Sacramento, CA, February 9, 2021 –California Animal Welfare Association’s (CalAnimals) seventh annual Animal Welfare CEO Forum welcomed 65 of the state’s Top Dogs running California’s animal care and control agencies, SPCAs, and humane societies. Thanks to the generous support of Wallis Annenberg and the Annenberg Foundation, California’s animal-welfare leaders came together virtually to discuss the key issues facing animal shelters, animals, and communities across the state.
“While we missed gathering in person for what has become a critically important event for animal welfare leaders in our state, we are pleased to report that the virtual conference was a success,” explains Jill Tucker, CEO of CalAnimals. “Critical issues for discussion this year included disaster response training, accessible veterinary care, human housing issues, and the development of more programs to support families and their pets.”
California’s animal shelters are collectively responsible for sheltering more than 800,000 animals each year and their work impacts the lives of millions of people and their pets. The CalAnimals CEO Forum is a unique opportunity for California’s shelter leaders to develop and maintain strong relationships to support one another and further progress for animals in the state.
The Forum also provided leadership training that included strategies for handling some of the unique challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic.
Feedback received from attendees was very enthusiastic. “This forum is important to me because it gives me a chance to interact with people in my profession and brainstorm to find solutions to problems we have in common. It also gives me a chance to make connections with people that can help me with different issues I may have throughout the year. I strongly believe that we must all work together as much as possible to improve our lifesaving efforts,” said Cindy Avila, director of Madera County Animal Services.
The CalAnimals board of directors is engaging in strategic planning in late February and will be taking input collected from the CEO Forum into consideration as they prioritize objectives for the coming years. Following the successful launch this past year of California’s Certified Animal Control Officer program, a statewide Disaster Response Committee, and a brand new Junior Executive Leadership Program, the organization is actively charting a path for maximum impact and benefit for the animals and people of California.
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