This is the 2019 Agenda - 2020 Agenda Will Be Posted In Early 2020

Day 1, Friday October 18, 2019

 Registration: 7:00 am - 8:00 am

Conference 8:00 am - 5:30 pm

Expo 11:00 am - 6:30 pm

Tito's Vodka Mix & Mingle 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

(FREE Tito's Vodka Cocktails and Mingling)

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7:00 – 8:00    

Registration and Breakfast On-Your-Own (There are numerous restaurants around The Hotel at Avalon Click here for info)  

8:00 – 9:00

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees

A Proactive Approach to Local Animal Issues Through the Companion Animal/Equine Program of the Georgia Department of Agriculture   

Presenter: Mark Murrah, Georgia Department of Agriculture, GA 

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Location: Salon 3

Audience: Shelter & Training Track

How to Successfully Transition Rescue Dogs into Homes  

Presenter: Victoria Stilwell, VSPDT, APDT, Celebrity Dog Trainer and Behavior Expert, Trainer and creator of It’s Me or the

  Dog (Animal Planet), Bestselling Author and Founder of Victoria Stilwell Positively, Inc. and the Victoria Stilwell  

  Academy of Dog Training and Behavior   

Location: Salon 2

Audience: Vet & Shelter Track 

Veterinarians' and Vet Techs' Roles in Equine Transport, Proper Care, and Euthanasia Techniques for Horses   

Presenter: Rebecca (Giminez) Husted, PhD, President of Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue, TLEAR.org

9:10 to 10:10   

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees 

"Ten Things" Practical Procedures to Follow and Pernicious Pitfalls to Avoid in the Animal Cruelty/Fighting Case  

Presenter:  Kimberly S. Schwartz, Senior Assistant District Attorney in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Shelter, Training & Vet Track 

The Next Generation of Animal Protectors: A Great Program Uniting Children and Animals for Change

Presenter:  Janice Overbeck, GA

Location: Salon 2

Audience: Shelter & Vet Track 

Back to the Basics: Sanitation in Your Veterinarian Clinic or Boarding Facility.  

Presenter: Shaina Knight, Director of Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter, GA

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10:20 to 10:40   

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: All Attendees 

KEYNOTE  - Nancy Grace, American Legal Commentator and TV Journalist. Former Assistant District Attorney, Fulton County, GA

10:40 – 10:55  MORNING BREAK

10:55 – 11:55   

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees

The Animal Welfare Act: Overview and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Role in Protecting Animals

Presenter: Bernadette Juarez, Deputy Administrator, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, recently former Deputy          

                    Administrator for Animal Care, Washington, DC 

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Shelter & Training Track, Good for All Attendees 

Starting from Nothing: Putting Together an Animal Cruelty Task Force; A Step-by-Step Process From Call to Conviction

Presenters: Sherrie Hines and Kathryn Schoepf (Athens-Clarke County Animal Control) Plus 

                      Professor Lisa Milot, Associate Professor of Law & Practicum in Animal Welfare Skills Director, GA.

Location: Salon 2 

Audience: Vet & Shelter Track

Part 1: Veterinarians' and Vet Techs' Roles in Animal Cruelty Cases - How to Report, Immunity for Reporting, Why Report - Link Between Human Violence and Animal Abuse, Myths About Reporting,  Exam Reports,  Inside the Courtroom, Being an Expert Witness, What Happens After the Case &  More

Presenter: Diane Balkin, Senior Attorney for Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Criminal Justice Program, Retired (34-year) Chief 

                    Deputy District Attorney, Denver, CO

11:55   - 12:55    LUNCH BREAK ON-YOUR-OWN

   (There are numerous restaurants around The Hotel at Avalon Click here for info)

1:00 - 2:00  

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees  

Animal Fighting, Investigations, Surveillance, Search Warrants, Crime Scene Security, Evidence Collection, Collateral Agencies, Successful Prosecution, Sentencing and Valuable Tips. 

Presenter: Michelle Welch, Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, VA

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Good for All Attendees

The Rural Reality Tour: How We Can Improve on Animal Cases in Rural Areas.  Roles of all Professionals Discussed. (Georgia cases highlighted)  This course will be repeated on Saturday at 8:30, Salon 2

Presenter: Barbara Bruigom, President and Founder of the Rescue Ranch, "middle" GA 

Location: Salon 2

Audience: Vet & Shelter Track

Part 2: Veterinarians' and Vet Techs' Roles in Animal Cruelty - Equine Cruelty, Multi-Animal Impound, Puppy Mills, and Animal Hoarding

Presenter: Diane Balkin, Senior Attorney for Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Criminal Justice Program,

                    Retired (34-year) Chief Deputy District Attorney, Denver, CO

2:10 - 3:10    

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1 

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees

The Revolutionary Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Animal Protection

Presenter: Chris Benson, Principal Artificial Intelligence Strategist at Lockheed Martin, GA.

