Friday 31 October 2008

ICAWC 2008 Presentation: Rewarding our Companions: Honours Awards - Clarissa Baldwin


In this ten-minute continuation on yesterday's ideas about raising the status of companion animals, Clarissa is raising the idea of having an award ceremony.

Not only do awards raise the status of dogs and celebrate them, they're a great media hook and a positive way of marketing the work you do. You can find the dog stories:
  • On the web
  • On social networks
  • Through letters to the editor
  • At schools
  • From owners of assistance dogs
Where do you hold an award ceremony? Well, you want it to be free!

Will a multinational lend you their meeting area?
Would the Mayor let you use the Town Hall?
Would a local TV or film studio let you use the site?

You want to get the media involved, and if you can use celebrities to help you publicise it, so much the better. Then decide your categories, for example, Hero Dog, Quality of Life, Triumph over Adversity, etc. These are all categories Dogs Trust has used at the Dogs Trust Honours.

Clarissa concludes with a very moving video telling the stories of dogs who have won awards at the Honours.

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Next presentation: Practical tips for Avoiding Stress in Companion Animal Handling - Caroline Bower

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