Animal Planet's Jackson Galaxy and the ASPCA's Dr. Emily Weiss to Dispel Animal Welfare Myths at Found Animals' Fourth Annual Forum

Registration and Sponsorship opportunities for the November forum are now open at http://www.foundanimals.org/myths and http://www.foundanimals.org/sponsor

LOS ANGELES (September 25, 2012) — Found Animals Foundation will hold its fourth annual Forum event featuring Animal Planet’s Jackson Galaxy of My Cat from Hell and Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president of shelter research & development for the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) in presentations aimed at “Dispelling Myths in Animal Welfare.” Additional speakers will be announced soon and for the first time ever, sponsorship opportunities are available.

The Found Animals Forum serves as a chance to provide the Los Angeles community with up to date animal welfare related information and resources through a constructive, collaborative, community-building event. The Forum provides a unique audience of influential animal care workers and volunteers.

“This year’s Forum will offer innovative discussions aimed at busting myths to reduce euthanasia, boost adoptions and ultimately save more lives in animal-focused organizations – big or small, public or private – everyone will benefit from the discussions,” said Aimee Gilbreath Executive Director at Found Animals. “And for the first time since the Forum’s inception in 2009, we will be offering sponsorships at a variety of levels, creating a distinctive opportunity for cause marketing or product awareness campaigns.”

Galaxy will show the basics of “cat mojo,” his term which describes the life force and driving needs of cats. Attendees will learn how to identify signs of stress and how to take steps to resolve them, specific roles of comfort and challenge in the rescue/shelter environment as well as provide tips on making hard-to-place cats “more adoptable.”

“Teaching Cat Mojo to the general public is valuable because through demystifying them we decrease the frustration which leads to surrender, and simultaneously increase the fascination with, and investment in the moment-to-moment realities of the animal you share your life with.

“One of the main reasons I’m so excited to talk with Forum-goers about Cat Mojo is because they can in turn pass the word on to each and every potential adopter; I believe that not only will it help make their cats easier to care for, adopt out, and keep in homes, but it serves our higher purpose - It gives us a tool whereby we kill myths in our facilities instead of more cats.”

Dr. Weiss will speak on several myth-based topics including fee-waived adoptions and the human-animal bond, as well as how making the philosophical shift from a “myth-based shelterer” to a “fact based re-homer” can save more lives in your shelter.

“Our research has shown that some myths could be stifling adoptions. For example, ASPCA research has shown that when shelters waive adoption fees, adoptions can skyrocket without a negative impact on the human-animal bond,” Dr. Weiss said. “This year’s Forum will offer the Los Angeles animal community an opportunity to learn all about how they can implement research-based adoptions programs that could help get more animals out of the shelter and into loving homes.”

Following the presentations, a networking reception featuring vegetarian and vegan cuisine and a beer and wine open bar will be held with the keynote speakers as well as Gilbreath and sponsors.

Registration for the event is now open at http://www.foundanimals.org/myths. The event is free for municipal shelter employees. “Early Bird” registration is $20 and available through October 19, 2012 at which point the price will rise. Tickets will not be available at the door and must be purchased in advance.

The event will be held on Sunday, November 11, 2012 at the Skirball Cultural Center, located at 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049. Registration begins at 2:30 p.m., speakers begin at 3:30 p.m. and the networking reception begins at 7 p.m.

For more information about the Found Animals Forum visit www.foundanimals.org/myths. To inquire about sponsorship opportunities visit www.foundanimal.org/sponsor.

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About Found Animals

Found Animals Foundation is a privately-funded nonprofit organization dedicated to animal welfare issues. Led by business and medical professionals, the Foundation works directly within the animal welfare community to reduce the use of euthanasia in shelters by supporting programs including: pet adoption, spay/neuter services, pet identification, and sterilization research.

About Jackson Galaxy

Jackson Galaxy is a cat behavior consultant with over 17 years of experience. His in-home practice has been highlighted over 3 seasons of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell. He developed his craft over 9 years at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and still considers shelter/rescue work the cornerstone of his basic approach to and mission for cats.

About Dr. Emily Weiss

Dr. Emily Weiss is the Vice President of Shelter Research & Development for the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®). A native of Long Island, N.Y., Dr. Weiss has focused her professional and personal life on improving welfare for animals. She is a section editor of the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, and has published extensively in the field of applied behavior. She has traveled across North America lecturing on various areas of applied animal behavior, and has been featured nationally on radio, TV and print. She directed the development and use of the ASPCA Animal Stats Dashboard, the tool used by the ASPCA to measure progress in shelters and spay/neuter clinics. Recently, Dr. Weiss’ work has focused on developing program and process to increase the Live Release Rate in shelters around the country. She designs a variety of research in sheltering and spay/neuter environments.