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The presenters lined up for the Dog People conference covered a huge spectrum of current thinking and practice. Exposure to this range of experience and depth of knowledge is rare... it was a once in a lifetime event. |
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NewsVanstone launches conferenceThe end of surgical speying?
“Some people in my community have dogs that have been given to them by a special ceremony. There are ceremony ways of keeping dogs. I sing about dogs. I dance dogs. I hear dogs getting killed. Dogs are related to us. Dogs are family, but people in my community don’t know they carry disease.”Billy Gumana, Indigenous Environmental Health Worker, East Arnhem, 2000.
“So dogs are friends, ceremonies, totems. They’re keeping people warm and acting as security to wake people up, [for] old people sleeping, [watch out for] drunks. It’s a friend and a sacred animal.”Alison Hunt, ATSIC, Alice Springs, 2000. |
An incredible programmeSome of the presenters that contributed to the conference are listed below. To download a copy of the programme, go to the Programme page. Dr Henry Baker: Animal population control
Read more on Dr Henry J Baker. Dr Frank R. Ascione: Animals, people and violence
Read more on Dr Frank R. Ascione. Other conference presenters
Dr. Mayer is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University and Director of the Imaging and Histology Core Facility. She is the Chairman and CEO of Senestech Inc. Dr. Mayer spent three years working with Dr. Patricia B. Hoyer at the University of Arizona to develop a chemically induced model for peri- and post-menopause in rodents. Doctors Hoyer and Mayer currently hold a patent for their Mouseopause™ model, making it available to research and educational institutions worldwide through The Jackson Laboratory. Dr. Mayer was awarded the 2003 American Heart Association’s Jr. Investigator Award for Women and the Glenn Foundation Endocrinology and Aging Award, 2004 for her work using the Mouseopause™ model. Dr. Mayer is now developing ChemSpay™, a permanent humane sterility treatment for dogs and cats, using the same technology. Her interest in dog control came through requests for assistance from the Navaho Nation. Dr. Mayer will be in Australia as a guest of the new Invasive animals Cooperative Research Centre and will present a paper on the development of ChemSpay™ for vagrant dog control. Dr. Cheryl Dyer is an Associate Research Professor in Northern Arizona University’s department of Biological Sciences, where her laboratory conducts research with an emphasis on ovarian physiology and endocrine disrupting compounds. Since her arrival in Arizona, Dr. Dyer has been devoted to outreach for women’s health on the Navajo Nation. She is responsible for the development of an on-going collaboration with the Crownpoint Institute of Technology on the Navajo Nation concerning uranium contamination of water sources and feral animal control. Her work in this area has implications for endocrine disrupting events including cancer requiring development of relevant community education and outreach programs on the Navajo Nation. Recipient of both a Bachelor’s and Ph.D. from University of California at San Diego, Dr. Dyer received her postdoctoral training at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, where she established her independently funded research program in lipid metabolism and was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Immunology. The NIH, Alzheimer’s Association, Arizona Disease Control Research Commission, Arizona Alzheimer’s Research Center and USDA have supported Dr. Dyer’s research and she received several awards from the American Heart Association including the Irvine H. Page Award for Young Investigators and an Established Investigator Award. Dr. Dyer serves as a reviewer for the Center for Scientific Review for NIH study sections, and the US Army.
The Invasive animals CRC has established a number of collaborative agreements on fertility control of overabundant animals, including with the UK Department of the Environment, the US Department of Agriculutre and Landcare Research New Zealand. The CRC is currently establishing a collaborative arrangement with Senestech Inc., the US company responsible for ChemSpay, a promising new product for humane vagrant dog control. Dr. Peacock will present a paper reviewing current developments in control of overabundant dog populations.
Kate is currently the acting Head of Education and Training at the Menzies School of Health Research. Before taking up this position, Kate was a lecturer in Anthropology at Charles Darwin University and a Research Fellow and Lecturer at the Centre for Health Service Development at the University of Wollongong. Her research interests are Indigenous health, the use of Anthropology in health service evaluation, substance misuse and youth and sexuality. Kate's recent research has included palliative care, sexual decision making among young women in remote Aboriginal communities and the implementation of the Chronic Disease Strategy in the Northern Territory and Far North Queensland. Dr Natalie Gray is a graduate of both medicine and law and completed a Master of International Public Health (Hons) from Sydney University in 2005. Natalie is currently undertaking specialty training in public health medicine and is a TB Medical Officer at the Northern Territory Centre for Disease Control and Project Manager for the revision of the Women’s Business Manual through the Centre for Remote Health. Her research interests include community-based provision of health services in resource-poor settings, tuberculosis control and management, the barriers to women accessing health care in developing countries, health and human rights, and the role of law in improving health in remote communities.
