VIDEO SATURDAY - Design Disruption, Collaboration, Looking Back, SMOOCH, Boundaries

We are pleased to present 10 minutes of viewing curated by InfoStream for your edification:

Design Disruption - GE Additive Engineer Josh Mook Revolutionizes Manufacturing with 3D Printing (2017 October, 3'12")

Collaboration creates excellence - IBM interviews NASA Administrator (CEO) Charles Bolden, (2012 August, 2'28")

Looking Back - Today will look like the "Model T Years at Ford", Haskayne School of Business, (2016 August, 2'06")

SMOOCH - Goodbye Useless Productivity Tools: Hello Digital, GE, (2017 February, 0'31")

Boundaries: Technology Moves Upstream, IBM (2015 November, 2'15")

INNOVATE - Revolutionary New Cat Litter

Cats Incredible, a revolutionary new clumping cat litter, is set to launch at Global Pet Expo in Florida this month.

What makes this litter so different? The Dow Chemical Company’s patent-pending nontoxic technology that prevents ammonia from developing in the litterbox.

It doesn’t simply mask or neutralize the toxic gas; it stops it from forming, according to Andre Argenton, global research and development director for Performance Materials and Chemicals at Dow.

“At Dow, we’re problem solvers,” Argenton told Pet Product News. “Odour control is the No. 1 problem in the cat litter market. We believe we have broken through this problem with a disruptive technology solution for the litter industry that can improve the health of cats and their owners. Cats are important members of many families; our breakthrough technology gives cat owners peace of mind knowing their cat’s litterbox is providing a safe, ammonia-free environment.”

Joey Herrick of Lucy Pet Products has filed a worldwide patent on the innovative package design. The bright, recyclable bag features a side removable cap and ergonomic side and top handles for ease of use, and Ricky, a cat rescued by Herrick, graces each bag. His tail curls around to create one of the handles.

“It’s just a beautiful, extremely functional bag,” Herrick told Pet Product News. “There isn’t another like it out there.”

The litter is available in unscented and lightly scented with lavender, and was accepted by 100% of the felines at Lucy Pet who tried the product.

Four corporations collaborated to make this product a reality – Lucy Pet Products, Central Garden and Pet Co., Horn Co. and The Dow Chemical Company.

They expect Cats Incredible to be a "game changer" that revolutionizes the cat litter category.

READ MORE: A Winning Combination: Sparked by Lucy Pet Products’ Joey Herrick, a pet industry innovator extraordinaire, four corporations collaborate to revolutionize the cat litter category.

The 2015 WestJet Mini Miracles - Collaboration at its Finest

Amazing things can happen when everyone works together!

On December 9, 2015 WestJet asked their clients to help spread Christmas cheer and make 12,000 mini miracles happen in 24hrs. They intended to use the 'good' in the WestJet employee cohort (12,000) to bring 'good' to others. They were overwhelmed by the response from everyone. 

After a heartwarming and humbling day, WestJet beat their 12,000 miracle goal by a wide margin. Watch this amazing day unfold.



There are many other ways that WestJet uses its YouTube channel. Here are more: 

Watch WestJet Christmas flash mob
https://youtu.be/G9EJaDneTkQ

Watch Christmas Miracle: real-time giving
https://youtu.be/zIEIvi2MuEk

Watch Christmas Miracle: Spirit of Giving
https://youtu.be/p-BKX3G0BpQ

InfoStream recommends following WestJet to understand how digital media is expanding their 'ecosystem' and spreading good will through client experiences.

Kennel Clubs Join for “Meet & Compete”

In 2016, New York City will host the 3rd Annual Masters Agility Championship alongside the Meet & Compete event. This event is designed to allow people the opportunity to meet hundreds of different dogs; it is a joint event arranged by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and Westminster Kennel Club. Meet & Compete will be held on February 13th, 2016. The event is sponsored by Purina Pro Plan. The event also focuses on responsible dog ownership.

2016 will be the seventh year the AKC holds Meet the Breeds. AKC Vice President, Gina DiNardo said, “We’re excited to be partnering again with the Westminster Kennel Club to bring the public Meet & Compete. We will have a fantastic variety of breeds at  AKC Meet the Breeds® for attendees to meet and learn about straight from the experts.” Westminster Kennel Club President, Sean W. McCarthy said, “We are combining and expanding two exciting events for Westminster Week 2016, and the dog-loving public is the winner. We have more space for AKC Meet the Breeds® and more access for all to the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster. We are pleased once again to be partnering with the AKC to make it happen.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Collaboration Adds HomeSafe™ Services to AVC Clients

Associate Veterinary Clinics (AVC) have announced the launch of their collaboration with PetLynx Corporation to add the HomeSafeTM online pet records and automatic Return to Owner (RTO) services to their clients across Canada. This collaboration is an element of the AVC Paw It Forward program which enriches the lives of people and pets in each community where they are present.

