The old way of animal services is transforming as we speak but change comes with challenges and success. Hear from innovative shelter directors why they want to change the way they run their shelters, how their perceptions have changed, and so much more. Join us for an engaging conversation between HASS pilot shelter directors, Mike Wheeler of Cabot Animal Support Services in Arkansas, Shelly Simmons of Greenville County Animal Care in South Carolina, Ann Dunn from Oakland Animal Services in California, and Jorge Ortega from Guilford County Animal Shelter in North Carolina, led by Gina Knepp, HASS Executive Committee member and National Shelter Engagement Director at Michelson Found Animals. Learn what these industry leaders think the biggest challenges will be in the future, and what they think animal services will look like with HASS elements being successfully implemented in more and more shelters across the globe. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from these amazing leaders and organizations.
Blog
-
Online Course – Starts 1/16/22- Fundamentals of Animal Behavior and Learning – IAABC (fee applies)
This course will help you:
- Think scientifically about animal training and behavior consulting for all species.
- Understand and break training into component principles.
- Understand environmental events that maintain behavior.
- Increase your ability to be humane and effective.
- Understand how labels such as “aggressive” or “submissive” cloud our thinking and our work.
- Consider what we are describing when we say an animal is “confident,” “creative,” “a problem solver,” and how we should approach those learners.
- See the common principles at play in different animals & species.
- Become a more effective and humane trainer by cutting through the jargon and directly assessing behavior.
Duration: 4 weeks
Instructor: JoAnna Platzer, B.Sc. & Dr. Erica Feuerbacher
Course Activities, Objectives, & Assessment
Online Lectures: Each week there will be several short videos (10-20 minutes each; typically 60-90 minutes total per week) that will discuss the topics for that week.
Online Readings with Reading Guides: Each week you will have a scientific reading with a guide to help you navigate the reading. The paper will exemplify the principles being discussed that week.
Online Assignments: During Weeks 1-3, you will have 1-2 short online assignments each week. Some of these will entail you giving an example and then giving feedback on examples provided by a few of your fellow students.
Online posts: During Weeks 2-4 you will post two questions, comments or reflections relevant to the material from the previous week to the discussion forum. You will also respond to at least two of your fellow students’ posts from that week (= a total of four posts per week). Your questions and responses will be graded based on their thoughtfulness and completeness.
Final Project: During Week 4, you will complete a final project/paper in which you will synthesize the topics covered to cohesively analyze and scientifically critique publicly available training videos and handouts.
WEBSITE LINK: https://iaabcfoundation.org/courses/fundamentals-of-animal-behavior-and-learning/
-
Online Event – 9/14/21 – Maddie’s® Candid Conversation with Akisha Townsend Eaton – Maddie’s Fund
Join us for an open, informal 30-minute conversation and Q+A with Akisha Townsend Eaton, Attorney.
A former legislative attorney for Best Friends Animal Society and for the Humane Society of the United States, Akisha’s current work involves supporting groundbreaking advancements for animals through the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s litigation, legislative and criminal justice initiatives as well as for members of the public seeking legal assistance for animal-related matters.In this discussion with Maddie’s Fund Executive Leadership Team member Mary Ippoliti-Smith, Akisha shares her story from multiple angles. She speaks of how the work of animal lifesaving and animal protection policy are interwoven and how ultimately all social policy can work together – especially in removing barriers created by systemic bias.
You may even hear from her newly adopted rabbit, Tiger!
Afterwards, continue the conversation with Akisha on Maddie’s Pet Forum: https://bit.ly/candidconvoakishatownsendeaton
WEBSITE LINK: https://maddiesfund-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAodO2srTsuHte1OkLNZyoMKtzxvUjNEzO7
-
Online Conference – 11/13/21 to 11/14/21 – MCVMA 2021 Annual Conference – MCVMA (fee applies)
Come join us as we will be hosting the first ever MCVMA Annual Conference. This year the conference theme is RISE: Resource | Inclusion | Support | Elevate. This conference will host an all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) speaker line-up, hours of CE ranging from DEI, wellbeing, to community medicine, and a number of exciting events and workshops.
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.mcvma.org/riseconference2021
-
Webinar – 9/16/21 – Hypothermia—What’s the Hype? – Think Anesthesia
Register now for our next live Think Anesthesia® event: Hypothermia—What’s the Hype?. Presented by Heidi Reuss-Lamky, LVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), (Surgery), Fear Free Elite Certified Professional on Thursday, Sept. 16th at 10am PDT | 12pm CDT | 1 pm EDT. Trouble with thermoregulation in patients under anesthesia? Learn the cold, hard facts of hypothermia as well as warmly embraced prevented measures that can easily be implemented into your routine patient management.
