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AMRRIC 2011 Conference Proceedings

2011 AMRRIC Conference Roundup

Each conference presentation is available online, see AMRRIC's innovative speakers.

AMRRIC held its conference on the 11th Oct in Townsville. We have had some great feedback from attendees who really appreciated the diversity of information shared on the day. Our keynote Speaker, Professor Rick Speare from James Cook University, a human health doctor and veterinarian updated us on Zoonoses, the diseases that are spread from dogs to humans and the impact of this on human health in remote communities. He emphasized that the significance and impact of zoonoses is under recognized by governments.

Dr Ted Donelan presenting at the 2011 AMRRIC Conference

Our International speaker, Liz Murchison from the Wellcome Institute in the United Kingdom, along with AMRRIC’s President Ted Donelan shared their practical and research findings about Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumors. For a few speakers it was their first time to present and they did a wonderful job. Our practical workshop around using the blow darts to sedate cheeky or difficult dogs was very engaging and participants joined in the demonstrations. All in all it was very well attended for a one day event with over 60 delegates attending from all over Australia and the UK.

Farriervet supports AMRRIC with Doggy Derby Day

Dog Derby Day was held at the Farriervet grounds in Kyabram, NSW with funds raised on the day donated to AMRRIC. The event featured doggy races, raffles, horse on stick races, and the egg and spoon. Farriervet is owned by Dr Jude Mullholland who has previously volunteered for AMRRIC. Thanks to everyone at Farriervet for making the day so much fun and a successful fundraiser for AMRRIC.

The All Breeds Dog race at the Dog Derby Day

The Indigenous Animal Management Worker Project 

The Indigenous Animal Management Worker Project is a significant step towards improving animal health and welfare across the Northern Territory and the empowerment of Indigenous people living in remote communities. AMRRIC will provide training and employment for ten people from remote Indigenous Communities in all aspects of Animal Management.

It has now been agreed that six of these positions will be with East Arnhem Shire who have supported the project from its first proposal. This is an exciting partnership that will enhance the animal control strategy of East Arnhem Shire Council which has already taken the initiative of employing a full time vet. The engagement of Animal Management Workers will improve the health and welfare of dogs and the community of which they are part in an ongoing and sustainable way. The project will embed the skills in the community to enable greater local control of and participation in dog health and population control programs.
 

Dr Emma Kennedy working with Jonah Wunamarra from East Arnhem Shire

The Animal Management Workers will be undertaking studies at Batchelor College outside of Darwin to certify their skills and open up future opportunities to work in the field of Environmental Health.
 

Professor Rick Speare presents his health plan for dogs in Indigenous communities at the 2011 AMRRIC Conference

Keynote speaker Professor Rick Speare says "dogs might be man's best friend, but in some remote communities they can also represent a significant health issue".

Public health expert Professor Rick Speare from Queensland's James Cook University who has degrees in both Human and Veterinary medicine is promoting a health plan for dogs in indigenous communities as a way of controlling the spread of diseases between dogs and humans. He says there are indications the rate of transmission of bacteria like streptococcus between dogs and humans is greater than expected.  Listen to the ABC's Rural Report featuring an interview with Professor Rick Speare.
 

An extrordinary day in the life of an outback community vet nurse

Read about Shelly Beveridge a vet nurse working on a remote dog health program with Dr Ted Donelan (AMRRIC President and Veterinarian) in Maningrida. Well done Shelly!
Download the article (PDF, 599kb)
 

AMRRIC attends the  NATSIEH Conference

The National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Environmental Health Conference was held in Darwin Sept 27-30. The theme of the conference was "Rise to the challenge of our environmental health". The event covered a wide range of Indigenous environmental health topics in keynote addresses, plenary and poster sessions. Four AMRRIC staff attended and John Skuja gave his first conference presentation about the "Animal Management Worker Project".

The AMRRIC stall shown left promoted the Dog Health Programs in Indigenous Communities  guide and The  'Caring for Dogs, Community, and Country'  DVD.  Dr Jan Allen, Peter Stephenson(AMRRIC Board member) and Philomena a visiting, Torres Strait Animal Management Worker are shown at the stall.

Post conference Jan Allen said "We are all inspired meeting the fantastic Indigenous Environmental Health Workers and Animal Management Workers, and hearing of their awesome achievements in the all the other states. An example that we hope NT will follow."

Dr Jan Allen presents at the NT Chronic Disease Network's Conference

The NT Chronic Disease Network's "Out of the Shadows into the spotlight, Chronic Diseases- Mental Health", was held on the 8 - 9  September 2011. It was very exciting for AMRRIC's abstract to be accepted for this human health conference. Dr Jan Allen gave the presentation "Dogs in Indigenous Communities - the good, the bad and the ugly".

AMRRIC presents at the Summit to End Companion Animal Overpopulation

Julia Hardaker, AMRRIC’s Executive Officer, presented at the National Desexing Network’s 4th Australian Summit to End Companion Animal Overpopulation on the 7-9 September 2011 at Surfers Paradise Qld. Julia discussed the new Aboriginal Benefits Account Funded Animal Management Worker Program in a presentation titled “Expanding Community Support for Effective Cat and Dog Programs in NT"

Dr Jeff Young DVM from Planned Pethood Plus USA, presented in the same session as Julia. He has been undertaking spay and neuter programs in Native American communities for many years. He praised AMRRIC for its approach stating it is the right and culturally appropriate model to be working with.

