The name play aggression is a misnomer as it can be a painful behavior for clients and other pets in the home to live with! This presentation will explain the overlap between play and predatory behavior in cats, and why some cats take their predatory behavior too far. I’ll discuss how to distinguish play aggression from other forms of feline aggression. I’ll also present several humane ways to help prevent and stop play aggressive behavior, while channeling all of that feline energy in positive directions!

Guest Speaker: Mikel Delgado, Cat Behavior Consultant, Feline Minds

Join us on the fourth Thursday of every month as we talk about dog and cat behavior – supporting pets in our community and animal shelters. Each month, we hear from speakers about topics of interest to our group, such as behavior medications, modifying animal behavior, assessing and improving animal welfare, and how organizations successfully provide behavior support to dogs and cats.

Who should join: Animal welfare staff and volunteers who are interested in dog and cat behavior, and everyone who works to keep pets out of shelters and in homes.

You only need to register once for all meetings: https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration

Can’t attend live? Register anyway and you will get a link to the recording within a day or two after each meeting.

All recordings and resources shared during the webcast will also be available in the Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection group on Maddie’s Pet Forum – https://maddies.fund/monthlybehaviorconnectionMPF

Maddie’s Fund does not share registration information.

The opinions expressed by webinar presenters are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Maddie’s Fund.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration

Foster volunteers are critical to the success of shelters and rescues and to the welfare of the animals in their care.  Given the required investment in recruiting and training volunteers, it is critical that their experience is emotionally satisfying and encourages their continued participation.  This presentation, based on surveys of over 900 foster volunteers, identifies the factors related to volunteer satisfaction and their intention to continue providing foster care.  It examines the emotional needs of volunteers, the types of support that they would most like to see provided by their organizations, and the shelter and rescue practices that lead to greater satisfaction among foster care volunteers.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Laura Reese, Professor, Departments of Urban and Regional Planning, Global Urban Studies, and Political Science, Michigan State University

About Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection:
Join us on the first Thursday of every month to discuss successful foster innovations and programs, collaborate with others in the field, answer questions and talk through complex foster-related issues.

Who should join: Foster managers, coordinators, volunteers and any staff who are interested in learning about what’s working in foster programs.

You only need to register once for all meetings: https://maddies.fund/MonthlyFosterRegistration

Can’t attend live?  Register anyway and you will get a link to the recording within a day or two after each meeting.

All recordings and resources shared during the webcast will also be available in the Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection group on Maddie’s Pet Forum https://maddies.fund/monthlyfosterconnectionMPF

Maddie’s Fund does not share registration information.

The opinions expressed by webinar presenters are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Maddie’s Fund.

WEBSITE LINK:  https://maddies.fund/MonthlyFosterRegistration

Submit your housing-related questions for the 9/16 All Call presenters! HEART LA’s Zaira Bernal (Paralegal) and Diana Cruz (Program Director/Law Clerk) will explore common challenges individuals with disabilities face when seeking the required documentation for Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), focusing on the limitations of current policy and real-world hurdles.

About the presentation: The call will begin with a brief overview of the Fair Housing Act (FHA), highlighting its protections and requirements for individuals who rely on ESAs to mitigate their disabilities. The core of the presentation delves into three case studies illustrating common obstacles, including medical professionals’ reluctance due to liability concerns, and the systemic lack of healthcare resources available to low-income and marginalized communities. The discussion will emphasize the sources of resistance, such as misinformation about ESA roles and barriers in healthcare access.

The presentation concludes by offering practical solutions HEART LA has implemented to address these challenges. These include facilitating self-certification for individuals receiving disability benefits in California, partnering with organizations to connect clients with healthcare providers, directly engaging with cautious medical professionals to educate and alleviate concerns, and training caseworkers and other qualified third parties on how to issue ESA documentation. Through this comprehensive approach, the organization aims to expand access to housing for those who need ESAs, creating a path for legal protections to be applied effectively in practice.

Save the date for Part 2 of our conversation with Zaira and Diana! Zaira and Diana will return to the All Call on October 1 for a conversation on addressing landlord resistance to ESA protections. What do you need to know to advance disability justice and help people and pets at risk of eviction stay together in your community? Submit your questions for the presenters.

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 team members Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera, and Ivy Ruiz, 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

The Keeping Cats Safe at Home project is a four-year behavioural change project being run by RSPCA NSW in conjunction with eleven Councils across NSW, including Weddin Shire. It is funded by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust. The project aims to reduce the impact pet cats have on wildlife and improve domestic cats’ health and safety by encouraging responsible cat ownership. Weddin Landcare worked with the local Council Ranger to apply for the program to help instigate cat management programs in the Weddin Shire. The project began with community consultation, which guided project activities for the Shire. Together, Weddin Shire Council, Weddin Landcare and RSPCA NSW then implemented a free desexing and microchipping program; distributed project messages though communication materials and promotions; delivered educational sessions to local primary schools about the benefits of keeping cats at home; and offered an incentive program for backyard Catnets enclosures to assist cat owners to contain their cat to their property.

The program has been incredibly successful for our small community (population <4,000) with over 300 cats desexed to date, 30 Catnets enclosures distributed to local residents, over 100 primary school children and a significant drop in the number of complaints about cats and unwanted litters being impounded. This incredibly positive project has resulted in a unique partnership between the organisations involved and improved relationships between the local Council Ranger and local residents.

This event will be recorded and the recording will be available the day after the event.

Presenter: Melanie Cooper – Landcare Coordinator, Weddin landcare
Melanie Cooper a part-time Local Landcare Coordinator for Weddin Landcare, based in Grenfell, Central West NSW. With a B. Applied Science (Earth and Land Science), Melanie has been working in the natural resource management realm with rural communities for over twenty years through a variety of technical and community-based roles in both the public and private sector. She is also a farmer, managing a 4,000Ha mixed-farming property with her husband and is a mum to two little girls.

Melanie has been working with Weddin Landcare for the past 4 years and is passionate about working with rural communities, schools and farmers at a grassroots level to restore ecosystem function and biodiversity and improve the health of our natural assets and agricultural products.

Register here – https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aj7TbvN0TyqBTo4aAO3wtg