Found Animals Foundation and The ACC&D Present Groundbreaking Symposium for Pet Population Control

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Found Animals Foundation (www.foundanimals.org) and The Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs (ACC&D) present the 4th International Symposium on Non-Surgical Contraceptive Methods of Pet Population Control (http://www.acc-d.org/4thSymposium), which will be held April 8-10, 2010 at the Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West in Dallas, TX. Found Animals will use the symposium to discuss the Michelson Prize & Grants, a unique opportunity allowing participants to compete for $75 million in funding for innovative scientific research in reproductive biology.

The 4th International Symposium offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to advance the development and use of non-surgical methods of controlling cat and dog populations worldwide. The conference will feature nearly 40 speakers and will bring together scientists, veterinarians, animal welfare and public health professionals, pharmaceutical industry representatives, and funders from the U.S. and abroad. The goals of the event include expediting the progress of scientists, raising awareness among animal welfare advocates, and networking for key stakeholders in the industry.

At the symposium, Found Animals will provide an overview of the Michelson Prize & Grants. Created by entrepreneur and billionaire Dr. Gary Michelson, and administered by Found Animals, the Michelson Prize & Grants in Reproductive Biology will award a $25 million prize to the first entity to provide the Foundation with a safe, effective, and practical non-surgical sterilant for use in cats and dogs, as well as up to $50 million in grant funding for promising research in the pursuit of this goal. Found Animals is hopeful that this large monetary incentive will motivate scientists, including those who may never have been aware of the issues of pet overpopulation, to bring cutting edge scientific approaches to bear in this historically underserved area.

"We are very excited and honored to partner with ACC&D on this significant symposium as well as the Michelson Prize & Grants," noted Aimee Gilbreath, Executive Director of Found Animals. "Because of animal homelessness and the lack of effective sterilization programs, millions of cats and dogs die annually in the U.S. With innovative sterilization options, we can help curtail pet overpopulation and create a better environment for pets, pet owners, community members, animal advocates, and almost everyone else in our society," she added.

The event's keynote speakers include Dr. Stephen J. O'Brien, head of the Laboratory of Genetic Diversity at the National Cancer Institute of the NIH, and Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. Furthermore, continuing education credit via the symposium is available for veterinarians and veterinary technicians in multiple subject categories.

To learn more about the symposium and/or for online registration, please visit: http://www.acc-d.org/4thSymposiumRegistration.  

To learn more about Found Animals and/or the Michelson Prize & Grants, please contact: Michael Gilman, Director of Communications for Found Animals Foundation, Inc. at (310) 574-5792 or [email protected].

About Found Animals

Found Animals Foundation (www.foundanimals.org) is a privately funded Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to animal welfare issues and led by business and medical professionals. The Found Animals team works directly within the animal welfare community to improve animal shelter processes, fund pet sterilization research, promote effective animal welfare policy, and provide funding to area shelters and spay/neuter clinics. The organization also sponsors and promotes pet adoption, spay/neuter, micro-chip programs, and various animal and pet-related events.

SOURCE Found Animals Foundation