18/06/2025
This is such a great conference for dog and cat management professionals around the world! We hope you were able to join us this year!
🐶 Reflections on Day 3: Smarter Strategies, Lasting Impact
Today’s sessions at were rooted in the theme of Evolving Dog Population Management. Our presenters offered an inspiring set of insights into how much more thoughtful, strategic, and locally-informed our approaches to dog population management are becoming around the world.
Our Chair for the day, Karen Reed, Director of Dogs Trust Worldwide, set the tone for a programme of insights which reflect that while dog population management may be one of the longest-standing components of companion animal welfare work, it’s anything but static.
Dr Piyush Patel from Humane World for Animals India took us through a decade-long journey of learning and adaptation in India, showing how sustained, locally grounded strategies can lead to tangible improvements not just for dog populations, but for the welfare of companion animals more broadly.
Joining us from Dogs Trust in the UK, Cam Williams, alongside Dr Lauren Harris, then introduced the power of Theory of Change as a strategic tool for animal welfare. Their session made a compelling case for mapping out assumptions, clarifying goals, and anticipating potential challenges in programme design. Cam also emphasised the value of building flexibility into plans - not just to manage setbacks like data collection issues in the field, but also to take advantage of unexpected opportunities such as new funding or partnerships.
Tamara Kartal of FOUR PAWS brought us an honest and thought-provoking look at Constanța’s population dynamics, asking us to question whether we’re measuring the right things and setting realistic expectations for sustainability. Manuela Rowlings, also from FOUR PAWS, enriched our understanding of this initiative in the Q&As.
John Peaveler from Humane Innovations LLC in the United States brought technical expertise and field experience to the fore, with a fascinating case study from Puerto Rico that highlighted the real-world benefits - and challenges - of advanced dog capture technologies in complex environments.
From Southeast Asia, Chonnikarn (Pom) Phochanakij and Hanh Nguyen Minh of FOUR PAWS showed how regional data can drive country-specific strategies. Reflecting on their work on Thailand and Vietnam, their session reinforced how public health, policy engagement, and cultural awareness must be aligned to deliver effective and sustainable change.
And finally, Laura Cunha Silva closed the day with a detailed study from Guwahati, India, comparing cost-effective population estimation methods. Her findings offer researchers and municipalities valuable tools for monitoring and planning.
🗓 Key Themes from Day 3
Four strong themes stood out throughout today's sessions:
🌍 Context is everything – From urban campuses to rural markets, regional dynamics to national policies, effective programmes are those that adapt to the realities on the ground.
🛠️ The right tools for the job – Whether it’s frameworks like Theory of Change or advanced capture equipment, tools can sharpen our focus, support more humane practices, and ultimately increase our impact.
🤝 Partnership is essential – Each one of our speakers today underscored the importance of working in partnership – with local communities, government stakeholders, researchers, field teams, veterinarians, volunteers, and NGOs. Genuinely sustainable dog population management happens when all voices are at the table, and interventions are shaped by those who know the context best.
📊 Measuring progress matters – Several sessions challenged us to rethink what success looks like, and how we both define and measure progress. Sustainability isn’t just a goal; it’s a process that requires long-term vision, adaption, and honest reflection.
💭 We closed today's programme with a deeper understanding of the strategy, nuance, and collaboration required for effective dog population management - and with renewed admiration for the global community of practitioners leading this ongoing evolution. Thank you to our Chair, our speakers, and to all who joined us!
🌱 We'll be shifting our focus for Day 4 to the One Health agenda, diving into the crucial links between animal welfare, human health, and environmental resilience. See you at 11:00 UTC!
💻 Catch up on today's sessions: https://www.icam-coalition.org/conferences/6th-international-conference-on-dog-and-cat-population-management-2025/ #1746093381501-3e0997e3-fcee
🔗 Register to join live here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aSBitwlRSmGtEDSE1JpMoQ #/registration
♻️ Share and spread the word!
