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In addition to right‐sizing the population as described above, methods to reduce the LOS include active “pathway planning” toward the best possible outcome for each animal from the moment of admission (or even more ideally, before the animal is admitted), and performing daily population rounds to keep each animal on track. The daily rounds team should include staff members able to assess and resolve clerical‐/client‐service issues (such as administrative paperwork and client‐contact concerns) as well as animal care, medical and behavioral issues. The daily assessment should include an evaluation of the following:

 Paperwork/computer record (including any signage on the animal's housing unit)

 Animal location within the facility and with regard to availability status (e.g. moving animals to adoption at the end of required holding periods)

 Animal health and demeanor, taking steps as needed to address medical and behavioral concerns, reduce stress and improve comfort (e.g. moving a stressed dog to a quieter ward)

 Actions required to move the animal toward the best possible outcome, such as scheduling surgery, contacting rescue, promoting adoption, etc.

The daily rounds team is not expected to both identify and accomplish all needed actions. Rather, daily rounds are a time to capture and assign tasks to the appropriate staff members. While it may seem daunting at first, rounds will more than repay the time it requires to complete them by identifying and removing bottlenecks to animal flow, resolving issues before they cause delays, and noticing and addressing animals' needs to prevent, or at least mitigate, health and behavioral risks. Ultimately, daily rounds save substantial staff time and reduce costs overall.