IAAHPC Webinar Schedule 2013
*** Registration for the live webinar CLOSES at 12 noon EDT (11 am CDT, 10 am MDT, 9 am PDT, 4 pm GMT) the day of the webinar.
Registrations made after that time will
receive a link to the recording within 48 hours ***
We are offering webinars for families as well as for the professional.
(Open to everyone) - Second Sunday of the month at 8pm EST (7pm CDT, 6pm MDT, 5pm PDT, 12 midnight GMT)
February 17
Adding hospice care to your practice (Kathy Cooney)
This webinar will cover the major components to consider when adding hospice care to an already existing practice. While some parts of hospice care can be easy to implement, others can be more challenging. We will explore ways to connect with families on a regular basis, how to offer some home care, and create a hospice team. This webinar is a must for those wanting to offer hospice for the first time.
April 14
The Presence Plan: How to Thrive After Your Pet's Terminal Diagnosis (Doug Koktavy)
Following a fatal illness diagnosis, a pet parent as caregiver, experiences a myriad of damaging emotions: guilt over past decisions and fear over future events. A lack of understanding by your human circle and increased time commitments results in a cascade of despair: denial, anger, depression, fatigue and sleep loss are just a few. This state is known as Anticipatory Grief. This informative webinar will identify the components of Anticipatory Grief and provide a step-by-step framework, known as "The Presence Plan," to turn adversity into opportunity. Participants will learn how to identify and control negative emotions through a daily focus on living in the moment. Join us to learn "this isn't the worst of times-it is the richest of times."
April 21
A Right of Veterinary Clients: The Choice of Hospice Care for Animals---It's Humane for Animals and a Benefit to the Mental Health of Clients and Veterinarians (Bonnie Mader)
This webinar will summarize Bonnie Mader's career-long position that proper end of life care for the beloved animals of veterinary clients is served best by specialized medical and interpersonal care which includes giving choices about how the animal takes his or her final breath---now or later, here or at home---taking into account the psychological milieu of the client so that the memory forever to be lived with by those with the primary loss will be one that includes knowing their animal did not suffer needlessly, that they did not feel pressured into "killing their animal," and that everything reasonably was done with respect and justice for personal beliefs.
May 12
Creating a safe home for your pet in hospice care (Dr. Kathleen Cooney)
Creating a safe and peaceful home during hospice care is very important. While we often talk about the medical issues that need to be addressed with our ailing pets, we can sometimes overlook ways to keep them safe in the home; to eliminate environmental stressors so they can enjoy daily life to the fullest. This webinar will detail ways to ready a home for a pet in hospice.
May 19
Hospice Business Management for Technicians (Rebecca Rose, CVT)
You have decided to step out on your own and create a Pet Hospice Service, FANTASTIC! Now, time to focus on the business aspect of your endeavor. First, we will look at rules and regulations that may effect your proposed business, depending upon the state you reside. Then, we will discuss your strategic plan, establishing a business with your state, mission, vision, and budget. Once we have those fundamental concepts defined, we will move into marketing, quality hospice and palliative services, designing a team and hiring. This class will offer resources and guide you to various sites, blogs and books for further development. As you can imagine, creating a business is an involved process, together we will hit a few highlights to get you started in a focused direction. Here's your business venture success!
June 9
Demystifying the Process of Natural Death (Lola Ball)
Natural death is the process by which an animal passes of their own volition, in their own time. When an animal dies naturally, we do not take any action to either prolong her passing or hasten it; we merely offer support, by ensuring that they are able to rest comfortably via soft beds and pillows, that they are neither too hot nor too cold and that they are in a calm, quiet environment. This webinar will help pet parents understand the stages of the natural dying process and how they can support their pets every step of the way.
June 16
Homeopathy in Pet Hospice (Dr. Christina Chambreau)
Complementary therapies can successfully address many of the issues involved for the patient in hospice care as well as for the caregivers. Homeopathy is a powerful modality, that when used carefully can address pain, infections, quality of life, appetite and more. Some animals treated with homeopathy shift from hospice to merely elderly and live for many more years. This webinar will present many homeopathy options used in animal hospice today.
July 14
Understanding Pet Loss with Children and Pets (Coleen Ellis)
In this webinar, attendees will learn how to be a resource to two other grieving parties, children and other surviving pets.
