CANZ CONFERENCE 2024

12TH & 13TH MARCH 2024

AT THE NOVOTEL HAMILTON TAINUI HOTEL

Proudly brought to you by PD Insurance

Companion Animals New Zealand would like to acknowledge our sponsors for the “Companion Animals in A Changing World Conference” 2024. Thank you for your contribution as we work towards a memorable and informative couple of days at the Novotel Hamilton Hotel in March.

Conference supported by:

With more than two thirds of New Zealand households being home to one or more companion animals, a statistic that’s mirrored across many countries around the world, promoting responsible companion animal guardianship is a priority.

This involves animal guardian (owner) commitment to ensuring the best quality of life for their animal(s) involving an understanding of their physical, behavioural and mental needs and being able to provide for them.

As sentient creatures – our pets feel emotions – both negative and positive. The quality of an animal’s life can be judged according to the balance of these emotions, with more opportunity for experiencing positive emotions ensuring a Good Life. In addition to being provided with a good quality of life, companion animals must remain accepted in society by being viewed as ‘good animal citizens’ – assets rather than liabilities.

In our changing world, with changing societal values and expectations, animal guardians need to ensure their animals are well socialised, ethically and effectively trained, sustainably managed, and safe in their interactions with people, other animals and the environment.

This year’s conference will consider how we can ensure a sustainable and humane future for companion animals in our society through consideration of how we manage their interactions with us, others and our fragile environment.

The conference will consist of three themed sessions, each beginning with a plenary presentation provided by an invited international expert. This will be followed by a series of invited presentations from submitted abstracts covering aspects of the different themes. In addition we will present what A Good Life for Animals looks like followed up by a panel discussion and Q&A.

  • Research has shown that human expectations of our companion animals are changing. Perceptions about the (dis)advantages of ‘pet’ ownership and owner commitment, tolerance of an animal’s normal and problematic behaviours, perceived vs actual cost of care, and owner satisfaction with the animal may change over time. Those who choose not to own a companion animal may be less tolerant towards their needs than animal owners. Society’s tolerance of companion animals is changing. So, what does that mean for the future of companion animal guardianship? How can we provide for the needs of our companion animals and safeguard their welfare where expectations may be unrealistic and where the human-animal relationship is at risk? In this session we will hear from experts who will consider how we can ensure that companion animals are provided with what is required for them to be good citizens, to cope with their changing living environments and owner expectations and to be able to live a Good Life.

  • We are increasingly concerned about climate change, and how this impacts both human and animal health, welfare and safety. Past and recent weather events in New Zealand have heightened awareness of the need to not only take action to lessen environmental impact and carbon footprint but also to be prepared for natural disasters and emergencies. Being an owner of a companion animals involves making choices in relation to its management and care, and sometimes these decisions might not necessarily be best for the environment. These might relate to type of food, packaging of food, source of food, animal facilities and space use, disposal of animal waste, purchase/disposal of manufactured non-bio-degradeable products (such as plastic products, and cat litter). In addition, there are questions raised about the environmental impact of keeping certain animal species and how this practice might be in conflict with other societal concerns such as the conservation of native flora/fauna. In this session we will address the important questions of how to be a sustainable companion animal guardian, how can we reduce our animals’ carbon footprint, what we can learn from recent weather events and what is required to be prepared for an emergency.

  • Companion animals enrich the lives of their owners in numerous ways including; increased physical activity, improved physical health outcomes, benefits to mental health and recovery, increased self-esteem in children, and increased social engagement. It’s not surprising that so many households in New Zealand include at least one companion animal and often more. However, whilst we enjoy sharing our lives with them, we need to consider ‘what’s in it for them?’. What do we know about the secret life of animals, what are their perceptions of their life experiences, how can we improve their welfare and what do they need to enjoy positive emotions and to minimise negative ones? Providing companion animals with a Good Life is essential if we are to continue to have a social licence to keep them. Being able to define a Good Life for each of the species we have in our lives and ensuring that we are able to assess and provide for their physical and emotional health and welfare, will be discussed during this session.

  • Alongside developments in the way in which scientists assess animal welfare, there has been increasing societal concern about ensuring animals live ‘a good quality of life’. Quality of life is a human concept that has been applied to animals particularly in the veterinary field where owners are being helped to make end of life decisions about their pets. Increasingly researchers and veterinarians are focussing on addressing quality rather than quantity of life, and developing methods and scoring systems for being able to understand whether an animal has a life worth living, or even better - a good life. Being able to determine what constitutes a good life for our companion animal species is challenging due to the subjective nature of an animal’s emotional state as well as our lack of knowledge with respect to the things that are important to them. Yet the opportunity to enjoy a good quality of life, is important for animals for a whole range of reasons, especially in relation to the way an animal is housed, managed and handled for companionship, recreation and sport.

