Nadine Gourkow - Improving the Quality of Life for Cats

Nadine is a researcher, educator and activist on behalf of companion animals. For the last twelve years, Nadine has developed and implemented science-based animal management practices to help shelter staff ensure good animal welfare, quality adoptions and to reduce disease and euthanasia.


Nadine is the Animal Welfare Manager of a large Humane Organisation in Canada and has been providing consultations internationally to other organisations. She holds a Masters in Animal Welfare Science and is currently working on her PhD. Her current research examines the interrelationship between emotions, immune competence and Upper Respiratory Infections. Knowledge uncovered will be developed into science-based shelter practices to further increase emotional well-being in cats and reduce Upper Respiratory Infection.

Nadine has won an international award for her video “The Emotional Life of Cats.” This video is the first educational video for shelter staff to help them recognize the behaviours associated with anxiety, fear, frustration and depression. Together with her CatSense program, this education material helps shelter staff ensure good mental health, low disease rates and quality adoptions for their cats. To help cats more directly, Nadine has developed the Hide Perch & Go Box™. This simple welfare tool now makes the shelter stay more tolerable for thousands of cats in animal shelters in Europe, North America and Australia.


Nadine’s work has been featured by the Humane Society of the United States, The Latham Foundation, the International Society of Anthrozoology, The Sir James Dunn Welfare Centre, The Ontario SPCA and the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies.

Dr. Jane Brunt leads CATalyst - A collaborative coalition that's all about the cat

Dr. Jane Brunt is passionate about cats and has practiced feline-exclusive medicine in Maryland for over twenty years. She will lead a session of the National Summit for Urban Animal Strategies to understand the CATalyst initiative in the United States.

Dr. Brunt founded the Cat Hospital At Towson in Baltimore, the first feline-exclusive veterinary hospital in the state. She opened a second practice, Cat Hospital Eastern Shore in June of 2001. Both hospitals are accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, and their purpose statement is “Caring for Cats, and the People Who Love Them".
She represented AAFP in the AVMA House of Delegates for eight years, and served as AAFP president in 2006. She served as president of the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) and has also participated in American Animal Hospital Association leadership activities.
She is currently participates in two feline initiatives, the KNOW Heartworms campaign to educate veterinarians and the public about heartworms in cats and HARD-Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease, and she serves as the executive director of the CATalyst Council which partners the veterinary profession, shelter, rescue and welfare organizations, animal health industry, the media and others to improve the current status of cats in North America.

Her goal is to empower and grow others to establish and enrich the special bond that exists between people and cats.

She shares her home with her two hilarious cats, Freddy and Paddy, and her loyal- though less smart than the cats- Standard Poodle, Charley.

Dr. Leslie Lyons brings the Genomics of Cats to the National Summit for Urban Animal Strategies

Dr. Leslie Lyons is well known for her work in genomics and her passion for cats. Her recent work has included the analysis of the origin of cat breeds and the sites of cat domestication. This body of knowledge was recently featured by the National Geographic program, 'The Science of Cats'.

National Geographic - The Science of Cats I

National Geographic - The Science of Cats II

Leslie Lyons was born and raised in southwestern Pennsylvania, one hour south of Pittsburgh, in Uniontown. Dr. Lyons received her graduate degrees from The University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Human Genetics. Both her Masters and Doctorate degrees are in human genetics, specializing in both laboratory and data analysis of human disease gene mapping.

In 1992, Dr. Lyons joined the National Cancer Institute, Laboratory of Genomic Diversity for her post-doctoral career in comparative genetics. While at the NCI, she helped organized the Feline Genome Project. Dr. Lyons developed a feline genetic mapping pedigree using natural mating and assisted reproductive techniques between domestic and Asian Leopard cats. These hybrid cats are known as Bengals by cat breeders. Dr. Lyons was promoted to Research Fellow at the NCI and expanded her interests by initiating population genetic and disease gene mapping projects for the domestic cat.

In the fall of 1999, Dr. Lyons joined the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Population Health and Reproduction, to further pursue disease gene mapping and genetic map construction in companion animals, including the cats, dogs, horses and primates. The laboratory’s major focus is the genetics of the domestic cat, including disease, inherited traits, and population diversity.

Dr. Lyons’ research laboratory has had recent success with the identification of the gene causing Persian cat polycystic kidney disease, which is the most prevalent inherited disease in cats. The laboratory has also identified the mutations for Siamese, Burmese, albino, chocolate and cinnamon coat colors as well as the mutation causing cat blood group B. Each of these mutations can now be used as a genetic test in cats.

