Australia Proposes Tough New Pet Purchasing Law

Children under the age of 18 will no longer be able to buy pets without their parents' permission in Victoria (Australia) if the Brumby government is re-elected.

RSPCA Victoria president Hugh Wirth said he was "thrilled" with the government's election package of animal protection measures, which includes a ban on selling pets to minors.

Dr Wirth said the change would make it illegal for children to buy pets without their parents' permission and sellers could face fines of between $1000 and $2000 for doing so.

 

"The reason we requested the government to do that is by law at age 18 everyone is deemed to be mature enough to make a positive decision and be accountable for that decision," he said today.

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Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

2010 Summit Speaker Series Part III

The International Summit For Urban Animal Strategies Presents:

Homing Practices in Calgary
Speaker: Patricia Cameron
 
The Calgary Humane Society has two homing goals:

1) Ending euthanasias based on time and space constraints, and
2) Finding responsible homes for all adoptable animals in the City of Calgary.

This presentation briefly reviews the development of the Calgary Humane Society’s homing philosophies and approaches, then discusses the important role collaborations play in the success of homing efforts, and then outlines some recent innovations in homing practices that have increased the number of animals adopted. 

2010 Summit Speaker Synopsis Part II

International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies 
Presents:

Retail Adoption Centres Collaborating with Animal Welfare

Speaker: Kit Jenkins, PetSmart Charities

Instead of selling cats and dogs, PetSmart, Inc. partners with PetSmart Charities and local animal agencies to promote adoption of homeless pets through in-store adoption opportunities and community adoption events.

Adoption Partner agencies represent many philosophies and include private shelters, foster-based networks, breed- and species-specific organizations, and municipal shelters. The program has been in place in the US since 1992, with over 425,000 American adoptions to date.

Addressing the Issue of Animal Homing Part 2

On 13 October 2010, the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies will turn attention to strategies and codes of conduct for homing animals in urban municipalities.

Retailers believe they have the right to sell companion animals at prices the market will bear. 

Discussions about retailers and their practices has produced questions:

·       Who is buying that little doggy in the window?

·       Can retailers become partners in adoption for the animal welfare sector?

·       What codes of conduct and attributes identify a responsible retailer?

·       Is adoption a better model for homing animals from retailers than sale?

·       Should retailers be allowed to sell unaltered animals?

·       Who enforces the codes of conduct for retailer compliance?

For thought-provoking questions about animal breeders and the homing issue click here.

For more dialogue on this topic, watch for Parts 3 and 4 of this series to post on August 29 and 31.

Join your executive level peers and contribute to the formation of homing strategies at the 5th Annual International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. Your opinion matters! Register now. Keep informed of Summit events and deadlines on our Summit blog.

Provide your comments to this discussion below.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor

Celebrate the Achievements of Your Peers

The Awards Committee for the Summit for Urban Animal Strategies have received many requests to extend the award nomination deadline.  The new cut off date for submissions is 4pm MST Wednesday September 8, 2010.

The Summit Awards are presented annually to individuals, organizations, and communities that have achieved the recognition of their peers for proficiency or achievement in the award area. 

It is the only awards ceremony in Canada to recognize excellence within all four sectors of the companion animal industry [Animal Control & Enforcement, Animal Welfare, Animal Services and Animal Health & Wellness].

The Summit Award criteria have been refined and new categories added - full category descriptions are available on the ISUAS website. Review them and nominate a deserving peer in your community. The procedure is simple and online.

 
Reminder:  The deadline for delegate registration is Friday, September 17th.
     

Watch for new developments on our Summit Blog.

Posted by Terri Perrin, Online Communications Editor