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Third National Spay/Neuter Conference Presentations

Welcome to The Road Map Conference – Esther Mechler, Director, SPAY/USA

View Presentations from the Third National Spay/Neuter Conference

1. Keynote Address: Over the past 20 years, we have reduced our shelter euthanasias by about 80%.  Some of the lessons that we have learned have to do with cooperation and forming coalitions, some to do with the timing  -- WHEN we spay or neuter --  with targeting the neediest areas and guardians, and with the development of newer techniques, systems and other tools to ensure that every kitten or pup is a wanted kitten or pup!       Dr. Brenda Griffin bio

2. A Road Map – Where have we come from?  Where are we headed?  What are the lessons learned, the shortcuts, the dead-ends, and the fast tracks?  How can we work smarter, not harder, to get to our destination -- no more homeless pets  --- in the shortest possible time?      Peter Marsh bio

3. Tracking, tallying and targeting:  How do we decide which road to take, how to maximize our miles per gallon and target our resources? An assessment does not have to be difficult.  Learn about successful communities where doing a simple assessment has helped save thousands of lives!       Aimee St. Arnaud bio

4. A public problem needs public funding!  Though the cost of preventing high numbers of shelter euthanasias is only a third the cost of “traditional” animal control, we really need the help of public funding to assist people who cannot afford to s/n their cats/dogs.  Learn about successful public state and local programs that fund spay/neuter.      Rick DuCharme bio and Susan Hall bio

5. We must connect with the public:  Public agencies such as animal control and public health can be our connection with government and the public.  Our speaker has worked with the government to develop a highly effective program bringing s/n services to those most in need using animal control as “the vehicle.”   Diane Sauve bio

6. Are we talking to ourselves?  As we reduced our euthanasia rate by some 75% over the past 15 years, we’ve been quite successful in reaching “the low-hanging fruit.”  Now comes the challenge of finding ways to reach, motivate, and convert those who are not interested, good at finding excuses and just “don’t wanna” fix their dogs/cats.  This must be a detour, not a dead-end!   Jennifer Fearing

7. Rural and poor areas require a special set of delivery systems and leadership skills.  When the roads aren’t paved and gas stations are far between, travelers must be prepared.  Our speaker will share her experience in a very impoverished region of the country, setting up programs and clinics as well as motivating people to bring in their dogs and cats.  Ruth Steinberger bio

8. Surely the superhighway of urban areas and their surroundings are the High-Quality, High-volume S/N clinics.  Successful beyond all initial hopes, these clinics can do 20,000+ quality surgeries annually, operating in the black, and raise the status of companion animals as the surplus numbers diminish throughout the region.  Quita Mazzina bio and Dr. Karla Brestle bio

9. We cannot forget the ultimate underdogs: the feral cats.  Too often stray, homeless and feral cats do not register on the radar except to be targets of individual or public eradication campaigns.  While dog euthanasia rates in many parts of the country have been going down, the percentages of cats who die in shelters or on the streets remains very high.  How do we tackle this difficult problem?  Bryan Kortis bio

10. We need to bridge supply and demand.  We have twin goals – to create appropriate delivery systems for s/n surgeries that reach throughout each state, and to ensure that every guardian of cats/dogs knows about these resources and makes use of them if needed. A good information and referral program can map out the state, be The Bridge, and refer callers from every location to an appropriate clinic or program.     Paul Jolly bio

SPAY/USA is very grateful to our sponsors for helping us to continue our work: