Discussion Forums on UrbanAnimal.com

Urban Animal administrators are pleased to announce the development of a discussion forum space on UrbanAnimal.com. 

A number of valuable industry conversations arose during the 2013 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. For your convenience, these conversations have been added to the discussion forum page where you can share ideas, strategies, insights, progress and roadblocks.

The forums are a unique, transparent space for collaboration and conversation. To access these conversations, click here. 

2013 Delegate Survey Results

Summit 2013 took place in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, from Wednesday, 16 October to Saturday, 19 October 2013. Delegates included thought leaders and stakeholders from Urban Municipalities across North America. 

The vision of the Summits for Urban Animal Strategies is to gather leaders who advance the state of the art and recast dilemmas into opportunities. The mission is to illuminate successful strategies for urban animals and to provide recognition for those who lead. 

The YourSAY™ Delegate Survey fielded November 25 to December 4, 2013. This survey captured respondent opinions related to Summit 2013 in the areas of Delegate Experience, Venue, the Innovation Showcase, the Facts and Evidence Sessions, the Friday Forum, the Summit Awards Gala, Ratings for Speakers, Program Directors, Production Staff, Entertainment and Summit Conversations. Respondents also provided comments for future improvements and enhancements to the Urban Animal Program. 

The YourSAY™ Delegate Survey for Summit 2013 invited seventy-nine attendees to participate. Fifteen respondents (19%) completed the Survey. 

Highlights of this YourSAY™ Survey: 

• Respondents were Satisfied (25%) or Very Satisfied (66%) with Summit 2013 
• Respondents were pleased with the quality of speakers: Satisfied (41%), Very Satisfied (50%); the Length of the Summit: Satisfied (50%), Very Satisfied (41%); and were Likely (16%) or Very Likely (75%)to recommend the Summit to others. 
• Respondents agreed (41%) or strongly agreed (58%) ‘The Pet Experience’ was a relevant theme for Summit 2013 up from 54% for the Summit 2012 theme ‘Animal Sourcing’. 
• A majority of respondents (75%) attending Summit 2013 had also attended Summit 2012. 
• All respondents (100%) agreed the Friday Forum developed important Urban Animal conversations. 
• Nine-tenths of respondents (90%) felt the Summit was inspiring and improved their industry relationships. 
• UrbanAnimal.com (75%) and the InfoStream Blog (67%) were the PetLynx media channels respondents most often used to learn about Summit 2013, while Twitter was used the least (25%). 
• Respondents commented that InfoStream was the most useful media channel for industry updates. 
• Nearly all respondents (86%) indicated Networking opportunities and an ability to contribute Industry Strategies/Tactics were the reasons they attended Summit 2013. 
• All respondents Agreed (38%) or Strongly Agreed (62%) the Innovation Showcase recognized innovation from the Regional Conferences and Agreed (38%) or Strongly Agreed (62%) the Innovation Showcase was an effective way of sharing innovation across the Urban Animal industry.
• Just under half of respondents (42%) attended two conversations: ‘What pet owners expect from their pet experience’; and, ‘Pet experience data collection’ during the Friday Forum. 
• Respondents indicated that ‘Engaging breeders as a fundamental part of the Pet Experience’; and, ‘Pet Experience Data Collection’ were conversations that should become National Initiatives like ‘Year of the Cat’. 
• More than one-quarter of respondents polled (27%) indicated their role in support of a National Initiative would be as an ‘Active Collaborator’. 
• Respondents rated the Pets Plus Us Awards Gala and Dinner at historical highs for Food Selection, Service Staff, Relationship Building and Sponsor Contribution. 
• Nine-tenths of respondents (91%) indicated the 2013 Summit Awards recognized outstanding achievement and all participants (100%) indicated the awards ceremony was conducted in a smooth and efficient manner. 
• The vast majority of respondents (91%) indicated the Summit Directors and Production team made very favorable contributions to Summit 2013. 