The talk was very well received and new members joined AMRRIC as a result of the presentation.

AMRRIC 2011 Annual General Meeting

Greetings to members of AMRRIC, the Management Committee invites you to attend the 2011 Annual General Meeting

Date: 10am on Monday, 10th October 2011
Location:  Rydges, SouthBank, Townsville, QLD

There is also a RSVP only dinner on the Monday night at a venue  afterwards.

The following day, AMRRIC will hold its one day Conference at the same Venue.
For more information contact info@amrric.org
 

AMRRIC supports Pirlangimpi Women's Health Day

Pirlangimpi Health Centre and the Health Services Division of the Department of Health and Families arranged a Women’s Health day at the Community Club on Wednesday 16th March 2011. The men had their own workshop at the clinic in parallel, so the whole community was involved.

The Women’s Health Day featured stalls on midwifery, child health, alcohol and other drugs, nutrition, sexual health, oral health, chronic diseases, pharmacy, diabetes, domestic violence, emotional health, podiatry, and of course, animal health!

Tiwi women young and old attended the session, sharing stories of their health experiences from delivering babies in the bush to dealing with breast cancer. At the AMRRIC stall, women shared techniques for keeping dogs healthy, such as bush medicine, saltwater baths, wallaby meat, and exercise.

This time participants could collect a stamp from each stall to get an entry into a prize raffle - and with 70 participants to chat to and stamp, it made for a very busy day! With an energetic zumba session and a barbeque lunch, it was a great chance to meet and yarn with other women about what keeps us strong.

AMRRIC and Partners at 1st International One Health Congress

AMRRIC Education Officer Dr Sophie Constable (pic R), together with James Cook University (JCU) PhD Candidate Felicity Smout (pic far L) and Vets Beyond Borders’s (VBB)  Ruth Pye (centre), presented at the 1^st International One Health Congress regarding the health impacts of dogs.

The Congress met for three days in Melbourne in mid February, with delegates from 57 countries, eight concurrent session streams, and presentations from 7am til 6pm – a marathon effort but with a big topic to cover, very much necessary.

The OneHealth movement brings human health, animal health, and ecologists together to discuss common ground. The AMRRIC VBB JCU joint presentation discussed the ecological and human health risks of unmanaged domestic dog populations at the global and local scale. The Congress allowed many connections to be made both with Australia and with like-minded organisations overseas.

A tribute to Maurice Rioli 1957-2010

At times the sound of the wet season rain was louder than the many ceiling fans. Clapsticks echoed through the St Mary’s Star of the Sea Cathedral as people crowded in and overflowed into the gazebos attached to the church. The two Aboriginal men leading the coffin-bearing parade said it all: one dress in classic long black trousers, a brilliant white shirt and white paint throughout his black hair and the other an elderly man with a red loin cloth only. This was the State Funeral Service of Maurice Rioli – a beautiful mix of cultures with a Catholic Requiem Mass and Tiwi singing and dancing. Maurice Rioli's State Funeral Service was held on Friday 7th January 2011.

Maurice Rioli stepped up to challenges throughout his life- he was an AFL player of renown, being the first Indigenous player to win the Norm Smith medal, as well as playing for Richmond, South Freemantle and WA. He was also elected as a member of the NT Legislative Assembly for 9 years. He was a devoted countryman who, notwithstanding his successes, returned to his homeland, Melville Island, and dedicated his time to family, community and culture.

After working with Maurice over the past 3 years with dog programs and training of a team of men from the 3 main Tiwi Island communities, he and I were looking forward to an organised team of Animal Management Workers for 2011.

It is unbelievable that Maurice Rioli has gone. He is another Aboriginal leader dying way before his time.  We will miss him, and his family are in our thoughts.

Increase in wet season dog bites - ABC News Northern Territory

Julia Hardaker from Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities is calling for more animal wefare positions, desexing programs and basic infrastructure.
Read more

Camp dogs and community health - Dr Ted Donelan on ABC Bush Telegraph

Veterinarian Dr Ted Donelan says that now, more than ever, these communities need help to stop the spread of disease from dogs to people.
Read more

Take Your Dog to Work Day

Get a dog up ya – and take it to work! -  thoughts - and fabulous pictures from the Northern Myth (Bob Gosford) - on Take Your Dog to Work Day (TYDTWD).

Dr Jan Allen and Stephen Cutter visit Galiwinku

Early in October, Veterinarians Stephen Cutter and Dr Jan Allen (AMRRIC Program Manager) ‘Air North’ed out to the community of Galiwin’ku to undertake the Elcho Dog Health Programs.

"Wow ! What a special experience. We flew with MAF (Missions Aviation Fellowship) to different outstations over 2 days. At times it was as if we were flying over islands of the Great Barrier Reef. So beautiful and remote."
Read more.

