2024
CONFERENCE
AGENDA
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
REGISTRATION OPENS and BREAKFAST
Register at the entrance to the BAYLY BALLROOM. Pick up your name tag and swag!
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8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Bayly Ballroom
SPONSOR BOOTHS OPEN AND SCAVENGER HUNT BEGINS
Visit the sponsor booths located in the Bayly Ballroom, participate in the scavenger hunt and win a prize!
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Bayly Ballroom
OPENING REMARKS FROM ASPO CHAIR, LINDSEY NARRAWAY
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Bayly Ballroom
Day One Keynote Speaker: Angie Arora, MSW, RSW - Arora Wellness, Veterinary Social Worker, Consultant and Coach
THE SILENT CRISIS: HUMAN TRAUMA IN SHELTER MEDICINE
Shelter professionals are trained on how to address trauma in animals however are often unprepared with how to deal with the pervasive nature of human-trauma in the profession, be it that of communities and colleagues. When left unaddressed, unresolved trauma impacts employee wellbeing, team dynamics and the quality of care provided to animals. This session will provide an overview of acute, chronic, complex, secondary, and systemic trauma in shelter medicine. The impacts of such trauma on individuals, teams and shelters will be examined followed by an overview of the principles of trauma-informed practice. Participants will be guided through examples of what a trauma-informed workplace could look like as a tool to foster improved safety and connection.
In this session, you will learn how to identify root causes of human trauma in shelter medicine, critically analyze how impacts of trauma impact shelter medicine professionals and workplaces and how to identify principles of trauma-informed workplaces.
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10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
BREAK - NETWORKING AND SPONSOR BOOTHS
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
(Concurrent Session)
Bayly Ballroom
Peter Freeman - Freeman by Design Corporation
ANIMAL HANDLING TOOLS, TIPS AND SECRETS REVEALED
Animal rescue workers never know what the day will bring; front-line staff constantly face urgent and often challenging cases. So what can you do to be more effective on the job? In this session, attendees will learn the five key pieces of equipment to have on hand to deal with common situations encountered on the job. Topics will include developing worker confidence, knowledge, and safety, as well as having the right tool kit for every situation. Attendees will also receive tips on effective handling and rescue techniques from a field veteran.
See and handle the latest innovations from Freeman, including a specially designed tool for safer handling and transferring trapped feral cats. Other key pieces of equipment that will be on hand to see and touch include Hammock nets, Y-Poles and various other must-have animal handling tools from Tomahawk Live Trap.
From this session, animal handling workers can immediately put to practice take away techniques that could help reduce stress, increase safety and be more efficient.
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
(Concurrent Session)
Harwood Room
Quinn Rausch, PhD - Ontario Veterinary College
USING CANADIAN DATA, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND PROGRAM EVALUATION TO IMPROVE ANIMAL HEALTHCARE INTERVENTIONS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
Access to animal healthcare within communities that are traditionally underserved by veterinary medicine is hindered by many interrelated barriers leading to wide-ranging negative impacts on animal and human health and wellbeing. This session will share results from web data mining, a cross-sectional animal healthcare organization survey, and focus groups involving veterinary and shelter professionals in Canada to discuss regional trends and perspectives on outreach and service provision, community partnership, and program evaluation. This research sets the groundwork for evidence-based solutions to addressing animal health service gaps and strategies to mitigate them most effectively through strong community partnership and community-engaged program evaluation. This session will highlight opportunities for meaningful collaboration and resource prioritization across Canadian animal welfare organizations and veterinary service providers, presenting diverse perspectives on how communities can be involved in program development and evaluation.
In this session, you will learn about how data can help us identify existing resources, tools, gaps, and needs for animal healthcare in underserved communities, the potential for authentic community partnerships in addressing animal welfare in underserved communities and diverse perspectives on the challenges and potential of evaluation of animal healthcare intervention.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
LUNCH AND NETWORKING IN THE BAYLY BALLROOM - SPONSOR BOOTHS OPEN
Remember to complete the scavenger hunt at the booths!
1:00 PM - 2:55 PM
(Concurrent Session)
Bayly Ballroom
Dr. Sherri Cox, DVM - National Wildlife Centre
WILDLIFE CARE COMPASS: ASSESSMENT, TRIAGE, AND HANDLING
This high level talk encompasses reasons why we come across wildlife that are in distress, handling and restraint considerations, triage (including euthanasia decisions), basic stabilization and regulations for working with wildlife in Ontario.
From this session, you will learn how to identify common presentations of wildlife in need, describe how a wild animal will defend itself and discuss triage options for sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife.
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1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
(Concurrent Session)
Harwood Room
Bailey Schroeder - Petcademy
ADDRESSING ADOPTION AND FOSTER BEHAVIOURAL CHALLENGES: PROACTIVE APPROACHES FOR POSITIVE OUTCOMES
Gain insight into the most common behavioural questions from new adopters and foster families, and how to answer these questions effectively. Explore practical strategies to prevent returns by using proactive behaviour support techniques. This session features exclusive data from Petcademy, and is designed for animal rescues and shelters looking to improve post-adoption and foster dynamics, ultimately benefiting pets and their new families.