Demographics of Respondents to this Survey: 

• Gender: 67% Female, 33% Male 
• Age: 8% - 20-29 years old, 17% - 30-39 years old, 25% - 40-49 years old, 42% - 50-59 years old, 8% - 60 years and older 
• Industry: 27% - Humane & Rescue, 27% - Care & Control, 40% - Health & Wellness, 40% - Retail & Services, 40% - Pet Owner, 33% - Social and Community Services 
• Executive Level: 61% - Director, Shareholder, Owner/Manager, 13% - CLevel Executive, 13% - Senior Management, 13% - Other 

YourSAY™ public opinion polls are owned and Powered by PetLynx™. Copies of the complete survey report are available for a nominal cost. Contact Sheena.Neel@petlynxmail.com if you wish to procure a copy.

PetLand Charities donates $7,500 to Calgary dog park

PetLand Charities of Canada presented the City of Calgary with a cheque for more than $7,500 for the restoration of the Sue Higgins Park which was (and still is) affected by the Calgary Floods. 

In store fundraisers, donations and volunteer clean-ups have contributed to the park's clean up. Parts of the park are still closed and a planned Improvement Project was delayed after the floods last June. 

Sue Higgins Park is a 62-hectare greenspace in Calgary's southeast that offers pathways, hiking trails, a large off-leash area and much more. The mission of the Improvement Project is to enhance the park's natural environment and provide quality and compatible recreational activities by addressing the interests of the key park user groups, including off-leash, regional pathway users and nature enthusiasts. 

This project complies with the City's goals of integrating recreational areas with pet-friendly areas, an initiative presented to Urban Animal subscribers at the Prairie Regional Conference and the Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. 

VIEW THE PRESENTATION

Kitchener-Waterloo Humane awarded second Distinguished Service Provider Summit Award

Ellie Locke, Pets Plus Us (left) and
 Holly Wiseman, KWHS (right)

The Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society was recognized as a leader in 
education when it was presented with its second Urban Animal Summit award for Distinguished Service Provider at the 2013 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies in October. 

The KWHS believes that all animals deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, empathy and compassion and that animals have an intrinsic value in improving the quality of life for individuals, families and communities. Their public education programs have impacted thousands of people across the K-W area to  communicate this ethic and ultimately protect people and pets in the community. 

"We believe that it is through a vibrant education program that we will be able to reduce the reasons why animals are mistreated, neglected and relinquished." - KWHS 

Education programs are multi-faceted, impacting children, youth, adults and seniors annually though: school presentations, Junior Vet Club (for young children), Hands-On Humane Club (for older children), the Pet Sitting Course (for teens), P.D. Day Critter Camps, School field trips to the KWHS and Animaniacs  Summer and March Break day camps. 

Sponsored by CDMV, the Summit Award for Distinguished Service Provider recognizes a service provider in the Urban Animal industry that is distinguished by the level of achievement and impact on the lives of people and pets within a community. Kitchener-Waterloo Humane has been the recipient of this award two years in a row for their education programs. 

For more information about KWHS education programs, visit www.kwhumane.com

About KWHS
The Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society is one of the largest humane societies in Ontario serving one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas. Over 18,000 sq.ft. of space allows them to care for 62 dogs, 165 cats and an assortment of birds, small mammals and reptiles. In emergency situations, the centre can be quickly altered to house up to 400 animals. The KWHS provides humane education, law enforcement and sheltering of animals in the community. 

About the Urban Animal Summit Awards
The Summit Awards are focused on recognizing those within communities and within the companion animal industry who are achieving success. They are presented annually by the Summit Alumni using an academy style system of nominations and election by secret ballot for each category. 
Nominees for the Summit Awards include individuals, agencies, organizations and corporations from all five sectors of the companion animal industry. 

Foundation Dinner celebrates 165 years of service

The 2013 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies presented the first ever Urban Animal Foundation Dinner which introduced delegates to the industry's newest non-profit and recognized the long-term achievements of leaders in the industry.