Review AVC HomeSafeTM Brochure

This AVC / PetLynx collaboration expects to add 300,000 new registrations to the HomeSafeTM program and represents an investment of more than $8 million CDN under the National Identification Initiative for people and pets in Canada.

Associate Veterinary Clinics and PetLynx Corporation Collaborate to Enrich the Lives of People and Pets across Canada

PRESS RELEASE 

June 15, 2015

CALGARY, AB - Associate Veterinary Clinics (AVC) and PetLynx Corporation (PLC) are excited to announce a Canada-wide collaboration to improve the pet experience. AVC has responded to the “Moonshot Challenge” put forth at the 9th Annual Summit for Urban Animal Strategies to identify every pet in Canada. AVC is pleased to offer HomeSafe registrations to clients of their Canadian Hospitals over the next three years, adding an estimated 300,000 pets to the National Identification Initiative (NIDI), and strengthening the HomeSafe automated lost pet recovery network.

“I am excited to have Associate Veterinary Clinics involved with the HomeSafe program”, exclaimed Dr. Drew Van Niekerk, Director, PetLynx Corporation. “The Canadian family of hospitals already does so much for supporting shelters and recovering lost pets in cities across Canada, and this is another innovative boost to community wellness.”

PetLynx is dedicated to enriching the lives of people and pets, hosting the Urban Animal conference series for ten years.  Associate Veterinary Clinics has been an active supporter of the Alliance for Urban Animals from the start.  The hospital group has been serving pets and  communities since 1971, committing to high quality medicine and giving back to the animal industry in countless ways.

“This is an important initiative that we are very excited to join” said AVC Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Darren Johnson. “Our hospitals are committed to improving the pet experience in their local communities, and this is a powerful step forward to assuring the bond between the owner and pet remains intact”.  

Associate Veterinary Clinics has been nominated for an Innovation Showcase Award for their program “Paw it Forward”. This grass-roots campaign was designed to help families whose resources are limited, provide some of the basics for their pet.  “We are confident the net result of these programs is to strengthen the relationships between pets, families and communities” adds Johnson, “while reducing the numbers of homeless pets in shelters and neighborhoods across Canada”.

For more information please contact:

Associate Veterinary Clinics	PetLynx Corporation
Darren Johnson, VP, Strategic Partnerships	Shannon Woodward, Program Manager
403.541.0815	403.208.1972

PetLynx Welcomes CVMA as a 2015 Urban Animal Sponsor

PetLynx Corporation is pleased to welcome the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association as a 2015 Urban Animal sponsor.

CVMA has sponsored Urban Animal programs and events since 2008. Chief Executive Officer, Jost am Rhyn has been a keen supporter of the collaboration and communication facilitated by Urban Animal.

“The Summit for Urban Animal Strategies brings the industry together out of silos where we spend much of our time,” he said. “This event and other Urban Animal™ programs promote the exchange of ideas, the development of consensus and drives us toward collaboration. This is more important now than ever before.”

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) is the national and international voice for Canada’s veterinarians, providing leadership and advocacy for veterinary medicine.

“The members of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association are important stakeholders in the quest for a positive experience for people and pets in urban municipalities across Canada,” said Larry R. Evans, Managing Director of PetLynx Corporation. “Veterinarians are not just the medical practitioners we depend on for the health of our companion and service animals. Vets have far reaching contributions to public health, community relationships and pet owner behaviors.”

To add your support or to become involved in the Alliance for Urban Animals, please contact Shannon Woodward 403.208.1972

Calling America! Urban Animal Leaders are Under-Represented

US Industry Represents Less than 10% of Urban Animal Scholarships

Large numbers of Urban Animal Leaders live within reach of Urban Animal events and are eligible for an Urban Animal Scholarship. Furthermore, the strength of the US dollar currently provides a 20% advantage to attend North American events held in Canadian centres.