First of all, children are organic mourners. Adults are the barometer for how children will handle death, therefore, the healthiest way to help a child adjust to the death of a pet is to give them honest, simple explanations, show them that it's okay to be sad, and allow them to do what comes naturally to them. From a young age, children begin to understand the concept of death, even though they may be unaware of it at a conscious level. "Any child old enough to love is old enough to mourn," says Alan Wolfelt, PhD., world-renowned grief expert.
When a pet is dying, it may be more difficult for a child to resolve the grief experienced if the child is not told the truth. Avoid use of words such as "put to sleep," "God needed an angel," or "a special shot." All of these statements can be conflicting for a child and emit fears when they go to bed, go to the doctor for a shot, or go to church.
Support children and their grief by acknowledging their pain. The death of a pet can be an opportunity for a child to learn that adult caretakers can be relied upon to extend comfort and reassurance. It is an important opportunity to encourage a child to express his or her feelings.
Secondly, pets also grieve when one of the pets in the household dies. The mourning that they do will vary with some pets visually acting out their grief while others may do nothing. As a pet care professional, being a resource to parents who have surviving pets at home will certainly have those parents appreciative of the guidance and caring in helping the entire family navigate the waters of pet grief and healthy mourning.
Lastly, in this webinar, attendees will hear what tips can be given to parents in helping with the grief journey of both children and pets. Very, very valuable information for every pet care professional to hear, know and learn!
July 21
Advanced Phone Skills (Coleen Ellis)
You had me at "Hello?" Or did you?! Many times the phone is your first impression with a client. Possibly it's a price shopper or a client looking for "more information, " first time phone callers need to be handled like the gold nugget gifts they are as a potential new clinic lead. Or, it could be the tool that's used to secure an existing client, from providing a listening ear on the other end to offering education and consultation. But if the phone is not handled right, you might never see that prospective client again or alienate an existing family, all because of poor phone skills. In this hour-long session, attendees will learn proper phone skills in these areas: 1. How to make a good first impression. 2. How to inflect caring and concern through the phone lines with an upset client. 3. How to diffuse anger in a caller – and why holding your head a certain way will be the key. 4. How to handle price shoppers and secure an appointment. 5. The proper follow up with price shoppers, in a caring way versus sounding like a sales person.
August 11
Lifetime Care Planning for Pets (Amy Shever)
According to the ASPCA, 3% of companion animals entering into U.S. animal shelters each year are relinquished due to the death of the pet owner. Many of these animals do not adjust well to the experience in a shelter, they refuse to eat and are labeled ‘unadobtable'. An unknown number of pets are surrendered to veterinarian clinics for the same reason.2nd Chance 4 Pets, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy group, has initiated an effort to educate veterinarians across the U.S.. Our session will outline what options are available to help pet owners plan for the possibility that their pets might outlive them; allowing veterinarians to help their pet-owner clients understand how to plan for the continued care of pets should their pets outlive them.
August 18
Euthanasia Techniques – Reaching for New Gold Standards (Dr. Kathy Cooney)
This webinar will describe the most common techniques practitioners will consider using, especially when families and loved ones are present. Dr. Cooney will focus most of the time on dog and cat euthanasia, with some time left for exotics, horses, and companion livestock. The goal is of this webinar is to increase proficiency and comfort during euthanasia and make the overall experience more positive from beginning to end.
September 8
Understanding the Relationship Between You and Your Pet (Claire Gillenson)
The bond we feel with our animals can range from simple to very complex. Why do we feel this way? Why do we feel more strongly bonded to a pet versus a human loved one? Before we can move forward into the journey of loss, it is important to understand why we feel the way we do towards our animals. This webinar will explore the emotional and spiritual reasons behind the connection we hold with our pets.
