Last chance for early birds

Tomorrow (Friday July 11) is your last chance to sign up for the AAWS08 International Animal Welfare Conference at the early bird rate.

For just $700 (Australian dollars, including GST) you get three days of conference presentations featuring world leaders in animal welfare as well as the cream of the crop from across Australia, and a full social program including two cocktail receptions and a conference dinner.

Sign up on Saturday and you will have missed out on the $200 saving.

Don't wait! Register now online (it is really easy), or you can download the registration brochure to fill in the form and fax it back to us.

Sponsors

We are very pleased with the level of support being demonstrated for the AAWS08 conference through registrations and sponsorships.

In particular we would like to acknowledge:

Animal Welfare League Australia - Cocktail Party Sponsor
The AWLA has been formed to provide a national platform for state and territory Animal Welfare Leagues. The foundation for this collaboration is a shared vision to be at the forefront of companion animal welfare, providing consistent and improved standards of care, treatment and quality of life.

Australian Veterinary Association - Plenary Session Sponsor
The Australian Veterinary Association is the professional organisation representing veterinarians across Australia. The Association's vision is a global community that respects and values the benefits of enhanced animal health, welfare and production.

RSPCA Australia - Silver Sponsor
The RSPCA is Australia’s largest animal welfare organisation, caring for all creatures great and small. The RSPCA's core values are Caring, Educating, Protecting and Improving Welfare Standards.

Australian Egg Corporation Limited - Satchel Sponsor
The Australian Egg Corporation (AECL) is a producer owned company which integrates marketing, research and development and policy services. In partnership with the Hen Welfare Advisory Group , animal scientists, egg farmers and welfare experts the organisation is continually looking at ways to improve the health and welfare of hens.

Bronze Sponsors
Hills Pet Nutrition
Meat & Livestock Australia
Dairy Australia

Sponsorships

Opportunities are still available to highlight your organisation and show your support for ongoing improvements in animal welfare in Australia. Download the sponsorship brochure now.

Latest articles of interest from the JAVMA.

Good afternoon all,

The following articles from the latest issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association may be of interest to some readers.

"A meeting of minds on the welfare of beef cattle" dicusses the May 28-30 International Symposium on Beef Cattle, which was held by the Beef Cattle Institute and considered timely in light of the recent release of footage showing abusive animal handling at a California slaughterhouse.

The article includes comment from Dr Temple Grandin as well as Prof Donald Broom (UK) and Dr Kevin Stafford (NZ), both of whom will be speaking at AAWS08.

http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jul08/080715g.asp

"Collaborating on animal welfare" details several key decisions relating to animal welfare, that were made by the AVMA Board at their last meeting in June.

Among these were approval to hold an animal welfare symposium in 2009; to take part in a public education programme to improve the health and welfare of domestic cats; and, to partner with the ASPCA in developing a package of web-based materials designed to assist in identifying and addressing animal abuse and neglect, and in understanding the link between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence (which is the topic of a critical review to be presented by Samara McPhedran at AAWS08).

http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jul08/080715g.asp

Please do feel free to use the conference blog to share articles of interest that are relevant to animal welfare and AAWS08.