After arriving in Australia Ross spent three years as a Research Fellow at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health working in general practice research and evaluation and Indigenous health. He moved to Darwin in early 1998 to take up a joint position at Menzies School of Health Research (MSHR) and Flinders University Northern Territory Clinical School (NTCS). In 2003 he was awarded an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship to continue his research into improving primary level health services and environmental health in Indigenous communities.
Harold received his Diploma of Teaching from Batchelor College; later joining the staff as a lecturer. He worked as a field officer for the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Starting in Alice Springs, Harold went on to manage the Tennant Creek office. Harold was the housing manager of the Gurungu Council Aboriginal Corporation, Elliott before taking up his current position with Menzies School of Health Research working on Housing Improvement and Child Health.
Philip worked as a Public and Environmental Health Officer after graduating from Swinburne Institute of Technology, Victoria in 1983. He has worked in the Northern Territory as an Environmental Health Officer since 1994 for the Department of Health and Community Services (DHCS). Since 2000, he has worked on the DHCS review of public health legislation and was DHCS Services Development Officer for environmental health and the Project Officer for housing improvement and child health study with Menzies School of Health Research. He was a founding member of AMRRIC and has served, full-time, as the executive officer since 2004.
Samantha provided a sustainable service to these communities for five years and observed the remarkable difference consistent veterinary provision can make to a community. Having speyed dogs on washing machines, chest freezers, boats and the back of many derelict utes she has reluctantly accepted that mothering small children and extensive red dirt travel are incompatible. Dr Phelan has temporarily exchanged her shingle for the delights of full time motherhood in Darwin. She is currently the treasurer of AMRRIC and has recently written a “How To” manual to assist vets working in remote Indigenous communities. Alison Hunt is a Western Aranda Rel-aka Committee Inc member and resides in Alice Springs. She relates strongly to the Uluru region and Hermansburg areas. She has worked extensivley with a variety of Indigenous community councils and constantly encourages two way learning between Aboriginal and non Aborigainal workers. Alison is a dog dreaming woman contributing enourmously to AMRRIC's work in rural and remote Indigenous communites.
Stephen is principal Veterinarian of Palm City Veterinary Hospital, Berrimah, and The Ark Veterinary Hospital, Humpty Doo. Stephen is a founding member of AMRRIC and veterinary advisor to the RSPCA (Darwin).
In addition to his work with VetCharity, Ian is also engaged in post-graduate studies in Conservation Veterinary Medicine and has a particular interest in the ecological “hot-spot” that is the Cold Desert of North Sikkim. His involvement in animal welfare and community aid projects includes the training of local veterinary staff and the promotion of efforts to assist endangered fauna.
He has promoted animal welfare in the media. He has worked in Rarotonga and Port Moresby for animal welfare organisations and been involved in the planning and operation of spay/neuter programs in Australia. He raised awareness about the link between violence to animals and people in Australia and published on this topic. He was a member of the NSW Police Minister’s Task Force that led to legislative changes to deal with the link in a strategic way. He was recently elected as a director of the National Australian Veterinary Association (AVA). He was awarded Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Animal Welfare in 2004 and has had formal post graduate training in management.
Dr. Constable is involved in the preparation for the “Healthy Dogs Healthy, Communities Project”. She has recently been visiting the remote indigenous community of Yuendumu to discuss an education program for this project.
