UNITED IN SAVING LIVES: Helen Woodward Animal Center Partners with UK-Based Battersea Dogs & Cats Home to Provide Unparalleled Dual-Country Animal Welfare Training

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Mar 18, 2019, 12:49 ET

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif., March 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Through The Business of Saving Lives, Helen Woodward Animal Center has demonstrated its dedication to saving the lives of orphan pets, not only within its San Diego-based facility, but within shelters and rescues across the globe. The educational workshops, which began at the Center over 17 years ago, have made an impact on the lives of homeless animals and animal welfare workers from New York to Singapore via free three-day sessions taught at the Center and free one-day sessions taught at rescue facilities around the country. Now, for the first time ever, the latest evolution of the program will combine the Center's ground-breaking, business-minded training with the world-class animal care-training of legendary UK-based Battersea Dog & Cats Home to provide animal welfare groups an unparalleled educational experience. The Three-Day United in Saving Lives Conference will take place between June 19^th and June 21^st, 2019, at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

You’re invited to a unique and rare learning opportunity bringing together world class experts in the field of animal welfare.
‘United in Savings Lives’ combines top tools in Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Business of Saving Lives workshops with UK-based Battersea Dog and Cats Home’s Battersea Academy curriculum.
Join us in San Diego for this dual-country, one-of-a-kind animal welfare conference. — You’re invited to a unique and rare learning opportunity bringing together world class experts in the field of animal welfare. ‘United in Savings Lives’ combines top tools in Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Business of Saving Lives workshops with UK-based Battersea Dog and Cats Home’s Battersea Academy curriculum. Join us in San Diego for this dual-country, one-of-a-kind animal welfare conference.

The Business of Saving Lives began at Helen Woodward Animal Center in 2002 as quarterly workshops, taught by Center management team members on the Rancho Santa Fe, California grounds. The goal of the training is to share the success the Center has experienced through President and CEO Mike Arms' business-focused approach. Business practices such as marketing, social media and customer service take on an equal importance to non-profit goals such as fundraising, volunteer-building and humane animal care, leading to more pets placed in lifelong homes, expanded reach into communities and more generated funds to carry on programs. Over the years, shelters from throughout the United States and as far away as Argentina, Ethiopia, India, Ireland, Kenya and Romania have traveled to Helen Woodward Animal Center to take part in the free training. Over the last 4 years, the program has expanded its reach to groups unable to afford the trip to California with Center team members traveling as far as New York, Atlanta, Puerto Rico, and Australia to facilities-in-need to provide on-site, life-saving training at absolutely no cost to the rescue groups.

The idea to develop a dual-country approach to shelter education arose during a recent trip to Poland. Center President and CEO Mike Arms and VP of Development Renee Resko traveled to Krakow for the International Companion Animal Welfare Conference hosted by Dogs Trust. Arms was an invited speaker at the global summit focused on improving humane treatment of animals and on sharing these ideas with industry leaders world-wide.

In attendance were members from legendary Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, a world-class animal refuge located in the United Kingdom. Established in 1860, the organization is the oldest animal welfare group in the UK, caring for more than 7,000 animals-in-need yearly and, like Helen Woodward Animal Center, has established a training program to share its respected practices with other organizations through its Battersea Academy.

"Battersea's curriculum has a strong focus on direct animal care, training, and the successful rehoming of cats and dogs, whereas Helen Woodward's curriculum is more directed towards fund raising, public relations and marketing with a business approach to help organizations become financially stable and viable for years to come," explained Resko. "When we began discussing our two programs, we realized just how beautifully they complement one another."

In June, a leadership team from Battersea Dog & Cats Home will travel to San Diego to co-host the exciting new dual-country conference, United in Saving Lives. A pre-conference reception will be held at the Helen Woodward Animal Center on June 18, 2019, where attendees will take a Center tour and learn about the 13 unique programs housed on the property, along with a special welcome from Arms and Center staff and the opportunity to network during the catered reception.

Over the three-day conference from June 19^th through the 21^st, expert presenters from Helen Woodward Animal Center and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home will cover topics including, volunteer recruitment, humane education, best shelter adoptions practices, shelter design and ethical decision making, budgeting and finance, fundraising principals, special event planning, public relations, online marketing and more. The United in Saving Lives conference is an opportunity to inspire and educate professionals, volunteers, students and supporters in the world of animal welfare and create a lasting impact for orphan pets in need.

"This new union with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home truly exemplifies what the Business of Saving Lives program is all about," Arms explained. "Together, we are strengthening our curriculum to make an even bigger impact. It gives me so much hope for the progress animal welfare will continue to make in the years to come."

A $100 registration fee will cover holding the United in Savings Lives conference off-site and will include light breakfast and lunch throughout the conference for all attendees. Registration is open now at www.animalcenter.org/conference2019.

For more information or to register, visit www.animalcenter.org or call 858-756-4117 x 339.
Through March, those who register can save 15% with promo code: UNITED15.

SOURCE Helen Woodward Animal Center