September 15
Bioethics and Animal Hospice (Jessica Pierce)
As animals grow old and infirm, veterinarians and human caregivers are faced with a complex and confusing array of choices and decisions. This webinar explores some of the central moral challenges in end of life care for animals, from pain management, to Quality of Life assessments, to hospice, to making that final decision to hasten an animal's death. To explore these issues, we'll look at how human bioethics approaches these same issues. We'll borrow some ethical ideas from the field of human bioethics, and offer a few in return. Veterinary medicine needs to develop a more nuanced moral vocabulary for end of life care, and to articulate more clearly the principled underpinnings of veterinary codes of ethics. In particular, terms like "euthanasia," "hospice," and "welfare," and "quality of life" need to be much more carefully delimited and defined. Human bioethics has a rich end of life vocabulary from which we can learn. In human medicine, "allowing to die" is generally seen as ethically preferable to hastening death or actively euthanizing. Within veterinary care, of course, the opposite tends to be true. Is there an ethical obligation to euthanize suffering animals, and if so, on what moral principles is this obligation grounded? Why are the considerations surrounding animal death so different from those surrounding human death? Research on death with dignity legislation in Oregon and Washington suggests that the primary reason people seek a prescription for lethal drugs is not pain, but rather emotional suffering such as depression, loneliness, and hopelessness. Does this have any implications for how we think about hospice and euthanasia for companion animals?
November 10
How to Move Forward After a Cancer Diagnosis (Kerry Malak)
Discovering that your pet has cancer can be overwhelming, and figuring out what to do next can be stressful and confusing -- even for experienced pet parents. But even if the cancer is advanced, there are many things that you can do to enhance your pet's quality of life and ensure that the time you have with them is filled with joy. In this webinar, we'll discuss some of the key issues to consider when making decisions about your pet's care, complementary approaches to treatment and palliative care that can enhance your pet's well-being, and resources that are available to help pet parents face the emotional and financial burdens of dealing with cancer.
November 17
Open discussion with IAAHPC board members
IAAHPC board members will be on hand to answer member questions. This webinar is free to all participants.
(Open to Everyone) - Third Sunday of the month at 8pm EST (7pm CDT, 6pm MDT, 5pm PDT, 12 midnight GMT)
Speaker Biographies
Katherine Goldberg - The Ethics of Veterinary Hospice Care
Katherine Goldberg graduated from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. She completed a rotating small animal internship, where she developed an interest in emergency & critical care medicine, and spent an additional year in referral emergency practice before returning to Cornell as a visiting instructor in emergency/critical care. While she enjoyed the intellectual challenge of intensive care, Dr. Goldberg wanted to develop more complete relationships with her patients and clients, and pursue her growing interest in hospice care. She became a trained volunteer for Hospicare & Palliative Care Services of Tompkins County in Fall 2009, is a member of Hospicare's ethics committee, and is on the education committee of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC). A speaker at the New York State Veterinary Conference, New York State Association of Veterinary Technicians, Cornell Summer College, Cornell Pet Loss Support Hotline, and numerous community venues, Dr. Goldberg is committed to educating veterinary professionals, students and community members in the areas of bond-centered geriatric support, hospice & palliative care.
Gail Bishop - The Role of Volunteers in Hospice Care
Gail Bishop, BS, is the Clinical Coordinator for the Argus Institute at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Gail's clinic role within the medical team is to assist and support clients with aspects of treatment and decision making they face during their pet's illness. She also provides short term emotional and grief support to pet caregivers who are referred to the Argus Institute Support Service. Gail is also Co-founder and faculty advisor for CSU's Pet Hospice program, the first and only University VTH Pet Hospice program in the country.
Developed in 2003, Pet Hospice is a student-run volunteer program whose mission is to provide compassionate end-of-life care for pets and emotional support and education for their families. Gail's vast experience in working with and training volunteers comes from 27 years in positions as the Bereavement Services Director for Hospice of Larimer County, Grief Counselor for Allnutt Funeral Service and Co-founder for the Suicide Resource Center of Larimer County.
Kerry Malak - How to Move Forward After a Cancer Diagnosis
Kerry Malak is the founder of Georgia's Legacy, an online advocacy, information and support resource for families whose dogs have been diagnosed with cancer. The goal of Georgia's Legacy is to provide unbiased information, resource referral and informal counseling to pet parents facing difficult choices regarding cancer treatment and end-of-life care for their pets. Kerry is also a certified pet loss counselor through the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement and serves as an assistant host in the APLB's weekly online pet loss chats. Her interest in animal hospice and holistic end-of-life care grew out of working with many families who could not afford cancer treatments for their animals, and those who had animals for whom conventional treatments were not an option, and needed to know how to provide comfort care for their pets during the end stages of their disease. Kerry has more than ten years of experience providing community education on a variety of healthcare topics and is also a Reiki Master Teacher based in Milwaukee, WI.
