Please join the Institute for Human-Animal Connection, in-person or virtually, for our winter quarter Research Seminar! This event will not be recorded.

Presented by Lauren Loney, JD and IHAC Researcher, with insights from Denver City Councilmember Chris Hinds, Denver City Council District 10. Councilmember Hinds will discuss his District 10 2025 Pilot Pet Deposit Assistance Program and his passion for keeping people and pets together in their homes.

Recent research has shown that housing insecurity for tenants has dramatically increased in the last several years as rents have skyrocketed and eviction rates have climbed higher than even pre-pandemic levels. Housing insecurity directly impacts peoples’ ability to acquire and keep pets. There is a small, but growing body of research to better understand the impact of rental housing conditions on pets, pet owners, and animal shelters in the U.S. and how this issue relates to broader affordable housing and tenants’ rights social justice advocacy.

This presentation will share a brief history of how we arrived at today’s housing crisis, the local, state, and federal policy changes supported by our research, and provide the audience with an exciting peek at upcoming research in collaboration with the City of Denver to implement and assess a pilot pet deposit assistance program. Join us to learn about trends in pet relinquishment due to housing issues, policy solutions, and programmatic tools that may be most useful to mitigate the flow of beloved pets into animal shelters.

WEBSITE LINK: https://crimsonconnect.du.edu/IHAC/rsvp_boot?id=2267099

On Live from The Ranch, Maia Huff-Owen will join Ken Ramirez to share insights on social reinforcement—where the reinforcer involves the behavior of another being besides your learner—which she gained from teaching positive reinforcement sheep herding.

Explore what makes social reinforcement a powerful catalyst for fabulous performances, why it merits explicit consideration and preparation in dog training, and how positive sheepdog training techniques can foster a partnership that thrives even when you can’t control the ultimate reinforcer—be it sheep, squirrels, or even your spouse.

Tune in on Thursday, January 2, at 1:00 pm (PT) for this free, live broadcast with audience Q&A!

WEBSITE LINK: https://theranch.clickertraining.com/live/#next

So many cats, so few trappers… and veterinarians… and holding space… and transporters. If you live in a well populated urban or suburban area and you’re trying to use TNR to address your city or town’s entire free-roaming cat population, you’re going to need a lot of help! How do you mobilize the public to trap the cats in their own backyards and get hands-on involved, attract volunteers and gain community support?

Learn from the folks who started the community TNR program in New York City and helped other municipalities organize their programs as well. We’ll go over training the public, providing support services, tracking success, gaining publicity and more.

Take advantage of the interactive format, extensive handouts, and real-life video footage from actual projects. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance and access to a dedicated Facebook group for ongoing networking with fellow TNR advocates.

This session is led by Susan Richmond, Executive Director, and Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director, and lasts 2.5 hours, followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A session. Registration is just $10.00.

This course/webinar/series/conference has been approved for Continuing Educational Units by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). National certificate holders can submit for credit consistent with the NACA CEU policy located https://nacatraining.org/continuing-education-recertification/

WEBSITE LINK: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7923043849557765726

Are you ready to be part of the solution for feral and stray cats in your neighborhood? Our expert instructors will teach you best practices for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and colony management. Learn what TNR is and why it works. We’ll cover getting along with neighbors, preparations for trapping, trapping itself (including entire colonies at once), feeding, providing winter shelter, and more. Take advantage of the interactive format, extensive handouts, and video footage of actual projects. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance and gain access to an ongoing Facebook group for networking with other TNR activists. Instructed by Susan Richmond, executive director, and Bryan Kortis, national programs director.

Session duration is 2.5 hours, followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A session.

This course/webinar/series/conference has been approved for Continuing Educational Units by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). National certificate holders can submit for credit consistent with the NACA CEU policy located https://nacatraining.org/continuing-education-recertification/

WEBSITE LINK:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/5162202024417496160

Are you ready to be part of the solution for feral and stray cats in your neighborhood? Our expert instructors will teach you best practices for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and colony management. Learn what TNR is and why it works. We’ll cover getting along with neighbors, preparations for trapping, trapping itself (including entire colonies at once), feeding, providing winter shelter, and more. Take advantage of the interactive format, extensive handouts, and video footage of actual projects. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance and gain access to an ongoing Facebook group for networking with other TNR activists. Instructed by Susan Richmond, executive director, and Bryan Kortis, national programs director.

Session duration is 2.5 hours, followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A session.

This course/webinar/series/conference has been approved for Continuing Educational Units by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). National certificate holders can submit for credit consistent with the NACA CEU policy located https://nacatraining.org/continuing-education-recertification/

WEBSITE LINK:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/5162202024417496160

1/21 All Call Update

The way we get through the hardest days and nights is together: It’s what we’ve seen in the actions of Los Angeles animal shelters, partner organizations, community members, and neighbors near and far. At the next All Call on January 21, we are shifting gears to create space for what’s most needed now—connection and resource-sharing. Join your colleagues across California at 12 p.m. PT to offer and receive support. SoCal organizations will highlight resources available to shelters as they continue to mobilize to assist pets and people displaced by the fires.

Postponed: Are you passionate about increasing adoptions, foster, return to home, and keeping more pets and people together? Do you want to learn and share practical strategies for building relationships with diverse communities? Join the January 21 All Call to preview our upcoming virtual community of practice focused on multicultural engagement! Interested in joining? Let us know at tinyurl.com/partneringforpets.

Starting on January 28, this new community will provide a space for peer-supported learning, sharing, and networking with fellow professionals dedicated to building stronger connections with all segments of their communities.

At each meeting, you’ll hear how California shelters are advancing culturally-responsive programming and building bridges to decrease length of stay and increase positive outcomes for animals, as well as the shelter staff and community members who care for them.

Registration priority will be given to Cal for All Animals grantee shelters. As space allows, non-grantee organizations will also be invited to join.

About the All Call

The All Call is a twice-monthly, California community call for animal well-being professionals that occurs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. The one-hour call is a dedicated space to share and learn from each other. Popular topics include initiatives that create a more inclusive culture for both staff and community, programs that keep pets with their people, industry trends, research studies, as well as the hard stuff, like what’s not working or what is particularly difficult during times of scarcity. The call is a mix of presentations, storytelling, open discussion, and Q&A time.

The All Call is hosted by California for All co-leaders Allison Cardona and Nadia Oseguera and is enriched by rotating facilitators. You only need to register one time. Calls are sometimes recorded; recap emails with supplemental resources are sent post-call.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/all-call