2011 Cat Initiative featured in Dogs Annual

The most comprehensive canine magazine in Canada, the 2011 Dogs Annual, landed on desks across the nation this week. Inside readers will find a Cats in Canada supplement and one of the best articles on the 2011 Year of the Cat initiative.

Thanks to Apex publishing, Leslie Smith the Writer, Ann McDonagh Publisher and Kelly Caldwell, Editor in Chief for this wonderful article about one of Canada's most successful initiatives.  As the Year of the Cat Meter clearly shows, collaborators across Canada have identified almost 15,000 cats and assisted in the recovery of many more.

In 2012, Care for Cats will continue as a national initiative with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association as the lead partner.   All sectors of the industry will assist to distribute the key messaging and online tools which promote routine health care for cats.

The 'CAT' initiative arose out of the 2009 International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies and demonstrates how a collaborative social movement supported with modern social media can achieve healthier communities for pets and people.  Should you wish to increase the awareness and value of cats in your community using this initiative please contact Judi Cannon, Program Manager, at 705.930.7387 or judi.cannon@petlynxmail.com

Bring the cat initiative to your community

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

Announcing the 2010 National Urban Animal Survey

As many of you know, PetLynx Corporation established the National Urban Animal Survey (NUAS) in 2007 to fill the void we perceived for an evidence-based approach to decision making in the companion animal industry.  In 2010, we are once again moving to change the paradigm for information and intelligence in this industry.

PetLynx is pleased to announce that Socialstruct Advisory Group has been contracted to assist us to develop the next generation of Market Services and Intelligence tools for this industry.  Using the largest pool of subscribers and working with our industry partners we will prepare a National Urban Animal Report each November.