Spring Conference for Animal Welfare Day 2: 5 Key Takeaways

We did it! We trust you all had a safe trip home, and for those of you who decided to stay an extra day and sit by the pool, please stay hydrated (c’mon, we had to go there!). We’re going to be digging into the individual sessions more in-depth in future blogs, but here are some highlights from yesterday. Add your aha! moments in the comments!

Two not-so-quick questions

“I hope you’ll join me in self-reflection. Ask yourself—how may we have contributed to separating people because of systemic racism and a lack of inclusion? How can we begin to create a doctrine that celebrates and welcomes all people?”
-Brad Shear, CAWA, Chair of the Board of The Association, & Executive Director, Potter League For Animals, in his Morning Welcome Remarks

This is hell

How does your agency compare? Jim Tedford, Jodi Buckman and Jan McHugh-Smith asked attendees of “Going Through Hell? Keep Going!” about the kind of complaints from the public that come up most often:

Vaccinate all the kittens!

Asked in chat during “Tiny Kittens, Big Challenge:” Should we vaccinate all the kittens in a litter, or just a few?
Dr. Erin Doyle: “It is well worth your investment to vaccinate all kittens at four weeks of age.”

Note: If you’re talking diarrhea (which, by the way, was the number-one issue that attendees are seeing with the kittens in their care), should you treat the entire litter? Dr. Doyle would recommend only treating the kittens who are exhibiting symptoms.

Just smile and give them a vegemite sandwich

Insider tricks on treats, as shared by Dr. Marty Becker in “Fear Free Helps Animals, But What’s In It for Shelters?:” “Who knew that cats like marshmallows, vegemite and whipped cream?”