Dr. Jennifer Bishop

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Dr. Peter Denooy

Dr. Peter Denooy DVM completed his degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands in 1976. Dr. Denooy is a member of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Fiji Veterinary Association, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners. Dr. Denooy spent six years as a director for the Edmonton Humane society, and is currently a director for the Alberta SPCA. He has owned a variety of veterinary clinics including Ardossan Veterinary Clinic Ltd. and Stockyard Veterinary Services Ltd. Dr. Denooy is currently the COO of EIDAP Inc. In Alberta, and he has been working for the organization since 1999.

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Dr. Jackie Ellis

Jackie Ellis completed her undergraduate degree in Anthropology at McMaster University, focusing her research on the behaviour of captive primates, and the quality of their enclosures. She then moved to the UK to complete her Master’s of Research in Primatology at Roehampton University. The fieldwork for her master’s thesis took her to Nigeria to investigate the social and behavioural correlates of stress in wild male olive baboons. Now back in Canada conducting the research to fulfil her PhD at the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at AVC, she is using many of the same techniques to investigate stress in singly housed shelter cats. Furthermore, she is investigating the potential for environmental enrichment to reduce the stress associated with shelter conditions, while taking into account individual cat-level differences, She hopes to be able to make recommendations about how to best enrich the cages of these cats in order to contribute to a reduction in stress associated with shelter housing.

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Tristan Flynn

Tristan Flynn CPDT-KA is a Certified Pet dog trainer who runs Golden Rule Training in the HRM. He is professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and member of the Canadian Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Tristan promotes positive, non-force based training and works with numerous rescue organizations in evaluating and training dogs. Golden Rule Training runs both group training classes and private behavioral consultations within the HRM.

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Silvia Jay

Silvia Jay has been working professionally with dogs since 1995, and she specializes in home, private behaviour consultations and problem solving, specifically with rescue dogs. Silvia has completed Behaviour 101 and Behaviour Assessment workshops with the Calgary Alberta Humane Society inclusive of 1000 volunteer hours performing Temperament Assessment and Obedience Training. She has attended seminars and workshops by world renowned dog experts, Turid Rugaas, Alan Bauman, Emily Weiss, Steve White, Dr. Patricia McConnell, Dr. Jesus Rosales-Ruiz, Kellie Snider and Suzanne Clothier. Silvia also can be heard every second month at the CBC Maritime Noon show as their dog expert answering questions from callers. www.voice4dogs.com

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Kit Jenkins

Kit Jenkins is a program manager for PetSmart Charities of Canada and PetSmart Charities. She has worked for over 25 years in the animal sheltering world, focusing on animal behaviour (in shelter and in the home), educating for all ages and peer training. She is internationally known for her training, counselling and writing abilities regarding shelter related issues and program development. In her current position, Kit continues to work with animal welfare people every day, coaching and supporting them as they work to strengthen their organizations. www.petsmartcharities.org

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Adina MacRae

Adina MacRae is the co-owner/operator of Sublime Canine Services. She first studied animal behaviour and learning at Dalhousie University and has continued her studies with the Companion Animal Sciences Institute and through APDT, CAPPDT and PABA conferences. Adina has been a dog walker since 2003 and has conducted dog behaviour assessments for the Nova Scotia SPCA. After apprenticing with Lietash Canine Academy from 2003-2010, Adina joined her partner Amy to form Sublime Canine where she manages the agility program and instructs the Tiny Dog Train n’ Play class. Adina and Amy share their home with nine dogs, eight of whom are rescues.

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Shawn McIntyre

Shawn McIntyre is a Community Relations Manager at Kijiji Canada, where he has been on the Community Relations/Support Team for five years, making him one of the first members of the Kijiji.ca team. Following the launch of Kijiji.ca in 2005, Shawn joined the team with a focus on developing an innovative Community Support Model to deliver a fun, safe online classifieds experience for Canadians. Shawn’s responsibilities at Kijiji Canada include assisting individual Kijiji users to ensure a positive user experience, responding to media requests, working with community groups to advocate and implement positive changes to Kijiji.ca, and working with law enforcement to ensure the safety of the online classifieds environment. A native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Shawn attended St. Mary’s University in the Commerce program. Shawn lives in the Greater Toronto Area with his wife and their "big-boned" cat, Daisy. In his spare time, he plays semi-pro men's football and coaches a Toronto high school football team.

