Instructor Name

Qualifications

Course Description

General Session
Monday November 12
9:00-10:30

Corey Price & Bruce Jolley

Corey Price is the Animal Services Manager for the City of Irving, Texas. Not only is Corey committed to the people and animals of Irving, she has been a leader in developing collaborative strategies to improve animal welfare in Texas and beyond. Corey developed the Clear the Shelters initiative with NBCUniversal, which is the nation’s largest pet adoption event. Prior to working in Irving, Corey spent eight years in various management roles with the SPCA of Texas. She also worked with the Dumb Friends League in Colorado before coming to Texas. She has a degree in biology from Colorado State University. Corey shares her home with her husband Keven and their two sons, along with two dogs and a cat, all adopted along the way!

Assistant Chief Bruce Jolley began his career with the Irving Police Department in February 1982. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1988, to Lieutenant in 1996, to Captain in 2000 and was selected as Assistant Chief of Police in 2014. He has served in the Patrol, Criminal Investigations, Special Operations and Technical Services Divisions. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Midwestern State University and is a graduate of the 35th session of the Police Executive Research Forum, Senior Management Institute for Police.

Resiliency and Courage – The Training We Should Have Had Long Before Now

We often see classes about Compassion Fatigue as part of the lineup at animal welfare conferences, but how did we get here? Do we give ourselves, our officers, and other team members the tools to remain resilient in the face of incredibly challenging and demanding work? This course will include a framework for training, modeled after a similar program for law enforcement, that includes tools that we can all use to prevent burnout. By offering our staff this type of training from the start, we can have employees that are built to last!

Monday November 12
11:00-12:30

Shelby Bobosky & Laura Halloran

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.

Laura Donahue is the Executive Director of the Texas Humane Legislation Network and her responsibilities include overall strategic and operational responsibility for THLN's legislative advocacy, fundraising and expansion. Most recently Laura was a lobbyist and policy consultant for a non-profit working on national government reform. Laura has previously served with the Humane Society of the United States and founded the political action committee, Humane Dominion, both animal advocacy organizations in the Washington D.C. area. Laura brings the expertise needed to increase statewide visibility and legislative effectiveness.

Animal Abuse and Neglect Under Texas Law

The panel would discuss the many aspects of the animal cruelty laws in the state of Texas. This includes a download of the  Texas animal cruelty law, with the new changes regarding the penalties for committing animal cruelty as well as the inclusion of bestiality. The presentation will also include real cases that have been tried regarding difficult animal cruelty cases and how the average citizen can help prosecutors send animal abusers to jail.

Monday November 12
11:00-12:30

Lisa Norwood

Lisa Norwood worked as a print and television journalist for more than a decade before taking a dream job in 2006 promoting San Antonio’s municipal animal shelter. Using media savvy and “street style” marketing techniques, Lisa has worked to propel the Animal Care Services onto an international stage with features in media venues throughout the world including CNN, USA Today, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Leading the shelter’s Outreach team, Lisa continues to oversee a host of traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities including school presentations, neighborhood block walks and microchip clinics as well as local business partnerships. A DSHS certified instructor, Lisa enjoys teaching the importance of strategic outreach and media relations at the local, state and national level.

Reputation Repair- Taking Your Agency from Bad to Bad A**

A "regular day" in animal control is usually anything but...and no one has time to deal with the fallout from stereotypes and misconceptions about animal control officers. From the corniest jokes to the deepest insults, this presentation will look at ways to combat some of the most common misunderstandings the public may have about us, our jobs and our very important role in the community.

Monday November 12
2:00-3:30

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, has been the NACA President and currently serves as Vice - President. 

Dangerous Dog Investigations

Dangerous dog cases and investigations are a part of an animal control officer’s duties throughout the nation.  A good investigation and outcome leads to a better, safer community.  This class will look at investigative techniques and tools, such as interviewing witnesses, taking pictures, and collecting evidence.   A brief review of North and South Carolina law will be included as it pertains to dangerous dogs.  The National Animal Care & Control Association’s guideline on “Dangerous/Vicious Animals” will be utilized.  Case examples will be a part of this class.

