Register TODAY for the December 13, 2024!

                       

      

    

    

**Become a financial sponsor to help to help offset cost of student, senior and veteran discounts, fund speaker registration, and more while drawing attention to your work or company organization or cause (Sponsor by 11/15/24 for logo inclusion on printed signage):

SPONSORSHIP FORM

**Symposium Registration now open: 

REGISTER HERE 

NOTE: All presenters are expected to present in-person in Glassboro, NJ & only human presenters/attendees please! There may be a brief appearance by one the Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program therapy dogs at lunchtime.

Please email PetTherapy@rowan.edu for questions. Thank you for your consideration! 

HOSTS: Michele Pich, MA, MS, CAIS & David Frei, BS 

2024 DATE:  Friday, December 13, 2024 10:30am-4:30pm EST

Cost: $75 (in-person/general admission); $65 (Senior/Veteran); $35 (Student); $50 (Virtual)

Virtual Event: WebEx link will be sent to virtual attendees the day before the event

The National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium at Rowan University is one of America’s most prominent gatherings devoted to therapy dogs. The day-long conference brings together therapy dog handlers, health care experts & clinicians, academics, those who want to get involved and people who simply love dogs, to share information, cutting edge research, insights from practical applications and best practices.

The conference is hosted by Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, just 30 minutes from downtown Philadelphia. The school is home to the ground-breaking Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program where students have access to therapy dogs year-round.

The 2024 conference will be held on Friday, December 13th from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30p.m. (EST). In-person attendance includes lunch and provides additional networking opportunities, and virtual option will also be offered. This is a human-only event (we love your furry ones, but please leave them at home unless they are an actively working medically necessary service dog... sorry no emotional support animals, therapy dogs, pets or other animals allowed). There may be a couple of the Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program Therapy dogs working at the event during lunch or breaks.

The symposium is hosted by Michele Pich & David Frei, who also chair the the planning committee. David is the expert analyst on NBC’s National Dog Show, broadcast every year on Thanksgiving, and one of the best known names in the canine world. He is also a prolific writer and founder of Angel on a Leash therapy dog program, who currently volunteers with his therapy dog, True, a sweet Cavalier. Michele Pich is the Founding Assistant Director (Department Head) of Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program and former faculty in Law and Justice Studies at Rowan University. Michele has worked in animal-assisted therapy (and other animal-assisted interventions) for many years, including with her certified therapy dog, Vivian Peyton, CGC, and her newest certified therapy dog, Ralphie, CGC, who  visits as part of the Shreiber Familu Pet Therapy Program at Rowan University and joined his sister on the Therapy Dog Ambassador team for the National Dog Show!

Past keynote speakers include: Dr. Marty Becker, Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Cindy Otto, Dr. Carlo Siracusa, Dr. Rise VanFleet, Ann Howie, and David Frei!

CEU's TBD: 2024 CEU's TBD.

Announcing our Keynote Speaker: Dr. Aubrey Fine!!!! 

Dr. Aubrey Fine is a native of Montreal, Canada. He received his graduate degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1982. Dr. Fine has been on the California State Polytechnic University faculty since 1981 and is presently a Professor Emeritus and a licensed psychologist.  He is also an adjunct professor at the College of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine at Utah State University.

Aubrey has been recognized by numerous organizations for his service and dedication to children, animals, teaching, and the community. In 2001 Dr. Fine was presented with the Wang Award given to a distinguished professor in the California State University system (23 Universities). In July 2016, he received the William McCulloch Award for Excellence in HAI Education and Practice from the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations in Paris, France. Additionally, he was awarded the Educator of the Year from the Learning Disability Association of CA and the 2006 CA Poly Faculty Award for Community Engagement.

Aubrey’s primary research interests relate to the psycho-social impact of human-animal interactions and animal-assisted interventions, social skills training, children with ADHD, and resilience in children. Dr. Fine is the author/editor of several books, including Our Faithful Companions, The Parent-Child Dance, Therapist's Guide to Learning and Attention Disorders, Fathers and Sons, The Total Sports Experience for Children, Give a Dog Your Heart, The Handbook on Animal Assisted Therapy (5^th edition- 6^th edition to be released in August 2024)  Afternoons with Puppy (2^nd edition),  The Welfare of Animals in Animal Assisted Therapy, and the International Handbook on Human-Animal Interactions and Anthrozoology (October 2023, Routledge Press) He also has had extensive media coverage worldwide. He is the past chair of the Human Animal Bond Advisory Committee for Pet Partners and the steering committee on Human-Animal Interactions for the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Other speakers include:

-    Dr Gina Caldwell (adjunct professor teaching psychology, animal behavior and sustainability science courses; Pet Partners Human-Animal Bond and AAAIP Advisory Boards) & Annie Peters (Executive Director, Pet Partners & the Associaltion of Animal Assisted Intervention Professionals):

"The Art of Therapy Dog Training and Partnership: The Need for Trust and Open Communication"

-Kate Nicoll (Clinical SW & CEO of Soul Friends):

"Sharing the Narrative Life of Therapy Dogs to comfort children with trauma"

-   Lisa DiCerto (Hospice Volunteer Coordinator) & Barb Silverstein (Alliance of Therapy Dogs Tester/Observer):

"Therapy Dog Visits at the End of Life"

-  Bradford Cole (Founder of K9FR, K9 First Responder, All-Hazards Psychological Trauma Responder; ASHER Program Specialist, PFA, T-PFA, PTSM, CISM, SPR and MHFA):

"Journey of a Therapy Dog to a Crisis Mental Health Canine"

-Therapy Dogs in Schoold Panel:

  Kate Finnerty Krispin (MS in School Counseling) &

Maria Borchardt (teacher, MA Instructional Leadership)

Hotel Accommodations for the National Dog Show Symposium at Rowan University

Hotel accomodations for the National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium at Rowan University can be made at:

The Marriott in Glassboro, NJ (1.5 blocks from event)

To book, click HERE. 

*If staying at the Marriott in Glassboro, please leave your car parked there & either plan to walk to the Chamberlain Student Center or you will be able to request a golf-cart transport if you are mobility impaired.

Campus Map: https://www.rowan.edu/about/visiting/main.html