The Urban Animal Scholarship Program was initiated in Canada more than 10 years ago. The Alliance for Urban Animals drives state-of-the-art strategies for companion and service animals in urban municipalities across North America. Over the past decade there has been Urban Animal involvement from many successful and provocative Americans who are  now distinguished as award winners, alumni and mentors. Here are some of them:
 

• Dr. Margaret Slater from the ASPCA, worked with the Edmonton Humane Society to confirm that fee-waived cat adoptions are just as successful and valued as those that have a price tag.

• Risa Weinstock, New York City Animal Care & Control, developed their first mobile adoption center. The vehicle brings adoptable dogs and cats to New Yorkers across five boroughs.
• Dr. Stephen Ettinger, co-founder of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, helped establish the Berkeley Veterinary Medical Group and also published the "Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine," the gold standard in veterinary medical texts. Dr. Ettinger was the recipient of the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Susan Thixton, nutrition and truth advocate for pet food, stirred up a discussion about industry responsibilities in communication to pet owners.
• Dr. Jane Brunt of Catalyst Council helped focus the 2009 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies on raising the value of Cats in our communities.
• Dr. Lesley Lyons of UCDavis, illuminated the cat genome and historical cat movements to succeed as a species in urban environments globally.
• Betsy Saul, Founder of Petfinder.com, challenged thinking about ethical and moral dilemmas. 

The Alliance for Urban Animals strives to eliminate walls between industry sectors, promotes collaboration and facilitates conversations that create positive pet experiences in Urban Municipalities. Americans are underrepresented in the Alliance for Urban Animals, and the scholarship programs.  Moreover, it is now technically feasible to provide virtual adjudication events for American Scholarship nominees who cannot attend a scheduled event. The Urban Animal Foundation welcomes participation from America’s emerging leaders, innovators, researchers, digital journalists and summit recognition awards.

Please contact Shannon Woodward, Urban Animal Program Manager to discuss your involvement 403.208.1972

Collaboration promotes preventative healthcare for pets

Earlier this month, WikiVet and Mars Petcare announced a collaboration that aims to improve the quality and research of reference materials freely available online to veterinary students, practicing veterinarians and vet nurses through WikiVet's innovative and expanding veterinary encyclopedia. The collaboration will develop high quality training and reference materials on certain areas of preventative healthcare to increase awareness and complement the growing vet school curriculum in this area. 

"Preventative healthcare for pets is a shared passion for both Mars Petcare and WikiVet. It can greatly improve the quality and length of a pet's life by reducing the risk of developing serious, costly and sometimes, fatal diseases," said Dr. Stephen Harris, Research Manager, Oral Care, WALTHAM® Centre for Pet Nutrition, Mars Petcare. "We are excited to combine our deep expertise in the health and well-being of pets with WikiVet's dynamic site to drive greater awareness of this important subject." 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE 

Maddie's Institute highlights collaboration

Hoping to close the gap between humane and rescue  and health and wellness, Maddie's Institute will explore the common mistrusts and miscommunications between the two sectors and offer solutions to create collaboration. 

On Thursday, 7 August 2014 at 9 p.m. EST, Maddie's Institute communications consultant Christie Keith presents Everybody Wins: Learn How to Change the Way Animal Groups and Veterinarians Work Together. 

READ MORE

In this presentation, attendees will learn: 

• What not to say to a veterinarian if you want their help
• Why your veterinarian is probably already helping homeless and at-risk pets but isn't telling anyone
• How to approach a veterinary practice with a relationship proposal they'll actually consider
• 3 free, simple things you can do to help your group's veterinarian today 
• And more! 

This 20 minute presentation will focus on practical tips that can be implimented immediately, followed by 40 minutes of Q&A, addressing specific concerns and issues that may arise. 

REGISTER FOR THE FREE WEBCAST HERE! 

Hundreds of animals take in Pet Wellness day

Last weekend, the Ontario SPCA and their affiliated society, the Welland & District Humane Society threw its support behind the annual Pet Wellness Day on the Six Nations Reserve. 

Led by Dr. Tammy Hornack DVM, Dr. Shane Bateman DVM and Chair of the Guelph Humane Society, and Programs Supervisor of Six Nations Animal Control, Penny Hill, Animal Wellness day focused on providing health checks and vaccinations for the pets of the Six Nations community. 

"It is an inspirational experience to see so many partners, people and organizations collaborate to improve animal care and wellness," said Ontario SPCA Executive Director, Kate MacDonald. 

A team of volunteers, including over 20 vets and approximately 15 vet techs were on hand to provide services for a small fee. Pet owners lined up early to participate. 