Christina Chambreau, DVM - Homeopathy in Pet Hospice
Christina Chambreau, DVM is an internationally known homeopathic veterinarian, lecturer and author of the Healthy Animal's Journal. She is a founder of the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. Currently she teaches classes in Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced Homeopathy for Animals across the country and is adjunct faculty at the Maryland Veterinary Technician Program. She lectures on a wide array of topics at the World Small Animal Veterinary Conference, American Veterinary Medical Association and more. She is co-author of the Homeopathic Repertory: A Tutorial and How to Have a Stress Free Wedding."
Karen Randall, D.V.M. - When to Reach Out For Help
Karen M Randall DVM is the owner of Solace Veterinary Hospice. Solace Veterinary Hospice is a veterinary practice that provides in-home hospice and euthanasia services for companion animals in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. She is a 1992 graduate of Colorado State University and has been a small animal practitioner and practice owner for over 18 years.
Page Yaxley D.V.M. - Administering Medications
Dr. Page Yaxley, DACVECC, is the founder and director of the Michigan State University Veterinary Hospice Care Service. This service was established in 2011 and is the second hospice in the country run out of a teaching institution. The service provides in home care for patients and their families facing end of life decisions. This service is aided by a large group of highly trained veterinary technician volunteers, and a social worker. Page has also been a co facilitator of the Companion Animal Loss Support group for the last five years at Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, alongside Linda Lawrence MSW LMSW. This service provides ongoing aid to those grieving after pet loss experience. She is the founder of a annual memorial service held at MSU VTH. Page completed vet school at The Ohio State University in 2003, and a rotating small animal internship at Michigan Veterinary Specialists, before completing a specialty internship and residency in emergency and critical care medicine at Michigan State University. Her clinical responsibilities outside of the hospice include teaching veterinary students, veterinary technician students, interns and residents. She is an active volunteer at her local human hospice, Sparrow Hospice House.
Mary Gardner D.V.M. - Support for the Caregiver
After the unexpected death of her own Samoyed in 2000, Dr. Mary Gardner was left in a deep state of grief and self-reflection. That event completely changed her life. Dr. Gardner left her career in Software Development/Training and applied for vet school as she knew she wanted to help others in the same predicament. She received her DVM degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville and spent 2 years in general practice before becoming co-owner of Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice which focuses on in-home end-of-life veterinary care. Lap of Love is quickly growing and has already contracted 18 new veterinarians in the eastern US to offer this wonderful service to hundreds of families. While attending the University of Florida, Dr. Gardner was bestowed with the Angel Award which recognized her profound understanding and appreciation of the Human-Animal bond. Dr. Gardner has been invited to speak to many professional and public groups on end-of-life veterinary care and will be presenting at NAVC 2012. She hopes that participants gain a higher understanding and respect for this important and much needed service. Dr. Gardner and Lap of Love has been featured in numerous media outlets including print, TV and radio. Some of her recent interviews have included Examiner.com, New Sky Radio, Fox 7 Miami, University of Florida Alumni Magazine, DVM News magazine to name a few.
Annie Forslund D.V.M. - Understanding Euthanasia
Dr. Annie Forslund was born in Quebec, Canada. She attended University of Montreal and graduated the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. The first few years of her career were spent in Labrador City, Newfoundland where she owned her veterinary practice. She moved to Southern California in 1996 and practiced in Long Beach and Newport Beach. In early 2009, she founded Home Pet Euthanasia of Southern California. Now, she dedicates her practice entirely to in-home euthanasias, pet hospice care and quality of life assessments. She has 14 years of training and experience in grief counseling. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, riding her horse, music, jewelry making, growing roses and honing her grief counseling skills.
Tamara Mengine D.V.M. - Quality of Life
Tamara Mengine, DVM, is a small animal practitioner in the Philadelphia suburbs. Dr. Mengine began her veterinary career as an emergency/critical care clinician, and it was in this role that she began encountering a common dilemma: pet owners were typically offered only two choices when presented with a life-limiting diagnosis - either invest thousands of dollars in aggressive treatment, or euthanize their beloved pet. Dr. Mengine grew increasingly interested in creating a third option for pets and their families, one that would seek to provide comfort and quality time for the terminally-ill pet, at home with their families. Dr. Mengine has been creating hospice plans for her patients for several years, each one customized to meet the needs of the inidividual animal and its family. She has also volunteered in the human hospice field for over 15 years, by providing pet therapy visits with her own pets. Dr. Mengine graduate summa cum laude from the North Carolina College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003, and then completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Texas A&M.
Heather Merrill, CT - Natural Death
Heather Merrill is a Social Thanatologist and life long animal lover. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1991, cum laude with High Honors in Sociology and has completed over 100 hours of advanced training in the field of Thanatology (the study of death, dying and bereavement), human and animal hospice and complimentary therapies, including TTouch and Reiki I training, primarily through the National Center for Death Education at Mount Ida College, the Association for Death Education and Counseling, and Spirits in Transition. Heather is a Founding Member and serves on the Education Committee of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting knowledge about and developing guidelines for comfort-oriented care to companion animals as they approach the end of life. She is also a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the American Animal Hospital Association, the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement and an associate member of the American Association of Human-Animal Bond Veterinarians.
Heather's hospice work began when she cared for two family members at home as they progressed through illness and dying. After that profoundly moving experience, she became a human hospice volunteer with Wayside Hospice, a program of Parmenter Community Healthcare, volunteering more than 200 hours at their hospice residence and learning first hand the impact quality hospice care can have not only on the patient but the entire family. Through many hours of working with skilled hospice professionals, Heather identified the key principals that would form the foundation of her animal hospice program: an integrated interdisciplinary approach to caring for the whole family unit, aggressive management of physical pain, appreciation of the value of life, viewing dying as a natural and normal part of living, and respect for the wishes of the animal patient. Since beginning her hospice work, Heather has been at the side of more than 150 individuals in the dying process.
After two years of development and planning, in 2010 Heather founded New England Pet Hospice, Inc., an inter-disciplinary animal hospice service that supports animals and those who love them with hospice care in their own homes. New England Pet Hospice is based on Heather's commitment to the human hospice model, study of its core principles and experience watching it work successfully for many families. In addition to Heather, the New England Pet Hospice team consists of skilled professionals including Certified Veterinary Technicians, an Interfaith Spiritual Advisor, and Animal Care Specialists, working with the animal's own veterinarian to bring a compassionate, peaceful end of life experience to the animal and his or her family.
Dr. Amir Shanan, D.V.M. - Similarities and Differences Between Human and Pet Hospice Models
Dr. Shanan has been in companion animal private practice in Chicago since completing his DVM training at Michigan State University in 1985. He is the owner of Compassionate Veterinary Care, which has been offering in-home medical and consultation services for geriatric and terminally ill companion animals since 1995. He has been speaking to veterinarians and grief counselors nationally and internationally since 1996. Dr. Shanan completed Northwestern University's School of Medicine Education in Palliative and End-of-life Care Curriculum in 2008 and completed the Center for Loss and transitions Pet Loss Companioning certification program in 2011. He is the President of the IAAHPC, which he founded in 2009. Dr. Shanan has authored and co-authored numerous works related to pet hospice care, including the Veterinary Clinics of North America book dedicated to veterinary hospice and palliative medicine published this year. Dr. Amir Shanan, described as a mix of philosopher, ethicist, counselor and veterinarian, has been dedicated to pioneering veterinary hospice and end of life services since 1993.
Coleen Ellis, CT - Memorializing Your Pet, Marketing Your Pet Hospice Service
Understanding Pet Loss with Children and Pets
Advance Phone Skills
In 1998, a chance encounter with a pet parent facing the death of her pet was a defining moment for Coleen. It was the beginning of her vision of how to best meet the needs of pet parents in their desire to mourn, memorialize and pay tribute to their beloved pets when they die. In 2004, the experience of the death of her dog, Mico, guided her in starting Pet Angel Memorial Center, Inc.®, the nation's first stand-alone pet's-only funeral home. Soon, publications such as Kates-Boylston's Pet Loss Insider deemed her the "most well known pet funeral director" and a true "pet loss pioneer." In 2009, Coleen founded Two Hearts Pet Loss Center, to guide people who wish to provide meaningful pet death care services in their communities, as well to be an educational resource in the pet grief discipline. Most recently, she received the first Death and Grief Studies Certification specializing in Pet Loss Companioning by Dr. Alan Wolfelt. She is also certified in Thanatology. Coleen is a native of Kansas where she graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. She shares her home in Indianapolis, IN, with her husband and business partner, Chris Burke, their two two-legged children, Brian and Amy, and their three four-legged children, Ellie Mae, Crisco, and Rudy.
