Urban Animal Foundation Launches at Summit 2014

"Today is one of those sweet moments when 10 years of dreams and intentions becomes a reality", said Larry Evans, Treasurer, Urban Animal Foundation. 

The Urban Animal program began in 2005 with a meeting of industry leaders in Banff, Alberta. Driving a more collaborative Urban Animal industry began with the first Summit in 2006. By 2009 allies of the urban animal program had identified the need to change the culture and behaviors experienced by cats in our communities. The Year of the Cat in 2011, was the first continent wide initiative to increase the value of cats. By 2012, this initiative had morphed into 'Care for Cats' and in 2013, Bayer launched the Feline Friendly program which used collateral and concepts developed in this initiative.

The very successful Cat initiative demonstrated a need for a development environment that would be funded and governed separately from the commercial activities of PetLynx and other industry contributors. In 2013, planning commenced for The Urban Animal Foundation. The incorporation of the Foundation occurred in April 2014. The first Advisory Council and Board meetings will take place today, Wednesday, 22 October 2014, in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.

"I see this as a tree story, said Drew Van Niekerk, President of the Urban Animal Foundation. The tree is deeply rooted with a nine year investment to create and clarify the Urban Animal DNA. I expect this trust and subject matter expertise will develop the intentions of Urban Animal into the fruit so desired by the communities and pet owners we serve." 

Where in the world is Judi Cannon?

Congratulations to Judi Cannon who is now working with Kate MacDonald and Tanya Firmage as the new Central Regional Manager for Ontario SPCA.

Judi Cannon is a tenacious, enthusiastic, hands-on individual who has been best characterized as a Jack Russel of the industry. Judi created relationships across the Urban Animal Industry in Canada for initiatives such as 2011 Year of the Cat and the follow on project Care for Cats. 

Judi was also instrumental in building Canada's only pet utility PetLynx and managed the early development of the Urban Animal Summits and Conferences program.

Congratulate Judi on LinkedIn

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Central Canada Showcase summary

The first stop on the 2013 Urban Animal Regional Conference tour, Central Canada was a sold-out event with more than 60 delegates attending from around the province. The Central Canada Showcases highlighted many innovative and interesting concepts which could be introduced in other regions across the country. 

WooF: 
A social network app for dogs, WooF allows dog owners to network, find nearby parks and shops, keep track of their pet's health records and habits and includes a customized 'lost dog' element that will help make lost dogs a lost problem. 

Observations from our Urban Animal Experience: 
Toronto Animal Services is taking evolutionary steps towards value added licensing. The City recognized that if animal licensing was mandatory, pet owners wanted to see value for their dollars. 

Spay/Neuter by the Numbers:
Ontario SPCA's high volume spay/neuter program operates two clinics in the province, each one performing about 25 surgeries per day. Clinics have serviced more than 37,000 animals in three years, the average cost to owner is about $103. 

Care for Cats:
In 2012, Care for Cats partnered with CVMA to focus on cat health care. Judi highlighted the program's past successes and put out a call for industry feedback as it transitions into its next phase.  

Following the Regional Innovation Showcases, delegates were asked to select the two presentations they felt should be invited to the Urban Animal Summit. As a result, Spay/Neuter by the Numbers and Observations from our Urban Animal Experience will receive invitations to showcase their successes at the national level in October. 

Care for Cats is Growing and Wants Your Feedback

Guest Blog by Judi Cannon

Care for Cats is a long-term project aimed at increasing the value of owned, homeless and feral cats in Canada.

Year of the Cat in 2011 was CFC’s first Canada-wide campaign that addressed the issue of cat overpopulation and recognizes that people, not cats, are the problem. YOC focused awareness on three messages: spay/neuter, routine veterinary care, identification and registration of felines. This campaign resulted in an increased understanding of the most popular pet in Canada – the cat. YOC saw the fruits of collaborating as an industry - 16,995 cats were registered and 22,489 cat recoveries.

Care for Cats is evolving and wants your feedback!  CFC needs a new permanent and more defined structure with a plan for the future.  While our leaders decide on that new organization and an action plan we need a working transition structure for 2013. CFC with the consultation of many industry leaders have created this proposed transition structure document for your review and feedback. 

Please send your comments to ProgramManager@careforcats.ca by May 7th, 2013 or post a comment on this blog.

