“Just Pets” or “Members of the Family”?

North American Urban Animal Survey Highlight

The 2009 North American Urban Animal Survey (NAUAS), presented at the 2009 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies, revealed that dog owners fit into four main categories:

· Engaged Dog Lovers (30%)

· Dog Pleasers (21%)

· Canine Traditionalists (22%)

· Canine Pragmatists (27%)

Why is this important to know and understand?

Recognizing that not all dog owners share the same level of affinity for their canine companions is vital for the animal welfare and animal services industries. It should influence how (and why) we market various goods and services to the general population.

While we would all like to believe that all dog owners view their pets as valued members of the family, this research validates that this is not the case. Canine Pragmatists, for example, have only a moderate emotional connection with their dogs and Canine Traditionalists are less bonded with their dogs, when compared to Dog Pleasers and Engaged Dog Owners.

In addition to providing a thorough analysis of how each of these four dog-owner segments and three cat-owner segments viewed their pets’ status in the family unit, the 2009 NAUAS also delved into various aspects of pet ownership, such as their roles and responsibilities as animal care providers, their understanding of spaying and neutering, the level of training they have provided for their pets and much more.

This timely and targeted research could prove to be an invaluable tool to help you with your marketing efforts!

Find out how to subscribe to the North American Urban Animal Survey.

Learn more about the National and Regional Summits For Urban Animal Strategies.

Regional Summit Dates Announced

The 2010 Regional Summits for Urban Animal Strategies are being held:

• April 19th Vancouver
• April 20th Edmonton
• April 22nd Halifax
• April 23rd Toronto

The Regional Summits gather industry leaders (unit and branch managers) from the four primary stakeholder groups of the pet industry: animal welfare, animal control & legislative enforcement, animal health & wellness and animal services. These one day events deliver content from the previous National Alumni Summit, promote industry collaboration in each region, provide Continuing Education for industry management and expand the number of collaborators working toward common goals and urban animal strategies in the companion animal industry.

Please register online at www.tsuas.com.
We regret that it is necessary to limit registrations to the first 60 delegates this year.

For more information contact:
Judi Cannon
The Summits for Urban Animal Strategies
Direct: 705.930.7387

Office: 403.219.1088

2009 Summit ReCap #2: Cats Our Biggest Opportunity

Highlights from the Panel Discussion at the 2009 Summit

The panel discussion on the last day of the National Alumni Summit For Urban Animal Strategies always provides opportunity for lively discussion and information sharing. In effort to remind alumni of the importance of this dialogue, and to keep these issues top of mind, here are a few powerful quotes excerpted from the session:

On the issue of managing TNR Colonies:

“[With many feral cat colonies] people don’t realize that there is a community caregiver. Occasionally the cats are trapped and taken to Animal Services… and we go and pick them up. [Upon their return to the colony] we distribute pamphlets in the neighbourhood, to let people know these community cats are being cared for, with tips on keeping the cats out of their yards if they don’t want them there.”

Debbie Nelson ~ MEOW Foundation, Calgary

“Sterilization may be the key [to controlling the number of unwanted cats and kittens] but in our minds, the biggest issue for feral cats is finding someone to be the caretaker of that colony. If we just spay and neuter cats and then turn them back out on the street, there could be health issues immediately after surgery. There is also a concern with neighbourhood acceptance. Some people don’t necessarily care whether the cat will reproduce or not… they still consider them to be a nuisance.”
Tim Dack ~ (Retired) City of Winnipeg Animal Services

On the issue of feral cats, as an ‘invasive’ species:

“In one of the presentations, cats were referred to as ‘second only to rats’ in terms of being an invasive species. Since cats are not [technically] native to Canada, there are concerns about predation on migratory birds and the fact that they may be a food source for coyotes, etc. Have any communities looked into this?”
Patricia Cameron ~ Calgary Humane Society

“In Calgary we studied coyote scat and discovered that [judging from the fecal analysis] inner city coyotes had minor predation of cats. More often, they ate bird seed and garbage. Coyotes are inherently lazy and would rather eat garbage than chase cats. Foxes, on the other hand, are a concern since they can follow a cat over a fence. TNR cats are well aware of predators. The real victims here are the household cats that are put outside every night… and they think every animal is their friend!”
Bill Bruce ~ City of Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services

2009 Summit ReCap: Cats Our Biggest Opportunity

Highlights from the Panel Discussion at the 2009 Summit

The panel discussion on the last day of the National Alumni Summit For Urban Animal Strategies always provides opportunity for lively discussion and information sharing. In effort to remind alumni of the importance of this dialogue -- and to keep these topics top of mind -- here are a few powerful quotes excerpted from the session:

On the issue of cat licensing:

"It is an urban myth that cats can't wear collars and tags. This often comes up in community discussions about municipal cat licensing. It shouldn't be a factor [in whether or not a licensing program should be mandated]. In Calgary, [for example], if a cat is tattooed or micro-chipped they don't have wear the cat license... but they do have to be licensed.
"

Bill Bruce ~ City of Calgary

On the issue of restricting the number of cats/dogs per household:

“The reason we don’t do this [in Calgary] is that if you are a responsible pet owner [how many pets you have] is none of the government’s business. Some municipalities do this because they think it will alleviate hoarding. This does not work.”
Bill Bruce ~ City of Calgary Animal and Bylaw Services


“We also grappled with this. Our response was that to impose a limit [on the number of owned animals] shows that we don’t believe that our responsible pet ownership programs work. Instead, we emphasize that if someone is responsible, they could have 15 pets and no one would know it! What has to be factored into this equation is that hoarding is a psychological issue, not a compliance issue.”

