Seven Finalists for the 2013 Summit Homing Award

Seven finalists vie for the Urban Animal Industry's highest award in Homing:

1. Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society - AARCS (Deanna Thompson) for opening the 'Safe Haven' shelter in Calgary and for continued efforts to intervene in cases of homeless animals.
2. American SPCA - ASPCA (Sandy Monterose) for envisioning and creating the 'MAP' online system that can move animals from places of high supply to places of high demand or shelter capacity.
3. Meow Foundation (Debbie Nelson) for providing leadership and best practices in Calgary and across Alberta for fostering and homing felines. 
4. Rabbit Rescue INC.  (Haviva Porter-Lush) for creating a system of fostering and adoption for rabbits that can be replicated in other communities.
5. Toronto Animal Services - TAS (James McLean) for creating relationships and for resourcing multi-species homing activities on behalf of Toronto Animal Services. 
6. Urban Cat Relief - UCR (Roz Gelade) for activities to foster, home or relocate feral felines especially in development or re-development areas of an urban municipality (Toronto). 
7. Victoria Adoptables (Carol Broad) for creating an online presence and targeted adoption service that assists rescue groups to home stray animals from rural Island locations to Victoria and other urban areas.

The 2013 Summit for Homing recognizes an organization that demonstrates innovation, commitment and success in the homing of animals through adoption, sale, return-to-owner, re-homing and/or fostering programs.

The 2013 Summit for Homing will be presented during the Awards Gala on Friday, 18 October 2013. This event is open to the public.

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Nominations for the 2013 Community Collaboration Summit are Amazing

Six finalists vie for the Urban Animal Industry's highest award in the category of Community Collaboration:

1. Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS) + Pound Rescue for their joint activities to promote spay and neuter.
2. Calgary Greenway + Calgary Parks Foundation + Calgary Humane Society (CHS) for their joint activities to create a pet friendly recreational trails system.
3. Dr. Krista Foreman + Safe for Pets Program for a collaboration that spans Veterinarians, Police Services, Social Workers and other provincial agencies to home pets for those experiencing domestic violence.
4. Michelle Lem + Community Veterinary Outreach for a collaboration that serves the Urban Animals of those who are homeless, marginally homed or at risk for homelessness.
5. Toronto Feral Cat TNR Coalition for activities to bring together 10 disparate groups to open and operate the first known feral cat facility for surgical recovery and education.
6. Nova Scotia Department of Justice + Nova Scotia SPCA
7. (Working on our Future - WOOF) for a ground breaking program that pairs inmates, dogs and correctional officers to deliver benefits for all.

The 2013 Summit for Community Collaboration recognizes programs, codes of conduct or best practices delivered to create a healthier environment for urban animals. 

The 2013 Summit for Community Collaboration will be presented during the Awards Gala on Friday, 18 October 2013. This event is open to the public.

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Alberta's rural animal concerns

According to a recent Fast Forward Weekly article, welfare organizations dedicated to combating the rural stray problems in Alberta are also combating high animal intake and veterinary bills. 

The Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS) faced a shocking revelation when it rescued more than 70 animals in the first two weeks of January. Several of the animals rescued suffered from severe medical issues and required surgeries totaling about $10,000.

Professionals in Alberta's Humane and Wellness sector agree education and spay/neuter programs are the key to solving rural strays. R.J. Bailot, director of Pound Rescue, an animal rescue charity in Okotoks, told Fast Forward most dogs in rural Alberta are the result of uncontrolled breeding between free-roaming animals that aren't spayed or neutered. 

Based on last year's intake of 674 animals, AARCS expects to take in at least 800 in 2013. The organization focuses on wounded country-side animals and is forced to turn some away due to a lack of space and funding. 

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