Animal Welfare Professionals

Happy Friday! 🎃

Thanks to the 164 attendees on this morning's call! You can find the recording and recap of the chat and resources below. 


Agenda
• NO MEETING next Monday, October 11 in honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day
• Welcome – Kristen Hassen, Director, American Pets Alive! - QOTD – What is one thing you really like about yourself?
• Mary's Motivation – Lean in with love ♥️ - Heather McGhee's book "The Sum of Us"
  •  Open Arms Challenge Huddles
  • Register for the huddles here https://maddiesfund-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckduupqjsoGNGtPuk2fatmO_acogXGlPx7
  • Join the Open Arms Challenge group on Maddie's Pet Forum here: https://maddies.fund/openarmschallengegroup
• National updates
• @Emilia Gordon, DVM, DABVP, Senior Manager, Animal Health, British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) and Dr. @Alexandre Ellis, Shelter Outreach Consultation Services, BC SPCA - A new study conducted by the BC SPCA in collaboration with external researchers finds that a declaw ban does not lead to increased feline shelter intake or euthanasia. Legislative and bylaw bans on elective onychectomy (declawing) are becoming more frequent, but there remains pushback within the veterinary community and the general public. In this talk, we will look at the impact a provincial ban on elective onychectomy had on provincial shelter intake, including specifically for cats surrendered for destructive behavior, as well as owner-requested euthanasia. We will also discuss the role shelters can take to dispel fear-based myths and advocate for animal welfare within our communities and beyond. You can also explore this article to learn more about the study: Effect of a provincial feline onychectomy ban on cat intake and euthanasia in a British Columbia animal shelter system
• Tom Kremer, Data Analyst from HASS shares Return to Home data featuring @jordan craig from Dallas Animal Services

List of resources referenced during today's call
• Animal Welfare Bullying and Harassment Survey - https://forms.gle/5Nxiii1T7oPMexUs5
  • Email "hass-project@americanpetsalive.org" for more information on joining our Organizational Development Working Group and provide some additional support for this project.

• Dr. Emilia Wong Gordon, Senior Manager, Animal Health, British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals https://spca.bc.ca/ - egordon@spca.bc.ca

• Dr. Alexandre Ellis, Shelter Outreach Consultation Services, BC SPCA and University of Calgary - https://spca.bc.ca/ https://www.ucalgary.ca/ allex.ellis05@gmail.com

• Onychectomy (declawing) articles
  • Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery: Effect of a provincial feline onychectomy ban on cat intake and euthanasia in a British Columbia animal shelter system - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1098612X211043820 and https://spca.bc.ca/news/new-peer-reviewed-study-from-bc-spca-finds-no-increase-in-cat-relinquishment-following-ban-on-declawing/

• The Paw Project led by Dr. Jennifer Conrad is a great resource for advocating against cat declaw: https://pawproject.org/

• Brandyn Jones, Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center – Declawing in St. Louis
https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/declawing-banned-in-st-louis/

• Tom Kremer, Data Analyst, Human Animal Support Services - https://www.humananimalsupportservices.org/staff/tom-kremer/

• Jordan Craig, General Manager, Dallas Animal Services - https://www.bedallas90.org/

Blogs/books/conferences/podcasts/events
• ​Heather McGhee's book "The Sum of Us" - https://www.amazon.com/Sum-Us-Everyone-Prosper-Together-ebook/dp/B0871KZQ3G/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+sum+of+us&qid=1633705548&sr=8-1
or https://bookshop.org/books/the-sum-of-us-what-racism-costs-everyone-and-how-we-can-prosper-together/9780525509561

• ​Open Arms Challenge Huddles: https://www.maddiesfund.org/open-arms-challenge-huddles.htm?_ga=2.25239028.851023157.1633357504-346740239.1627580771

• October 19: Caitlin Quinn, HeARTs Speak webcast Positive Marketing for Maximum Impact - https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4V2fWCj6SYSYoi5GAChBkw

• October 20: Maddie's® Candid Conversation with Allison Cardona
Register here: https://maddiesfund-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtde6qrjIiGNCqbbGZK0bMtE1M6691oRv6

• November 2, 4, 9 & 12: Association of Animal Shelter Administrators of Ontario upcoming annual
conference - https://www.aasao.org/annual-conference

• November 4 -5: Humane Canada's 2021 Canadian Violence Link Conference - https://humanecanada.swoogo.com/cjsr/1253225

• December 7 – 9: The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement's fall conference https://theaawa.org/event/future


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#DataandTechnology
#ReturntoHome(LostPetReunification)

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Charlotte Otero
Community Strategist at Maddie's Fund
she/her
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