Instructor Name

Biography

Course Description

 Sunday
11/10
8:00-5:00

Daniel Ettinger

Daniel Ettinger began his career in the animal welfare industry in 2009 as a volunteer with the Denver Animal Shelter. He has taken a unique path from a volunteer to becoming an Animal Control Officer. Currently, he is an Animal Protection Officer II with Denver Animal Protection. He has worked for two non-profit organizations and three government agencies. This experience gives him a unique perspective on animal control operations.  Daniel has investigated thousands of cases in his career. He is often able to generate voluntary compliance, in cases where he cannot Daniel is very successful in the courtroom.

Dropping the Dogcatcher

This session focuses on changing public perception of Animal Control Officers and Animal Shelters. The presentation will explore where the dogcatcher & dog pound name came from? There will be a group discussion on the different ways we handle being undervalued by your community and how to change the myth of euthanasia. Examples of proactive community engagement will be shared along with many other creative ways to change our public perception.

Shelby Bobosky 

Shelby Bobosky, Esq., attended the University of Kentucky for her undergraduate degree, earning a double major in History and Spanish in 1996. She then attended the University of Tulsa Law School and spent a year as a visiting law student at Northwestern University School of Law graduating in 1999. In 1999, Ms. Bobosky moved from Chicago, Illinois to Dallas, Texas, to begin her law practice. For the past sixteen years, Ms. Bobosky has continued practicing general civil litigation until recently when she decided to do only pro bono work putting in hundreds of hours for THLN as well as assisting animal welfare advocates and rescues when possible. Ms. Bobosky was heavily involved in the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, co-chairing the Animal Welfare Committee for four years and raising thousands of dollars for local 501(c)(3) rescues during her terms. Ms. Bobosky has been Vice President and Board Member with THLN since January 2011. Ms. Bobosky served as the Co-Legislative Chairman for THLN in the 2013 and 2015 sessions. She has traveled thousands of miles with THLN in order to promote its mission. Ms. Bobosky and her husband, three boys and three rescue dogs live in Dallas, Texas.

Legislative Update

This course will update attendees on the new state laws just passed this legislative session and provide insight on many that did not gain approval. It will also discuss bills that are likely to be introduced next session that could affect the animal welfare profession. 

Kate Rugroden

Kate is a TPWD permitted wildlife rehabilitator specializing in bats, opossums, and raccoons, and holds both TPWD and USDA Educational Display permits as well. She has over 25 years’ experience in presenting live animal programs in addition to her 9 years as a rehabilitator. She is a member of IWRC, NWRA, the Texas Bat Working Group, the Texas Animal Shelter Coalition, and Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitators, and serves as Chair of the Stakeholders Committee for the National White Nose Syndrome Response Team.  Kate serves as Director of Special Projects for Bat World Sanctuary, the largest rehabilitation and teaching facility in the world dedicated exclusively to rescue, rehabilitation, and sanctuary for bats. In that role, she has presented educational programs to thousands of adults and school children throughout the DFW Metroplex.  She has developed training manuals for four wildlife rehabilitation classes, and, with Amanda Lollar of Bat World Sanctuary, co-authored the book The Essential Bat (Bat World Sanctuary,2012). In addition, she is approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to provide up to 60 hours of continuing education credit to Animal Control Officers for the wildlife rehabilitation classes she teaches.

To the Bat Phone! Responding to Wildlife Calls

Wildlife calls are received on a daily basis because the public simply doesn’t know how to handle these situations on their own.  It’s important that those who take these calls provide the right information to those who call for assistance.  This course will discuss what questions to ask and what to avoid, how to identify “kidnapping” versus “rescuing,” what wildlife diseases to be concerned about, and resources that are available to help.

David Losoya

David Losoya has been a humane officer and health official for the City Of Pasadena for four years. Prior to that he spent 3 years at the Houston SPCA working with the animal cruelty team and client services. His love for humane work and biology started while serving a combat tour in Iraq.  He often teaches humane education, planetary science, and fire safety classes for children and teenagers and speaks at public events, civic meetings, government sessions.  

Educating and Motivating Children, Young Adults, and the Community
This course will go in depth and teach Animal Control Officers and humane workers how to make the connection to children to inspire them on how to treat animals kindly and discover and respect humane laws in the state. ACOs are often the face of their departments and children and young adults are truly the next generation that will help advance humane laws and lobbying.  Communities work best with ACOs when they’re known by name and are ecstatic about having them come speak to their children and community. This should be a fun and refreshing course that will help ACOs learn how to inspire the next generation of humane advocates.

