WELFARE - City of Calgary Recognized by Nature Canada

Nature Canada, Canada’s oldest national nature conservation charity, presented their inaugural Safe Cats Safe Birds Award to the City of Calgary for its progressive municipal policy that keeps cats safe and saves bird lives.

“Our Keep Cats Safe and Save Bird Lives national campaign asks Canadian cat owners to join a growing movement of people who keep their cats supervised if they go outdoors. Unsupervised outdoor cats are at considerable danger from collisions with cars, fights with wildlife, diseases and poisons and are responsible for an estimated 100 to 350 million bird deaths a year in Canada,” said Eleanor Fast, Executive Director for Nature Canada.

“The City of Calgary’s Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw is a model for other municipalities to follow.”

The Calgary bylaw requires both cat and dog owners to license their pets, and to keep animals from roaming at large.

The bylaw is an important factor in Calgary’s success, but the strong public education campaign, the ‘I Heart My Pet’ rewards program and the promise to return licensed pets are motivation for pet owners, earning Calgary the highest compliance rates in the country.

“It is an honour for The City of Calgary to receive Nature Canada’s inaugural Safe Cats Safe Birds Award,” said Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary.

“Our approach focuses on accessible service and education that encourages responsible and accountable pet ownership. The result is a safe and healthy community for pets, and I’m proud of the work done by my colleagues at The City of Calgary to achieve this.”

The conflict between cat lovers and bird fanciers is a long one with deeply entrenched and very opposing views.

Like Nature Canada, organizations like the University of Guelph, by conducting surveys and research around the issue of cat population and protecting the birds, are trying to find ways for the groups to work together.

“The hope is that we can bring together cat supporters and bird advocates to take actions to improve cat welfare and reduce the effect of outdoor cats on birds,” Tyler Flockhart, a Liber Ero post-doctoral researcher at U of G, said.

Churches Welcome Animals This Weekend

Churches all over the world are opening their doors to animal companions for the annual blessing of the animals.

(Nice, France, Eric Gaillard/Reuters)

Hosted in early October in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, the event celebrates the human animal bond.

Attendees can bring their pet for an individual blessing by an officiant and thanks are given for the role animals play in the community.

Many are also there to grieve the loss of their animal family member and attend with photos or momentoes for a blessing.

The Calgary, Alberta event is this Saturday at the Cathedral Church of the Redeemer, traditionally has approximately 300 animal attendees, and is in its 20th year.

Heather Trainor, event organizer, told the Calgary Herald, “I didn’t think it would turn into this annual event.”

“When you have that many animals in that enclosed area, you’d expect a lot of a ruckus — and at first there is but they settle right down,” said Trainor.

You never know what type of animal may come through the door or what might happen.

St. Ann & the Holy Trinity and Grace churches in Brooklyn Heights will be hosting a blessing this Sunday.

Their blog shares stories of past events which included a hen laying an egg during the service and an escaping tarantula.

The Rev. Pamela Lynch presides over the service at St. Andrew Episcopal Church in Gaylord, MI.

“The minute you start the service, they calm down,” Lynch told the Gaylord Herald Times. “It’s like the animals really get it, that something special is going on — that this is something sacred.”

After the service, Lynch travels to the Otsego County Animal Shelter to bless the homeless animals in their care.

She believes the event is a beautiful way to honour animals and the unconditional love they give.

Blessing of the animals services seem to be growing in popularity and number. 

So if you are interested in attending a service, chances are there is an event in your area.

Canine Parvovirus on the Rise in Calgary and Surrounding Communities

Veterinarians in Calgary and Okotoks are warning dog owners about a rise in incidence of the potentially fatal canine parvovirus.

The virus can be transmitted by any person, animal or object that comes in contact with an infected dog's feces. Highly resistant, parvovirus can live in the environment for months, and may survive on inanimate objects such as food bowls, shoes, clothes, carpet and floors.

"Animals can become lethargic, their appetite can become decreased so they'll be eating less but the most common signs that we see is vomiting and diarrhea," Dr. Brian McBride, Coach Hill Veterinary Hospital, told CTV.

Puppies and adolescent dogs are especially susceptible to parvovirus.

There is no cure for the virus and treatment can be quite expensive but it is preventable through vaccination.

Since the development of a vaccine, the disease isn’t as rampant but outbreaks do still occur - emphasizing the need for dog owners to keep their pets’ vaccinations up-to-date.

Canine Therapy Program Takes Off at Calgary Airport

(PALS)

The Calgary Airport Authority launched a new program featuring canine companions to enhance the passenger experience at Calgary International Airport (YYC).

The Pre-Board Pals program will see therapy dogs in its pre-boarding areas three days a week as a way to reduce stress among travellers.