Claire Gillenson M.A. - Pet Loss Support
Understanding the Relationship Between You and Your Pet
Claire Gillenson, M.A., Life Transition Coach/Grief Recovery Specialist. Claire's heart always belonged to the animal world, but it was the loss of her beloved companion Sophie that inspired Claire Gillenson to leave a six-figure design career to follow her bliss. She re-directed her career to grief and loss coaching, helping individuals overcome life challenges by teaching them life long techniques to thrive. Claire earned a Masters Degree in Psychology, certification in Grief Recovery, Grief Bereavement Facilitation and Animal Reiki. Author of 28 Days of Grief and Healing, Transforming the Loss of a Beloved Pet, Claire's heart-led approach is an inspirational resource in one's journey of integrating and healing from challenging pet conflicts.
Robyn Kesnow, RVT - Daily Enrichment Activities
Robyn Kesnow is a California State Registered Veterinary Technician and founder of Animal RN. After years in working nights in a fast paced emergency clinic, Robyn was looking for another way to serve discerning pet parents while utelizing her experience and joy for animal nursing. Robyn has developed a passion for helping people and their pets experience their lives together with extreme joy and comfort. Animal RN provides service on a level formerly unavailable via traditional pet and veterinary care. Animal RN has grown into a valued asset to the communities served in Northern California. Robyn is a founding member of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Pallitive Care. When not serving others, Robyn enjoys life in Sonoma County California with her significant other, Grant and two Australian Cattle Dogs.
Michelle Nichols, MS - Building the Hospice Team
Michelle Nichols is founder of Seattle's Partners to the Bridge, coordinating services and supporting animal-caregiving families during the challenging, yet precious time that comes with end of life. In 2010, she and six like-minded animal service providers formed the emerging non-profit organization called the Animal Hospice, End of Life, and Palliative Care Project. These pursuits complement each other, but have a similar vision: to expand perceptions of comfort care and promote quality of life for families and the beloved animals under their care. In just a little over one year, she and the "AHELP Project" have developed a model that could be applied to any community in the US or abroad. Their mission is to build community through their educational and social events, and with teamwork from their local Professional and Veterinary Network who maximize quality of life for animals with special needs due to illness, injury or age. Michelle comes from 10 years of healthcare experience in case coordination and emotional support, volunteers with a hospital-based local hospice program and is a founding member of IAAHPC with service on their Education Committee.
Dr. Robin Downing, D.V.M. - Pain Management for the Life-limited Pet - Palliative Care Principles & Practices
Dr. Downing is Hospital Director of The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management, LLC, the first comprehensive pain prevention and management practice for pets in Northern Colorado.
She was the 1995 Colorado VMA's Up and Coming Veterinarian of the Year, the 1996 Association for Women Veterinarians - Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year, and in 1999 she received a regional Entrepreneurial Excellence Award® from Working Woman® Magazine. In 2000 she was named the Hill's Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award winner, and 2001 the World Small Animal Association presented Dr. Downing the Excellence in Veterinary Healthcare Award (Small Animal Veterinarian of the Year). Dr. Downing was named the Woman of Influence in Healthcare by the Northern Colorado Business Report in 2009. She was also named the Veterinary Contributor of the Year by ImproMed Inc. in 2008 and 2009.
Dr. Downing is a founder of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner, a certified veterinary acupuncturist, a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (University of Tennessee), a certified Tui Na practitioner (Chi Institute), is certified in canine medical massage (CSU), and is certified in animal chiropractic (IVCA). She is one of a handful of veterinarians to hold the Diplomate credential in the American Academy of Pain Management, the US's largest interdisciplinary human pain management organization. In 2009 Dr. Downing became the first veterinarian to earn the designation Certified Pain Educator from the American Society of Pain Educators, a second human pain management credential. Dr. Downing has been sharing her passion for facilitating, enhancing, lengthening, and strengthening the Family-Pet-Veterinary Bond with audiences around the world since 1996.
