Session Details & Schedule
Saturday, July 18, 2020
The conference day starts at 10:00 a.m. EDT and webinar breaks will occur from 12:00–12:15 p.m. and 1:00–1:30 p.m.View the detailed conference schedule here.
Register for the conference here.
Stacy LeBaron
Community Cats Podcast
Margaret Tomkins
Feline Leukemia Advocate10:00–10:15 a.m. EDT
Opening Remarks
Welcome and opening remarks with Stacy LeBaron of the Community Cats Podcast and Margaret Tompkins, Feline Leukemia Advocate.About Margaret Tompkins
Margaret is a passionate advocate for FeLV+ cats, adoption programs for them, and TNR efforts. She has been supporting shelters and rescues that support FeLV+ cats since 2011. She networks FeLV+ cats all over the country.About Stacy LeBaron
Stacy has over 20 years of experience working with community cats. She was the president of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society for 16 years and ran the MRFRS Mentoring program, helping 80+ organizations set up and fund TNR programs. An expert in her field, Stacy is a current member of the Shelter Medicine Committee at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, an adviser to the Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC), Vice President of the Board for PAWSitive Pantry in Vermont, and committee member for HubCats Chelsea. She is a past board member of the New England Federation of Humane Societies. She serves as the administrative trustee for the LeBaron Foundation and also facilitates two smaller coalitions–Boston Homeless Cats and Merrimack Valley Partnership.
Dr. Julie Levy
University of Florida10:15–11:15 a.m. EDT
New AAFP FeLV/FIV Guidelines: 5 Critical Takeaways for Animal Shelters
In this presentation, we will discuss the most important things shelters need to know from the 2020 AAFP Feline Retrovirus Testing and Management Guidelines. This information on FeLV (and a bit on FIV as well) will be a great foundation from which to kick off the day.About Dr. Julie Levy
Dr. Levy is a professor of shelter medicine at the University of Florida. Her research and clinical interests center on the health and welfare of animals in shelters, feline infectious diseases, and humane alternatives for cat population control. She is the founder of Operation Catnip, a nonprofit university-based community cat trap-neuter-return program that has spayed, neutered, and vaccinated more than 55,000 cats in Gainesville, Florida since 1998. In 2008, Dr. Levy joined Dr. Cynda Crawford to found Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at the College of Veterinary Medicine, an educational and discovery initiative with a global impact on the care of homeless animals. In 2014, she joined Dr. Kate Hurley to launch the Million Cat Challenge, a shelter-based campaign to save a million cats in shelters across North America. For the past two years, Dr. Levy has worked with animal shelters to better understand diagnosis, management, and outcomes in FeLV+ shelter cats.
Danielle Case
Tree House Humane Society11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EDT
To Test or Not to Test: FeLV Testing Protocols & How to Implement Them in Your Shelter
Feline Leukemia is a confusing virus. There are many resources out there on new testing protocols. In this presentation, we will review some testing protocols, what to consider when determining your shelter’s testing protocols, and how to get your staff on board.About Danielle Case
Danielle graduated with a degree in Communication Arts from Malone University in Canton, Ohio. Since graduating she has worked in multiple nonprofits including museums, theaters, and animal shelters. She has spent the past five years working at Tree House Humane Society, leading the adoptions and caregiving teams through enormous growth. In 2017, Tree House adopted out its first FeLV+ cat through a trial pop-up FeLV+ adoption room. Since then, Tree House has doubled its capacity and has continued to increase adoptions for positive cats each year. Utilizing the knowledge gained at Tree House, Danielle has helped other shelters review testing and housing protocols and start their own FeLV+ adoption programs. She has also spoken about feline leukemia at the spring 2019 HSUS conference, Meow Meet Up, and for The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement as part of their Innovation Bank. She lives with her two cats and husband in Chicago.
