Animal Expo

HSU Attends Animal Expo!

This spring, rising flood waters did not keep a flood of visitors from traveling to Music City U-S-A! While many came to see Elvis, Rhyman Auditorium and the famous hot spots Nashville’s known for, more than 1,400 animal lovers from 44 countries also came to Nashville...to network and learn the best ways to tend for animals whom come into their care.

Three members of the Humane Society of Utah staff made that trek to Tennessee for Animal Expo 2010, featuring 200 exhibitors and 70 workshops ranging from animal care, to adoption, disaster preparedness and veterinary medicine.

All told this was the largest gathering of animal advocates in the world and the exchange of ideas played like the sweet music coming out of the clubs right next door to Nashville’s convention center.

“There are quite a few changes we can make at our shelter to benefit the health of the animals, the adoption process and customer service,” says Kris Smith, Outreach Director for the Humane Society of Utah. “I learned quite a bit!”

Carlene Wall, Director of Operations for HSU discovered “a whole new set of shelter standards coming out so we will change alot of things to help animals stay healthier, emotionally and physically. We’re very lucky to be in the position we’re in here in Utah. Some shelters in other parts of the country can only take in 10 dogs and 20 cats at any given time. I can’t even imagine that. So we’re doing well...but there’s always room for improvement.”

Look for those improvements over the days, weeks and months to come at the Humane Society of Utah. And if you get to Nashville, make sure you keep an eye out for Elvis, whose likeness stands guard on honky tonk rooftops, watching over visitors to Music City USA...just as many of those visitors stand guard over the homeless animals in Utah and throughout our country.