An early-bird discount for this year’s No More Homeless Pets Conference has been extended. If you register before September 30, you can take advantage of a $50 discount.
You can’t beat that, especially because the 2009 conference is bigger and better than ever. Half a day on Friday has been added to the schedule but the fee is the same as last year’s conference. And that makes it “more bang for the buck,” says Best Friends’ conference coordinator Cathie Myers.
If you take advantage of the early-bird discount by registering before Wednesday, September 30, you’ll pay a $275 fee. After that, the cost will be $325.
It’s the 11th No More Homeless Pets Conference Best Friends has hosted, and, by the looks of the sessions and panels, it’s going to be another event to remember. In addition, this year marks Best Friends’ 25th anniversary and attendees can help celebrate. With 47 speakers, including some of the nation's leading experts in animal welfare, held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino on Flamingo Road, “…there’s something for everybody. We have plenty of sessions for the individuals who are looking to see what they can do to help in their communities. It’s the only conference geared toward grassroots efforts,” Myers says.
Two featured guests with special presentations are Scott Goodstein and Cimeron Morrissey.
Goodstein is CEO of Revolution Messaging and was the external organizing director of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Morrissey, who was named 2007 Animal Planet Hero of the Year and co-founder of Project Bay Cat, will present Boot Camp for Animal Rescue. See a list of all the presenters here.
In addition, the unprecedented networking opportunities alone make the conference well worth attending. “Knowing you’re not alone, being around people who want to help animals, is a great motivator,” Myers says. “[Attendees] are going to get the tools they need. We’re really concentrating on the takeaways, the things that they can implement right away, so people can go home with their toolboxes full to help them get started.”
It’s one thing thinking about animal welfare ideas, but it’s quite another doing the hard work to make changes and bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets, Myers says. The conference is all about helping others make that happen.
“You have to have the stairs to get up that ladder,” she points out. “It’s important to have those steps in between to climb the ladder one step at a time. Best Friends started with baby steps, taking in the animals one at a time. We’re trying to give people the tools to do the same thing.”
So sign up, attend and learn how you can help. “Best Friends really does inspire people to do great things for the animals,” Myers says. “Together, we can get there.”
Written by Cathy Scott
Photos by Troy Snow
To learn more about the conference and register today for the early bird special pricing, click here.
As part of Best Friends’ 25th anniversary in 2009, our goal is to double our membership, so we can double our efforts to bring about a time when all companion animals have a forever home. What can you do to help? Give the Gift of a Best Friends membership to family and friends.
