"Satisfaction Guaranteed" - Eliminating Judgement?

During the 2013 Regional Conference Pet Experience Project workshops, subscribers were asked to define the barriers faced by pet owners and pet communities to creating a Positive Pet Experience. Several pivotal hurdles were determined. One of them, judgement, was mentioned by nearly every break-out group at each conference across Canada.

Judgement aimed at pet owners relating to everything from feeding choices to behavioural issues.
Judgement aimed at non pet owners for their noise and environmental qualms.
Judgement aimed at the industry for its mixed messaging and for its role in judging the pet experience.

The Humane & Rescue sector accepted its role in judgement in the areas of animal surrender and abandonment and many delegates present at the conferences avowed to consider opportunities for overcoming this dilemma. One potential solution has been tested by some organizations across North America who have implemented a policy which removes the 'judgement' from adoption.  

An editorial by Bert Troughton on the ASPCA Blog implies that all adopters should have the same advantages as shelter employees (who have opportunities to bring animals into their home for a period of times as 'foster parents' prior to making adoption decisions). 

"What an incredible privilege and advantage to be able to take animals home on a trial basis like that and to bring them back to the shelter with absolutely no guilt and no hard feelings with the shelter staff and volunteers," said Troughton. "In fact, the opposite - the staff welcomed those fosters back and heaped gratitude upon me for the interim care I had provided." 

Troughton refers to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley who adopted a "Satisfaction Guaranteed" policy years ago and to other organizations who implemented the policy after HSBV's success. In all cases, reports Troughton, the transition rate (% of visitors who adopt) increased and the net gain in lives saved increased. 

"What may be just as important, but difficult to measure, is how the Satisfaction Guaranteed policy helps staff and volunteers to be more understanding and empathetic with the public," added Troughton. "And how that relationship improvement impacts the overall success of the shelter in all kinds of ways." 

2013 Summit Innovation Showcase presentations available online

This year's Summit for Urban Animal Strategies featured the first ever Innovation Showcase. This element of Summit 2013 introduced delegates to seven unique innovations that are up and running in Canadian communities. 

The 2013 Innovations were promoted to Summit 2013 during the Regional Conferences in April 2013 when Urban Animal Subscribers selected the top two innovations from each region. The innovations crossed all sectors of the Urban Animal Industry from legislation to value added licensing and were automatically nominated for a 2013 Summit Award. 

The Urban Animal Industry can now adapt, adopt or replicate innovations in the communities where a need exists. Duplicating these Urban Animal Innovations is a good and valuable contribution to many communities. 

Those interested in developing a conversation with the innovators are encouraged to subscribe to the Urban Animal Program for direct conversations.

Nominations for the 2014 Innovation Showcase will open in November. In the meantime, please click through to the 2013 winners:

Standards of Care for Breeders of Companion Animals - Jane Thornthwaite

Imagine: Legislation designed to improve the quality of life for communities, people and pets. Read the InfoStream article.  

Alberta Animal Services/Petland Partnership - Amy Pawson & Erica Coomber

Imagine: a unique partnership between retail and animal control that has raised funds, built an adoption center and adopted out hundreds of pets. Read the InfoStream article.

Let's Talk About Cats, BC SPCA initiative - Geoff Urton

Imagine: a unique collaboration between a provincial SPCA, a local rescue and members of the public to find a solution for un-homed cats. Read the InfoStream article.     

Working On Our Future - Angela Poirier & John Landry **Summit Award winner for Product or Service Innovation**

Imagine: Pairing shelter dogs and offenders with behavioral issues to achieve a new level of skill development and socialization. Read the InfoStream article.    

Value Added Licensing, Toronto Animal Services - Mary Lou Leiher (coming soon!)

Imagine: The largest municipality in Canada creating a new value proposition that lead to lineups around the block of pet owners seeking to be licensed.

High Volume Spay/Neuter, Ontario SPCA - Judith Aubin & Tanya Firmage **Summit Award winner for Community Compliance**

Imagine: The most populated province in Canada achieving a reduction in Cat admissions in the order of 18% by way of a high volume spay/neuter program with lower costs. Read the InfoStream article. 