Monday November 12
2:00-3:30

Tim Cole

Tim Cole began keeping reptiles and amphibians at the age of six years old and by ten years of age he proclaimed to his parents that he was going to study Herpetology.  At 16, he joined the Chicago Herpetological Society and served as the vice president of the organization while traveling the US hunting herps from Michigan's upper peninsula, south to Florida, west to Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest. His professional career began in Texas at the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, where he gained experience working on field study sites.  In 1989, he joined Wildlife Rescue Inc. of Austin and became a licensed Rehabilitator for Texas Parks & Wildlife.  In 1993, he  became a certified Animal Control Officer, was one of the founding members of the Austin Herpetological Society in 2002 and currently serves as the Society’s Vice President, before started his company, Austin Reptile Service, a year later.  He has been conducting Educational Reptile Programs since 1974 and has taught high school students, herpetological societies, and animal control officers. Tim has working relationships with the San Antonio Zoo, the Cameron Park Zoo, the Capital of Texas Zoo, the Houston Zoo, the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, ABQ Biopark Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Texas A&M “The Natural Toxins Research Center in Kingsville”, Texas Memorial Museum, the Heard Museum, Austin and Travis County Animal Control, the Austin Nature Center, TLAC (Town Lake Animal Center), Leander Animal Control, Cedar Park Animal Control, Williamson County SPCA, Williamson County Animal Control, Round Rock Animal Control, San Marcos Animal Control, Buda Animal Control, Pflugerville Animal Control, and Georgetown Animal Control.

Native Snake Identification

Snakes live throughout Texas and it is vital for all Officers to know how to identify and handle these animals when they receive a call for assistance.  This class will discuss identification, preferred habitats for different species, safe capture tips, and will debunk some of the myths and urban legends associated with native snakes.

Monday November 12
4:00-5:30

Susan Cosby is currently the Director of Lifesaving Programs for the Petco Foundation and a board member for the National Animal Care and Control Association.  She previously served as the Executive Director of the Animal Care and Control Team for the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is responsible for municipal animal control, as well as the President and CEO of the Pennsylvania SPCA where they were responsible for humane law enforcement throughout Pennsylvania.

Adoptions – Reboot and Turbocharge

Are you getting the most from your adoption process? Learn how to reboot and turbocharge your adoption program, placing more pets in homes and creating a better adopter experience through an often humorous exploration of the adoption process.

Monday November 12
4:00-5:30

John Swan

John Swan is the owner of Wicked Bee Apiary where he manages an average 50 honeybee hives, provides training and consultations for other beekeepers, and hive management services for land owners.  He is also the owner of Wicked Bee Removal Service which was created to help save honeybees from unnecessary extermination by providing live removal and relocation services when bees setup a colony in an undesirable location.  This year alone he has saved over 60 feral honeybee colonies from extermination! John is currently the President of the Travis County Beekeeper's Association and a member of the Texas Master Beekeeper's program. When he isn't playing with his bees, or rescuing other bees, John is talking about bees and helping educate people about their importance.

Honeybee Biology, Behavior, and their Importance to Our World

Bees play a vital role in our environment but their numbers are currently declining all over the world.  This course will discuss basic biology of the honeybee, their social structure, and inner hive functions.  Their means of communication and how it all can affect their behaviors, including how they react to outside stimuli, such as motorized lawn tools, will also be discussed.  Lastly, the discussion will focus on why bees are important to our world and what we can all do to help ensure their survival while keeping our own safety in mind.

Tuesday November 13
9:00-10:30

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.

Making Sense of Texas Wildlife Law

Possession of various wildlife species in Texas is regulated by the Texas State Administrative Code, County and Municipal regulations, and Federal laws. These laws, regulations, and administrative rules can be confusing and, in some cases, may be in conflict with one or more other governing bodies. In order to understand the nuances of the various laws and regulations, and unravel potential conflicts to ensure that laws are correctly enforced, it is important to look at the historical development of these laws for context. Having established a contextual foundation, one can then look at specific elements of the laws, and identify and resolve conflicts between the various governing bodies. Ultimately, the goal of this workshop is to enable participants to understand the current state and federal regulations governing wildlife care, transportation, and possession. Armed with this information, shelter personnel will be able to make appropriate decisions when presented with wildlife issues.