Should you be interested in becoming a Pillar Leader in this project you may contact Dr. Liz O'Brien at drliz@careforcats.ca

2012 OpenSpace Sessions set to move the Industry

The 2012 OpenSpace Session in the Victoria Room of the Chateau Lake Louise on Friday, October 12, is designed to provoke dialogue between thought leaders of the companion animal industry. 

Through these conversations, the industry develops strategies and evolves to meet changing times, ideas, technologies and obstacles. In addition to conversations that may arise from the ‘facts and evidence’ Sessions on Thursday, key industry stakeholders are bringing forward seven primary conversations:

2012.A  George Potter – The CEO of Alberta Animal Services revives a conversation initiated in 2007 to organize a National Organization for the Professionals who enforce and investigate on behalf of pets and people in our communities. A leading question – How do we encourage national standards and increase respect for the role of these professionals in our communities?

2012.B  Dr. Liz O’Brien – The CEO of Cats clinics in Hamilton and the National spokesperson for the 2011 Year of the Cat initiative, explores taking the Care for Cats movement to the next level. A leading question - How do we make the national cat initiative sustainable in our communities over the long term?

2012.C  Larry Evans – Creating a non-profit vessel for industry collaborations and national initiatives. A leading question – How could a Summit Foundation operate, be governed and determine the industry consensus for the funds supplied to these initiatives?

2012.D  Kate MacDonald – Chief Executive Officer of OSPCA has been exploring how Humane and Rescue organizations can change to be effective and sustainable both now and in the future. Leading questions include: What will these organization look like? What will change in their mandate?  How will they be funded?

2012.E  Drew Van Niekerk – A Nationally recognized Veterinarian helped develop Canada’s largest practice aggregator. Drew is thinking about the gap between what veterinarians and service providers provide and what pet owners want. A leading question – What changes will be necessary for the industry to deliver the healthcare and experience pet families desire?

2012.F  Kristin Williams – Executive Director of the Nova Scotia SPCA has been thinking about how governance can be improved in the Humane and Rescue sector.  A leading question – How can we attract board members and provision them to be successful understanding the organization, the core objectives and their role in governance?

2012.G  Louis McCann – The Executive Director of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada [PIJAC Canada] has been thinking about the role of member retailers and service providers in each community.  Leading questions include: As we move toward social media and the experience economy, what are the new roles for these service providers in our communities?  How can we move toward these roles without creating unintended consequences for the industry and the pet families we serve?

Throughout these conversations, topics may arise and gain the support of delegates during the opening session on Friday. The vision for OpenSpace is to embrace evidence and develop strategies needed in our communities, our regions and our industry. Outcomes produced may include recommendations for the organizations that govern our industry, toolkits for the agencies that support pet families in our communities and/or a consensus for priorities that can be supported by all stakeholders in the industry.

Visit these conversations online in the LinkedIn Summit Group to add your comments and perspective.

SUMMIT LINKEDIN GROUP

Get the facts, have your say, move the industry! 

Companion Animal Industry Rallies Together to Identify & Register Cats

Trends in the companion animal industry are pointing towards an increase in awareness and responsibility when it comes to cats. Industry leaders are rallying together September 22 to 30 to help Care for Cats promote National Cat ID Week to focus on permanent identification, licensing and registration for cats. 

"People do not realize it, but a lost cat has a very small chance to return back home safely," said Dr. Elizibeth O'Brien, a feline practitioner and Care for Cats spokesperson. "Focusing on identifying and registering felines should be part of your veterinary care routine as it increases their chances to get back home should they go missing."

Care for Cats is now in its second year and has focused its 2012 campaign theme on Preventative Veterinary Care for Cats.  A 2008 Business of Urban Animals Survey, commissioned by PetLynx Corporation for the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies (ISUAS) revealed that more than 8.5 million cats are warming the sofas of 36 per cent of Canadian households. However, about 50 per cent of these cats did not receive regular veterinary care and less than 25 per cent did not have permanent identification.

"A very high number of cats are not identified and/or registered and this results in a huge burden on animal shelters, municipalities and communities," said O'Brien. "We have the tools and the solutions; we simply must work together to create healthier communities for cats and people." 

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association is working with Care for Cats in their long-term goal to increase the value of owned, homeless and feral cats in Canadian communities. 