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Kylene Mellor

Kylene Mellor CVA is a certified Volunteer Administrator who has been working in the field of Volunteer Management for almost 10 years. Volunteering with the Nova Scotia SPCA since 2009, she has been involved both at the shelter and Board of Directors levels. As a Manager of Volunteer Engagement, Kylene brings knowledge and expertise in all areas of the volunteer cycle and has been dedicated to helping grow the volunteer program at the Nova Scotia SPCA Provincial Animal Shelter. Kylene proudly shares her home with 3 cats – two of whom came from the Nova Scotia SPCA!

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Judi Oracheski

Judi Oracheski – Co-owner of Race for a Reason. “I have been in the travel industry for over 20 years now, specializing in group travel for over 12 years. I've organized the travel for groups to many different destinations worldwide, often escorting them personally. The groups have ranged in size from eight people to Alaska, to over 400 people to Ireland. One of the biggest highlights of my job is getting to meet my clients and watch them enjoy and experience new destinations. Over the years, I have met and travelled with many amazing people that have moved and inspired me.”

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Dr. Lori Parsons

Dr. Lori Parsons completed her undergraduate degree with a major in Animal Science in 1992. She continued her education and graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 1996. Upon graduation, Dr. Parsons worked as a small animal veterinarian in a private practice. She expanded her career by first entering the field of government inspection but later dedicated her time to education exclusively. For the past four years, Dr. Parsons has been both the Coordinator of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College’s CVMA accredited veterinary technology program and Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Animal Science at the college. Aside from her love of teaching and working with students, her interests include shelter medicine, breed predispositions for genetic disease, camelid and equine medicine. She is passionate about her hobby farm and sharing her life with her partner and many critters including horses, pet pigs, cats and beloved dogs – Lily, Esme and Ursa.

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Brenda Phillips

Brenda Phillips – Co-owner of Race for a Reason. “10+ years of experience have led me here to this new business! My passion is motivating people to take part in what has been, for me, a life changing experience. To be able to take the reins and do whatever it is that will be inspiring to you, from bucket list destinations to special times with new friends, is empowering. If too you become empowered by our program, then I’ll feel I’ve done a great job. I look forward to meeting you all someplace special.”

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Dr. Paul Robb

Dr. Paul Robb is a practicing small animal veterinarian in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia with the PetFocus Veterinary Group. He graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1986 and after practicing briefly in Ontario, moved to Nova Scotia and became part owner of the Dartmouth Veterinary Hospital in 1991. He is a general practice veterinarian with a special interest in improving the lives of pets and their owners when faced with a diagnosis of cancer in their canine or feline family member. Dr. Robb is a past president of the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association (NSVMA). He has served on the boards of the NSVMA Discipline and Ethics Committee, NSVMA Act and Bylaws Committee, Nova Scotia SPCA, CVMA National Economic Committee, and he has chaired the Metro Animal Emergency Clinic and the NSVMA Economic Survey Committee. He and his family of four cats, two dogs, one lizard, three kids and a very supportive wife all live, work and play in Dartmouth.

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Dr. Don Rushton

Dr. Don Rushton graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1976. He established the St. John’s Veterinary Hospital, a seven veterinarian small animal practice in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where he practiced for 18 years. In 1996, he returned to Halifax, Nova Scotia and along with the late Dr. Pamela Malcolm opened Westwood Hills Veterinary Hospital in Tantallon, Nova Scotia. Dr. Rushton’s main interest is orthopedics and along with his classmate, Dr. Ernie Prowse from Truro, have been doing TPLO (knee) surgeries for the last five years. Both Drs. Rushton and Prowse are two of approximately 50 veterinarians in all of Canada that perform TPLO surgeries.