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.thinkanesthesia.education/live-webinar/2021/08/hypothermia-whats-the-hype
-
Webinar – 10/6/21 – Who Controls the Training Session – You or the Animal? Presented by Dr. Karolina Westlund – PPG (fee applies)
CEUs: PPAB 1, CCPDT (pending), IAABC (pending), KPA (pending)
Many animal trainers, veterinarians and pet owners highlight the importance of controlling animals. Controlling them, as in restricting the animals’ movement, their choices and their opportunities to control their environment through their behavior.
Sometimes you have to, for safety reasons. But often you don’t – and more often than you might think. Actually, the trend in modern animal training is to deliberately and strategically shift control from the handler to the animal, while still staying safe. Giving control to animals enables us to better understand their quirks and preferences, not to mention reducing fear and improving welfare. In this session, the presenter will walk through a formal training session and discuss all the possible ways of handing control to the animal during training. For instance:
- Does the animal have control when, where and with whom a training session starts?
- When ending it?
- When individual trials within a session start (so called start buttons).
- Which behavior to work on?
- Can he say, “No, actually, I changed my mind?”
- Can he choose his reinforcer?
These questions and more will be discussed. Some might say it’s preposterous to allow the animal to dictate the training session. But that’s not what the presenter is saying you should do. After all, you have options, too, and one of them is to choose when to hand over control to the animal – and when not to.
WEBSITE LINK: https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-4300600
-
Webinar – 8/26/21 – Michael Shikashio – Possession Is Nine Tenths of the…Oh Wait! What Ya Got There? – Part Two of a Two Part Series on Resource Guarding – FDSA (fee applies)
This webinar will build on the information from “Resource Guarding – Part One” and will detail the behavior modification in resource guarding cases and showcase successful case resolutions. It is highly recommended to watch part one in this series as the fundamentals of the behavior change strategies are explained and discussed.
Join aggression specialist Michael Shikashio CDBC in part two of this two-part series where he will:
- Discuss working with the various forms of resource guarding
- Explain the similarities and differences when working with dog to human or dog to dog resource guarding
- Highlight video from resource guarding cases
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2021
Time: 6pm Pacific Time (Click here for time at FDSA (Pacific Time).
Fee: $19.95 – Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.WEBSITE LINK: https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/self-study/webinars
-
Webinar – 8/26/21 – Michael Shikashio – Peeing on Your Dog’s Toys and Other Myths – Part One of a Two Part Series on Resource Guarding – FDSA (fee applies)
Do you have a dog that growls, snarls, snaps, or bites when a person or another dog approaches their food, toys, beds, or even their people? Are you trying to wade through all of the often-conflicting information available online about how to treat or prevent resource guarding?
Join aggression specialist Michael Shikashio CDBC in part one of this two-part series where he will:
- Dispel the myths about resource guarding
- Discuss common mistakes made that can actually create a “resource guarder”
- Highlight key concepts to modify this behavior
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2021
Time: 3pm Pacific Time
Fee: $19.95 – Registration required PRIOR to scheduled presentation time.WEBSITE LINK: https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/self-study/webinars
-
Webinar – 8/25/21 – Host Successful Fall Fundraising Events With Confidence – Network for Good
With fall events on the horizon and the ever-changing landscape of gatherings top-of-mind, there’s a lot to consider for your upcoming fundraiser(s).
In this webinar, fundraising event experts from Swaim Strategies will talk about the current state of nonprofit events, what’s currently working, and what considerations your organization should weigh when deciding how you can make the biggest impact. We’ll provide you with tools and resources to successfully serve your mission and meet your donors where they are.
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.networkforgood.com/resource/fall-fundraising-events/
-
Webinar – 9/19/21 – Neurologic Emergencies – Beyond Seizures – VETGirl (fee applies)
Hate seeing neurologic emergencies?
In this VETgirl veterinary technician webinar, Melissa Evans, LVT, VTS (ECC) reviews how to address neurologic emergencies beyond just seizure control. Tune in to learn what common neuro emergencies may walk through your door, including seizures, vestibular disease, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury and how to identify and stabilize them.
Want to learn more? Check out our other veterinary technician webinars HERE.
Not a VETgirl ELITE member? VETgirl ELITE members receive 100+ hours of RACE-approved, online veterinary CE/year ($249). That way, you know that you have flexibility to view any of our webinars (including small animal, large animal, veterinary technician, leadership, practice management) and listen to our podcasts when you have time.
All the webinars are recorded and can be viewed 24/7 after their release date for CE credit. If you’re watching the recording later on, don’t forget to take the CE quiz with it when you’re done to get your CE certificate!
WEBSITE LINK: https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/september-19-2021-neurologic-emergencies-beyond-seizures/