Dr. Kathleen Cooney, D.V.M - Companion Animal Euthanasia Techniques
How to find an animal hospice service provider in your area
Adding hospice care to your current practice
Creating a safe home for your pet in hospice care
Euthanasia Techniques - Reaching for New Gold Standards
Dr. Kathleen Cooney is founder and president of Home to Heaven, P.C., a mobile pet hospice and euthanasia service based in northern Colorado. Her company employs 7 doctors and 2 receptionists to help families 24/7. On average, Home to Heaven helps between 40-50 families per week. Along with her mobile work, Dr. Cooney operates the nation's first pet euthanasia center on her farm in Loveland Colorado. She is currently a member of the AVMA's 2011 euthanasia guideline panel and in May of this year competed writing her first eBook for veterinarians regarding the many facets of in-home euthanasia. As of last month, Dr. Cooney completed a second book on euthanasia technique training along with four other authors. This book has the potential to become the world's first euthanasia textbook for use in veterinary colleges. In April 2011, she became the Education Chairperson for the IAAHPC. Over the next few years, Dr. Cooney will work closely with members of the education committee to offer hospice certification training, develop a veterinary hospice conference, and publish articles online regarding all areas of end-of-life care. She is a strong advocate for education and teaches in-home euthanasia techniques, along with client communication, to junior veterinary students in Colorado State University's veterinary medical program. Due to all of her accomplishments and dedication to education, client support, and the advancement of animal hospice care, she has been awarded the 2011 Rising Star Veterinarian Award by the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association.
Kate Moore, CFSP - Making Preparations for Death
Kate Moore has been a licensed funeral director for 20 years; owning and operating 3 funeral homes in Fort Worth and Dallas. She and her husband, Terry Branson are pet parents and pet lovers who believe that our companion animals deserve the same dignity and respect in death as do their human caregivers. In 2009, they began Beyond the Rainbow Pet Hospice & Memorial Center, the first-of-its-kind, total end-of-life care provider for pets. In their first 2 years, they provided care to over 500 pet parents and their babies. She is an active member of their church in Fort Worth, TX; 4PAWS, an animal adoption organization in Benbrook, Texas; member of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice; the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care; the Tarrant County Veterinary Medical Assn. and the Pet Loss Professional's Alliance, where she is co-chair for Education. Kate is Mom to Mindy, an 11-year-old miniature dachshund and Peeve (because everyone needs a pet peeve), a 14-year-old tabby.
Dr. Anthony Smith, D.V.M. - Advanced Hospice Business Management
In 1984, Dr. Anthony J. Smith earned his undergraduate degree in Biology from Stanford University followed by his DVM from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. Following graduation, he completed an internship in Zoo Medicine at the National Zoo in Washington, DC and another in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery in Santa Ana, California. For the next ten years, Dr. Smith worked as the veterinarian at a variety of zoos including the Santa Barbara, El Paso, and Oakland Zoos and as the director of the Happy Hollow Zoo in San Jose, California. Following that, he worked in clinical small animal practice for several years while earning his Masters in Business Administration at California State University, East Bay. During this time, he founded Rainbow Bridge Veterinary Services, one of the only veterinary practices in the world devoted exclusively to providing end of life care (hospice and euthanasia) to pets in their own homes. In the year 2000, Dr. Smith began teaching in the Veterinary Technician training program at Western Career College, where he eventually became the Program Director. While there, Dr. Smith developed a complete curriculum and comprehensive two-year program for educating registered veterinary technicians. He led this program to its first ever accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association and twice earned the college's Educator of the Year title.
For the past six years, Dr. Smith has focused on building and enhancing the end of life care provided by Rainbow Bridge Veterinary Services. In that time, he has helped thousands of animals pass peacefully over the Rainbow Bridge and helped ease the difficult process for their human companions. In addition to his work with Rainbow Bridge, Dr. Smith is a founding member of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative and currently serves as the organization's vice-president. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets, as well as President of the Board for Wildlife Associates, an organization dedicated to helping students and adults reconnect to the living world. Dr. Smith is a renowned author with over 20 professional journal and textbook publications and has lectured at dozens of conferences and symposia on topics ranging from animal hospice to hedgehog medicine. His outside interests include volunteering, rock-climbing, camping, and hiking with his best friend, a black lab named Rio.
Doug Koktavy - The Presence Plan: How to Thrive After Your Pet's Terminal Diagnosis
Doug Koktavy is the Best Selling author of The Legacy of Beezer and Boomer: Lessons on Living and Dying From My Canine Brothers. The book won numerous awards is now published in Italy and Holland. A passionate speaker, Doug has presented small talks, workshops and keynote addresses. He is a Certified Counselor, Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement and volunteers for numerous pet related groups. Currently an attorney in Denver, he enjoys time with his new black Labs, Dory and Emma. Visit www.BeezerAndBoomer.com for details or email Doug@BeezerAndBoomer.com.
