Why this effort matters (long version)
This is the extended narrative for portal-docs.4leggedit.com, intended to align teams before building software.
Rescue work is operational — not just “records”
Most rescue software assumes there’s always a kennel address, a predictable intake pipeline, and staff on-site. Field rescues don’t work like that.
Rover’s Return Dog Rescue and Feeding Perris Strays operate where the need is highest and the infrastructure is weakest: rural edges, encampments, and under-resourced neighborhoods. The work is powered by volunteers, runs on trust, and succeeds through consistency — especially around feeding routes and follow-up.
The pain: information scattered across tools
When animal context lives in spreadsheets, texts, inboxes, social media DMs, and “whoever remembers,” the rescue pays the cost:
- Missed or duplicated medical steps (vaccines, spay/neuter, microchip updates)
- Unclear custody and foster history when placements change
- Volunteer burnout from hunting for details, not doing the work
- Risky location sharing for strays/trap sites
- Slow reporting when transparency or compliance questions come up
The goal: a “source of truth” that respects field reality
This portal plan is built around a few non-negotiables:
- Monitoring vs custody: track strays even when you don’t have custody yet
- Map-first events: sightings with GPS + photos + time, plus optional area/territory
- Location alias names: volunteers can refer to places by a shared name (even when GPS is redacted)
- Volunteer coordination: routes, tasks, check-ins, and skill-based assignment
- Lost dog recovery: feeding stations, trail cameras, humane trapping, and owner coordination
- Community aid: outreach visits, supplies delivered, and follow-up tasks for owners in need
- Redaction by default: sensitive stray locations and trap notes stay protected
Why “docs first”
Before writing code, we write the workflow truth down — in a place everyone can review. That prevents building a portal that looks nice but fails in the field.
Use these pages to review and refine the plan:
- Overview — scope and assumptions
- Workflows — how the work actually happens
- Data model — the backbone (including many contacts per animal)
- Permissions & privacy — what’s redacted and why
- Decisions log — capture outcomes of team review
Next step
Review the workflows with the people who actually run routes, coordinate fosters, and handle medical follow-up. The portal should feel like “how we already work” — just clearer, safer, and easier to scale.