Robert has a diverse range of teaching responsibilities including animal welfare and ethics, public health, virology and toxicology. His research interests are equally as eclectic. He has published in diverse areas such as animal models for human diseases, molecular virology, immunology, engineered vaccines and the toxicology of farm animals. His current research focus is on the health and welfare of dogs in indigenous communities and the implications for human health and welfare. Bill Balding Director of Public Health, Far West; Greater Western Area Health Service (Broken Hill) 2003 to current. Bachelor Natural Resource Management (UNE), Master Public Health, Hons (Syd Uni). The Broken Hill Population Health Unit of the Greater Western Area Health Service has developed a comprehensive Aboriginal Environmental Health strategy targeting the small remote communities of western NSW. A component of this strategy is dog health. Bill, with the assistance of his small environmental health team is responsible for the development and implementation of the Aboriginal Environmental Health strategy including the dog management programme which is done with the cooperation of the Murdi Paaki Aboriginal Environmental Health Forum, local communities, the RSPCA, the Department of Primary Industries and local governments. Bebe Loff is a lawyer and is currently a Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Senior Research Fellow and Head of Human Rights and Bioethics in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine of Monash University in Victoria. She has led legislative programmes in public health for government and worked in a range of capacities for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization.
Greer is now a lecturer in the Environmental Health VET program at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education where dog health and welfare is a key component of their Certificate III and IV environmental health training.
Ted has always been particularly interested in both animal welfare and the relationships between animals and their human companions. He has a long record of involvement in animal welfare issues and urban animal management at local, state and national levels. Ted has provided a veterinary service to the indigenous community of Maningrida for the past four years. Ted has been the Senior Veterinarian to the Australian Platypus Conservancy for the past 10 years. His work has included extensive involvement in trapping surveys and developing methods of safe anaesthesia to enable permanent identification, health assessment and the collection of biological data such as blood samples to determine normal reference values.
Following the introduction of rabies to the Indonesian island of Flores, there were over 100 human deaths and a mass culling campaign of over 500,000 dogs. While this halted the epidemic, it had a profound effect on the people of Flores where dogs have special cultural significance. In 2001, Alan Ruben formed part of a small team from Australia who were sent to assist Indonesian veterinary officers describe the ecology of dogs in Flores, their role in the culture and to come up with recommendations as to more acceptable control measures.
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Professor
Henry J Baker was one of our two keynote speakers, both of
whom presented every day. He discussed: Dog
and Cat Population Control: Why, How and Who?
Presenting
every day, Dr Frank Ascione was one of our two keynote speakers.
He discussed:
Loretta
P. Mayer, Ph.D., American Heart Fellow, Dept of Physiology,
University of Arizona.
Tony
Peacock, PhD, Chief Executive Officer Invasive Animals Cooperative
Research Centre. Tony is a graduate of the University of
Sydney, who then went on to do graduate research at the Uni of Melbourne
and University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He then became Research Leader
and later Managing Director of the Pig Research and Development Corporation,
before taking on the role of CEO of the Pest Animal Control
CRC. Tony led the bid for the new Invasive Animals CRC and
is a Professor at the University of Canberra.
Malcolm
McDonald is based at the Menzies School of Health Research.
His work experience includes university hospitals, rural medicine and
remote Aboriginal communities. He has also worked in the US (Duke University),
East Africa (Tanzania) and the Southwest Pacific (Vanuatu). His research
interests include the epidemiology of streptococcal infection and rheumatic
fever. He is currently the visiting physician at Wadeye, Maningrida and
Kunbarllanjnja (Oenpelli).
Kate Senior has a Master of Letters and a PhD in Anthropology
from the Australian National University. Her Masters thesis “Dogged
by Disease” examined
the efficacy of Hydatid control programs in Indigenous and
minority populations. Kate’s PhD involved a study of people's understandings
of health and illness and their relationships with their health services
in a remote Aboriginal community in Arnhem Land.
Ross Bailie grew up and trained in medicine in South
Africa. He worked for several years in rural general practice in New Zealand
before returning to South Africa where he gained a masters
degree in Maternal and Child Health, and completed a four year public health
training program. His research on the epidemiological basis for pap smear
screening services conducted during this period formed the basis of his
research doctorate (MD) in Community Health.
Harold Ulamari is from
the Jingili Tribe (language: Jingulu). He was raised
at Beetaloo Station, on the north-eastern corner of
the Barkly Tablelands. Harold travelled to Darwin in 1965
to receive his education; leaving high school to become the
first Indigenous cadet in journalism. He went on to become
a reporter with NT News.
