Janee` Boswell
Happy New Year everyone! I would like to thank everyone who attended the 2nd Annual Colorado Animal Welfare Conference. We had record attendance of 180 people, to include sponsors, speakers, and attendees. 74 of those were CAACO members! Thanks to the CFAWA board members and the CAACO board members who spent endless hours organizing, preparing, and carrying out various duties to once again make the fall conference a success.
Now that the New Year has begun CAACO is shifting gears, legislative initiatives, Spring Conference planning, certification specific training, and of course MEMBERSHIP.
First and foremost, please get your membership renewals, new applications, and fees in as soon as possible. By joining CAACO with an active annual membership, you can look forward to the following benefits:
* Discounted CAACO sponsored and organized training seminars
* Automatic membership in NACA, which includes the NACA News publication
* Quarterly CAACO newsletter, PAWS Against the Walls
* Networking of resources with animal control officers across the state
* Vote on important issues concerning the field of animal control
* Training scholarships and equipment grants
The benefits are well worth the minimal expense. Individual membership for $40. Agency membership for $180. Please visit http://www.caaco.org/membership.htm to download and complete the membership renewal/application. Remember we need your renewal prior to March 1,2012 to obtain the NACA news publication.
Mark your calendars for the 2012 Spring Conference April 17th – 20th ,2012. We will be back at the Lakewood Holiday Inn to enjoy training, networking, the acclaimed Animal Control Mystery Luncheon and yearly awards ceremony.
We are yet again planning on an array of classes to meet the needs of various experience levels and topics of interest. This year we are once again scheduling two tracks of classes for two of the four day conference. We are putting a slightly different twist in that the one of the two day tracks will offer a certification specific training track. This will enable ACO’s who want to achieve their State Certification the ability to learn the core curriculum essential for Colorado Animal Control Officer’s.
We will also have classes tailored to the more tenured ACO’s. Stay tuned for class schedule and listing of instructors. I can’t forget to mention the Animal Control Mystery Luncheon and Awards Ceremony to be held on Wednesday April 18th.
We all know that this profession is not always recognized and ACO’s are not always appreciated for the hard work, dedication, and tenacity it takes to do this job day in and day out. Take a moment to write a nomination letter for an officer, agency, or friend of animal control that you feel has done an exceptional job in 2011. Please send or email nomination letters for the 2011 Animal Control Excellence (A.C.E.) award , Animal Control Agency of the year, and Friends of Animal Control. Emails can be sent to Vice President Becky Robison at vicepresident@caaco.org.
Please remember to be safe, stay diligent, and keep enjoying what you do.
Janee’