“Pre-Board Pals demonstrates our commitment and passion for providing an amazing airport experience at YYC,” said Garth Atkinson, President & CEO for The Calgary Airport Authority. “With millions of guests travelling through our airport each year, we know that our new pals will be another positive touchpoint for our passengers.”

Dogs, provided by Pet Access League Society (PALS), are family pets that have been carefully screened by professionals as to suitability for the PALS program.

Diana Segboer, Executive Director for PALS says, “We have an incredible team of dogs, and handlers, that the passengers at Calgary International Airport are absolutely going to love. Our teams look forward to sharing the power of puppy love at YYC.”

Medical studies have proven the benefits of animal therapy programs including a reduction in pain, depression, anxiety and fatigue.

The Calgary initiative is one of many canine programs offered by a variety of airports. Denver International Airport even features ID photos of the dogs in their Canine Airport Therapy Squad (CATS) on their website.

In Los Angeles, Pets Unstressing Passengers (PUP) program therapy dogs and handlers roam the departures levels in the gate areas of each terminal, visiting passengers awaiting flights and providing comfort, as well as airport information. The program educates and informs passengers about the LAX projects and construction related traffic impacts.

CVMA Mobile App Now Available

On June 1st, 2015, CVMA released their mobile app for their annual convention in Calgary, Alberta. The app allows people to:

• Access the program and speaker information
• Evaluate sessions
• Receive important information
• Receive highlights, photos, and ratings from the most popular sessions

Using the app also gives people the chance to win daily prizes during the annual convention. The app can be downloaded by searching “CVMA 2015” on the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app may also be found by scanning the QR code.

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Western Adjudication Proves Up New Urban Animal Concept

The Western Adjudication event for the Urban Animal Scholarship program was held on Monday, April 20th. This first attempt at refactoring the Urban Animal presence in each of the four regions was successful. The smaller, more focused Adjudication event lowered the cost for participants and guests while adding intensity to actionable conversations in the Alliance for Urban Animals.

Four of six nominations were present:

• Innovation Showcase Scholarship:
• Jenn Nyhof with the A.C.H.O.I.C.E. Program
• Research Poster Scholarship:
• Taryn Graham with “Persons Partnered with Assistance Dogs: Implications Arising from Canadian Newspaper Coverage”
• Dawn Rault with “A Province-Wide Qualitative Study of Animal Bylaws: Promoting Population Health and Equity by Redressing and Preventing Pet Related Nuisances in Urbanized Environments”
• Digital Journalist Scholarship:
• Cheryl Wallach

All four nominees were adjudicated and the Audience Response System (ARS) electronically recorded the audience response. Two nominees unable to be present will be offered an opportunity for virtual adjudication in mid June.

The results of the Western Adjudication will be aggregated with other Adjudication Events. The top four nominees in each scholarship program will move on to the next round of the International Competition which is staged during the 2015 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies in October. The 2015 Urban Animal Scholarships will be awarded during July.

The new venue for the Western Regional Adjudication at the Best Western Freeport hotel accommodated the new format quite well. The 2015 Adjudication Events are limited to 32 seats which are designated as follows:

• Four adjudicators
• Six nominees
• Ten alumni, mentor and advocates (by Invitation Only)
• Ten guests (first come - first served)
• Two Sponsors (by Invitation Only)

Dr. Jason Coe, the Executive Director of the Urban Animal program lead participants through the day. Larry Evans, Executive Producer of the Urban Animal program led the Action Council discussions to move forward decisions. Shannon Woodward, Program Manager, Tessla Cummins, Communications and Media, and Anna MacNeil Allcock, Client Services Manager rounded out the PetLynx event team.

The Western Region Action Council reviewed the potential Urban Animal initiatives to move forward during 2015:

• Prince Street Puppy Project - Enriching the education experience for special needs students
• WOOF - Enriching the rehabilitation experience for animals and inmates
• Off-Leash Ambassador Program - Enriching the recreation experience for people and pets in public spaces

The Alliance for Urban Animals determined the Off Leash Ambassador program presented by the City of Calgary was ready to move forward in the Western Region. The Ambassador project will build a project delivery plan and implement a pilot program in one or more communities to ensure the project is ready for a broader North American launch.

Registration for the Pacific, Atlantic and Central Adjudication Events is available here.

Highlights of the 2015 Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Convention

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association is hosting their annual convention in Calgary, Alberta this year from July 16th to 19th. A Preliminary Program is available for interested parties to view.