Shannon Sims

More than ID: Using Microchips to Enhance Enforcement and Slash Shelter Spending
San Antonio’s microchip law has led to higher than ever RTO rates and more effective enforcement. But the road to mandating registered microchips wasn’t an easy one. This workshop will detail the hows and the whys behind one of the nation’s largest microchip licensing programs including modeling an ordinance that speaks to your community and your stakeholders. We’ll look at ramping up outreach efforts to flood your community with microchipped pets and even start a field chipping initiative with your officers. You’ll learn ways to boost RTOS and saves thousands of lives (and dollars) through enhancing a process you may already have in place.

Charlotte Melder

Charlotte Melder was with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) for over ten years as a Senior Prosecutor in the Enforcement Division.   As of June of 2018, she was promoted to the Regulatory Program Management Division where she serves as the Business and Consumer Safety Section Manager overseeing the Elimination of Architectural Barriers, Towing, Vehicle Storage Facilities, Used Automobile Parts Recyclers, Auctioneers, Licensed Breeders, Professional Employer Organizations, For Profit Legal Services, Polygraph Examiners, Property Tax Professionals, Property Tax Consultants, Service Contract Providers and Water Well Driller and Pump Installer programs.  She received her undergraduate degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the Texas Tech School of Law.  Before working with TDLR she worked closely with local law enforcement as a prosecutor for the City of Austin for over five years.

Texas Dog Breeder Laws

This course will be an overview of the Licensed Breeder program in the State of Texas.  Topics discussed will include the Laws and Rules, what to look for, how to file a complaint, and whom to contact with questions or concerns. 

Kat Albrecht

Kat Albrecht is a former police officer and is the founder of Missing Pet Partnership, a grassroots national nonprofit organization dedicated to reuniting lost companion animals with their families. Since 1997, Kat has worked to develop community-based lost pet recovery services and has trained professional pet detectives, volunteers, animal control officers, veterinarians, and shelter staff in the analysis of lost pet behaviors that contribute to the homeless pet crisis. Kat is the author of two books: The Lost Pet Chronicles and Dog Detectives: Train Your Dog to Find Lost Pets.

Unclaimed: Perceptions that Kill Cats
Ever wonder why millions of cats are lost every year yet only 2% are reclaimed in our shelters? Typically this is blamed on uncaring or naïve owners who fail to microchip their cats or fail to come to the shelter in a timely manner. This workshop examines human behaviors (by both guardians and rescuers) and feline behaviors that contribute to the homeless, stray, feral, foster, and shelter cat populations. Come learn how the failure to reunite lost cats with their families is not primarily due to a lack of compassion but rather a lack of education.

Daniel Ettinger

See bio above

Dog Breed Identification Showdown
Whether you are a new Animal Control Officer or you have been in the field for twenty years this class will provide practical skills to help identify the different types of dog breeds. The American Kennel Club recognizes 202 dog breeds and The United Kennel Club recognizes over 300 breeds. This will be an interactive class that pits teams against each other to identify the correct breed. In addition to identifying the breed there will be discussions on what the dog was initially bred for. The winner will not only have bragging rights but they will receive a prize. 

April Harris

April Harris is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator(CAWA) and serves as Director of Animal Welfare Insights for Adopt-a-Pet.com, the nation’s largest non-profit adoptable pet search engine.  Her credits include implementing sustainable social enterprise models, developing at-risk animal population programs and administering no-kill community partnerships. April has been in the animal welfare industry for over 18 years and has worked for both local and national animal welfare organizations including Maricopa County Animal Care & Control, Salt Lake County Animal Services, Best Friends Animal Society and Found Animals Foundation.   April lives in Southern Utah and is the proud mother of 4 rescue dogs.   

Keeping them home: A New and Innovative Alternative to Owner Surrender

“Surrender Intervention Program” have been buzzwords for the past few years and it’s no wonder with an estimated 1 in 3 pets coming into Animal Welfare Organizations being surrendered by their owner.  But Surrender Intervention Programs require development, resources and almost always need money. Adopt-a-Pet.com and the Petco Foundation put their heads together and developed a solution based on technology.  In 2016, the Rehome website was launched to provide an alternative to owner surrenders to Animal Welfare Organizations. The website was designed to allow pet owners to post pets to Adopt-a-Pet.com giving them access to an established audience of millions of prospective pet owners to view their pets.  We’ve been collecting data from the beginning and now we’re ready to share the detailed insights we’ve gathered. Insights into data such as how long pet owners are willing to keep a pet, what breeds are most likely to be rehomed successfully and whether pictures and videos have an impact on how quickly the pet is successfully rehomed.  Attendees will be able to use this data to better understand owners looking to surrender their pets and can immediately begin a Surrender Intervention Program of their own by taking advantage of the Rehome website.  