Calgary Greenway Project - Christy Thompson & Barbara Walmer 

Imagine: An urban municipality with the foresight to integrate the lifestyle needs of pet owners with Canada’s largest green space.

View all 2013 Innovation Showcase Presentations

  

New pet owner app to launch October 25

Urban Animal subscribers were introduced to Woof at the 2013 Regional Conferences in Toronto where co-founder Dan Seider shared his innovative vision for a social network for dogs. 

Woof is a community driven app for dog lovers, bringing local dog communities closer together. Woof is packed with many features allowing dog owners to network, find nearby parks and shops, share photos, 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. 

"The bigger picture of Woof is to be part of a dog parents life through the entire process," said Seider. "One of the features we're particularly looking forward to will come from our partnership with the [Ontario] SPCA. By using their Meet-Your-Match program, anyone will be able to find nearby dogs up for adoption and even the ones that match their lifestyle and personality - it's like eHarmony™ for dogs."

Woof will launch globally on October 25. The app currently features nearly 1,000 dog parks mapped out in North America and Seider says developers are planning to add other countries over time. Woof is initially being launched FREE on iOS with an Android app soon to follow. 

WOOF

RIP Tuxedo Stan

Tuxedo Stan, the Halifax cat who made International headlines with his bid for mayor in 2012, lost his battle with terminal cancer yesterday. 

Stan was a three-year-old cat born to a feral mother in Halifax who aimed to raise awareness of the increasing feral and stray cat situation in the city.

Stan was diagnosed with cancer just two months after last year's election. The day before Stan was euthanized, his brother, Earl Grey, announced his intention to run for Premier of Nova Scotia and continue Stan's legacy. 

Stan's campaign managers (owners), Kathy and Hugh Chisholm, presented Stan's rise to power and the Tuxedo Party's aspirations for a humane world at the 2013 Regional Conferences in Halifax. 

"While we are all saddened to have Tuxedo Stan leave us, his contribution to raising awareness for cats in his community emboldens us to take the lessons we all learned to communities across North America," said Larry Evans, executive producer of the Urban Animal Program. 

From the time Tuxedo Stan announced he would run for mayor, the Tuxedo Party garnered international media attention with Ellen DeGeneres and Anderson Cooper endorsing the feline. Stan's Facebook page boasts more than 17,000 Likes and the Party centres around a strong social media strategy. A Tuxedo Stan product line selling plush 'minion' dolls, t-shirts and even a men's body wash all raised funds for Spay Day HRM, a non-profit society in Nova Scotia. The Spay Day Program is an initiative to address the cat over-population by assisting students and low-income families to spay and neuter their cats. 

YourSAY™ Survey Results Announced

Results from the delegate survey (YourSAY™2013.1) indicate overall success for the 2013 Regional Conference tour in April. The mission of this year's Conferences was to showcase regional innovation, cultivate conversation and collaboration and encourage movement for the Pet Experience Project.

A formal opinion poll was sent to Conference attendees as well as regional associates.

Highlights from the 2013 Regional Conference Delegate Survey:

• Attendees enjoyed the new format (86.5%) that presented Regional Innovation and the opportunity to nominate their peers (80%) for the Summit Showcase Series, Summit Awards, Future Leader Scholarship and the Urban Animal Peer Recognition Program. 
• The Regional Innovation Showcase scored well with 79.5% of attendees revealing they learned something new during the showcase. 
• 76.5% of survey participants feel the recognition of peers in the Summit Award and Future Leader programs are important to them.
• Attendees strongly agreed they enjoyed listening to others and learning from experiences during the Pet Experience Project workshops. 
• The Pet Experience Project Workshops were highly rated with 81.5% agreeing they found Workshop I helpful identifying a Positive Pet Experience. 81% found the same workshop helpful in identifying barriers to a Positive Pet Experience. 
• 81% found Workshop II helpful in identifying solutions and opportunities as well as next steps in their regions to creating a Positive Pet Experience.
• Keynote speaker Drew Van Neikerk, who presented the Positive Pet Experience, was well received in all four regions and attendees agree the subject matter was relevant and applicable to their own organizations (86.5%). 
• In all four regions, more than half of survey participants responded they have attended a Regional Conference in the past. 
• Overall, all five industry sectors were well represented in each region. 