Philip Donohoe is the executive officer of 
Dr
Samantha Phelan graduated with honours from the University of
Sydney in 1994. Upon graduation Samantha came to the Northern
Territory and performed her first shaky speys supported by
a vet friend in Nhulunbuy. During the long wet season Samantha
had the opportunity to read the PhD by Ross Ainsworth on
Indigenous Dog Programs, which spawned her interest in community
dog programs and public health. Dr Phelan returned to the
NT in 1998, having worked in both large and small animal
clinics and established her own veterinary
business servicing many remote Indigenous communities of
the Greater Katherine region. 
Rod Salter: A Veterinarian with a particular interest
in Dentistry, Rod works at Melbourne
Veterinary Referral Centre. As an Army Reserve member for many
years, Rod is responsible for career management of Army
health personnel.
Once a year for the past seven years he has travelled to remote
Indigenous communities of Australia as part of the Army Aboriginal
Community Assistance Program to conduct dog health initiatives.
Rod is the inaugural and current President of 
Dr
Stephen Cutter: BVSc (Hons), grew up in central Australia and
shortly after graduation established dog health programs in
East Arnhem and Tiwi Islands communities. Stephen continues
to conduct dog health programs in a variety of communities
across the Top end.
Ian
H. Douglas: Ian is the current President of VetCharity and
Director of the Sikkim Anti-Rabies and Animal Health Programme
in the Indian Himalaya. He is a Member of the Australian College of Veterinary
Scientists and a founding director of the Adelaide Veterinary Specialist
and Referral Centre.
Dr
Mark Lawrie is Chief Vet with RSPCA NSW, responsible for 4
vet hospitals (2 are external teaching hospitals of Uni of
Sydney) with 90 vet and support staff. He worked as a consultant with the
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), planning the establishment
of a Centre of Animal Welfare Excellence in South Korea and developing
a model of Companion Animal Welfare and Control for South Pacific countries.
He is the secretary of the Animal Management in Remote and Rural Indigenous
Communities (
Pat
Lowe was born in the UK and migrated to Western Australia in
1972. She has worked with Australian Indigenous people since
1979. Pat lived with her husband, Aboriginal artist Jimmy Pike, in a desert
outstation for four years (1986 to 1990), which was visited regularly by
wild dingoes. Pat has written ten books, most of them about the desert.
She has taken an interest in the place of dogs in the lives of desert people
and her book, Desert Dog (Magabala Books 1998), is based on the
true story of a companion dingo at the time of European contact.
Associate
Professor Tony English from the Faculty of Veterinary Science
at the University of Sydney is a founding member and Senior
Vice President of 
Dr.
Sophie Constable graduated with honours
from the University of Sydney BVSc in 2003 and has since
been working in private practice. She is currently studying
for a Masters of Educational Studies, focusing on Indigenous
Education, at the University of Newcastle. Sophie
is active in the PetPEP (Pets and People Education Program)
in urban and rural areas, and is an education coordinator
and presenter for the AVA/RSPCA CAWS (Community Animal Welfare
Scheme). Sophie
has previously researched non-invasive means of measuring
cortisol concentrations Antarctic phocids, an Honours project,
and recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Indigenous
Education through Charles Darwin University.
Robert Dixon, BSc(Vet) BVSc PhD. Subdean for Animal
welfare and Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Clinical Sciences,
Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney. 
Greer Ashby completed her Bachelor of Science in Environmental
Health through Curtin University of Technology in Perth. Greer
then moved to the remote town of Kununurra to work as the Environmental
Health Officer for up to 80 Aboriginal Communities in the East
Kimberly region. During this time, she worked extensively
with community members in developing and implementing dog health
programmes.
Dr Ted Donelan is a veterinarian based in Melbourne.
His practices have provided veterinary services to the local municipality
for more than 30 years and he is well known as an active member of the
local community. He is a Fellow of the Australian Veterinary Association,
a Senior Academic Associate of the University of Melbourne and Life Member
of the RSPCA Victoria. 
Alan Ruben is a Paediatrician and Public Health Physician who has been
based in Darwin for the past 17 years. He spends significant time in overseas
work, principally in the area of disease control and outbreak response,
working for international agencies, predominantly UNICEF, WHO and AusAID.We are grateful to our sponsors for their help in making this conference possible  |
Dog People is an initiative of AMRRIC and we acknowledge the continuing support of the following:  |