and water, as long as hands are not visibly soiled.
We ask that you cover your mouth if you cough and please wash your hands after.
Please maintain the social distancing.
We also ask that only 1 person shops the t-shirt rack at a time, to ensure social distancing.
We ask that if you feel sick or have been around some one that is sick, we ask that you reschedule your appointment.
The staff at River Bluff Humane Society is happy to help with any questions or concerns you may have. Please call us to discuss these at 651-388-5286.
Communications and training This COVID-19 Preparedness Plan was communicated to all workers and necessary training was provided. Additional communication and training will be ongoing while we follow Governor Waltz’s orders and provided to all workers who did not receive the initial training. Instructions will be communicated to customers and visitors about: how drop-off and pick-up will be conducted to ensure social distancing between the customers and workers; required hygiene practices; and recommendations that customers and visitors use face masks when dropping off, picking up. Customers and visitors will also be advised not to enter the workplace if they are experiencing symptoms or have contracted COVID-19. Management and workers are to work through this new program together and update the training as necessary. This COVID-19 Preparedness Plan has been certified by River Bluff Humane Society management and was posted throughout the workplace. It will be updated as necessary.
Certified by: Cassandra Conroy
Shelter Manager
Karen Seaberg
Shelter President