REGISTER FOR SUMMIT 2013 AND THE 

2014 URBAN ANIMAL CONFERENCES!

Copies of the complete survey report are available at a nominal cost. Contact Sheena.Neel@petlynxmail.com if you wish to procure a copy.

Pet Experience Project: Seeking a solution to pets and property

An Australian study hopes to answer questions about tenant/landlord relationships and outcomes when pets are involved. 

According to a First National Real Estate article, over 60% of Australian households have at least one pet. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data indicates that one-third of all Australian households live in rental accommodation. This figure increases to 49% in lower income households. 

Dr. Emma Power, University of Western Sydney School of Social Sciences and Psychology, says the issues of finding pet friendly rental property is one that is faced by many Sydneysiders. She adds that international research has shown that moving house is one of the most significant influences on people's decision to relinquish a pet. 

The University of Western Sydney partnered with First National Real Estate to research this study. Its results, when they surface, will be interesting to the global Urban Animal Industry as rental accommodation and pets is a common concern faced by pet owners. Identifying barriers to a Positive Pet Experience was a key element of the 2013 Regional Conference workshops, pets and rental accommodation was recognized several times. 

Urban Animal Conference Survey Deadline

The Urban Animal Conference survey will close Monday 27 May at midnight PST. 

The 2013 Urban Animal Conferences were a very positive experience for attendees and for those involved with the tour. Feedback and contributions from Urban Animal subscribers is essential in program development for the 2014 Conferences. 

Please take 3-4 minutes to complete the survey. This survey is designed for past, present and future Urban Animal Program subscribers. 

SELECT A SURVEY

Early Bird subscription is currently open for the 2014 Urban Animal Conferences. CLICK HERE to Get the Facts, Have YourSAY, Move the Industry. 

Pacific Showcase Summary

Along the western seaboard, the excitement surrounding the Urban Animal Conferences was noticeable. Collaborative efforts were pioneered and critical relationships were formed. The Innovation Showcases highlighted some of the unique concepts introduced to the industry by the Pacific region. 


Maple Ridge Retail Bylaw: 
A new bylaw introduced in the District of Maple Ridge requires all pet stores to spay/neuter dogs, cats and all other animals prior to adoption or sale. The bylaw also requires the socialization of mature puppies and education for potential owners. 


Breeder Care Standards: 
North Vancouver-Seymour MLA Jane Thornthwaite succeeded in introducing a private member's bill, Standards of Care for Breeders of Companion Animals. This bill outlines the standards that breeders in British Columbia must meet to ensure the welfare of animals. 

Let's Talk About Cats: 
An out-of-the-box approach to identifying a feral and stray cat problem, BC SPCA's Maple Ridge district and Katie's Place Animal Shelter initiated a community-wide grassroots discussion, which encompassed several levels and industry sectors as well as members of the public to find a common solution.  

Private Boarding at CAS: 
In Coquitlam, a unique element implemented has brought education, sustainable funding and staff to the  Animal Shelter. To help offset operating costs, the shelter introduced a private boarding facility, which has seen success financially as well as operationally. 

Following the Innovation Showcases, associates were asked to select the two presentations they felt should be invited to the Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. As a result, Breeder Care Standards and Let's Talk About Cats will receive invitations to showcase their successes at the national level in October. 

Prairie Showcase Summary

As the Urban Animal Conferences moved to the Prairies, innovation showcases took on a 'green' theme. Collaborations, concepts and relationships built in Alberta have resulted in dog friendly parks, the rehoming of thousands of animals and the beginning of a critical industry conversation. 

Calgary's Pet Friendly Parks:
Once complete, the Rotary Greenway Project (Parks Foundation Calgary) will include 138 kms of pathways and parks encircling and linking numerous areas of the city. Dog parks, off-leash areas and agility parks. 

Carbon Pawpring, Greening the Pet Experience: 
Dogs present several environmental challenges - waste, toys, poop bags - which pose a threat to our environmental sustainability. Patricia Cameron suggests purchasing organic toys, composting or flushing waste and education on pet food as possible ways to Green our Pet Experience. 