This year's ISUAS Summit Session VI, led by Barb Cartwright, will promote important conversations relating to humane and rescue for cats and the national initiatives taking place to make a difference as she reveals results from a 2012 survey conducted by the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies regarding cats in Canadian Communities. 

Stay in the know with PetLynx

May is the Puuurfect Month to Promote Preventive Healthcare for Cats

Care for Cats declares May as the ‘purrfect’ month to raise awareness about the most popular pet – the cat. Their campaign message this year focuses on preventive healthcare and wellness for cats. Studies have shown there has been a decrease in the number of visits to veterinarians by cat owners, and, at the same time, the overall health of cat population has declined.

According to Dr. Liz O’Brien, a board-certified feline practitioner from Hamilton, Ontario, pet caregivers need to know that cats, just like dogs, need yearly preventive healthcare.

O’Brien, who is also the spokesperson for Care for Cats, points out that there is a pervasive “Myth of the Indoor Cat” which even the best intentioned and caring pet owners can fall for.

“It is a myth which continues to this day, that because a person has their cat indoors, they do not need to worry about health concerns or preventive health care because their cats are safe at their caregiver’s side,” says Dr. O’Brien.

Dr. O’Brien also notes that the statistics show 58 per cent of people who know their cat's needs for professional care still do not bring the cat to the vet because of difficulty getting the cat there and once there, they may have a poor experience.

Veterinarians are trying to help these clients now by educating them regarding proper use of comfortable cat carriers for transport, and training to transport safely with minimal stress. Veterinarians increasingly are respecting the adage “cats are not small dogs” in the way their clinics are designed and in how their cat care is implemented to help make cat's visits less stressful.

Throughout the month of May, and for the rest of the year, a number of resources will be available for download through www.careforcats.ca to help deliver its unified message throughout the community.

Other events planned for 2012 include:

• Sept. 23 – Oct. 2 — National Cat ID Week focusing on permanent identification, licensing and registration
• December — Hoping for Fur-ever homes adopt-a-thon

“We know that being part of the Care for Cats initiative the changes we want to see happen will not occur overnight,” says Dr. O’Brien. “However, with the support we have received within a short period of time from veterinarians, municipal animal services, animal welfare and the pet industry, I am more than hopeful that we will see a positive change in the near future.”

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association is working with Care for Cats in their vision to increase the value of owned, homeless and feral cats in Canadian communities, in addition to increasing the level in wellness by promoting regular vet visits.

For more information:

Dr. Liz O’Brien                             Tanya Frye
Volunteer Chair, Care for Cats        Communications, CVMA
drliz@careforcats.ca                     tfrye@cvma-acmv.org

2011 Year of the Cat Report Released

The 2011 Year of the Cat focused awareness on the need for routine veterinary care, identification and spay/neuter procedures, which resulted in a better understanding of Canada's most popular pet – the cat.

Now available is an indepth look into the 2011 Year of the Cat campaign. Click here for the full report.

For more information on Year of the Cat, please contact Judi Cannon at judi.cannon@petlynxmail.com or 705.930.7387.

2011 was the Year of the Cat in every way!

Dr. Liz O'Brien,
Feline Advocate

One of the most successful initiatives ever to be conducted in the Canadian companion animal industry was completed in 2011.  

The Year of the Cat by the numbers: 

• Identification of unregistered cats surged beyond the program goal of 10,000 to 16,995; 
• Lost cat recoveries totaled 22,489; 
• The numbers of vaccinated, insured, spay/neutered and medicalized cats grew by as much as 18% in some communities; and,
• The Care for Cats campaign involved over 1,500 industry stakeholders and service providers in 93 primary communities and 118 secondary locales across Canada. 

Industry sponsors included Boehringer Ingleheim, CDMV, Iams Canada, Ontario SPCA, Profender by Bayer, PetLynx Corporation, Petsecure and Petsmart Charities.

The Care for Cats initiative was created to address the issue of cat overpopulation and to bring forward a message that people, not cats, are the real problem. The 2011 Year of the Cat focused awareness on the need for routine veterinary care, identification and spay/neuter procedures. Moreover, the public relations campaign resulted in a better understanding of Canada's most popular pet – the cat.

Organizers say program success stemmed from all sectors of the Canadian pet industry participating in the creation of the campaign, the development of online tools and the delivery of the Care for Cats program to each community. Individuals and organizations recognized their ability to positively influence cats and their well being within the relationships they already owned.