The Lyons’ laboratory has also led an international collaboration to develop a worldwide genetic panel for parentage and identification profiling in cats, which is even being used in forensic applications.

Dr. Diane Frank moderates Urban Cats Summit

Dr. Diane Frank, well known behaviorist, practitioner, educator and advocate has accepted the role of moderator for the 2009 National Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. Dr. Frank is currently serving as the 2008/2009 President of the Canadian Veterninary Medical Association.

Dr Frank received her DVM from the University of Montreal, Faculty of Veterinary medicine in 1983. She worked in companion animal practice for 13 years before completing a residency (1996-1998) in Animal Behavior at Cornell University. She became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (DACVB) in 1999. Dr Frank was a lecturer in behaviour at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania from 1991-2001, an assistant professor (animal behaviour and animal welfare) from June 2001- May 2006 and is now an associate professor at the University of Montreal, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

Dr. Frank brings to this role her passion for cats and her vision of a healthy community for pets and people.

Urban Cats - Our biggest opportunity

The 2009 National Summit for Urban Animal Strategies
is set for 14-16 October.

The 2009 event directs Canada's thought leaders to consider the largest opportunity we have to bring change to our communities for companion animals.

How did we come to have cats in our society?
What are the prospects for cats in the modern urban community?
What has prevented cats from achieving the same status and services as dogs in our communities?
What does the science of cats tell us?
What makes for a feline friendly community?
What new urban animal strategies could we bring to our communities for the benefit of cats and the families where they live?

The 2008 Urban Animal Survey showed there are more than 8.5 million cats living in Canada with an average life expectancy of 5.7 years. The 2009 Urban Animal Survey will add definition and granularity to our understanding of cats in our communities.

You can be involved in the pre-survey environmental scan by adding your input at this link

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=g4d08CA2aQmKx8dcA5ONTw_3d_3d

About the Animal Summits Blog

This blog is intended to keep you informed about the Summits for Urban Animal Strategies. These summits are a strategic initiative of PetLynx Corporation and involve several hundred thought leaders across Canada. The highlights and history of these summits follows:

2003 - PetLynx initiates the first annual summit for executive thought leaders of the companion animal industry in Canada.

2004 - Industry leaders convene in Calgary for the second annual summit and look at the prototype automated recovery system which is trialling in Calgary.

2005 - Planning for a new industry wide format takes place as it becomes clear that the focus of the summits needs to be more inclusive. Executives from all four sectors of the industry are invited to be present at the table as well as to form an alumni which will be associated with thought leadership for the industry and advancing Urban Animal Strategies.

2006 - PetLynx launches the Banff Summit for Urban Animal Strategies with the Banff Centre and strategic allies of the companion animal industry that include Canadian Federation of Humane Societies representing the Animal Welfare sector, CDMV a national provider of logistics, IAMS a multi-national nutrition company, SecuriCan General Insurance a national financial services company and PIJAC Canada representing the Animal Services sector.

2006 - PetLynx launches the annual Summit awards and summit awards gala to recognize those who achieve the recognition of their peers for activities in urban centres or nationally in the companion animal business in Canada.

2007 - PetLynx adds an agreement with Ipsos Canada to initiate a series of National Urban Animal Surveys that will be conducted and delivered to the Summit delegates and alumni annually.

2007 - PetLynx adds regional summits in Atlantic region, Central region, Prairie region and Pacific region, to add 'associate' level delegates across Canada and expand the thought leadership program for executives that aren't able to attend the National Summit.

2007 - Banff Summit hosts organizational meeting of the Canadian Association of Animal Service Professionals with the express interest of providing educational standards and professional services to this large and growing group of individuals across Canada.

2007 - PetSmart charities joins as national sponsor and supports the awards for Animal Welfare.

2008 - Canadian Veterinary Medical Association [CVMA/ACMV] joins as national sponsor and broadens representation to include the Animal Health & Wellness sector of the industry.

2008 - Canadian Kennel Club attends National summit and brings the perspective of Canadian dog breeders to the discussion.

2008 - PetLynx hosts first pre-Summit President's Forum to consider an industry wide approach to record keeping and identification. Industry brings PetLynx a proposal to accelerate the adoption of the PetLynx utility by all vendors and stakeholders using a powered by PetLynx approach.

The themes proposed for the next summits are:
2009 - Urban Cats - Our biggest opportunity
2010 - Animal health and wellness in an Urban setting
2011 - Successful, sustainable and responsible animal homing