Petland/Alberta Animal Services:
A unique partnership between Alberta Animal Services and Petland Canada has saved the lives of more than 400 animals. Not only does Red Deer Petland adopt out shelter animals, they also contribute a significant amount of fundraising. Red Deer Petland is currently building an AAS Adoption Centre - funded by Petland, staffed by AAS.  

Pet Ownership for the Elite?:
With rising veterinary, food and caregiving costs, Edmonton Humane's Executive Director recently questioned the financial ability of lower and middle classes to keep pets. Her blog post sparked healthy debate and conversation among industry professionals at the 2013 Regional Conference in Calgary. 

Post Mortem, Vernon BC Puppy Ban: 
With the support of PIJAC Canada, Lisa Badach, owner of AJs Pets in Vernon B.C. was able to educate the community and city council on responsible breeding and the incurred retail of puppies in pet stores. As a result, the City voted no on a retail puppy ban. 

Following the Innovation Showcases, attendees were asked to select the two presentations they felt should be invited to the Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. As a result, Calgary's Pet Friendly Parks and Petland/Alberta Animal Services will receive invitations to showcase their successes at the national level in October. 

Atlantic Showcase Summary

Halifax, Nova Scotia played host to the second stop on the 2013 Regional Conference tour. The Atlantic Conference supported one of the strongest Regional Innovation Showcase line-ups of the year with a wide variety of presentations ranging from feline weight loss to sustainable energy. The Atlantic Canada Showcases highlighted many innovative and interesting concepts which could be introduced in other regions across the country. 

Tiny's Weight Loss Challenge: 
Through the power of social media, the Fredericton SPCA succeeded in internationalizing the story of an overweight cat. Tiny's Weight Loss Challenge raised money for animals FSPCA animals and inspired a nation of people and pets to lose weight. 

Tuxedo Stan for Mayor: 
Tuxedo Stan's campaign platform included increased awareness for feral and stray cat issues in Nova Scotia. And while his name may not actually be on the ballot, the Tuxedo Party has raised more than $12,000 for cats and continues to make international headlines. 

Sustainable Wind Energy: 
The Nova Scotia SPCA stands to earn $100,000 - $200,000 in annual revenue for the next 25-30 years thanks to its partnership with RMS Energy to develop sustainable wind energy in the province. 

Prince Edward Island TNR Program:  
More than 8,000 feral, stray and barn cats have been spayed and neutered on Prince Edward Island since 2000. This very successful initiative is a collaborative effort between the Cat Action Team (CAT) and the Atlantic Veterinary College. 

Working On Our Future (WOOF):
WOOF pairs shelter dogs with behavioral issues with offenders to assist both the dogs and the men mutually achieve goals of skill development and socialization. 

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, WOOF and Prince Edward Island TNR Program will receive invitations to showcase their successes at the national level in October. 

2013 Regional Conference Keynote Address on YouTube

Presented across Canada at the 2013 Regional Conferences in April, Dr. Drew Van Niekerk shared his theories regarding the Pet Experience Project as a means to create happy and healthy communities for pets and people is a must-watch for industry professionals, pet owners and the public at large. In his address, Dr. Drew asks industry sectors to come together to identify and then break down the barriers that work against a positive pet experience. 

To join the conversation or to register for Summit 2013 or the 2014 Conferences, visit www.urbananimal.com. 

Regional Conference Surveys SENT

The Urban Animal Program sent out YourSAYtm surveys to Associates in Canada's four regions this morning seeking feedback about their experiences with the 2013 Regional Conferences. 

This year's Conferences were a very positive experience for participants and for those involved on the tour. In planning for the 2014 Conferences, attendees (past, present and future) are being asked to complete the surveys, send comments to PetLynx staff or comment on this InfoStream post. 

Please also visit the new Urban Animal website to find information on all elements of the Urban Animal Program, industry news and conversations and much more. 

VISIT URBAN ANIMAL

Regional Conference workshop videos posted to YouTube

All four Regional Conference workshop videos are now available on YouTube. These videos provide short snippets of the positive pet experience elements and barriers identified by delegates in each region. 

Interestingly, but not surprisingly, some barriers vary across the country while a select few barriers remain consistent: 

• Mixed messaging
• Judgement
• Finances 
• Trust

Watch the videos!

