After seeing a 35% increase in attendance in 2023, we are excited to bring you the 2024 Prairie States Animal Welfare Conference at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington, IL.

We are excited to have a fantastic lineup of speakers! Here are a few highlights:

• Keynote by Gina Knepp, Michelson Found Animals
  Grit: What it takes to succeed & be insanely great in animal sheltering and field services

This is a hard job. No one ever said it wouldn’t be. Also, none of us said (when we were 9 years old) that we were going to grow up and work for an animal shelter (well, mostly no one). So, what does it take to be a superstar in this industry? What does superstar even mean? The Prairie States keynote, presented by Gina Knepp with Michelson Found Animals, will inspire attendees to evaluate where they are in the industry, where they would like to be and how to get there. It is not just about life saving, there are two ends of the leash and focusing on the human side is the magic elixir to saving the furry side. Gina will share her personal story and highlight agencies (not the wealthy ones) that somehow manage to lead the pack. Introspection will be required. The audience will be asked a myriad of rhetorical questions that will force lots of thinking and hopefully, ideally, have everyone go back to their respective shelters imagining the possibilities and putting them into action. 

• General Session with Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach, OneHealth People-Animal Wellness (OHPAWS)
  Strategies for Individual and Organization Compassion Resilience

Animal welfare work is demanding, and animal welfare professionals are at high risk of secondary trauma and compassion fatigue. In this session, we will examine evidence-based individual and organization compassion resilience building strategies that can be readily applied within the context of the stressors, demands, and rewards of animal welfare work. Recognizing, understanding, and navigating our human mammalian stress responses (fight/flight/freeze) are critical components of such strategies; “fear free primate” communication skills and self-calming and care strategies for “animal people” will be shared.

• General Session with Kevin Pigg, ASPCA
  When Pigs Fly: Using the Power of Partnerships to Address Animal Concerns in Disasters

Animal welfare work is demanding, and animal welfare professionals are at high risk of secondary trauma and compassion fatigue. In this session, we will examine evidence-based individual and organization compassion resilience building strategies that can be readily applied within the context of the stressors, demands, and rewards of animal welfare work. Recognizing, understanding, and navigating our human mammalian stress responses (fight/flight/freeze) are critical components of such strategies; “fear free primate” communication skills and self-calming and care strategies for “animal people” will be shared.

Plus many more sessions! Click here to check out the conference schedule or download the full brochure with session descriptions. Be sure to make your hotel reservations now to ensure you are able to take advantage of the group rate. 

Registration Fees

IAWF Member *	$175 for 1st person, $150 each add’n
Non-Member	$225
Single Day	$100

                                                                              * This applies for organizational members only.

Register Today

Questions? Contact Angie Wood, PSC Conference Coordinator, at prairiestates@iawf.net.

 June 2-4, 2024