The advance registration period has now ended. Space permitting, additional registrations will be accepted at the door for $75 per person.

New Leash on Life Chicago, Kansas City Dog Advocates, & A&S AmStaff/APBT Rescue are proud to announce the 2006 Canine Legislation Conference. The conference will bring together experts from across the country to discuss a variety of topics affecting dog owners and our communities as a whole. The major focus of the conference will be to address the issue of why BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) is ineffective and what you can do to help create positive and effective alternatives.

The Conference will be held in Chicago, the weekend of August 19th and 20th, at The Palmer House Hilton Hotel. The first day of the conference will include a variety of breakout sessions and will be topped off with a keynote speech by Ledy VanKavage, Midwest Director of Legislative Affairs for the ASPCA. The second day of the conference will bring together all of the conference presenters for an in-depth Q&A session.

Currently, the following breakout sessions have been scheduled for Saturday:

- General Dog Training
- BSL Basics
- Effective Lobbying & The Judicial System
- Canine Aggression: A Veterinary Behaviorist's Perspective
- Dog Bite Statistics: Separating Hype from Reality
- One Man Can Make A Difference
- Dog Fighting, Animal Cruelty, Our Communities & BSL
- Ken Foster presentation

Honored guests and speakers include:

Ledy VanKavage - Midwest Director of Legislative Affairs, ASPCA. Ledy has worked extensively in the humane movement. In 1985, she organized the Madison County Coalition Against Pound Seizure, successfully stopping the sale of animals for research from her county animal control facility. She then founded the Madison County Humane Society and served as its president for eight years. In 1992 she co-founded the Illinois Federation of Humane Societies and served on its board for 10 years. She was also a co-founder of Operation SPOT (Stop Pet Overpopulation Today) in the St. Louis metropolitan area and served as a board member for eight years. Ledy joined the ASPCA in 1999 and serves as the Senior Director of Legal Training and Legislation.

Steve Dale - Steve Dale is the author of the twice weekly syndicated newspaper column “My Pet World” (Tribune Media Services). He’s also the host of syndicated radio programs "Steve Dale’s Pet World", "The Pet Minute with Steve Dale", and "Pet Central" on WGN Radio, Chicago.

Jeff Armstrong - Mr. Armstrong is a strong advocate for anti-BSL campaigns, donating his time and efforts to campaign for effective dog laws. Mr. Armstrong lobbied an Illinois law that curbs irresponsible dog owners and prohibits specific breeds of dogs from being singled out for legislation. After an unleashed dog mauled his son Ryan in 2001, and after he learned the same animal had been involved in two previous attacks, Mr. Armstrong decided he couldn't let it happen to other children. He has convinced several municipalities to keep breed specificity out of their dog laws.

Rendy Schwartz - Owner and Head Dog Trainer at Anything Is PAWSible dog training in Chicago, Illinois. Rendy has a master's degree in psychology and certification in dog obedience instruction with Animal Behavior Training and Associates. She is very committed to helping people build and strengthen their relationships with their dogs. She was voted one of the best dog trainers in Chicago by Chicagoland Tails Reader’s Choice Awards for 2004 and 2005. She also is an active member in the dog rescue community and has volunteered her skills working with all sorts of rescue dogs from puppies to pit bulls!

Janis Bradley – After 2 decades as a college instructor and administrator, Janis Bradley began teaching at the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, where she and her colleagues have prepared more than 300 students for careers as professional dog trainers. In a climate of increasing concern about dogs and aggression, she spent 2 years researching and writing Dogs Bite, But Balloons and Slippers Are More Dangerous, which demonstrates that much of the concern is based on exaggerated fears.

Kristine Larsen - Kristine is the founder and co-organizer of Kansas City Dog Advocates. Together with co-organizer Abigail York, she has been instrumental in successfully educating about the ineffectiveness of BSL in the Kansas City area. Before founding Kansas City Dog Advocates, Kristine served as an avid dog advocate and volunteer for 13 years with companion animal rescue organizations such as The Oakland SPCA, Tony LaRussa's Animal Rescue Foundation, BadRap and Missouri Pit Bull Rescue.

Jan Cooper - Jan has spent over 40 years owning, training and working around various exotic and domestic members of the animal kingdom. Her hands on experiences are from training for the motion picture industry, working as a veterinary assistant, developing and holding classes entitled Basic Canine Home Companionship and maintaining zoological collections. Jan has been an AKC Legislative Liaison since the AKC's inception as a private entity due to a newsletter which she published about her breed of choice, the Rottweiler. Thank you to the American Rottweiler Club for sponsoring Jan's trip to the CLC!

Ken Foster - Author of The Dogs Who Found Me: What I've Learned from Pets Who Were Left Behind and Visiting Assistant Professor of Creative Writing – Tulane University. Disaster-prone writer and reluctant dog rescuer Ken finds himself adopting an ever-growing collection of stray dogs. He is the editor of two anthologies, including Dog Culture.

WHEN:
Saturday, August 19, 2006 (9am - 6pm) & Sunday, August 20, 2006 (10am to 4pm)

WHERE:
Palmer House Hilton Hotel
17 East Monroe Street
Chicago, Illinois 60603
312-726-7500
(Please contact the Palmer House directly for reservations. The CLC special rate is $129/night.)

COST per attendee:
$50 in advance ($75 at the door). Your conference fee includes snacks on Saturday, Chicago style pizza lunch (veggie friendly) on Sunday, and all conference materials.

You can download a printable flyer here. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Please contact us at conference@nlol.org with any questions!

LISTEN to nationally recognized experts discuss issues facing dog owners and concerned citizens.
LEARN why BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) is ineffective and how you can make your community safer.
ACT to create positive and effective alternatives to BSL.

The 2006 Canine Legislation Conference is sponsored by: