CARE Network has been working with several community partners to innovate animal care and control on the west coast of Vancouver Island since 2012. CARE Co-founder and E.D., James Rodgers will share how a neighbourly, comprehensive, culturally sensitive approach to animal wellbeing has helped improve community health and safety for residents and visitors whether they have two legs or four. 
Rodgers will outline how different Indigenous communities that CARE Network has worked with have approached animal wellbeing. This will include a quick summary of how modern treaty governments may differ from Chief & Council governments.

James will specifically detail his organization’s ongoing work with Ahousaht, a boat/plane access-only community beyond Tofino. Ahousaht has recently passed a progressive animal control & care bylaw as part of their ‘Made-in-Ahousaht’ plan to make the community healthier and safer for everyone. Rodgers and his team are piloting unique community projects with the support of Ahousaht that will hopefully go on to be helpful to other communities facing similar challenges such as managing or transitioning free-roaming dog populations. Indigenous perspectives on this process and plan will be included.

Also included will be a summary of how CARE Network has changed and adapted over the years to meet the challenges of funding, volunteerism and reconciliation in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Rodgers will also share some unexpected challenges that have arisen in partner communities due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Key Learnings :

1. Attendees will leave the session with new ideas about how to address and improve animal wellbeing in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

2. After a summary of how the communities that CARE works with differ, audience members will be able to summarize how the Indian Act has contributed to the state of animal wellbeing in many communities.

3. Folks working with animal rescue groups in small communities may garner some tips and ideas related to how such organizations can survive when small donations and volunteerism are not enough.