Kat Albrecht

Kat Albrecht is a former police officer and is the founder of Missing Pet Partnership, a grassroots national nonprofit organization dedicated to reuniting lost companion animals with their families. Since 1997, Kat has worked to develop community-based lost pet recovery services and has trained professional pet detectives, volunteers, animal control officers, veterinarians, and shelter staff in the analysis of lost pet behaviors that contribute to the homeless pet crisis. Kat is the author of two books: The Lost Pet Chronicles and Dog Detectives: Train Your Dog to Find Lost Pets.

Creative Captures
Did you know that calling a loose dog could be the worst recovery technique that you could ever use? Did you know that lost cats can be recovered through the use of digital wildlife cameras, garage door openers, and baby monitors? This workshop debriefs several creative recoveries of skittish, hard-to-catch dogs and cats by volunteers trained by the Missing Animal Response Network (MARN). Case studies include lost/stray dogs and cats recovered by the House-As-Trap method; Missy and Enclosure Traps; Magnet Dog / Snappy Snare method; and Dog Drop Net method. It includes video clips of the Magnet Dog / Snappy Snare technique, the drop net (used to capture a dog hiding in woods 7 weeks) technique, and a demo of “Calming Signals” designed to attract panicked dogs. MARN members specialize in capturing hard-to-catch companion animals in cases where traditional methods (humane traps, catch poles, etc.) have failed.

Karen Deeds

Karen Deeds, is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC).  She is the co-owner of Canine Connection in Ft. Worth, TX with her husband, Bob Deeds, a retired Federal K9 Handler on Texas Task Force I.  Karen started her business in 1994 after realizing the need for educating the public about dog training and behavior while volunteering for a local humane society.  She worked in the Assistance Dog Field for 15 years and currently provides her expertise on behavior problems including fear, anxiety and aggression.  She has consulted and worked with thousands of pet dog owners, various shelters and rescue organizations, as well as has testified in dozens of court cases regarding dog bites.  She currently teaches at two facilities in the DFW metroplex focusing on Reactive Integration and Competitive Obedience and Rally.

Karen has presented seminars to the general public, rescue groups, animal control officers, and shelter staff at various dog training clubs, dog training facilities, various shelters throughout Texas and Tennessee, Dallas, TX SPCA, Texas A&M Veterinary College Behavior Club, and Texas Animal Control Association Conference.

Assessments and Placements: The GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY – Part 1
Sometimes simple observations can make the difference between life and death of a dog or a good or horrible placement. There are many factors that influence an assessment in the shelter; health, previous history, staff, facility environment, interaction potential, and of course the capability to document observations. Taking a baseline of temperament is important, as well as how much improvement or degradation the dog develops during their time in the shelter. What can be done to facilitate improvement? What red flags should you watch for during the dogs stay that might be an indication of future behavior problems? Working with reputable rescue groups can be beneficial for dogs with behavior concerns. But verifying that they have appropriate resources to help with behavior problems is critical. Outsourcing behavioral euthanasia is not in anyone’s best interest so it is important to know their limits. This presentation will improve your observation skills necessary to make a baseline evaluation and to gauge the improvement of the dogs in your care. We will also identify characteristics that may influence placement into specific situations. Providing ideas and suggestions to help adopters set their new dog up for success in their home should be part of the shelter placement program and you will learn various tips that you can recommend.

Karen Deeds

See bio above

Assessments and Placements: The GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY – Part 2

See description above

Valarie Tynes, DVM

Dr. Valarie Tynes is a native Texan and received her DVM from Texas A&M University. She worked in private practice for 14 years before returning to academia to pursue a residency in clinical animal behavior at the University of California at Davis in 2000. She has been a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists since 2003 and is currently Immediate Past President of the College. She is also Board Certified in Animal Welfare. Her special interests are the behavior and welfare of pet pigs, exotic pets and zoo animals. She is a frequent speaker at veterinary meetings around the country and author of numerous articles and textbook chapters. She joined Ceva in October of 2014 as a veterinary services specialist but continues to provide consulting services to zoos.

Visual Cues and a Low-Stress Approach

Animals communicate with us on a continual basis and learning to understand their language is crucial to preventing injuries from bites and scratches.  This course will discuss the visual cues of dogs and how to sue a low-stress approach to decrease the chance of an aggressive response.  