Highlights will include:

• Kelly Lynn Cronin with Advanced Animal Hospital Group in Milwaukee, Wisconsin will discuss financial concerns and inventory management.  
• Dr. Jason Coe with the Ontario Veterinary College will discuss client communication.
• “Skills Taught, Skills Needed: The ABC’s of Veterinary Credentials.” Speakers will examine veterinary school accreditation nationally and internationally and the effects it has on licensing Canadian veterinarians.   
• Dr. Kevin Stepaniuk, with Columbia River Veterinary Specialists in Washington state, will give six presentations on dentistry issues.
• Dr. Kerry Ketring, owner of the All Animal Eye Clinic in Cincinnati, Ohio will discuss ocular examinations, diagnosis, and treatments.
• Dr. Robin Downing, hospital director of The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, LLC, will discuss anesthesia and pain management.   “Exploring Contemporary Issues in Animal Welfare”. Speakers will introduce current animal welfare issues of companion animals to wildlife.  
• Dr. Shawn McKenna, Associate Professor at Atlantic Veterinary College, will discuss paratuberculosis and Canadian control programs.
• Dr. John Gilleard, Associate Dean and Professor at the University of Calgary will discuss the biology and epidemiology of gastro-intestinal parasitic nematodes in cattle.
• Dr. Nicholas Frank, Professor and Chair at Tufts University in Massachusetts will discuss how to recognize the physical characteristics of horses affected by equine metabolic syndrome. Management techniques will also be covered.

Online registration is currently open. The early bird registration rate ends June 1st.

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The Pet Friendly House Project

A unique project aimed at constructing the first ever home to be designed for the needs and comforts of the pet-owning family as well as their pets will break ground in the spring of 2014. 

The Pet Friendly House Project goal is to create a mid-price range home in Calgary which is beautiful yet durable and easy to maintain not only for pet-owning families but for the broad public as well. Each step of the project will be documented by posting new articles, blog entries and announcements on the Project website. 

With step by step instructions on various topics including how to add doggie doors, containment systems, flooring and setting up aquariums, the entire project, from start to finish, will be interactive, entertaining and educational. 

"This marketing project will cover the design, construction and decorating of a home for a family of 4 and their pets," said David Beart, president of Professor's House, a website dedicated to all things family related. "We will showcase the coolest and best home and pet products on the market that make home and pet ownership more enjoyable." 

According the Project brochure, the Pet Friendly House will tackle all possible scenarios that pet owners face: scratched flooring; stained furniture; ruined carpets; lawn, hair and dander issues; reducing allergy problems; storage solutions and more. All of this will be put to the test by building in or adding products and features that handle the wear and tear that come with pets. 

The 2010 civic census reported Calgary is home to 122,325 dogs and 91,551 cats which may indicate a strong interest in the Project. The Pet Friendly House Project has partnered with Qualico Communities and the Calgary community of Evanston to build the home which comes with a $500,000 to $550,000 price tag. 

Petland Charities pitches in to clean up Sue Higgins dog park

Petland Charities and the City of Calgary are partnering to mobilize a clean-up effort of Sue Higgins Dog Park which was affected by flooding in Calgary in June.

Park clean-up is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20 when pre-registered volunteers will assist in cleaning up debris, repairing fences and bringing the popular park back to Calgarian dog owners. Over 90 per cent of the fences in the park were damaged and roughly 70 per cent were destroyed. Presently, only portions of the park have reopened to the public. 

Justin Brown, superintendent of parks for the City of Calgary, told the Calgary Herald the park was significantly damaged by the flood waters. 

"The entire park was actually under water during high water mark,"he said. "We'll be down here all year, that's for sure."  

In conjunction with the volunteer clean-up, Petland stores in Calgary also hosted an in-store fundraising campaign earlier this month. A sticker campaign and Greenies (Mars PetCare) brand donations raised funds for Petland Charities which provided money to help clean up the dog park. 

Photo Credit

Canine Tragedy on Calgary's Trails

Late last week, Calgary, a city well known for green space, extensive dog walking trails and above average levels of licensing compliance, experienced another very tragic event.

One dead dog, one distraught dog owner, one hospitalized bystander and one owner at risk for huge fines (second time in a year). It all adds up to a REALLY BIG CANINE TRAGEDY.

Urban municipalities in North America are home to 10 million more dogs than just a decade ago. The conflict between dog owners and other users of public spaces has reached a critical level. Now more than ever, a conversation needs to develop that eliminates the risks and barriers to a more positive urban pet experience.

Thursday, 21 March at 09:00 pm (local)
CBC's Doc Zone airs DOG DAZED
a film by Bountiful Films.

The film chronicles canine conflicts in the modern urban municipality. All reports show DOG DAZED to be a balanced approach to Canine Conflicts. 

Industry leaders who viewed early screenings of DOG DAZED say it is 'must see' viewing for dog and non-dog owners in urban areas.
  

Read about A CALGARY TRAGEDY

Watch the DOG DAZED TRAILER

HAVE YOUR SAY - ONLINE CHAT

Producer Helen Slinger's Blog