AMRRIC Member of the Month June 2010- Studio Noah

Studio Noah has started about 7 years ago in Perth WA.

 

After Brenda, Jan, and Bello met in Perth, they decided to leave and see the world.  Bello the Bichon stayed with Brennie’s parents for almost two years. Brenda and Jan based themselves in Czech Republic, where Jan was born. All the time they desperately missed Bello. Frequent phone calls to Brennie’s parents about how is Bello doing, didn’t seem to solve anything. 

 

Back to Australia Brenda brought up the idea of pet photography. Being herself a professional photographer all her life and managing, back then, a very successful studio in Fremantle for 7 years. Brenda has also won multiple A.I.P.P. awards which are now lovingly stored in banana boxes.  Position really never meant anything for Brennie, she knows, “it doesn’t matter how high you sit, you always sit on your own bum!”

 

 Jan loves all animals. Jan has developed his own unique style; he just pressed a shutter when he felt his subjects showed their love for each other.  Let’s photograph the beautiful bond between people and their furry loved ones.

 

Studio Noah was born.

AMRRIC Member of the Month May 2010- Rebecca Traub

Rebecca grew up in Kolkata (Calcutta), India and moved to Perth in her mid teens. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery from Murdoch University in 1997 and following this, worked in Small Animal practice, often visiting Kolkata during her summer vacations to volunteer at the local animal clinic. In 2000 Rebecca decided to return to Murdoch University to undertake her PhD on canine gastrointestinal parasitic zoonoses in tea-growing communities in Assam, India for which she was awarded the John Frederick Adrian Sprent Medal by the Australian Society of Parasitology for the most outstanding thesis submitted within the last 3 years. In 2004, Rebecca was successful at gaining an Australian Research Council – Linkage grant with Bayer Animal Health as the Industry partner to extend her research on canine parasitic zoonoses to Thailand. Rebecca is currently a Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Public Health at the School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland.  Rebecca’s research encompasses the field of veterinary public health, with an emphasis on the epidemiology and control of canine vector-borne diseases and parasitic zoonoses in developing communities. For further information on Rebecca’s research please visit http://www.uq.edu.au/vetschool/traub-dr-rebecca-107211.

 

 

AMRRIC Member of the Month April- Prof Tony Peacock

 

Prof Tony Peacock, CEO of the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC)

 

Whether you have questions about rabbits, foxes, cane toads or any other invasive vertebrate animal, chances are Professor Tony Peacock will have an answer for you. The IACRC link to http://www.invasiveanimals.com/  aims to discover the best ways to control invasive animals based on strong scientific research, with particular regard to best-practice animal welfare and management policies.

Tony recognises that although invasive animals have an impact in three areas: economically, environmentally and socially, the last two impacts tend to get overlooked because they are difficult to put a dollar value on. He is working hard to change that. He is actively involved in AMRRIC activities that promote remote communities that are healthy and safe for people and animals, such as those relating to dogs and camels.

Tony is a born communicator. Despite his academic status and reputation as a feral animal expert, he prefers to simply be called Tony. It is this personal approach he applies to his position as CEO of the IA CRC. Along with his regular segments on Canberra radio station ABC 666’s ‘Feral Talkback’ segment, he tweets and blogs on topics relating to feral animal management both in Australia and across the globe. Check out his informative and entertaining ‘Feral Thoughts’ blog link to: http://feral.typepad.com/feral_thoughts/

AMRRIC Member of the Month-March Sabina Shugg

Congratulations to Sabina who has just received the inaugural Women in Resources Champion award from the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA.

Sabina is a mining engineer currently working in the field of management consulting. She is a West Australian through and through as she was born in Norseman before then living in other glamorous locations such as Wiluna and then the relative civilisation of Kalgoorlie. Her family moved to Perth in time for her high schooling. In her early twenties she returned to Kalgoorlie and worked in the mining industry for a few years before studying Mining Engineering at the WA School of Mines. She has since had a varied career working in operational and management roles in various parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory and these days primarily works in Perth. In 2008 Sabina completed an MBA at UWA.

Sabina and her extended family have always had numerous dogs of various descriptions usually from different pounds around the place. She sponsors three dogs with Soi Dog Foundation (www.soidog.org) in Phuket and locally supports Sue at ‘Poundwatch’ in Perth (www.poundwatch.com.au). Sabina has been President of ‘Stop Live Exports’ (aka PACAT) in Fremantle for the last few years. As part of this role she has successfully received grants in 2005 and 2007 for use in “Debunking the Myths of Live Export” from Voiceless – The Animal Protection Unit (www.voiceless.org.au).Sabina is also on the Executive for Animals Australia (www.animalsaustralia.org) as the WA representative and Treasurer.

 

In 2003 Sabina started WIMWA (Women in Mining and Resources WA) (www.womeninmining.com) which is a networking group for women in the resources sector. This group now has some 1000 members and in 2009 held a one day seminar for the first time. At this seminar 250 people had the opportunity to hear Julia Hardaker speak about “Giving Back to the Community – Julia’s journey and the AMRRIC story”. This inspiring story was very well received by the audience.

 

AMRRIC Member of the Month February 2010 Nicole Howcroft

Nicole completed a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health in 2002 and moved north from Brisbane to Bundaberg to work for the then Bundaberg City Council as an Environmental Health Officer. She worked with Bundaberg City Council and then the amalgamated Bundaberg Regional Council for six years. During this time she worked on numerous projects (in addition to regular environmental health inspections) including running the Immunisation Program for the entire Bundaberg Region, assisting in the development of the local Food Hygiene Course, was a leader in the Council’s Local Disaster Management and Welfare Group and implementing the many legislative changes for Environmental Protection and Public Health legislation. She also worked tirelessly to promote her profession throughout the Queensland Central Region and served as Secretary/Treasurer and then President of the Australian Institute of Environmental Health – Central Group (now Environmental Health Australia) for five years. At the end of the first year with Bundaberg City Council, Nicole was nominated for and received the Young Environmental Health Officer of the Year from the Australian Institute of Environmental Health. Read more........

AMRRIC Member of the Month January 2010 Rick Walduck

Rick was born and grew up in “country” Ringwood Vic with an Edna Walling inspired garden lovingly created by his parents surrounded by 5 acres of bush and snakes and paddocks of grazing land and unmade roads, a small dairy and heaps of native terrestrial orchids. He was chooled at Wantirna South State school which had a total enrolment of 32 pupils from Grade 1-6,before moving in his early  teens to the “big City” in Glen Iris, Melbourne and finished his education at Wesley College. He  was oncerned about going to University to study Vet Science because that is where the “bright people” go, after cramming solidly for the first year and passed, realized that their was a social life world out there to enjoy as well .

AMRRIC Member of the Month December 09 Philip Pogson

Philip grew up in the southern highlands south of Sydney where his father was the town dentist and his mother a paediatric physiotherapist specialising in developmentally delayed children  His parents’ rambling home was a Noah’s ark of pets including birds, horses, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, poddy calves, bantam hens, ducks, quails and tortoises who shared the property with five Pogson children.  His father was interested in indigenous issues and regularly visited remote communities in the 60s and 70s on projects formulated in partnership with local indigenous groups.

AMRRIC Member of the Month Randi Rotne November 09

Randi graduated as a veterinarian from the University of Sydney in the early 90’s. She initially worked in the country in a practice that had not employed a full-time female vet previously and enjoyed getting away from the city. The next few years saw a few jobs going between Sydney and the country, always having pets and training dogs.

AMRRIC Member of the Month Geoff Irwin October 09

AMRRIC Member of the Month Dr Rosalie Shultz September 09

Rosalie is the Senior Rural Medical Practitioner, Maternal and Child Health Central Australia Remote Health Services Department of Health and Families.  She became interested in animal health after news reports of horrific dog attacks in Alice Springs. She needed to know more about why dog attacks – sometimes fatal - are so common in her town of Alice Springs, and in doing so she learnt about the importance of healthy dogs for healthy people. She commented this may be especially so for Aboriginal people.

She stated "When we provide primary health care services we need to include vets as part of the team. Together with teachers, child care workers, police and fresh food salespeople, vets and others who promote animal health provide essential services to improve the health of communities".

AMRRIC Member of the Month Ray Barnett August 09

Ray graduated from the University of Sydney in 2000 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. Since then he has worked in various mixed animal vet practices in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, and spent a year locuming in the UK. Currently he works in his home town, Grafton NSW. He first became involved with AMRRIC in 2008 when he volunteered on a dog health programme to Kintore, NT. Ray enjoys experiencing remote areas of Australia, and finds that getting involved with AMRRIC provides the perfect opportunity to see new areas and help indigenous communities. Ray is due to be married to Vicki Child in October this year, as she is the only woman he has been able to find who will put up with him. He considers himself very fortunate to have found such a lovely person to marry, and will be re-visiting Kintore with her this year to do the dog health programme and hopefully a horse program on Palm Island later in the year.

AMRRIC Member of the Month Lisa Hansen July 09

Lisa Hansen works along side Dr Stephen Cutter at the Ark Animal Hospital, she co-founded the Ark animal Hospital with Stephen and later the Ark Animal Welfares Services. Under this umbrella she works with both the Darwin city council Pound and with Palmerston city council pound. Lisa is committed to indigenous dog health programs and believes strongly that Human and dog health issues are closely related and that understanding the importance of dogs in communities is key to better dog health programs. Education is a large part of having healthier dogs but opportunity to do right by the dogs is also a key factor. If the shops don’t sell dog food or tick treatments then it is hard to access what is needed for healthier dogs without outside help. It is hoped that as local councils move more towards less traditional methods of dog control, pounds etc that we will in the future be able to assist with training opportunities. Lisa is committed to working with AMRRIC in providing the right style programs for people in remote communities and to enabling communities to better care for their dogs.

AMRRIC Member of the Month Darren Hickey June 09

Darren has worked for RSPCA (Victoria) as an Inspector since 1997; initially based in the south eastern districts of Melbourne, and was posted out to the beautiful Gippsland region of eastern Victoria in 2001. He completed tertiary studies in Agriculture then worked for the Agricultural Business Research Institute in Armidale, NSW. After a short contract job in Griffith, NSW with the wine grape/citrus industry, Darren was drawn to the RSPCA because of his long-held desire to make a contribution to the improvement of animal welfare in the community. Darren finds the job of a RSPCA Inspector provides regular, hands-on opportunities to provide assistance to all kinds of animals utilising both educational (the carrot) and legislative (the stick) approaches. With his agricultural training and life-long experience with companion animals, he finds he is able work well with both production and pet animal owners across many communities. Darren says one of the features of his job is the incredibly broad cross section of people he gets to meet and work with.Darren became a member of AMRRIC in 2007 as a result of his involvement in the establishment of a dog health program in an aboriginal community at Lake Tyers in East Gippsland. Darren lives in Bairnsdale, with his wife Kylee (a vet nurse), 2 daughters, 3 horses, 2 dogs, 3 cats, chooks, and is currently working on finishing his private pilots licence.

AMRRIC Member of the Month May 2009- Luana Ferrara

Luana graduated from the University of Sydney in 1976 after starting off in first year with AMRRIC's Program Manager, Jan Allen. After three years working in small animal practices in Sydney Luana headed off overseas: first travelling through the USA, and then to England where she worked in various practices in many and varied counties! Two years were spent working and exploring the UK and Europe (and reconnecting with her Italian family), and then it was time to settle back home in Sydney. Luana continued working in small animal practices in Sydney including a 5-year stint as the owner/veterinarian of a small clinic in Sydney's inner west. Some more travelling and a change of career and pace then found her working in a biomedical research institute: a position she held for ten years until the dogs and cats called her back. Samoa lured her to work for an animal welfare organisation, the Animal Protection Society: who could resist those palm trees and beautiful beaches? Oh yes, and the dogs and cats …

Luana's time in research increased her interest in improving animal welfare, which remains to this day. Her love of travelling has seen her visit many countries and there are usually animals involved somewhere – she is the proud foster parent of her fourth orphaned elephant (via Care for the Wild, UK and the David Sheldrick Foundation, Kenya) where she visited in 1999. Luana has recently returned from her second trip to India working as a veterinary volunteer; this time for a Vets Beyond Borders ABC/AR project in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in southern India. She is already planning her next animal/travelling sojourn …

AMRRIC Member of the Month- April- Ray Ferguson

After a short stint in Dairy and horse practice Ray became a small animal veterinarian and devoted his energies to practice, family and community matters. Ray says he did not make use of his veterinary skills for others less fortunate  than him initially.

The opportunity to use practical veterinary skills and work with small animals in indigineous communities has been very exciting. Ray has been to Maningrida several times and each time he goes he sees a continued improvement in the dog’s health and in the peoples understanding of welfare issues.  'It is extremely rewarding to be able to help in this community and to develop friendships with people', Ray says (pictured (R) teaching Melbourne University Student while dog owner looks on during the Maningrida Dog Health Program with Dr Ted Donelan).

AMRRIC Member of the Month- March- LEAH WELLS

Leah is a veterinarian currently working in small animal practice in California where she has been for the past three years. In April she will be commencing work with Vets Beyond Borders in India where she will be assisting with Project Vet-Train (http://www.vetsbeyondborders.org/resources/vettrainmedia.pdf)  a training program for local veterinarians. While in the US she also had the opportunity to volunteer on several trips with RAVS (www.ruralareavet.org) RAVS is a non profit veterinary outreach program combining community service and veterinary education to bring free veterinary services to underserved rural communities. Leah is also a regular volunteer with Alley Cat Guardians, a local NFP organization dedicated to humanely reducing the local feral cat population through their spey/neuter/return program. Originally from Derby WA, and having spent some time working in the Kimberley’s Leah is very interested in applying some of her recent experiences and becoming involved with the sustainable dog programs when she returns to Australia later this year.

AMRRIC Member of the Month- February 2009-Mr Clayton Abreu

Mr Clayton Abreu, is the Indigenous Environmental Health Program Officer (IEHPO) working for Tropical Population Health Service Queensland Health Department. He has been working in the field of Indigenous Environmental Health for the past 8 years. He is committed to improving Environmental Health conditions in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities through sustainable Environmental Health programs which include Animal Management. Clayton played a key role in the devlopment and provision of the Queensland Health vet Training Workshops held in Yarrabah last year. Clayton also plays a key role in the faciliation of AMRRIC programs in QLD. He is currently kept very busy with the Dengue Fever outbreak in the Cairns region. Clayton is AMRRIC's first Indigenous representative on the Management Board.

AMRRIC MEMBER OF THE MONTH- January 2009-Jan Kowarzik

Jan works for local government in Wodonga, Victoria,  in the Home and Community Care program supporting frail and aged people to remain living safely and independently in their own homes for as long as possible.  She discovered AMRRIC while studying for the Grad Cert in Animal Welfare through Monash University in 2006-7. Although she has not lived or worked on a  community she have visited several during many trips into the outback over the last twenty years or so and seen some very sad dogs. Although she works in the human welfare field, animal welfare is a strong personal interest, (hence the Grad Cert in Animal Welfare).  She is secretary of the Albury branch of the RSPCA, and shares her house with two Maltese-Shih-Tzu dogs named Emmy and Roxy.  Jan believes that animal and human welfare are two sides of the same coin, with animal welfare issues reflecting human welfare issues. She would dearly love to be involved directly in a dog welfare program in some capacity. Until that is possible Jan enjoys reading about the activities of AMRRIC and its efforts to improve dog and human welfare in remote communities.

Dec 2008 Andrew Dunn

Andrew graduated from Murdoch University in 1979 and his veterinary career since then has given him privileged experiences throughout Australia. He worked in mixed practice at Narrogin, Western Australia and then in 1981 he joined Stanbroke Pastoral Company. He spent three years working on cattle stations in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Barkley Tablelands and the friendships formed during this time have been enduring, as has the love of the life and landscapes of Northern Australia.Andrew’s professional travels took him to dairy practice at Colac and the Atherton Tablelands and small animal practice and deer management in Perth. His recreational pursuits included a cycling trip from Lhasa to Katmandhu and sailing trips from Perth to Bali and along the Western Australian and Tasmanian coastlines. In 1992 he joined the team at the Moe Veterinary Centre where he now enjoys the challenges of mixed practice. He has a special interest in diagnostic imaging and has gained his membership in Radiology. He was named Small Animal Practitioner of the Year in 2006. Andrew and his wife Grania have in recent years enjoyed extended off track walks in Kakadu, and the Drysdale National Park and King George River regions of the Kimberley. The indigenous rock art, the landscapes and the birdlife of these areas are sure to draw them back to these parts of Australia in the future.

November- Dr JENNIE CHURCHILL (and Harry)

Jennie Churchill spent the first 20 years of her working life as a veterinarian in mixed practice. Since 1994, she has worked mainly in the not-for-profit sector for organisations as diverse as the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games Organising Committee and the NSW and National Australia Day Committees. As Director of the Veterinary Science Foundation at Sydney University for 5 years, she managed the fundraising and promotional arm of her old Faculty. She is currently a Policy Advisor for NSW Government Minister Linda Burney.  Jennie and her veterinarian husband Rob live in an Edna Walling garden at Crookwell, on the Southern Tablelands of NSW. The garden was the inspiration for writing and photography: Jennie is the co-author of two books on Walling and for 4 years was a presenter on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia. In 2007, Jennie was Acting EO of AMRRIC for several months, a role she was proud to undertake. She and Rob remain committed to AMRRIC – as regular donors and volunteers. They spent time at Galiwin’ku in 2008.