Lisa Norwood

With thirteen years as the P.R. and Outreach Manager for the City of San Antonio’s Animal Care Services Department, Lisa Norwood has seen just about everything. From thousands of media interviews on responsible pet ownership to hurricane response to crafting award winning promotional campaigns, Norwood has used her media savvy and street style marketing to boost the Alamo City shelter’s reputation and release rate.  A working journalist for more than a dozen years, Lisa now oversees all things media, education and volunteer oriented for ACS. Norwood is a  Texas Certified Animal Control Officer.  

Online Obstacles: Slaying Social Media Dragons

You can't argue the power of social media and digital channels like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In fact, this hugely popular technology is changing the way the world sees our profession.  But how can animal control agencies harness all that power for good and fight off evil that seems to lurk in every other post? If your agency doesn't have an online presence yet...or they do and it's causing massive headaches, this is the workshop for you. We’ll discuss easy (FREE) tools to create fast posts to educate the community and talk about what you should and should not promote with your new online tool.

Melissa Draper, DVM

Dr. Melissa Draper is the Veterinarian for the City of Corpus Christi.  She obtained her B.S. in Animal Science from Louisiana Tech in 1990 before earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University in 1993.  She spent several years in private practice before she began working in animal shelters.  She has worked for public and private agencies in San Antonio, New Orleans, and Belle Chasse prior to taking her current position.  She is licensed to practice veterinary medicine in both Texas and Louisiana  and is a member of numerous state and national veterinary boards.  Dr. Draper is also an instructor for TACA’s Texas Certified Cruelty Investigator courses.

Promoting Live Release Rates in Animal Control: Utilizing Open Adoptions, Open Selection Adoptions, and Even a Nursery! 
Do you have a five page adoption application for every pet in your care?  Do you have policies that require home visits and landlord checks?  Do you know the difference between open adoptions and open selection adoptions?  Do you have a setup that protects the most vulnerable of your residents?  This course will discuss all of these aspects and more as participants will see how some traditionally held beliefs might not be what's best for all animal placements.

Robert Leinberger

Rob Leinberger has an amazing girlfriend, two children, a dog, a cockatiel, a bearded dragon, and a red-footed tortoise. He’s an Eagle Scout and worked as a veterinary assistant during high school. In December 1991, he became an Animal Control Officer for Chesterfield County. Rob joined Richmond Animal Care & Control in January 2016 as the Animal Control Supervisor. He teaches an animal control basic course for new animal control officers in the region. Rob has an Associate’s Degree in Police Science and a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management. In 2011, he completed a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management at the University of Richmond. In October 2009, he was elected to the board of directors for the Virginia Animal Control Association and currently serves as its Past President. In September 2012, Rob joined the board of directors for the National Animal Care & Control Association, and currently serves as the Past President.

Cooperation is Not a Dirty Word
Working together should be the common theme for everyone in the animal care & control and welfare world. Animals depend on us; pet owners depend us. Whether you are an animal control officer, a shelter employee, or a volunteer for a rescue organization, we’ll talk about how we can work together to increase adoptions, decrease intakes, and keep pets at home. Are you polite? Are you professional? We’ll agree to disagree with a mixture of creativity legality. We’ll discuss the importance of understanding the law and ways to improve it. And that endless supply of patience…we’ll search for it in a room of learning opportunities.

Sheri Soltes

Sheri has mentored assistance dog programs around the world including Australia, Japan, Spain and Chile. She has been a featured speaker at many conferences and institutions in the United States, Spain and Chile.  Sheri’s articles on the legal rights of Assistance Dog users have been published by Assistance Dogs International, the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners and Leader Dogs for the Blind. She drafted the 1995 revisions for Texas' Assistance Dog accessibility statute.  Sheri’s leadership on the board of Assistance Dogs International, NA and as chair of ADI, NA’s Legislation and Advocacy Committee, plus her 30 years as the Founder and CEO of Service Dogs, Inc. uniquely qualify her to shed light on this complexity of laws.

Putting Your Best Paw Forward 
The laws governing public access with dogs are often confusing and conflicting. Assistance Dogs, Service Dogs, Facility Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Emotional Support Animals – like the tangled necklaces in the bottom of your jewelry box, it takes a bit of time and gentle attention to sort them all out.  This course will help answer the questions most commonly asked by citizens, business owners, and others who look to Animal Control Officers to provide clarification in these situations.