This collaborative effort between the Humane & Rescue and Health & Wellness sectors shares many ties with the Alliance for Urban Animals. Dr. Bateman was awarded a 2012 Emerging Leader Scholarship by industry peers and Dr. Hornak was nominated for a Distinguished Service Provider Summit in 2012 and 2013. 

More information is available at ospcablog.ca.

Collaboration Chips Cats!

Erica Coomber
InfoStream Guest Author

The proof that collaboration is alive and well in our community was proven this past weekend during the First Annual Free Feline Microchip Clinic held in Red Deer, AB. 

Red Deer & District SPCA, Whisker Rescue Society of Alberta and Alberta Animal Services joined forces to offer up a Free Microchip Clinic for cats in our community. 

"The overwhelming public response was simply incredible. The three important animal welfare agencies in our area have proven that working together in our community with pets and people can truly be a great thing," said George Potter, CAO, Alberta Animal Services. 

When the clinic opened at 9:30 a.m., lineups extended out the door. By the end of the day, the clinic microchipped more than 200 cats. 

"We at Whisker Rescue want to extend our deepest gratitude to Alberta Animal Services and the Red Deer & District SPCA for including us in this wonderful and positive event," said Stacy Worobetz, Founding Executive Director, Whisker Rescue. "This was our first time helping at a microchip clinic and we were so happy to see the large turnout an all the thankful and responsible pet owners. We hope to be a part of many more to come."

The clinic was spearheaded by the trio of organizations but support and donations took place behind the scenes as well, said Erica Coomber, Shelter Administrator for Alberta Animal Services. Eidap Inc. provided hundreds of microchips for the event and PetLynx offered up Lifetime Recovery Subscriptions with every procedure. Hill's Science Diet also donated bags of treats to hand out to cat owners. 

"The Red Deer & District SPCA is proud to work in collaboration with Whisker Rescue and Alberta Animal Services to offer this important service to our community," said Tara Hellewell, Executive Director, Red Deer & District SPCA. "There is a great demand placed on all of our organizations to provide costly support and care to so many stray & abandoned cats. Through the support of community sponsors and caring volunteers, we can be sure that more lost cats make it back to their owners." 

Dezerae Jenkins, Alberta Animal Services & Peter, Whisker Rescue
Photo courtesy of Alberta Animal Services

ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society contribute $120,000 to assist local rescue groups

The ASPCA and Best Friends Animal Society are working together on an effort to help save the lives of more shelter animals in the city of Los Angeles through the holiday season. The two organizations plan to subsidize the 'shelter fees' for organizations that take animals from LA city shelters, allowing them to fast track more animals toward adoption. 

This collaboration will greatly assist local rescue groups - who frequently pull animals from Los Angeles city shelters - by subsidizing the rescue groups' associated costs. These shelter fees include vaccinations, micro-chipping and spay/neuter for unaltered shelter pets. 

In turn, these rescue groups will be able to pull more animals from the public shelters and instead use their budget dollars to provide for the animals in their care. The ASPCA is contributing $70,000 and Best Friends Animal Society is contributing $50,000 for a combined total of $120,000 through the end of 2013 to offset the costs to these groups, many of which operate with very limited budgets. 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Ontario SPCA offers Meet Your Match ™

Meet Your Match™, a program adopted from the ASPCA, confer a series of assessments on sheltered cats and dogs prior to adoption. Behavioral attributes such as friendliness, playfulness, energy level, motivation and drive are all assessed and dogs are then placed into one of nine colour-coded 'Canine or Puppy-alities. 

Meet Your Match™ is the only method in existence today that evaluates an animal's behavior and interests and matches them into an adopter's preferences so that pets and pet families click. 

The Ontario SPCA announced recently it is developing a social media presence behind the Meet Your Match™ program. A new app on the organization's Facebook page allows users to fill out a survey about their pet, provides links to the Canine-ality™, Puppy-ality™ and Feline-ality™ sections of the Meet Your Match™ website and displays the Meet Your Match™ YouTube video starring Animal Planet's Dave Salmoni.  

ONTARIO SPCA MEET YOUR MATCH™

ASPCA MEET YOUR MATCH™

Equine healing powers

The healing power of dogs has been established through countless programs to deal with stress, physical and mental disability and grief. But equine-assisted psychotherapy is becoming a popular tool to help people deal with conditions ranging from autism to addiction, eating disorders and depression. 

