Pack Your Bags ...

LACA is next week, August 1-7, already! So I hope everyone is packing their bags and getting ready to have some fun, participate in the meeting and elections, and, most importantly, to soak up a lot of great information, because in addition to our established instructors we are featuring Anne Marie Lucas and the staff from NY/ASPCA from "Animal Precinct," as well as animal behaviorist Sue Sternberg.

Also, for the first time, instead of simply having literature and giveaway display tables from various agencies and vendors in the registration and breakroom, we are having a vendor exhibit area at our hotel. Vendors include Pet Safe, Hill's Science Diet Shelter Feeding Program, Petfinder, Crawford, Jones Trailer, ACES, Tomahawk, Alley Cat Allies and others who will have displays August 4, 5 and 6 at the Comfort Inn so you can meet with each exhibitor, ask questions, pick up a few freebies and, most importantly, learn about their services.

We will also have a silent auction during the event, and door prizes, including the grand prize of a LACA scholarship for the 2006 Academy donated by Petz Plaza in Baton Rouge. You must be present in the exhibit area to win door prizes and silent auction items and you must have visited all of the vendors to receive a prize. Details will be explained at the Academy.

We have terrific educational opportunities, food, fun and prizes for everyone. Looking forward to seeing you all next week.

Brief Schedule:

August 1: CAET training

August 2:

8am-noon: CAET training

1:00-5pm: Chemical Capture training

August 3 (LSU Vet School): Chemical Capture Training

August 3 (LA State Police Academy): Animal Cruelty Seminar with Anne-Marie Lucas and members of ASPCA's "Animal Precinct."

August 4: First day of LACA Academy, with Anne-Marie Lucas and Instructors from "Animal Precinct." 8am till 5pm.

Vendors in exhibit area, door prizes and silent auction, 5pm till about 9pm

August 5: Second day of LACA Academy, with animal behaviorist Sue Sternberg, 8am till 5pm

Vendors in exhibit area, door prizes etc. 5pm till...

Social, banquet, annual meeting and elections, 6pm till...

August 6: LACA classes with LACA instructors Laura Lanza, Hilton Cole, Dez Crawford and Jerry Roy, 8am till 5pm

August 7: Round Table Discussion on Animal Handlng, graduation and diplomas.

See you there!!!

Dez Crawford

Hunkering Down

When Hurricane Dennis' destination was uncertain, the LA/SPCA rolled up their sleeves to evacuate animals from the New Orleans shelter in case the storm turned toward the Big Easy. Animals were evacuated to cooperating shelters in Jackson, Houston, Lake Charles and Baton Rouge. Here at the East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control Center, we took in 29 animals from LA/SPCA, and provided a safe harbor for the LA/SPCA's Dorothy Dorsett Brown Mobile Center. This clinic-on-wheels serves the Greater New Orleans area and makes regular forays into other parts of the state to provide low-cost and no-cost spay and neuter services to the public.

















One of the many benefits of LACA membership is having ready access to a vast network of shelters in our region who can assist one another in times of crisis and disaster. Thankfully, the evacuation of the New Orleans shelter was just a "fire drill" this time around. Hurricane Dennis chose to focus on the Florida Panhandle instead.

Please join me in taking off my hat to the staff of LA/SPCA, who are always ready, willing and able to perform the exhausting work necessary to get animals out of harm's way -- whether it's their own animals or those in the care of another shelter. LACA President David Marcantel can testify to their outstanding assistance when the Lake Charles shelter was threatened by Hurricane Lili a few years back.

Hurricane season is off to an early and deadly start this year. We all need to cooperate any time we need to "hunker down" in the face of a hurricane. Time to review our hurricane plans for our own individual shelters, and know what to do if a storm threatens. Remember, LACA is a team, always ready and willing to assist one another in times of need.

See you at LACA Certification Academy August 1-7 and at the SPCA animal cruelty and bloodsports workshop at the State Police Academy in Baton Rouge on August 3rd.

--Dez Crawford