OCT 2008 AMRRIC EMPLOYEE and RECIPIENT OF PRESTIGIOUS IFAW AWARD - DR JAN ALLEN

Jan Allen (pictured on left) is a graduate of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney and Master of Environmental Management, New England University, Armidale NSW. She has spent most of her career in mixed practice on the beautiful North Coast of NSW. A lifetime goal of volunteering with Australian Volunteers International culminated in a placement with the Animal Protection Society (APS) in Samoa from 2004 untills 2006. This position was also supported by IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare). During this exciting period the APS developed village-based visits and the Samoan Government passed its Dog Control Management Plan. Back in Australia, Jan’s interest in the management of dog populations continued working out of Darwin to many remote Indigenous communities around Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia. She has now taken on the position of Program Manager with AMRRIC. Jan has been recognised for her outstanding contribution to animal welfare by being awarded a prestigious IFAW Action Award. The award was presented during the AMRRIC Conference in Darwin on the 14th October 2008, by IFAW’s Companion Animal Campaigner, Ms Marguerite Young (pictured left).

SEPTEMBER 2008 Alex Mullins-Outback Stores.

Alex has worked in Arnhem Land with the Northern Territory Department of Health in the field of environmental health and has recently moved across to Outback Stores in a similar role.p9010008-alex.JPGAlex is passionate about camp dogs and believes that there is a strong link between dogs and human health, particularly where kids are concerned. She has worked in dog health in her role with the government, delivering education programs in schools and advocating for dog health programs with community councils. “I believe everyone involved in community life can advocate for and support dog health. Dogs are such an important part of life to most people in communities. Dogs protect their families, keep them warm at night and hunt food for them. They need to be healthy for the dog’s wellbeing as well as their owner’s”. I’m never short of conversation out bush because I find people are always happy to talk about their dogs and of course I love to talk about mine. I was given a camp dog and I have a pound dog. I’m a life member of the NSW Animal Welfare League and an RSPCA volunteer”. Everyone loves a puppy but an increase in undesexed dogs in a community can cause social and health problems. Pups grow into unwanted young dogs that roam and scavenge due to starvation and can become dangerous in their desperation for food. Outback Stores managers often ask me how to control dogs around the community food store. Starving, unwanted dogs tip over bins, leave droppings and become a nuisance as they congregate humbugging for any scrap of pie or sandwich crust. This diet doesn’t make for a strong healthy dog and many camp dogs end up immune compromised. This allows for them to be attacked by scabies mites, worms and ticks in particular. The upcoming Build Up in the Top End can be a really miserable time for the dogs as their discomfort leads them to scratch till they draw blood and then sores develop. It is important to have a sustainable dog health program in place in every community to ensure that dogs that come into contact with kids and adults are healthy and not transmitting zoonotic diseases. That’s why I support AMRRIC; they have a respectful approach to animal management and deliver appropriate services along with an awesome reputation!

August 08 Dr Onn Ben-David Veterinarian Melbourne

Onn was born in Israel and migrated to Australia to study Veterinary Science graduating in 1973. In 1978 he established the Caulfield South Veterinary Clinic which this year celebrates it’s 30th birthday. Onn is a councillor of RSPCA Victoria and has served as the Vice President since 1981 (27 years). He has been involved with a wide range of animal welfare and management issues within the RSPCA as well as on external committees and working parties. He is involved with Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) as a category C representative and has been a member of the Animal Welfare Science Centre (AWSC) Advisory Board for the last 8 years. Onn is a member of the AVA with particular involvement with animal welfare issues at branch, state and national levels for many years. Currently he is also the Victorian Division Policy Advisory Councillor. Onn is a workaholic and committed to the welfare and wellbeing of all creatures great and small. He believes in the AMRRIC vision and is very happy to see AMRRIC becoming more effective and more influential. Onn has not yet been involved with a dog health program in remote communities himself but now after rejoining as a member he hopes to do so very soon.

July 08 Josey Kitson- Project & Member Society Development Manager WSPA Canada

After working in a veterinary clinic for several years I realized that my passion was to work ‘with’ animals but also ‘for’ them. In 2002, I graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario where I studied animal ethics and minority rights. I promptly went back to school to study project management in the development sector. In 2006, I combined my passion for animals with my background in international development by accepting a position as Project Manager at the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) in Canada. Since then I have been working on a National strategy to address dog overpopulation on First Nations land. I currently live in Aurora, Ontario with my husband Michael and 10 year old Wheaten Terrier Whiskey.