Animal Homing With Social Media

This creative video is using Social Media to promote the power of television advertising ... but at PetLynx Corporation we felt it does double-duty by promoting adoptions from animal shelters, too!

And, considering that the focus of the 2010 International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies was 'Homing Animals" we couldn't resist sharing this with you!

Too bad every 'Harvey' can't get this kind of promotion ...

so that all homeless companion animals could be HomeSafe!

Find out how you can help a homeless animal this year!

Check out Iams Homes4the Holidays.

2010 Summit Speaker Synopsis Part XI

The International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies Presents: 

Responsible Homing Practices at Retail

Presenters: Kieth Burgess, PIJAC /Pet Paradise

and Robert Brissette, Petland Canada Inc.

As a community based source for pets and pet care information Canadian pet retailers have an integral role in helping to ensure pets find good homes.  Pet stores have come a long way since they first appeared in the 1950’s. 

As the emotional value of pets has sky rocketed in the last decade owners are becoming more conscious and open to the needs of their animals. A respected, easily accessible source for information, retail stores are well positioned to educate owners about the responsibility and work involved in caring for their pets.  This presentation will take a brief look back at the evolution of pet retail and what drives it today.

Keith Burgess and Robert Brissette will explore the challenges faced by both independent and large operations, as well as, share the homing initiatives they use in their business models to illustrate how reputable retailers are working to advance the well-being of pets in their communities.

2010 Summit Speaker Series Part III

The International Summit For Urban Animal Strategies Presents:

Homing Practices in Calgary 
Speaker: Patricia Cameron

The Calgary Humane Society has two homing goals:

1) Ending euthanasias based on time and space constraints, and
2) Finding responsible homes for all adoptable animals in the City of Calgary.

This presentation briefly reviews the development of the Calgary Humane Society’s homing philosophies and approaches, then discusses the important role collaborations play in the success of homing efforts, and then outlines some recent innovations in homing practices that have increased the number of animals adopted. 

2010 Summit Speaker Synopsis Part II

The International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies 

Presents:
Retail Adoption Centres Collaborating with Animal Welfare

Speaker: Kit Jenkins, PetSmart Charities

Instead of selling cats and dogs, PetSmart, Inc. partners with PetSmart Charities and local animal agencies to promote adoption of homeless pets through in-store adoption opportunities and community adoption events.

Adoption Partner agencies represent many philosophies and include private shelters, foster-based networks, breed- and species-specific organizations, and municipal shelters. The program has been in place in the US since 1992, with over 425,000 American adoptions to date.

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.

Summit Presentation Synopsis #2

Learn to be a CATalyst for change
Presenter: Dr. Jane Brunt

Regardless of what segment of the companion animal industry you represent, statistics relating to urban cats and cat ownership can be discouraging.

The Society of Animal Welfare Administrators, for example, reports than an average of 70% of cats presented to U.S. animal shelters are euthanized. For every four cats coming into shelter, only one finds a permanent home.

This, despite the fact that statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association reveal an "owned cat" population of 81.2 million. That's almost 10 million more cats than dogs -- making cats America's number one animal companion. Yet in 2006, 36% of those 81.2 million cats did not visit a veterinarian. Cats are twice as likely as dogs to not be taken to a vet, leaving many of them undiagnosed and untreated for illness, disease, pain and discomfort.

The CATalyst Council is an initiative to champion the cat in light of these troubling statistics -- in effort to change society's image of cats as aloof creatures, not in need of human contact or care. The vision of CATalyst is to raise the level of care and welfare of cats by cat owners, supported by increased adoption rates, the highest quality of veterinary care, preventative medicine and cat-friendly products.

"The Summit for Urban Animal session will provide an overview of the CATalyst initiative, its challenges and achievements, and show the results of collaborative efforts across all channels to reach common goals," explains featured speaker, Dr. Jane Brunt, a feline-exclusive veterinarian and executive director of the CATalyst Council. "By working together, CATalyst intends to make a difference in the way people in the United States and elsewhere see and experience cats."

Future Thought Leader Scholarship Winners Selected

Pet Lynx Corporation is pleased to announce the winners of this year's National Summit on Urban Animal Strategies (NSUAS) Future Thought Leaders Scholarships.

The NSUAS Future Leader Scholarship program, established in 2008, provides $1500 in funding to enable recipients to attend the Summit. It is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership skills in the companion animal industry and a specific interest in urban animal strategies.

"As usual, a number of highly qualified individuals were nominated by their peers," said Larry Evans, President of PetLynx Corporation. "And, as usual, the task of choosing the two winners was a challenge. It is inspiring to read about the good work that so many people are doing in various communities across Canada."

The 2009 scholarship winners are.....

Johanne Tasse
Companion Animal Adoption Centres of Quebec (caacQ)

Johanne Tasse has worked tirelessly for more than a decade, in an effort to reduce the high numbers of healthy and adoptable companion animals euthanized in Quebec each year and to "push for change as a united voice."

In 2008, Johanne was instrumental in establishing a non-profit society -- Companion Animal Adoption Centres of Quebec (caacQ). Since its inception, Johanne and her peers at caacQ have lobbied all levels of government, presented education programs to the general public, aggressively promoted spay/neuter awareness and launched a campaign to encourage the people of Quebec to consider "The Adoption Option" when acquiring a pet.

When nominating Johanne for this award, Louis McCann, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), said; "The situation [relating to companion animals] in Quebec is dreadful. Johanne would welcome the opportunity to network [at the NSUAS] as she often feels that she is alone in this battle, with no other leaders in her province."

"I am honoured to receive the scholarship funding," said Johanne. "I am excited to have the opportunity to meet with leaders in the companion animal industry, to learn from their successes and to be able to take this information to Quebec. This opportunity for networking will help me continue to campaign to change attitudes and legislation relating to management and care of companion animals in Quebec. Change is desperately needed here."

Pierre Filiatreault
Pierre's Alley Cats Society

He may have recently retired after 31 years of service with the Canadian Navy but Pierre Filiatreault continues a life of service... for the feral cats of Halifax.

A champion of "Trap, Neuter, Release" (TNR) programs for cats, Pierre feeds and monitors a colony of about 50 "fixed" cats in the Halifax dockyards. He is proud to report that not a single kitten has been born there in over three years and that all of the cats are well-fed and healthy.

In addition to looking after "his" cats, Pierre gives lectures on the virtues of TNR, supports other groups with funding whenever possible, and has mentored others in how to start their own TNR programs, including one at HRM Halifax.

On behalf of his registered non-profit organization - Pierre's Alley Cats Society -- he is working closely with the City of Halifax in an effort to secure funding for other TNR programs. Pierre also volunteers on the Board of Directors of his local SPCA as well as the Entrepreneurs With Disabilities Network.

Congratulations Johanne and Pierre!