About the AASAO Conference:

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The AASAO is the only provincial association of its kind in Canada. The annual conference brings together approximately 100 or more animal care and welfare professionals from across Ontario every fall for professional development and networking. Overcome the challenges you’re having in your organization by listening to expert speakers and building a community with your colleagues in Ontario.

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We have arranged a great line-up of speakers for you at this year's conference! They will be speaking on topics that you've told us you want to hear about. Here is a sample of what you can look forward to: 

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• Heather Lewis from Animal Arts Design Studio will speak on designing animal habitats for well-being and designs that care for your team. 

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• Karen Griffin, from the Dog Rehoming Project and researcher at Utrecht University, will be talking about what science says about pre-adoption screening, dog behaviour assessments and placement success. You will learn how to best allocate organizations' limited resources to improve successful adoptions.

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• Abigail Appleton, from the Charleston Animal Society, will tell us how we can implement the Association of Shelter Veterinarians Guidelines on a shoestring budget. 

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• Lynda Kitson, from Who's Walking Who Dog Training Centres, will be speaking about Games Based Concept Training and how this method of training helps shelter dogs adapt more quickly to their new environment. 

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• Jamie Saad from the Montreal SPCA will talk about how to start a community programs with no extra budget or staff, the trials and tribulations of supporting the community and identifying the link between human and animal trauma and the necessity to help both. 

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• Gord Perry, from GNP Reptile Rescue ,will help us get a better understanding of what to expect when dealing with non-indigenous reptiles and when working with dedicated reptile rescues. 

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• Donnell Gasbarrini, from the Toronto Zoo/Adopt-a-Pond, will show us identifying features of Ontario's turtle and snake species, safe handling techniques and identify appropriate courses of action form commonly asked questions and scenarios regarding local reptiles and amphibians. 

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• Michelle McNab of the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA  will discuss the benefits of offering Pet Wellness Clinics, how to pilot a program and tips and tricks to be successful

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• Dr. Sharon Quinn of Smart.Vet will talk about virtual veterinary care/telemedicine, how it's improving access to care and how it can be used to help vulnerable animal populations. 

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• Jacklyn Ellis from the Toronto Humane Society will help us with managing cats that struggle with out-of-box elimination, are under-social and have human-directed aggression. 

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• Julie Speyer of Canine Foundations will discuss healthy human to dog interactions, how to identify subtle cues that indicate a dog's emotional state and how to respond in a manner that restores a sense of safety for the animal. 

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This is just some of what we have lined up for you! You already know that we're holding the conference in a new venue this year -  The BMO Learning Centre in Toronto, which promises to be an ideal environment for the conference (and offers great food!). Registration is OPEN!

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