Please join us for the 2011 CAACO Spring Conference! The Board is especially excited about the Spring Conference. Our Education Coordinator Staci McBrayer and other Board members have put together an exciting event scheduled for April 19- 22 at the Lakewood Holiday Inn. Same location as last year, Lakewood Holiday Inn, www.hilakewood.com. We have great line up of classes and have added a two day Basic Spanish Class that was well received when we offered this class in 2008. We hope to see you there.
Ron Berman, D.B.A.F.E.; Bio
An Animal Control Officer is typically one of the first if not the first responder after a dog bite or dog related injury. They have the unique ability to capture information as soonafter the incident as possible when it is still very fresh in the minds of victims, dog owners and witnesses. They also oftenhave the chance to view the victim's wounds before medical attention is received and wounds are treated and bandaged. As individual memories of details can change radically after enough time has gone by and litigation has become a reality, the accuracy and completeness of the officers report will no doubt become a major sourceof evidence in that litigation whether brought against the dog owner, landlord,veterinarian ( or other pet professional) or even the animal control agency themselves.State of the art techniques for collecting and developing evidence will be offered and actual cases involving lawsuits against animal control agencies willbe presented and analyzed.
Rich Macias, RRMA; Bio
I performed the first two-day Spanish seminar for the CAACO in 2008 and it was very well received. I adapted our standard 5 Day Law Enforcement curriculum to fit a 2 Day conference objective. The students that year liked the method and pace of the instruction. The group offered valuable additions to the material I had prepared. We made lists and I translated them. The lists have now become part of the curriculum. The Terminal Performance Objectives are as follows…
At the end of the 2 Day session, each participant will be able to:
Bruce Benjamin, Pitkin County Sheriff's Office; Bio
As an Animal Control Officer in Colorado, you are frequently exposed to many different home environments such as rural ranches and urban apartments. Bruce's presentation will prepare you to be able to recognize child abuse or neglect in those places. Using visual aids, Bruce will take you through some typical homes, and by the end of the class, you will be able to recognize clues that a child is endangered. We will cover physical abuse, sexual abuse, the drug exposed child, and general neglectful environments.
Bruce will then discuss in detail how best to work with law enforcement and Social Services in your communities to ensure children are protected. We all know that the link between child abuse and animal abuse is strong. This class will attempt to sharpen your investigation skills and allow you to put all the pieces of the puzzle and evidence together to protect the most vulnerable members of your community. In addition, Bruce will cover the child abuse mandated reporting statute in Colorado and how it applies to you, the animal control officer.
Tracy Thompson, DVM USDA, APHIS, Animal Care; Bio
The history of the Animal Welfare Act and USDA, APHIS, Animal Care’s Regulatory oversight. Also, A Day in the Life of an AC VMO shows who we regulate and some of the issues we see during inspections.
Jack Murphy, Urban Wildlife Rescue; Bio
What is Urban Wildlife and what we do; Problems created by trapping; Problems created by animal relocation; Techniques used to resolve wildlife conflicts without the use of traps; How to deal with specific species and the problems they may create; How to assist citizens in resolving wildlife conflicts over the phone and/or on site.
Bill Bruce, City of Calgary, Animal & Bylaw Services; Bio
Bill will give an Overview of the Responsible Pet Ownership Model. He will cover Processes & Tools; Public Education; Officer Training; Results; Continuous Improvement; Q & A and Contact Information.
Lynn Reimer, ACT on Drugs, Inc; Bio
Methamphetamine is becoming a very popular drug of choice, and its use and abuse is sweeping the nation. Methamphetamine abusers will go to any length to get the drug; they’ll cook it anywhere, sell their bodies for it, commit crimes and abandon their children. This drug is an equal opportunity destroyer; it destroys families, communities and lives. Participants will learn: how to recognized a user, the drugs effect on the user, how the drug affects kids, and how users affect society. This session will also address the manufacture of the Methamphetamine. It will give the participants knowledge of what to look for, the hazards associated with the labs, how to deal with animals taken from labs, and what to do if you find yourself in one.
Sgt Dave Moore, Longmont Police Dept; Bio
The class is designed to bring awareness to aggressive non-verbal behaviors in order to allow you to proactively deal with situations before they turn into physical confrontation. The curriculum is a combination of lecture and video examples.
Diane Balkin, Denver District Attorney's Office; Bio
Diane discusses the ins and outs in establishing burden of proof in animal cases. Discover what burden of proof is, as well as in-depth discussion as how to be certain it is met in your cases.
Deb Nabb, The Mutt Matcher; Bio
David Colt, Colt Law Firm; Bio
Discussion regarding the issues of liability that animal control officers may encounter during the performance of their jobs; how the legal system works regarding civil liability; how a lawsuit would affect an officer in his professional and personal capacity; and how the process works if an officer is sued for actions as an officer.
Dr. John Kuck, Aspen Animal Hospital; Bio
A practical guide to recognizing potentially adverse temperature extremes & their effects on animal physiology. Also, a practical first response recommendations for animal care.
Dr. John Kuck, Aspen Animal Hospital; Bio
A practical guide to recognizing prolonged nutritional deprivation and environmental exposure and tips on recovering an individual’s health and well– being.
Contact Staci McBrayer, Clear Creek Animal Control, 303-679-2398. Also, you can e-mail Staci at education@caaco.org.