There are now more than 600 equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning programs worldwide, including more than 20 in Canada. Veterans Affairs Canada is providing funding for soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to attend Can Praxis' equine-assisted learning program, an Alberta based collaboration. The Can Praxis program is delivered at no cost to participants. In 2013, they have conducted five pilot workshops involving 23 veterans and 20 spouses.  

CAN PRAXIS ON FACEBOOK

The program uses horses and the staff's extensive expertise in communication skills, conflict resolution and team-building to promote personal renewal and improved quality of life. 

Further Reading on Can Praxis: 

• Horses as Healers for Veterans, Canadian Medical Association Journal
• Horses helping soldiers heal through Can Praxis, Canadian Military Family Magazine

ASPCA Partnership extends to Albuquerque N.M.

An ASPCA initiative is underway to save the lives of more at-risk homeless pets in Albuquerque N.M.

This collaborative effort, called the ASPCA Partnership, includes several organizations and will involve annual planning meetings to determine and monitor goals, strategies and needs; a grant allocation process; and access to ASPCA resources, expertise and guidance as well as strategic planning support, statistical analysis, training and participation in ground-breaking research projects. 

 In 2012, approximately 28,700 homeless animals entered the Albuquerque partner agencies. Aside form overcrowding the shelters, some of the other challenges facing Albuquerque are the need for more lost animals to be reunited with their owners, an increase in targeted spay/neuter, and more pet adoptions. 

Since the ASPCA began its Partnership program in 2007, more than 1 million animals have been adopted, returned to owners or spay/neutered as a result of the exceptional collaboration among partner agencies in each community. For more information and a list of all ASPCA Partnership Communities, CLICK HERE. 

READ THE ALBUQUERQUE NEWS RELEASE

Collaboration Elevates Importance of preventing animal cruelty

The ASPCA and New York Police Department are partnering to offer enhanced protection to the city's animals by leveraging the strengths and expertise of both organizations. 

Under the agreement, which was announced last week, the NYPD will take the lead role in responding to all animal cruelty complaints in the five boroughs, while the ASPCA will expand its direct care and forensics work to assist law enforcement officials by providing critical support for animal cruelty victims.

The collaborative effort will officially launch September 1, beginning with a pilot in the Bronx, and will expand city-wide in early 2014. 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Dr. Drew Van Niekerk on Alberta@Noon

CBC Radio One guest host Frank Rackow will talk with Dr. Drew Van Niekerk during Alberta@Noon today to discuss collaboration in the urban animal industry. 

Visiting the topics of lost pets, rescue organizations and sourcing new pets, Van Niekerk will share his thoughts on industry efforts to place animals in long-term healthy homes in long-term healthy communities. 

"Collaboration amongst animal organizations in a community is paramount to the creation of a successful Urban Animal environment. In addition, and perhaps equally important, is the need for communication and collaboration at the community and municipal levels to create a symbiotic interaction between urban animals and people," said Van Niekerk.

"A community can survive without animals (wild or domestic), but I cannot imagine how diminished by quality of life would be in this scenario and I believe I am not alone. Their value far exceeds the problematic issues we must reconcile. Moreover, we as a community need to find strategies to enhance the positive pet and urban animal experience, and prevent urban animals from clashing with the public interests and rights."  

Tune in at 99.1 FM in Calgary, 93.9 FM in Edmonton or on CBC.CA at 12 p.m. to catch this important industry conversation. 

Regional Collaboration aims to find homes for shelter dogs

Alberta Animal Services is partnering with the NWT SPCA in Yellowknife to help find homes for dogs. 

Earlier this month, six dogs were transported from Yellowknife to Red Deer, AB. All dogs will be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped by Alberta Animal Services before prior to being placed in the AAS Adoption Centre located in Red Deer Petland. 

The partnership between Alberta Animal Services and Red Deer Petland to adopt out rescue animals was introduced at the 2013 Regional Conference Innovation Showcase in Calgary and nominated by associates to present during the Summit 2013 Showcase Series in October. 

This three-way collaboration would be an excellent candidate for a 2013 Urban Animal Summit for Community Collaboration which recognizes outstanding achievement in the delivery of content programs, codes of conduct, best practices or a legislative framework delivered in a community or across the urban animal industry to create a healthier environment for pets and people. 

For more information about the NWT dogs or any animals up for adoption at Alberta Animal Services please visit the Adoption Centre located at 5250 22nd St. Red Deer or call AAS at 1-866-340-2388. 

SUMMIT 2013 NOMINATION FORM

REGISTER FOR SUMMIT 2013

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.