James Wilke ~ City of Saskatoon Animal Services

For more information on Cats: Our Biggest Opportunity, NASUAS alumni are encouraged to log onto the 'Members only' section of tsuas.com.

Merry Christmas Summit Alumni!

On behalf of the team at the Summit For Urban Animal Strategies,

I extend heartfelt holiday wishes to each and every one of you!

It has been a pleasure working with you this past year.

We look forward to continued collaboration in 2010 and beyond.

Larry R. Evans

Chair, Summit Organizing Committee

Why Are There Two Types of Summits?

In effort to meet the needs of various stakeholders in the companion animal industry, there are two types of Summits for Urban Animal Strategies held each year. Although the topic for both Summits is the same, the attendance criteria are different.

Regional Associate Summits for Urban Animal Strategies (RASUAS):

· Attendance is open to individuals working in animal control/legislation, animal health/wellness, animal welfare and animal services. An invitation from an industry peer is not required. Once a delegate has attended, they have the status of Summit Associate.

· To accommodate participation of a variety of attendees each year, the location of Regional Summits changes annually.

National Alumni Summit for Urban Animal Strategies (NASUAS):

· Attendance is restricted to executive-level industry thought leaders in the companion animal industry. All potential delegates must be nominated by a current Alumnus and be approved by the Summit Nominating Committee.

· The 2010 NASUAS will be held at Lake Louise, Alberta. The 2011 Summit is tentatively scheduled to be held in Central Canada.

For more information contact:

Judi Canon, NASUAS Program Manager

(P) 705.930.7387 (E) event@tsuas.com

2010 Summit Series Topic

The 2010 Summits for Urban Animal Strategies turns the focus on homing animals in our communities. The Alumni will be discussing urban animal strategies that require urgent consideration by those involved with homing animals in our communities. The CBC documentary that aired in early March 2009, the focus on supply chains to both livestock resellers and adoption agencies and the input from the 2009 Forum on Homing, which preceded the 2009 Summit, all point to the need for a collaborative solution in our communities.

• How many animals are entering our communities each year?
• Who are the primary and secondary suppliers of these animals?
• What proportion of animals reaching these homes come from "inside" and "outside" the system?
• Is adoption a better strategy than selling or does that even matter?
• Can rescue/adoption agencies and resellers work toward common goals?
• Can we agree on National Codes of Conduct?
• How will online resellers be incorporated into successful, sustainable homing strategies?
  

Check back with www.tsuas.com for dates and locations announcements for the both the Regional Summits and the Alumni Summit.

To register, CLICK HERE.

2009 Summit Photos On-Line

The scenery at Lake Louise, Alberta, and the spectacular Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Hotel provided some spectacular photo opportunities for our Summit photographers... But we did manage to draw them away from the breathtaking vistas to shoot some photos of Summit attendees and events, too!

For '09 Summit delegates, view the photos and enjoy a walk down memory lane....
For alumni and industry thought leaders not able to make it to this year's event, take a peak to see what you missed!

Why Become a Summit Alumnus?

Because the National Alumni Summit for Urban Animal Strategies (NASUAS) gives you the tools you need to bring practical solutions to your organization and inspire industry stakeholders to work collaboratively to create a healthier community for pets and people.

The NASUAS attracts some of the brightest minds in the North American companion animal industry. Your attendance allows you to participate in executive level discussions, hear world-class speakers and network with others who face similar challenges.

By being part of the alumni group, you become part of the solution. This results in significant benefits for you, as an individual, for your organization and for your community.

What does this mean for you?

As an Alumnus, you have access to a proprietary ‘Alumni Only’ section of the tsuas.com website that provides a wealth of information, including:

Directory: Published to encourage and facilitate continued dialogue and is for exclusive use of alumni in good standing. Includes the names and contact information for more than 160 thought leaders from all four sectors of the companion animal industry.

Resources: Designed to facilitate information sharing and the implementation of ideas and concepts discussed at the NASUAS. This information is updated and added to on a regular basis, so be sure to check it out every few weeks to learn what’s new!

Discounts: Special consideration is given to the Alumni group, for such things as event registration and subscriptions to the annual survey.

To maintain your Alumni status, it is essential that you attend at least one NASUAS every two years. If you cannot attend, then you must apply for special consideration to maintain your status or have another alumni nominate you as a delegate.

For more information contact:

Judi Canon, NASUAS Program Manager

(P) 705.930.7387 (E) event@tsuas.com

2009 Summit Delegate Survey Results

The results from the 2009 Delegate Survey are in. The 2009 Delegates had the following to say regarding the venue and timing of the Summit:

• 62% of delegates agreed with alternating the Venue from East to West
  


• 71% of delegates agreed with keeping the mid-October date


• The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise received an overwhelming approval rating of 98%

Some of the comments we received about the Summit venue were:

"...some signage such as many hotels would have helped since the hotel is a tad of a maze..."

"First time staying at the Chateau and I was very happy with it!"

"More time to experience the setting would be wonderful, it's a shame to waste the view."

"Beautiful location and staff at the Fairmont are top notch."

"I love it being at the Lake Louise venue, but that it would be selfish to expect Easterners to make the big trek every year just for my convenience :) !"

Based on the above results, we are pleased to announce that the 2010 Summit for Urban Animal Strategies will take place at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise from Wednesday, 13 October to Friday, 15 October.

We are planning on having the 2011 Summit at an Eastern location. Watch the Summits for Urban Animal Strategies blog for updates on this event.

Thank you for your feedback.