Tuesday November 13
9:00-10:30

Katie Jarl Coyle
Sára Varsa & Wanda Merling

Katie Jarl Coyle, Southwest Regional Director, The Humane Society of the United States, is a native Texan and has been with HSUS since 2010, first serving as the Deputy Director of HSUS’ media relations department. Katie moved back to Texas in 2012 to direct public policy for the state and has successfully worked on laws in the state to regulate puppy mills, crack down on cockfighting, keep horse slaughter out of Texas, end the cruel shark fin trade and make bestiality a felony in Texas. She has also worked with local city governments to pass meaningful ordinances to help animals. She currently serves on the Austin Animal Advisory Commission where she has worked to ban the killing of deer and coyotes in city limits, and ban the bullhook for elephants in traveling circuses. She managed the on-the-ground efforts throughout HSUS’ response to Hurricane Harvey, working with local shelters to move adoptable pets to safety. Following Harvey, Katie was promoted to manage the Southwest Region for HSUS, including the states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. 

Sára Varsa, Vice President for the Animal Rescue Team of the Humane Society of the United States, has worked on hundreds of cases all over the country that have resulted in the rescue and rehabilitation of tens of thousands of animals from cats and dogs, to equine and farm animals. During the most recent hurricanes and dozens of other natural disasters, Sára has led the HSUS response and recovery efforts ensuring that families could stay together after catastrophe. She counsels agencies on best practices for animal care and capture, and has presented nationally on preparedness and response. Prior to joining the HSUS, Sára was the director of operations for a shelter, a veterinary professional in a myriad of roles, and a public school teacher.  

Wanda Merling is the Deputy Director of Operations for the Humane Society of the United States Animal Rescue Team.   Prior to joining the HSUS in 2013, Merling managed the Emergency Relief Program for PetSmart Charities where she oversaw the expansion of the disaster relief program to increase granting, deployment of supply distribution and training/management of a larger core volunteer base.  Merling’s ability to develop innovative ideas and methodologies in response to large scale natural disaster ultimately led her to join the Humane Society of the United States in 2013.  Currently, Merling spearheads disaster readiness for our team overseeing the field response staff and equipment.  She also travels the country to help agencies prepare their own disaster plans, develop Memorandums of Understanding and frequently serves as a subject matter expert tasked to speak a state and national level conferences.  Merling resides in South Carolina with her husband, son and dog, Teddy Sprinkles. 

Demographics and the Philosophy and Stages of Disaster Response

Every disaster is unique and so there is no such thing as “the” way to respond.  A variety of factors, including location, resources, type of disaster, and many others, will determine how best to deal with a disaster. This course will cover some of these aspects by looking at the “country mouse versus city mouse,” what animals are seen in disaster response shelters, who are stranded and in greatest need, and what can be done to support mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.

Tuesday November 13
11:00-12:30

Jessica Macklin Milligan

Jessica Macklin Milligan graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2004 and practiced civil law in San Antonio.  She then began working as an Assistant District Attorney for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in 2006.  She is currently the chief of the Animal Cruelty Section, which allows her to prosecute felony animal cruelty offenders, investigate and charge felony and misdemeanor animal cruelty cases, and work on special and legislative initiatives relating to animal abuse. A frequent speaker on criminal law and animal cruelty issues, Jessica lectures at different law schools, law enforcement academies, and animal welfare conferences.  She is past-chair of the Houston Bar Association’s Animal Law Section and has also held the position of secretary and treasurer for the HBA Animal Law Section.  Jessica holds a dual bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from New Mexico State University, a J.D. from St. Mary’s in San Antonio, and is a licensed attorney in both Texas and Colorado. She and her husband have three wild boys and a three-legged Border Collie rescue named Hope who is the mascot for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Pets through Education) Program.

Tuesday November 13
11:00-12:30

Shannon Sims

Shannon Sims came to Animal Care Services in 2014 with a background of 22 years’ experience in Operations Management and Process Improvement as a Senior Enlisted member and Officer within the U.S. Marine Corps.  Shannon has been involved in management and process improvement within the military and private sector as well as local and federal government. He has spent his first three years with the city as the Field Operations Manager and the Chief of Field Operations before being selected to serve as the Assistant Director in 2017.  During this time he has developed successful programs that have increased field operational capability and streamlined processes in animal law enforcement. 