  

Furthermore the cost of the campaign was low as the industry rallied to provide services and push common messages through their communication channels. This approach resulted in a unified message spread across all sectors in many communities.

Congratulations are in order for Dr. Liz O'Brien and those who assisted her on the Advisory Council to  bring to life a vision that arose out of the 2010 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies.  Care for Cats demonstrates how mass collaboration can bring success to the industry and create healthier communities for the pets and people who live in them.

For more information, reach out to Judi Cannon, Program Manager, 705.930.7387 or judi.cannon@petlynxmail.com

2011 Year of the Cat Initiative Surpasses all Expectations

Wow the 2011 Year of the Cat collaborators have blown the lid off this national activity! 


Dr. Liz O'Brien and her collaborators had a Vision to increase the value of owned, homeless and feral cats in Canadian communities.  


They intended to identify and register 10,000 cats during this year long initiative.  As they start week #44 they have completed 14,614 registrations. In addition, these collaborators have brought the PetLynx automated national recovery system to over 200 communities and assisted in 19,177 cat recovery episodes. 


Thank you to Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Ontario SPCA, PetSmart Charities, Procter & Gamble, Western Financial Insurance, CDMV and the more than 1,500 volunteer collaborators across Canada who have added their voice and resources to support this initiative.  The 2011 Year of the Cat initiative is the most successful initiative arising out of the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies in its six year history.  


Those behind this initiative still have 8 weeks to go before the final numbers are recorded in the 2011 history book. The industry stands amazed!


More Information

2011 is declared ‘The Year of the Cat and Sept. 23 – Oct. 2 — National Cat ID Week

Companion Animal Industry Rallies Together to Identify & Register Cats

2011 is declared ‘The Year of the Cat and Sept. 23 – Oct. 2 — National Cat ID Week focusing on permanent identification, licensing and registration

The 2011 Year of the Cat initiative continues to gather momentum. This Canada-wide initiative created by Care for Cats is a long-term project that will increase the value of owned, homeless and feral cats in Canadian communities. Care for Cats has announced that September 23 – Oct 2 is National Cat ID Week! Key community collaborators will be delivering identification clinics and drives to register felines across Canada.

“Many people do not realize it but a lost cat has a very small chance to return back home safely. This does not have to be the case considering we have the tools and the solutions; we simply must work together to create healthier communities for cats and people. A very high number of cats are not identified and/or registered and this results in a huge burden on animal shelters, municipalities and communities – Canada is in crisis,” explains Dr. O’Brien. “The nation’s animal shelters are over overflowing with cats. By focusing on identifying and registering felines we will increase their chances to get back home should they go missing.”

Care for Cats has built its public educational campaign based on solid facts. The 2008 Business of Urban Animals Survey (BUAS), commissioned by PetLynx Corporation for the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies, provided statistical proof of what people working in animal shelters and veterinary hospitals have known for decades: cats are not generally valued as much as dogs. In almost every category covered by this survey, dogs received better care than cats.

The study revealed that more than 8.5 million cats are warming the sofas of 36 per cent of Canadian households. The disappointing news is that half of them did not receive regular veterinary care in the past 12 months and less than 25 per cent have permanent identification, such as tattoos or microchips. Forty-one per cent either haven’t been vaccinated in the last four years or have never been vaccinated at all.

___________________________________________________

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Dr. Liz O’Brien, Care for Cats Committee Chair (p) 905.570.4145 (e) drliz@careforcats.ca

CARE FOR CATS ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS

ANIMAL WELARE

• Canadian Federation of Humane Societies
• Ontario SPCA
• SCAT Street Cat Rescue Program, Saskatoon, SK
• PetSmart Charities Canada
• Pierre's Alley Cat Society, Halifax, NS
• Calgary Humane Society, Calgary, AB
• Meow Foundation, Calgary, AB

ANIMAL CONTROL & LEGISLATIVE ENFORCEMENT

• City of Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services
• Toronto Animal Services