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Good for All Attendees

Compassion Fatigue, Dealing with Burn Out

Presenter: Shaina Knight, Director of Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter 

Location: Salon 2

Audience: Good for All Attendees 

Backyard Breeding: Research and Tools for Your Community; Recent Legal Research Into Backyard Breeding and Practical Tools for Dealing With it on the Local Level.

Presenter: Lisa Milot, Associate Professor of Law & Practicum in Animal Welfare Skills Director, GA

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3:10 - 3:20   AFTERNOON BREAK    

3:20 - 4:20   

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees 

Investigative Tools  for Successful Prosecutions in Animal Cruelty Cases,  Search Warrants, Search & Seizure, Proper Impound and Other Tips on Investigating and Prosecuting Animal Cruelty

Presenter: Michelle Welch, Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, VA. 

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Shelter Track

A Controlled Chaos/ Effective Communication Skills 

Presenter: Shaina Knight, Director of Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter 

Location: Salon 2

Audience: Vet Track

You can choose either of the courses above. They are educational for everyone.

4:30- 5:00     

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: All Attendees 

The Future of Animal Protection 

Presenter: Claudine Wilkins, Animal Law Expert, Founder of Animal Law Source and The Animal Protection Society

5:00 - 5:30     

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: All Attendees 

The Future of Animal Protection & Rule Enforcement

Presenter: Commissioner Gary Black, Georgia Department of Agriculture  

5:30 - 6:30     

Location: Skelton Hall/Expo Hall

Audience: All Attendees

Tito’s Free Mix and Mingle Cocktail Hour - Your chance to enjoy a Tito’s Vodka beverage of your choice, unwind from the day and mix and mingle with fellow animal professionals and advocates.

Adjourn – THANK YOU and see you tomorrow morning!

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 Day 2, Saturday October 19, 2019

 Registration: 7:30 am - 8:30 am

Conference 8:30 am - 5:30 pm

Expo 8:00 am - 6:30 pm

Tito's Vodka Mix & Mingle 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

(FREE Tito's Vodka Cocktails and Mingling)

​

7:00 – 8:30    

Registration and Breakfast On-Your-Own

(There are numerous restaurants around The Hotel at Avalon Click here for info)  

8:30 – 9:30  

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Good for All Attendees

The Link - Between Serial Killers, Domestic Violence Perpetrators and Animal Abuse, Reporting Cases, and Real Cases Overview.  

Presenters: Joey Brooks, Senior Animal Cruelty Investigator, Gwinnett County Animal Service 

    Diane Balkin, Senior Attorney for Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Criminal Justice Program, Retired (34-year)      

    Chief Deputy District Attorney, Denver, CO

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Shelter Track

How Shelter Enrichment Can Get Dogs A New Home Faster! 

Presenter: Katherine Kekel VSPDT Cherokee County Animal Shelter

Location: Salon 2

Audience: Good for All Attendees 

The Rural Reality Tour: How Can We Improve on Animal Cases in Rural Areas (Georgia cases highlighted) 

Presenter: Barbara Bruigom, President and Founder of the Rescue Ranch, "middle" GA

9:40 to 10:40   

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1 

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees

How to Create an Animal Abuse/Cruelty Unit in Georgia (or in your Agency). Hear the Sucesses from the First Statewide Animal Cruelty Prosecutor 

Presenter: Michelle Welch, Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, VA 

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Good for All Attendees 

Canine CellMates - Changing Our Society Through Unique Programs

Presenter: Susan Jacobs-Meadows, Founding Director of Canine Cellmates

Location: Salon 2

Audience: Shelter & Vet Track

Coming in Contact with Animals – Protect Yourself, Other Animals and Your Shelter or Facility from Transmittable Diseases Including Rabies. Reporting Diseases and New Protocols in Georgia

Presenter: Joanne Maki, 

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10:40 – 10:55  MORNING BREAK

10:55 – 11:55   

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Legal Track 

Catching Big Fish Through Local Ordinance Violations.   Collaboration with Animal Control, Veterinarians/techs, Law Enforcement and Prosecutors to Bring Serious Offenders to Justice.  