Tech Toolbox for Animal Control

Gone are the days when an ACO can get by with nothing more than a quick hand, a sharp wit and a catchpole. Today’s animal welfare professionals can access to a wide range of technologies that can make their work more organized, more efficient AND more impactful.  This workshop will introduce you to a variety of easy to use (and often free!) tech tools for use in the field and back at the shelter. Increase transparency and improve your bottom line with simple shortcuts you may have heard about but never tried!

Tuesday November 13
2:00-3:30

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.

How to Master the Investigation

Animal Control Officers conduct many investigations from a simple dog at large to felony animal cruelty. This session will have case study from a cockfighting investigation, hoarding case and more. There will be tips and tools provided to help with interviewing suspects, writing a warrant, evidence collection, crime scene processing, court preparation along with how to handle the media.

Tuesday November 13
2:00-3:30

Josie Espinoza

Josie Espinoza graduated from Texas A&M University in 2006 with a Bachelor Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries: Natural Resources and Museums and has been working at Animal Care Services for about six years. The last two years as an Education and Outreach Coordinator at ACS, and also recently certified as a Humane Educator Specialist this past March 2017. She is very grateful to use her education experience and collaborate with her team to make affective presentation that will bring more empathy and compassion into the classroom.

Responsible Care: Students Learning Compassion, Empathy and Safety

Kids are the future: they are our future benefactors, our future to environmental and cultural changes, and also future pet owners. By understanding the best way to network with each school also by expecting the high and lows in presenting to different age classes may help us succeed in our message. This is the opportune time, to reach to students while in school, this will instill in our younger generation on being responsible pet owners. When students learn how to care for their pets, be responsible pet friends in their community, understand their pet’s feelings, and know how to be safe around their own pets and wildlife. We can broaden the scope into other community engagements and outreach programs with these basic teaching tools to becoming a more humane generation.

Tuesday November 13
4:00-5:30

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.

Environmental Enrichment for the Shelter or Rescue Foster Dog

Enriching the lives of dogs in shelters and foster care can minimize stress and increase adoptability.  Simple toys and games can be beneficial and can easily be prepared and implemented by staff or volunteers.  Finding ways to stimulate the various senses of the dog (visual, touch, smell, and taste) can help to reduce the stress that often accompanies the shelter environment.  It can also help dogs build a better relationship with people and increase adoptability.  Simple training exercises can be implemented as well.  Getting staff and volunteers involved to facilitate these programs will help to build a team that has the same goals in mind. This presentation will offer specific ideas about games and toys (homemade and donated) that will be used to create a less stressful environment for the dogs in their care

Tuesday November 13
4:00-5:30

Dr. Melissa Draper

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.

Crime Scenes and Forensics: What Are You Looking For?

When doing on-scene investigations, knowing what to look for and how to document it all correctly can mean the difference between winning and losing your case.  This course will provide basic crime scene investigation techniques, tips on what to look for at potential crime scenes, and how to preserve evidence will all be discussed.

General Session
Wednesday November 14
9:00-10:30 &
11:00-12:30

Officer Ann McSwain has served with the Cedar Hill Police Department since 2007 as a Patrol Officer, Crime Scene Officer as well as a Field Training Officer. Officer McSwain is currently assigned to the Police and Community Team (P.A.C.T.) as the central business liaison for the business district. Officer McSwain holds a Master Peace Officer License and is pursing certification as a Crime Prevention Specialist. She was awarded Rookie of the Year in 2008 and Officer of the Year in 2013.

Citizen Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE)

Would YOU know what to do in the event of an active shooter? There is no way to predict when or where an active shooter situation might happen, but a little preparation can go a long way toward a safer outcome. Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (C.R.A.S.E.) is a course designed to help you be prepared in the event that you find yourself in an active shooter situation or other public acts of violence. These events can occur anywhere at any time. Participants will receive instruction on what to do should they ever find themselves in an active shooter incident and how to utilize the Avoid|Deny|Defend strategies. Knowledge is power. Training and educating the public is a critical component of reducing deaths when active shooters attack.