ANIMAL HEALTH & WELLNESS

• Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
• The Cat Clinic, Hamilton, ON
• Diane Frank DVM, DABVB, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC
• Hugh Chisolm DVM, Halifax, NS
• Liz O’Brien DVM, Diplomate, ABVP (Feline Practice), Hamilton, ON
• Margie Scherk DVM, Diplomate, ABVP (Feline Practice), Vancouver, BC
• Susan Little DVM, Diplomate, ABVP (Feline Practice), Ottawa, ON
• Diane McKelvey DVM, Diplomate, ABVP (Feline Practice), Kamloops, BC
• Alice Crook, DVM, Atlantic Veterinary College, Charlottetown, PEI
• Anne Marie Carey, DVM, Atlantic Veterinary College, Charlottetown, PEI

ANIMAL SERVICES

• Canadian Cat Association
• Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) Canada
• Petsecure, Western Financial Insurance
• PetLynx Corporation

ABOUT CARE FOR CATS AND YEAR OF THE CAT

Care for Cats (CFC) is a long-term project that will increase the value of owned, homeless and feral cars in Canadian communalities. CFC has a model of ‘free of charge’ distribution of impactful public education programs and support materials that can be used by anyone working in the companion animal industry, including shelters and rescue organization, municipalities, pet stores, veterinarians and more. One purpose of the initiative is to encourage community collaboration across all industry sectors; providing accurate resources; and the collection and evaluation of national metrics to measure success. http://www.careforcats.ca

CFC is organized under the direction of volunteer Advisory Council with representatives from all four sectors of the companion animal industry. (See below.) It is being supported by Petsecure Pet Insurance, PetSmart Charities Canada, Ontario SPCA, Boerhringer Ingelheim, Iams Canada and PetLynx Corporation.

2011 Year of the Cat (YOC) is a Canada-wide initiative intended to ‘get rid of the myths and give the facts!’ This program will bring a national time-line of events such as adopt-a-thons and an identification week. To facilitate the effective delivery of these programs online toolkits will be provided at no cost to community collaborators across Canada.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL SUMMITS FOR URBAN ANIMAL STRATEGIES

The International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies [ISUAS] attracts Executive Thought Leaders from North America’s Companion Animal Industry to develop strategies that will create and sustain healthy communities for pets and people. Executive level discussion, networking and world-class speakers facilitate the executive working sessions. The Annual Summit Awards are presented in conjunction with the Alumni Summit each October and bestow the recognition of industry peers upon individuals and organizations who are achieving success in each summit award category.

http://www.tsuas.com

Care for Cats Partners with CVMA To Promote Feline Healthcare

An initiative born at the 2009 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies continues to bring sectors of the companion animal industry together.

As Care for Cats (CFC) turns its focus to the key message of “routine veterinary care” in 2012, the CFC is teaming up with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) to promote veterinary care for our feline friends.

“In a recent survey, more than half of cat owners reported that they had not been to the veterinarian in the past 12 months,” says Dr. Lloyd Keddie, CVMA President. “Together we will raise awareness about the importance of routine veterinary care. Regular veterinary visits are key to spotting any potential health problems early in their development.”

In addition to the health benefits, getting cats into the doctor’s office will provide veterinarians and their staff with an opportunity to educate cat owners on the importance cat health and welfare issues, such as spaying and neutering, which will help curb cat over-population.

“Changing attitudes about cats is an essential first step in creating responsible cat owners,” explains Dr. Liz O’Brien, Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, Board-certified in Feline Practice and spokesperson for Care for Cats. “Cat owners should start treating cats with the same respect as they do their canine companions. Cats should be receiving routine veterinary care and have permanent identification, registration and proper licensing.”

Care for Cats continues to work towards achieving the overall goal of increasing the value of owned, homeless and feral cats in Canadian communities. Join Care for Cats and the CVMA in 2012 for the second phase of the Care for Cats initiative – improving the health of Canada’s most popular pet – the cat!

About Care for Cats

A that will respond to the cat overpopulation crisis by creating and distributing impactful public education programs and support materials, encouraging community collaboration across all pet industry sectors; providing accurate resources; and collecting and
evaluating national metrics to measure success.

Recognizing that we cannot expect to completely solve the cat crisis in a single year, Care for Cats was formed and 2011 The Year of the Cat is its first project.

Visit their website for more information

About CVMA

“The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is the national voice for the veterinary profession dedicated to serving and representing the veterinarians of Canada."

"The Association is committed to excellence within the profession and to the well-being of animals. It shall promote public awareness of the contribution of animals and veterinarians to society.”

Visit their website for more information