Western Financial Insurance Company (Petsecure) demonstrated its fidelity to the Urban Animal Program by generously sponsoring the Foundation Dinner. Founding sponsors of the SUAS, Petsecure continues to support its industry partners and allowed delegates to celebrate 165 years of service to animals and the people who love them. 

For 25 years, PIJAC Canada has proven itself a valuable player in the Urban Animal Industry. As an organization committed to strengthening the collaborative ties amongst all five sectors, PIJAC plays a critical role in the Urban Animal Program. 

Celebrating 140 years of service, the Ontario SPCA has been a long-time supporter of the Urban Animal Program. The organization's efforts to reinvent the humane and rescue sector have identified it as a role model, a leader and a partner. The Ontario SPCA featured  as one of 2013's Innovation Showcase models and received the Summit award for Community Compliance. 

PetLynx used this celebration to announce the Urban Animal Foundation which represents a momentous change in the way it will work with the Urban Animal Program to resource industry initiatives. The Foundation is a non-profit vessel to hold collateral and resources for the benefit of the entire industry. The Urban Animal Foundation will resource initiatives (like Care for Cats) arising out of the Summit and Urban Animal Conferences. 

Urban Animal Foundation Guiding Principles 

• Vessel – Creative Commons gathers and holds resources for the benefit of the Urban Animal Program
• Hybrid – Actively promotes/resources not-for-profit elements of PetLynx Corporation and the Urban Animal Program
• Develops consensus – For Urban Animal initiatives
• Models technology – Employ modern technology to ensure transparency for funding, for process and for decisions
• Supports Centre of Excellence – Used to prove up strategies and tactics
• FutureWorks – Gathers Urban Animal evidence (not necessarily driven by market demand)
• Lean/mean machine – Administration and infrastructure provided by PetLynx 

2013 Summit Awards Tour Finishes in Halifax Today

The HarbourStone Sea Grill and Pour House, at the Halifax Marriott Harbourside Hotel, in Halifax, Nova Scotia will be the venue for the fourth and final event to recognize the 2013 Summit Award Winners across North America.  

2013 Summit Award Winners - Halifax

The Summit for Product or Service Innovation (sponsored by Novartis) recognizes an innovative product or service that improves the quality of life for people and pets in homes, in communities or industry sector(s). 

Working On Our Future (WOOF), Nova Scotia Department of Justice and Nova Scotia SPCA, won with 34% of the ballots cast, for developing a program which pairs dogs and offenders for social and behavioral development that achieves mutual benefit.

The 2013 Summit Award for Wellness (sponsored by Petsecure) recognizes the efforts of an organization to improve the overall levels of wellness for urban animals in a particular client base, a specific community or industry sector.

Dr. Peter Foley, Atlantic Veterinary College, won with 29% of the ballots cast, for demonstrating that clinicians and volunteer organizations can collaborate to increase the overall wellness of urban and rural feline populations.

The Summit for Retailer (sponsored by PIJAC Canada) recognizes a retailer of pet products and services who has developed a reputation and frequent connection to pet families that enhances the lives of pets and people in the community(ies) they serve.

Planet Paws Pet Essentials, Rodney Habib, won with 54% of the ballots cast, for raising funds through store initiatives, hosting community events and for being recognized by the Nova Scotia Legislature for his pet related radio show and internet blog.

About the Summit Awards:

The mission of the Urban Animal Program is to illuminate successful strategies for urban animals and to recognize those who lead the Urban Animal Industry. The Summit Awards are the highest honour conferred upon recipients by the Urban Animal Industry and an essential element for delivering on this mission. 

The Summits are presented annually by members of the Urban Animal Program using an academy style system of nominations followed by an election using secret ballots and an electronic process. Winners of the 2013 Summits include individuals, agencies and organizations from all sectors of the urban animal industry. 

The 2013 award program demonstrated the greatest level of engagement by members of the Urban Animal Program to date: 56 nominees in 12 categories; 1,642 eligible voters and just under 700 ballots cast. The Summit Awards were announced at the 2013 Summit Awards Gala on Friday, 18 October 2013, in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.