Join the ongoing conversations on the Urban Animal Facebook page or the Urban Animal Program LinkedIn Group and help move the industry forward. 

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. 

Prairie Conference hits YouTube

For anyone who missed the 2013 Urban Animal Regional Conference in Calgary last week, a summary of the afternoon Pet Experience Project workshops is now available online. The workshops were a huge success as delegates identified numerous barriers against a positive pet experience. Among them, lack of knowledge, unrealistic expectations, tunnel vision, lack of collaboration, need for education, cost, sourcing and mixed messaging. 

Workshop II focused on gathering strategies and tactics to improve the positive pet experience and bring down these barriers. The Prairie region identified 'lack of knowledge' as the top barrier against a positive pet experience. 

Atlantic Conference Workshops available on YouTube

Want to know what happened during the Pet Experience Project workshops in Atlantic Canada? Check out this video on YouTube!

Delegates in this region identified a shortage of ethical sources, judgement, lack of access to vet care and lack of openness as the top barriers faced by pet families to a positive pet experience. 

Conversations are already taking place on the Urban Animal Program LinkedIn Group. Join the Conversation! 

Kijiji and OSPCA Collaborate on Educational Video!

The 2013 Regional Conferences helped to identify barriers faced by pet families. Health concerns and behavioral issues can be the result of sourcing animals from an unethical breeder. This situation was identified as a cause of pet surrenders and a major barrier to a positive pet experience by those involved in this Urban Animal conversation.

To educate consumers who are unaware of this barrier, Kijiji and the Ontario SPCA collaborated to produce the 'Buying or Adopting Safely' video. It is an example of community service providers working together to ensure a Positive Pet Experience. Buying from a reputable source, enjoying a smooth transaction and matching the right pet with the right family environment is an important first step. 

Central Region hits YouTube

A short video highlighting the afternoon workshops in the Central Regional Conference 17 April, has been posted to YouTube. Keep watching YouTube for videos from the remaining Conferences, Regional Innovation Showcase summaries and a breakdown of Dr. Drew Van Niekerk's keynote address on the Pet Experience Project.  

PetLynx Corporation on YouTube

Atlantic Conference Regional Innovation Showcase presentations available online

Presentations for the Regional Innovation Showcase from the Urban Animal Conference tour in Atlantic Canada are now available on the PetLynx public wiki. 

These presentations ranged from Tuxedo Stan, a Halifax cat who entered into the municipal mayoral race to fight for feline rights to the Nova Scotia SPCA's partnership with RMS Energy to provide sustainable energy for the province as well as sustainable revenue for the SPCA. 

Canine Therapy, presented by Captain John Landry and Amy MacRae and Prince Edward Island's TNR Program, presented by Alice Crook (Atlantic Veterinary College) and Pat Srebernik (Cat Action Team) were nominated by Conference delegates to be represented at Summit 2013 in October. 

As the Prairie Conference kicks off in Calgary on Monday, 22 April, those unable to attend are once again invited to follow the Regional Innovation Showcase via the Powered by PetLynx Live Twitter Feed @PetUtility #UrbanLYNX. 

VIEW ATLANTIC CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS 

Central Conference Regional Innovation Showcase presentations available online

The 2013 Regional Conference for Central Canada was the most successful to date. The sold-out event drew more than 60 delegates from all over Ontario who heard presentations on innovations taking place across the province, learned the history and vision of the Pet Experience Project and participated in workshops designed to identify and ultimately break down the barriers faced by pet families when considering their Positive Pet Experience.

Those unable to attend were invited to follow the Regional Innovation Showcase presentations via a Powered by PetLynx Live Twitter Feed. Now, InfoStream has learned the presentations are available on the PetLynx public wiki. Members of the Urban Animal industry are invited to view these presentations and gain knowledge from the unique concepts and relationships they portray. 

Observations from Our Urban Experience, presented by Robert Meerburg of Toronto Animal Services and Spay/Neuter by the Numbers presented by Judith Aubin of Ontario SPCA were nominated by Conference delegates to be represented at Summit 2013 in October. 

As the Atlantic Conference kicks off in Halifax today, those unable to attend are once again invited to follow the Regional Innovation Showcases @PetUtility #UrbanLYNX.

VIEW CENTRAL CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS