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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Summits for Urban Animal Strategies - October 19 - 22

SESSION SPOTLIGHT

Community Health and Wellness Model
Presentations and Discussion Panel, 13:30 October 20

Many agree the companion animal industry can work more collaboratively to create a better model for the health and wellness of pets and people in our communities. By working together, perhaps we can achieve such industry goals as: The establishment of a lifetime relationship with a healthcare provider; A higher level of care for companion animals through a proactive pet family; An industry wide approach to ‘One Health’ in our communities; The altering of all non-breeder animals; The permanent identification of all animals in the national database [responsibility, recovery & disease surveillance]; and, A reduction in the number of surrenders and abandonments in our communities.

As we have observed with the 2011 Care for Cats initiative, the implementation of an Urban Animal Strategy with support from all sectors of our industry can achieve a great result. A more complete model for Community Health and Wellness will require wide industry support from Animal Welfare, Animal Control and Enforcement and Animal Services [retailers, kennels, breeders, service providers and others] working together with those traditionally involved in Animal Health & Wellness. In this Summit conversation, can we find the ‘Big Idea(s)’ that will move us forward as professionals in our communities?

The featured panel discussion of the 2011 Summit will provide brief opening statements from each panelist to bring forward the issues they observe, the evidence they have [or don’t have] and the big ideas that we might consider. Once these presentations are complete, our conference moderator Diane Frank will facilitate a discussion that adds clarity to our thinking and prepares us for the OpenSpace sessions lead by Karen Dawson on Friday.

Scheduled Panellists

Moderator – Dr. Diane Frank, University of Montreal

Six of Canada’s thought leaders weigh in on Community Health and Wellness from their unique perspective:

Doug Raven – CEO of Canada’s largest provincial veterinary association (the Ontario VMA), which recently engaged its membership in a dialogue about how to improve access to veterinary healthcare for pet owners of limited financial means;

Drew Van Niekerk - A partner/owner in Canada’s largest practice aggregator/consolidator, exploring new models for delivering healthcare within Canadian communities;

Kristin Williams – The executive director of the Nova Scotia SPCA has been developing a collaborative model of healthcare delivery in Canada’s Atlantic Region;

Jason Coe - A recognized name in population studies at the University of Guelph is working to understand the problem of surrenders and abandonments in our communities from a sociological perspective;

Jim Sykes – Chief Operating Officer of OSPCA, an organization that has initiated innovations in both high-volume spay/neuter services and shelter health/wellness.

Louis McCann – The Executive Director of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada [PIJAC Canada] represents industry professionals across Canada who help establish relationships with healthcare professionals in each community.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT

Vision: To gather executive level thought leaders who can advance the state of the art in urban animal strategies

Mission: To promote strategies that build healthy communities for pets and people and to recognize those who achieve success

This sixth annual gathering of Industry leaders takes place from October 19 - 22 at the Fairmont Chateau, Montebello, Quebec.

As we are learning, Animal Health and Wellness is directly related to human health in our communities. For this reason the 2011 agenda may facilitate the most strategic conversation to be brought forward to a Summit.

The industry is changing, have your say.

View full agenda and learn more about the summit

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.

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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