Brit Fox Hover
Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society12:15–1:00 p.m. EDT
FeLV+ Adoption: How Any Group Can Change Minds and Lives
In this presentation, we’ll talk about MRFRS’s successful long-standing FeLV+ adoption program and what considerations, knowledge, and assets are used to achieve FeLV+ adoption success.About Britney Fox Hover
Britney, the shelter director at the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society (MRFRS) in Salisbury, Massachusetts, began at MRFRS as a volunteer in 2009. In addition to now running the group’s shelter and medical programs, Brit also oversees the adoption program, including a very successful Feline Leukemia (FeLV+) adoption program. Brit lives in Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several cats. In her spare time, she is an avid birder.
Diane Denessen
Animeals1:30–2:30 p.m. EDT
Implementing an FeLV Adoption Program in Your Shelter/Rescue
In 2015, AniMeals started taking FELV & FIV cats from other shelters within the state of Montana that would have been euthanized. We have been successful in placing twenty-five FELV cats into homes. As a result of our success, other shelters have become interested in incorporating adoption strategies for FELV & FIV cats. The presentation will go over the obstacles that we faced when we first started adopting out FELV cats. We learned very early on how important it is to have all the people involved believe in your mission, including veterinarians, staff, potential adopters, and, in some cases other shelters.About Diane Denessen
Diane is the executive director of AniMeals in Missoula, MT. In 2004, she started fostering for local shelters with a primary focus on cats needing intense medical care. She also began coordinating TNR projects of all sizes. During this time, she worked as a manager in IT for a bank, but eventually realized that she wanted to pursue my passion to be a voice for all cats. In 2015, she was asked to continue the AniMeals mission when the original founder retired.In the last five years, the group has been successful in removing barriers to adoption for cats that would previously have been deemed unadoptable. Diane has six cats, four ducks, one sheep, one goat, and a colony of about twenty community cats that she cares for. Her favorite hobby is TNR.
Monica Frenden
Austin Pets Alive!2:45–3:30 p.m. EDT
So You Want to Save All the FeLVies?
We'll dive into the nuts and bolts of what's needed to build and sustain a high-volume FeLV adoption program, from finding adopters to keeping them coming back!About Monica Frenden
Monica is the director of feline lifesaving at American Pets Alive!, an instructor for the American Pets Alive!'s Maddie’s® Lifesaving Academy and a City of Austin animal advisory commissioner. Before she started teaching the Austin No Kill Model to students, Monica founded a trap-neuter-return organization in rural Illinois and pioneered one of the nation's first and largest working cat programs. In 2012, she joined Austin Pets Alive!, where she served as the cat program manager, leading her team to an 88% growth in cat adoptions, and helping the city of Austin achieve a citywide 98% live release rate for cats. Monica is a frequent speaker and advisor on innovative ways to save every cat, including cats with feline leukemia, community cats, and shelter cats in need of medical care.
Dr. Heather Kennedy
KC Pet Project3:45–4:45 p.m EDT
Caring for FeLV-Positive Cats in the Shelter or Rescue
It’s time to remove the stigma associated with FeLV. Learn how to help FeLV-positive cats by allaying concerns about their care.About Dr. Heather Kennedy
In her current role as Director of Feline Operations at Kansas City Pet Project in Kansas City, Dr. Kennedy covers all aspects of feline operations, including animal care, health and enrichment, behavior, and feline fostering. She began her career helping cats as a trapper, colony caregiver, and foster caregiver before attending U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, where her singular commitment to cats earned her numerous scholarships, as well as the AAFP Outstanding Scholar Award. In 2017, after four years in feline-only private practice, Dr. Kennedy decided to focus instead on the welfare of shelter cats. Recognized as an expert on the humane care of feral cats, Dr. Kennedy currently sits on the AAFP’s Committee on Free-roaming Cats and speaks at national conferences on her work in sheltering.
4:45–5:00 p.m. EDT
Cat Trivia and Closing Remarks
We'll close the day with remarks from the conference organizers and fun cat trivia for prizes.