Presentations

Start-Up Success:  Building a Solid Foundation for Your Animal Welfare Nonprofit Description:  Explore what it takes to start a rescue or animal organization—from forming a board and creating a mission, to choosing a name, budgeting, and getting insured. Avoid common pitfalls and start with confidence.

Pawsitive Promotion: Social Media & Storytelling That Saves Lives  Description: New to social media or just want to help more pets get adopted?  This session will show you simple ways to share powerful stories, create engaging posts, and use free tools to make a difference.  Perfect for volunteers, fosters, or anyone who wants to use their voice to help animals.

Cats 101:  TNR and Beyond Description: Get the facts on Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), community cat care, stratagies to increase adoptions, and how to develop programs that reduce cat populations humanely and effectively.

Paw & Protect: No One Left Behind — Not Even the Family Pet  Description: For many survivors of domestic violence, fear for a beloved pet’s safety can be a barrier to leaving.  This session addresses the critical intersection of animal welfare and domestic violence, offering practical solutions for shelters and advocates to support both people and pets.

Legislation & Public Policy for Animal Welfare  Description:  Learn how to influence local and state policy to protect animals.  Hear from advocates who have led successful campaigns and discover how you can make a difference in your community.

From Passion to Proposal: Grant Writing Basics for Animal Rescuers Description:  New to grants? This beginner-friendly session walks you through the fundamentals of finding, writing, and submitting grant proposals. Learn how to identify the right funders, craft compelling narratives, and avoid common mistakes.

Winning Big: Advanced Grant Strategies Description: Already writing grants and ready to level up? This session dives into writing for major funders, building long-term relationships, collecting data to prove impact, and tailoring your proposals for greater success.

Compassion Fatigue: Supporting the Heart of Animal Care  Description:  Fostering, rescuing, and shelter work requires endless compassion—but the emotional toll is real.  This session helps fosters, volunteers, and shelter staff recognize the signs of burnout and compassion fatigue, while offering practical tools to protect your well-being.  Learn how to recharge, set healthy boundaries, and support one another, so you can keep making a difference for the animals who need you most.

Tail Wagging Transitions: Reducing Stress And Finding Success From Shelter to Foster Home Description: This session equips shelter staff, volunteers, and fosters with practical tools to help animals transition from trauma to home life. Learn stress-reducing techniques, positive reinforcement training, and how to read animal body language.  Through real-world examples and demonstrations, attendees will gain simple, effective strategies to build trust, ease anxiety, and support successful placements.

Strategic Storytelling & Social Media Metrics: Driving Impact Through Digital Outreach--Advanced Information Description:  Take your digital promotion efforts to the next level with data-driven strategies that boost adoptions, donor retention, and engagement.  Learn how to craft compelling narratives, optimize content for various platforms, and analyze performance metrics to maximize reach and effectiveness. Ideal for staff and volunteers managing social media or communications roles.

Heroes on the Highway: Mastering Animal Rescue Transport  Description:  Be the lifeline animals need on their journey to safety!  This session is focused on transport drivers, coordinators, and volunteers who make lifesaving moves happen.  Learn how to plan safe, efficient trips, follow critical animal care protocols, and build strong partnerships with shelters and rescues.  Whether you’re behind the wheel or behind the scenes, you’ll gain the tools necessary to ensure every transport ends with a happy tail.  

Healing from the Inside Out: Holistic Care for Senior & Newly Rescued Pets  Description:  Discover how integrative medicine can transform the lives of older animals and pets fresh from rescue.  Dr. Metos will share practical, compassionate approaches—including mushroom therapy, homeopathic remedies, Chinese herbal medicine, food therapy, and gentle at-home massage—to help address anxiety, Cushing’s disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, urinary tract infections, and more.  Perfect for fosters, volunteers, and advocates who want to bring comfort, healing, and hope to the animals they love.