    This session will consider the concept of a Good Life for companion animals.

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Speakers

We are proud to bring you world leaders in animal behaviour and welfare including:

  • Dr Orla Doherty (University College Dublin, and The Animal Behaviour Clinic, Ireland)

  • Professor Kathalijne Visser (Professor of Human-Animal Interactions, Aeres University of Applied Science, Netherlands)

  • Asst Professor Alexandra (Sasha) Protopopova, PhD, CAAB, (Assistant Professor in the Animal Welfare Program at the University of British Columbia in Canada)

  • Dr Susan Hazel (University of Adelaide, Australia)

  • Professor Madeleine Campbell (Professor of Veterinary Ethics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Nottingham University, UK)

  • Dr Hayley Squance, currently working with international organisations such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)

  • Dr Heather Bacon OBE BSc BVSc CertZooMed SFHEA PhD MRCVS (Dean of Veterinary Medicine at the newly established School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Central Lancashire UK).

  • Dr Helen Beattie (MD, Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa) as Panel Facilitator for the ‘Great Debate’ – Challenges for Companion Animals in a Changing World

As in previous years, the conference will, we hope, be opened by the incoming Minister for Animal Welfare or delegate.

Full speaker profiles & abstracts will be available once confirmed on this page.

Format for the Conference

The conference day will consist of a full day of presentation from our speakers, followed by a facilitated panel discussion.

There will be morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea with all breaks to enable delegates to mingle in the trade area.

We reconvene later for our Assisi Awards gala dinner.

Day two consists of a morning workshop to create some tangible outcomes from the previous day’s discussions.

The Assisi Awards Gala Dinner

Every two years CANZ presents its Assisi Awards in "recognition of outstanding service to animals" to individuals who have contributed to the welfare of animals, whether in New Zealand or internationally.

The award, named in honour of the Patron Saint of Animals, St Francis of Assisi, is an acknowledgement by CANZ of the achievements of those whose goals echo the principles of excellence in animal welfare.

The awards dinner is a highlight of the New Zealand animal welfare calendar.

NOMINATE SOMEONE YOU KNOW TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS YEARS ROUND OF ASSISI AWARDS! NOMINATIONS CLOSE 26TH JANUARY 2024. RECIPIENTS MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE GALA DINNER AT “ANIMALS IN A CHANGING WORLD” CONFERENCE 2024

Why should you attend?

Central & Local Government
Learn of current companion animal welfare to help implement sound policy and procedural decisions.
Tertiary Educators/Researchers
Discover current and future research opportunities and collaboration.

Veterinary & Rescue personnel
Understand the theory and practical implications of positive welfare, and sustainable pet-keeping Networking opportunities with key influencers in the welfare space.

Industry
Develop strategic plans based on the future state of animal welfare and promoting pets as good citizens. Consolidate your support of welfare organisations as well your future animal & human clients.

Breeders & Public
Gain practical advice for your own use and expand your knowledge of animal behaviour and positive welfare theory and practice.

Two Conferences

We have aligned our conference to coincide with the International Society for Equitation Science ‘A Good Life for Horses’ Conference. The ISES conference is also in Waikato and starts just after ours concludes. Delegates can access preferential ticket prices by attending both events. See below for further information.

KEY DATES:

Abstract Submission Closed – 6.00pm Friday 8th December 2023

Notification of Abstracts - Completed

Assisi Award Nominations Closed

 

CONFERENCE Date & Location

Tuesday 12th March (full day) 8:00am Conference registration, 9:00am start
Tuesday 12th March (Awards Dinner) 6:30pm pre-dinner/ 7pm dinner
Wednesday 13th March (workshop) 9am -12:30pm

The Conference and Awards Dinner will be held at:

Novotel Hamilton Tainui Hotel, 7 Alma Street
3204 HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND

CONFERENCE ENQUIRIES

About the ISES Conference

Take advantage of our partnership with ISES to attend their international conference.

International Society for Equitation Science presents "A Good Life for Horses"
Evolving public views and increased knowledge about equine welfare suggest that to continue to justify equine involvement in sport and leisure and maintain a social license to operate, there is an urgent need to understand and address the changing views, equine welfare concerns, and to ensure horses involved in sport and leisure can live a Good Life.

Location: Sir Don Rowlands Centre at Mighty River Domain. 601 Maungatautari Road, Leamington, Karapiro 3494, New Zealand

Date and time: Thu 14th Mar 2024, 9:00 am - Sat 16th Mar 2024, 5:00 pm NZDT