Animal Welfare Professionals

It's that time of year again!

The HSUS Animal Care Expo is just a little over a week away in New Orleans! Will you be there?!

If you're attending, tell us where you're traveling from, who you're going with and what you're most looking forward to!

Also be sure to join the HSUS Animal Care Expo group to connect with other forum members who will be there!

Elevate your expo experience by attending a learning lab!

Maddie's Fund will be sponsoring the "Fostering is the future" learning lab on Monday, April 15th. You will learn how to create and implement a high-volume foster program that can help just about any pet. From field trips, emergency fostering to "fospice," this thorough session will teach you how to transform your current foster program and help you troubleshoot.

The session will be lead by industry leaders (and forum members) @sarah.aguilar @KristenAuerbach @Kristi B. at Cat Adoption Team @Dr. Sheila Segurson and @Kelly Duer!

Learn more and register for learning labs here.

I'll be attending for my first time doing the marketing track. I am from Oshkosh, WI, and brand new to the animal wellness world. I'm looking forward to learning, connecting, and coming home with resources to help NEW PAWSibilities. We rescue dogs.

Carmen - how was your experience at EXPO? what did you like and what would you like to know more about Marketing & Communications?

I will be attending with my Exec. Director and two Board members from Hobart, IN. I haven’t been to an a Expo since 2001, so I’m very excited to be attending again and learning new things!

spetee, what 3 things did you learn about that you are implementing now that you are back?

This will be my third Expo.  I'm going with my Feline Co-Coordinator and wonderful partner, Kim.  We're from South Bend, IN but will be driving to Chicago and flying out of OHare as it's a good $300 savings.  I'm really looking forward to all the Kitten-focused workshops and sessions and will be attending the Monday learning lab on kittens.  Kim is going to the Fostering learning lab!  We're both looking forward to learning new things as we're always looking to improve our program.  Although we're both in the cat side of things, we're not anti-dog by any means.

I'm hoping to shake Jackson Galaxy's hand!  He has done so much for the cat community by promoting enrichment activities for owned cats and being a great example for cat lovers the world around.  I don't 100% agree with every word he says and thing he does, but that goes for just about anybody, and I definitely think the advice that he gives on his show and in other forums is solid and helpful.  Cat behavior is a mystery to too many people and I think he brings a lot of light to the subject.

PetsConnect! is a small, foster-only, volunteer rescue group in the South Bend, IN / Michiana area.  We rescue dogs, cats, and birds, but in the past have also placed everything from chickens to small rodents to horses.  We are working to build a no-more-homeless-pets community by supporting adoption, relieving the burden on local open-admission shelters, and assisting in community spay/neuter efforts.

I'll be traveling in from New York, by way of Minnesota (from a pet photography conference where we're speaking about giving back to shelters + rescues to about 250 professional photogs!). I'm excited to be presenting on the marketing track with @Tori F -- we have a bonus session on marketing for harder to place pets, and can't wait to meet other attendees :) 

I'm excited to attend my second Expo this year! My travels will start with a long drive from Bend, Oregon to San Diego, California and flying over to New Orleans from there. 

I'll be attending with our wonderful Maddie's Fund team and my girlfriend will be traveling with me to experience her first animal care expo. 

I'm looking forward to attending some workshop sessions, Foster Family Feud (because last year was SO much fun) and seeing some of our forum members IRL at the Maddie's Fund booth! @Kim at Maddie's and I will also be doing a quick 15 minute workshop on Wednesday in the exhibit hall, all about Maddie's Pet Forum so be sure to swing by and say hello!