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Inge Sadler

Inge Sadler is the founder and president of Pick of the Litter Society and has taken in over 2000 orphaned kittens throughout the past 10 years, not to mention many puppies, mice, bunnies and squirrels that have availed themselves of her skills and kind heart. Inge also has worked at Vetcetera Animal Hospital for the past five years. She helps out in many areas including office work, client relations and assisting the veterinarian when needed. In her spare time, she volunteers with the Nova Scotia SPCA helping with the Girl Guides program. Inge shares her home with her husband Ken, two rescued dachshunds, Fritz and Mindy, Libby the chocolate Chihuahua and three orange tabby cats, Norman, Rudy, and Reilly, along with whatever orphans happen to be in need!

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Laura Smith

Laura Smith has been a therapy dog volunteer for 15 years. She currently works with her seven-year-old golden retriever Lulu involved in both the child and seniors programs with Therapeutic Paws of Canada. Together, Laura and Lulu visit two senior residences through the Therapy Dog Visitation Program. Having completed the Interaction with Children Certification, they also participate in the Paws to Read children’s program through the Halifax Public Libraries.

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Dr. Helene Van Doninck

Dr. Helene Van Doninck DVM is originally from Cape Breton Island. She graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 1991, and practised as a small animal veterinarian in Ontario and Newfoundland before settling near Truro, Nova Scotia. She still practises part time at Central Nova Animal Hospital and has been a Veterinary Technology Instructor at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. In 2001, she co-founded the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. She delivers educational presentations to many groups and has provided instruction internationally on wildlife rehabilitation and medicine. She has special interest and expertise in the rehabilitation of raptors, seabirds, lead-poisoned wildlife and oiled wildlife. Helene is currently conducting a hunter and angler outreach program which provides education on lead poisoning in wildlife. She is also part of an active team dedicated to developing an oiled wildlife response network in Eastern Canada. Helene was the 2011 recipient of the Stan Hodgkiss Outdoorsperson of the Year Award.

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Cst. Brian Veniot

Cst. Brian Veniot has been 25 years in the field with the RCMP: five years spent in British Columbia and the remaining here in Nova Scotia. Cst. Veniot is married with two children and loves to introduce his canine partner Doc and speak about the work they do. Doc was born in March 2011 from an RCMP breeding program in Innisfail, Alberta, and he graduated from the RCMP police dog training centre in 2012. Brian has welcomed Doc as a new partner this year, as his previous canine partner has recently retired. They are the explosive detection team at our airport, as Cst. Veniot has now been posted at the Halifax Robert Stanfield Airport for seven years. Also, Cst. Veniot completed the explosive recognition course in Ottawa in 2005.

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Jeff White

Jeff White always knew he wanted to do something creative with his life. Yet, in spite of his artistic tendencies, he also had an insatiable appetite for the business of how things work. As such, Jeff is that odd dichotomy – a creative who can also think in code. Jeff is as much a developer as he is a designer and is able to translate business needs into beautiful applications that function the way people expect them to work. From 2004 to 2010, Jeff ran Brightwhite Design Group and subsequently Kula Partners, a boutique agency specializing in the design and development of websites, applications and marketing programs that help organizations communicate online. Jeff frequently lectures on social media, interface design, typography and Internet marketing. He has also taught interface design and development at his alma mater, NSCAD University. A father of three, Jeff’s non-working hours are spent with his family, mountain biking and working on his Mini Cooper.

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Alexis Whiting

Alexis Whiting graduated in 2001 with Honours from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College with her diploma in Animal Health Technology and became an RVT. While working in general and emergency veterinary medicine, Alexis also graduated with Honours from the College of Massage and Hydrotherapy. After a short while working as a massage therapist, she went back to working full time in veterinary medicine in Halifax with a small mobile business as a Registered Massage Therapist. In 2007, Alexis moved to Calgary and worked at the Calgary Animal Referral and Emergency Centre as an ER technician. Alexis joined Pfizer Animal Health, in spring 2008, as a Territory Manager for Atlantic Canada (Companion Animal). Alexis blends her love for science and medicine by promoting the betterment of animal health, and she is learning and evolving in business management. She currently lives in Halifax, NS with her two cats Leroy and Walter, and was married in Sept 2010.

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