In this session, you will learn to understand the most common questions from dog and cat adopters and fosters after they bring their pets home, how to proactively set expectations with adopters and fosters about the behaviour they’ll see with their pet after they bring them home and how to implement a post-adoption strategy to efficiently receive and respond to pet parent questions
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1:55 PM - 2:55 PM
(Concurrent Session)
Harwood Room
Sara Munoz - Animal Welfare Services, Ministry of the Solicitor General
Mike Draper - Animal Welfare Services, Ministry of the Solicitor General
UNDERSTANDING STANDARDS OF CARE UNDER THE PROVINCIAL ANIMAL WELFARE SERVICES ACT
Animal Welfare Services (AWS) enforces the PAWS Act, which sets out mandatory standards of care to protect animals from abuse and neglect. Animal welfare inspectors carry out inspections, respond to concerns for animals in distress, conduct investigations, and provide outreach and education on animal care best practices.
In this session you will gain an understanding of basic standards of care for all animals covered under the PAWS Act, as well as standards of care and administrative requirements for animals in unique circumstances, of specific standards of care and their application and an awareness of legislative updates.
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3:00 PM - 3:15 PM
BREAK - NETWORKING AND SPONSOR BOOTHS
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Bayly Ballroom
Toronto Feral Cat Coalition:
Dr. Esther Attard, DVM - Toronto Animal Services
Monica Seto - Ontario Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Lauralee Dorst, RVT - Toronto Humane Society
Moderator: Dr. Hanna Booth, DVM - Toronto Animal Services
PANEL DISCUSSION: TRAP, NEUTER AND RETURN (TNR) IN TORONTO - BUILDING A STRONG COMMUNITY COALITION
Community collaboration and strategic division of roles and responsibilities of each organization involved is key to the success of the Toronto Feral Cat Coalition (TFCC). The panel will include representatives from 4 of the organizations involved in the TFCC and will discuss the resources offered to the public for TNR assistance and how this has evolved over the past decade as well as strategies used to incorporate feral cat spay/neuter into different models of a high-volume spay/neuter clinic. The panel will offer advice to cities/communities who want to start their own TNR coalitions, including municipal regulations and relations with community veterinary practices.
During this panel discussion, you will gain knowledge on starting a coalition approach to decreasing feral cat populations including considerations of municipal legislature and stakeholder engagement, on protocols and practices for running feral spay/neuter programs, including different models of incorporation into HVSN clinics as well as considerations specific to feral anesthesia and surgery. You will also gain an understanding of the resources that are needed for the public to participate and engage in TNR and how to offer these resources in the most efficient manner.
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM
Bayly Ballroom
Quinn Rausch, PhD
A NEW WAVE OF "PANDEMIC PUPPIES": APPLYING WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT PUPPY BEHAVIOURAL DEVELOPMENT TO THE SHELTER ENVIRONMENT
Animal shelter organizations across Canada are seeing a rise in puppies and litters relinquished this year because of a significant increase in dogs being bred to meet demand from the COVID-19 pandemic followed by dropping demand and increased relinquishment. These puppies have a primary socialization period from 3-12 weeks of age during which experiences can significantly shape adult behaviour and suitability to meet caretaker expectations. This interactive session will provide an overview of evidence-based recommendations for puppy socialization and habituation practices and apply them specifically to the shelter environment where exposures and resources might be limited. There are considerable risks to puppies in a traditional shelter environment, particularly during overcrowding, and this session will highlight opportunities to reduce length of stay and risk of future behavioural impairments. This session will also discuss the use of preventative protocols, organizational and community partnership and knowledge mobilization to reduce public support for irresponsible breeding and caretaker practices.
In this session, you will learn how the traditional shelter environment can impact behavioural development of puppies during their first 12 weeks of age, how to apply evidence-based management and socialization practices to puppies and litters in a shelter environment and how to use preventative protocols, organizational and community partnerships and knowledge mobilization to reduce public support for irresponsible breeding and caretaker practices.
4:45 PM - 5:00 PM
DAY ONE WRAP UP and PRIZE DRAW
EVENING SOCIAL (included in your registration fee!): From 7:00 p.m. - to 10:00 p.m., we invite you to join us, starting with dinner and after that, AXE THROWING at BATL in Pickering!
A chartered bus will pick us up at 6:30 p.m. and take us to BATL where we can really have a good time networking, eating and learning to throw an axe! BATL staff will show us the basics on how to throw an axe and they say it's not about strength, athleticism or size; it's as easy as AIM, STEP, RELEASE. Don't miss this awesome, unique experience to remember with your colleagues. Two drink tickets are included.
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MANY THANKS TO HAMILTON, BURLINGTON SPCA FOR SPONSORING THE EVENING MEAL AND TO DOCUPET FOR SPONSORSING THE EVENING SOCIAL!
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Thanks to our Sponsors.