Dr. Lynn Hendrix - What is Suffering?
Dr. Lynn Hendrix graduated from UC Davis in 2002 with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. She has 22 years of experience in the Veterinary field. She has been studying human hospice practices and models since 1993, when her mother passed away in human hospice from Lung Cancer. She was a student member of the board of the Nikki Hospice foundation, a member of the UC Davis Pet Loss Support Hotline and participated in The Heart of the Hospital training on Grief Support Techniques. She has presented at the First Annual Hospice Symposium, held at UC Davis in 2008. She is an AVMA member and a member of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care and on the marketing task force for the second annual IAAHPC Pet Hospice Conference, in Denver, Colorado, Nov 1-4th of 2012. She has joined the task force for developing the guidelines for veterinary hospice and for certification of veterinary hospice.
Bonnie Mader - A Right of Veterinary Clients: The Choice of Hospice Care for Animals---It's Humane for Animals and a Benefit to the Mental Health of Clients and Veterinarians
Perhaps Bonnie Mader's most publicly known achievement to date is her successful development of the first of its kind Pet Loss Support Hotline, an international free telephone service providing mental health support and crisis intervention for people experiencing or anticipating the loss of beloved animals, the service she co-founded with Kelly Palm, DVM '90, at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1988 which she turned into a model public service and highly regarded educational experience for veterinary students for which she earned the Merck AgVet Award for Creativity in Teaching in 1997. For Bonnie, the Pet Loss Support Hotline is only one example of how her graduate academic and clinical training as a family therapist and mental health professional has enabled her to think critically about the mental health aspects of our relationships with animals.
Rebecca Rose - Hospice Business Management for Technicians
Rebecca Rose, CVT has worked in the veterinary community for nearly 3 decades. During that time she has managed veterinary practices, co-authored books on careers and business design, adminstered to veterinary professional associations, presented locally and nationally, offered various online courses and owns her own business, Red Valley Rose Consulting, LLC. She is an active member of her state technician association, works closely with manager groups, sits on The Feline Fix Board as Secretary, and is an advocate of the veterinary health care team. She invites you to visit her website, www.rebeccarosecvt.com and friend her on Facebook to find out more. You will read Rebecca finds great joy in building masterful, passionate veterinary teams.
Lola Ball - Demystifying the Process of Natural Death
Lola has been an avid animal lover since she was a little girl, but she wasn't allowed to have a pet as a child due to family allergies. Once she was settled in her late 20's, she bonded quickly with her first puppy, a chocolate lab named Porter. It was when Porter was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma that Lola inadvertently employed hospice care to ensure that his last few months would be of a high quality of life. After his death, she decided to capture her experiences with caring for a dog with cancer by writing a book to share what she had learned, so that others would not have to start from ground zero. During the writing of her book, "When Your Dog Has Cancer," Jasper, a yellow lab-hound dog mix she adopted, was diagnosed with mast cell tumor and she again used hospice techniques on the path to a natural death. Her undergraduate days at MIT and a position at Los Alamos National Laboratory have grounded her in the ways of research, which has been an invaluable asset. She volunteers at Pasado's Safe Haven, where she enjoys being surrounded by dogs, cats and farm animals of all kinds! She is also an active volunteer in the local and national MIT Alumni Association. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the AHELP Project, based in Bellevue, WA and is an active volunteer with the international animal hospice organization, International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care.
Amy Shever - Lifetime Care Planning for Pets
As a longtime animal shelter volunteer, Amy Shever was deeply affected by the many healthy companion animals left homeless simply because their owners had died and had made no arrangements for their continued care. Amy established 2nd Chance 4 Pets to address this issue. Amy is also a founding member of Tri-Valley Animal Rescue (Pleasanton, CA) and a board member for the American Veterinarian Exhibitors Association (AVEA). Amy has worked in the high tech industry for 24 years. She volunteers as the Director of 2nd Chance 4 Pets.
Jessica Pierce - Bioethics and Animal Hospice
Jessica Pierce, Ph.D. is a bioethicist. She has written and lectured about bioethics for over two decades, and is regarded as one of the founders of the field of environmental bioethics and a leading scholar in animal ethics. She is the author of six books and numerous popular and scholarly essays on bioethics and animals.