Gloria Foxley - Volunteer in Yuendemu

"As a qualified vet nurse armed initially with more theory than practice, I was off to help with the Yuendumu dog program. I was soon sharing in the catching, intubating, microchipping and administering all manner of treatments. When presented with a case or two of priapism, I surprised myself with the speed at which I procured ice and sugar! Yuendumu was this fledgling’s dream come true, thanks to the confidence of attending veterinarians Stephen Cutter, Anne Fawcett and Sophie Constable and vet student Kath Tsimbas. I will sign up again, if there is another opportunity to work with Yuendumu’s dogs and people."

Dr Stephen Cutter and Gloria Foxley examining the local nightlife - one of the 15 stops they made to look at the local species.

Animalia - A Critical Animal Studies Symposium

AMRRIC Executive Officer, Julia Hardaker recently presented at the University of New England, Armidale NSW, Animalia – A Critical Animal Studies Symposium. She spoke about “Doorways to Dog Health and ‘Dog Dreaming.” Julia is pictured L with Symposium organiser Dr Jane O'Sullivan and Indigenous PhD candidate, Lorina Barker after the symposium.

Emma Kennedy working in East Arnhem Shire

Emma Kennedy is justly ‘stoked’ with her incredible desexing and parasite treatment  numbers in round one of community visits in her lone role as East Arnhem Shire’s Veterinarian/ Animal Welfare & Control Officer. In the future she will be working on education within the community and local involvement as well! She is pictured with her very important helpers Serena L and Jonah R.

The South Pacific Humane Education Conference

AMRRIC Executive Officer, Julia Hardaker gave 2 presentations 'Cultural programs within the indigenous communities, development and attitudes to animal welfare programs' and 'Finding the money: funding and grant applications for programs to provide a sustainable education service'at the NZ South Pacific Humane Education Conference put on by WSPA and SPCA. Shelley Ryan's banner is that “Education empowers change”. Shelley is now the National Education Coordinator for Royal New Zealand SPCA She co-presented with well known Norm Hewitt,' One of the Family', an empathy programme across the country, motivating SPCA’s around the country to expand their thoughts to connecting with their community through Education.  They were brilliant and totally inspiring.

Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, NT Government, invests in AMRRIC’s expertise and guidance

AMRRIC continues to assist the NT shires with animal management in Indigenous communities.
Read more

Media Release 10th Nov 2010 - Bayer Partnership

AMRRIC is thrilled to post this media release about our new President Dr Ted Donelan and also the exciting new partnership with Bayer.
Read more

AMRRIC at Garma

AMRRIC was honoured to be accepted as presenters at the Garma Key Forum. EO Julia Hardaker and Education Officer Sophie Constable both gave presentations, kindly introduced by Professor Henry Atkinson of Monash University.  Professor Atkinson's particular areas of interest are Indigenous/human rights and education, so it was a privilege to hear him speak of dog issues in these terms.

Warriors Cultural Awareness courses

Why Warriors Cultural Awareness courses now online!

The people that brought you the highly acclaimed Why Warriors Lie Down and Die are now running very affordable online cultural awareness courses. See the Why Warriors website for more details.

Workshops sharing knowledge and connecting people

Over the past few months, AMRRIC has been delivering workshops introducing our EHP manual in the Torres Strait, Cairns, Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek, and Broome, thanks to funding from the Aboriginal Benefits Account and WGATSIEH. Read more.

Participants in the Qld and WA workshops were largely Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people employed as Environmental Health Practitioners in their communities. This contrasts greatly with the situation in the Northern Territory where these job opportunities are severely limited. As such, people from education, human health, private veterinary clinics, night patrol, child care, and the police force are filling the breach.

Feedback about the manual has so far been extraordinarily positive, and furthermore the workshops gave people from different areas ad different fields the chance to link up and exchange information and support. An example of this was the poster that NT Central Region’s (Region's Regional and Remote Aboriginal Children and Services Support Unit created from the Manual inspiration. We are excited to be following up on connections made during those workshops and working together into the future. Further workshops are being organised for East and West Arnhem, and the Darwin region next year.

Dog Dreaming Wins Big

Jimmy Donegan's painting Papa Tjukurpa and Pukura (pictured above, photo courtesy of Bob Gosford, The Northern Myth won both the Telstra Art Award and the General Painting Award in this year's National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. Papa is the Pitjantjatjara word for dog/dingo, and Tjukurpa means dreaming. Congratulations Mr Donegan! It's wonderfulto see Dog Dreaming displayed on the national stage so spectacularly and acheiving the recognition it deserves. See AMRRIC member and journalist Bob Gosford's article at The Northern Myth.

Dog Health Programs in Indigenous Communities- an Environmental Health Practitioners Guide’

 AMRRIC happily announces the long awaited Dog Health Programs in Indigenous Communities- an Environmental Health Practitioners Guide’ by Dr Samantha Phelan.Click here for chapter summaries

The Guide is highly visual, colorful and contains drawn summaries of text information as well as photos of relevant diseases and signs of disease. Copies of the Guide are limited- so get in early and purchase your copies now!! Order here. Don’t forget the ‘Caring For Dogs, Community and Country’Educational DVD is also still available.  Only $10.00