Presenter: Cindy Wiemann, Director of Animal Newton County, President of Georgia Animal Control Association, Board

                    Member of National Animal Care & Control Association

Location: Salon 3 

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees

Puppy Mill Enforcement: Strategies for Ensuring Accountability

Presenter: Tamera Feliciano, Legal Advocacy Legislative Counsel at ASPCA 

  Elizabeth Brandler, ASPCA Legal Advocacy Counsel

Location: Salon 2

Audience: VetTrack

For Veterinarians & Vet Techs: Overview of Animal Cruelty Laws, Equine Cruelty,  Animal Abandonment at Clinics, Liens for Services and Legislative Updates for Veterinarians and Vet Techs. 

Presenters: Claudine Wilkins, Animal Law Expert, Founder of Animal Law Source and The Animal Protection Society

11:55   - 12:55    LUNCH BREAK ON-YOUR-OWN

    (There are numerous restaurants around The Hotel at Avalon Click here for info)

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1:00 - 2:00    

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Legal Track

Trial Tactics, Jury Selection, Anticipating the Defense, Demonstrative Evidence, Overcoming the Presumption of Innocence

Presenter: Diane Balkin, Senior Attorney for Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Criminal Justice Program, Retired (34-year) 

                    Chief Deputy District Attorney, Denver, CO

Location: Salon 3 

Audience: Good for All Attendees

Two Way Conversations and the Power of Choice 

Presenters: Victoria Stilwell, VSPDT, APDT, Celebrity Dog Trainer and Behavior Expert, Trainer and creator of It’s Me or

                      the Dog (Animal Planet), Bestselling Author and Founder of Victoria Stilwell Positively, Inc. and the Victoria

                      Stilwell Academy of Dog Training and Behavior  

    Alynn (Aly) Lecznar, VSPDT, CCFT,  ATD Master Trainer Curriculum Manager at the Victorial Stilwell Academy,

    Owner and Head trainer a The Animal Scientist

Location: Salon 2

Audience: Vet Track

Veterinarians' and Vet Techs' Roles in Animal Fighting, GA Law, Investigations, Evidence Collection, Collateral Agencies, Role in Prosecution and Valuable Tips

Presenters: Michelle Welch, Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, VA.

2:10 - 3:10    

Location: TBD Teasley Ballroom 1 

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees

Part 1: American's Disabilities Act (ADA) II and III, Service Dog in Training, FHA  

Presenter: William Goren, Attorney and Service Animal Law Expert 

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Shelter & Vet Track

What Shelter, Rescue, Veterinarians' and Vet Techs' Need to Know about Identifying "the Link" - What to Do If You Suspect Domestic Violence or Other Human Crimes, Reporting Cases, and Real Cases Overview.

Presenters: Joey Brooks, Senior Animal Cruelty Investigator, Gwinnett County Animal Service and 

    Diane Balkin, Senior Attorney for Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Criminal Justice Program, Retired (34-year)  

    Chief Deputy District Attorney, Denver, CO.

3:10 - 3:20   AFTERNOON BREAK    

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3:20 - 4:20   

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: Legal Track, Good for All Attendees 

Part 2: American's Disabilities Act (ADA) I and ACAA 

Presenter: William Goren, Attorney and Service Animal Law Expert 

Location: Salon 3

Audience: Good for All Attendees 

Disaster Plans for Natura/Man-made Disaster. What We Learned From Hurricane Dorian and Puppy Mill Cases

Presenters: Diane Robinson, Program Manager, Disaster Response Animal Rescue Team, Humane Society of the United    

                      States (HSUS) 

                      John Copenhaver, Attorney at Law, Presidential appointee to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)                       in Southeast U.S. from 1997 to 2001, President and CEO of the Contingency Management Group, Inc.,

                      Chairman of the Board of the Animal Protection Society.

4:20 - 5:00    

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: All Attendees 

Legislative Update, Presented by: Senator Kay Kirkpatrick
Animal Protection Plenary session - Ask the Panel of Speakers and Experts

5:00 - 5:30     

Location: Teasley Ballroom 1

Audience: All Attendees 

KEYNOTE  - Victoria Stilwell, VSPDT, APDT, Celebrity Dog Trainer and Behavior Expert, Trainer and creator of It’s Me or the Dog (Animal Planet), Bestselling Author and Founder of Victoria Stilwell Positively, Inc. and the Victoria Stilwell Academy of Dog Training and Behavior

5:30 - 6:30     

Location: Skelton Hall/Expo Hall

Audience: All Attendees

Tito’s Free Mix and Mingle Cocktail Hour - Your chance to enjoy a Tito’s Vodka beverage of your choice, unwind from the day and mix and mingle with fellow animal professionals and advocates.

Adjourn – THANK YOU! Hope to see you at our next event!