OklahomaHorses Magazine March 2021

March/April 2021 • OklahomaHorses 23 The Art of Animal Advocacy: The ANIMAL Conference 2021 Hosted by Kirkpatrick Foundation WRITTEN BY: Anna Holton-Dean T he art of animal advocacy—that’s the es- sence of this year’s holding of the ANIMAL Conference in Oklahoma City. Imagine two straight days of the world’s leading animal advocates sharing ideas, values and strategies in the halls and galleries of one of the most exciting new arts institutions in the country. Thanks to the Kirkpatrick Foundation of Oklahoma City, the ANIMAL Conference will be held this year at the new Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. “The Animal Conference is an exhilarating gathering of great people who care about animal welfare, from around the nation and the world,” says Christopher Leonard, author of “The Meat Racket.” “There is no other conference quite like it. The sessions bring in some of the best think- ers on a morally important issue that is too often neglected by our leaders and policy makers. The thought-provoking and challenging sessions leave everyone better informed and ready to carry forward with an important cause. Plus, at the 2018 conference, there was a coffee shop full of cats, which should be part of every important conference.” The third in a series of triennial conferences, Kirkpatrick Foundation invites experts from around the globe to participate. The two-day event is an extension of Kirkpatrick Founda- tion’s Safe & Humane initiative to make Okla- homa one of the safest and most humane places for animals. The conference itself endeavors to inspire leadership in communities around the region by encouraging education and advocacy for animal well-being. “One of our most important tenets is that animal well-being should be a key metric in overall community health,” says the founda- tion’s Executive Director Louisa McCune. “We simply must consider animals in the context of civic investment and overall partnerships when assessing how a place is faring. How are the dogs and cats? How are the farm animals? How is the wildlife? This directly correlates to human and environmental wellness.” Conference attendees will gain insight into current topics and concerns facing animals and the people who care for them. Plus, it will be a lot of fun. “I like to think of our conference as a festival of animals,” says McCune. “It will be fast paced, engaging, fun and poignant. Friendships and new collaborations will be forged over these few days. Everyone is welcome, but we have limited seating—150 people in person, per day—due to COVID safety precautions.” McCune encourages partici- pants to register early and says the conference will be live- streamed, with engagement opportunities for those digital participants. The Animal Conference 2021 will be held at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center in downtown Oklahoma City on Friday and Satur- day, August 27- 28, 2021. Overnight accom- modations can be made at the Skirvin-Hilton Hotel. Discounted early bird registration is one day only: March 19, 2021. Regular registration opens on March 20, 2021. Because space is lim- ited, early registration is recommended; reduced rate live-streaming participation is offered. TO LEARN MORE Visit theanimalconference.com. Scholarships are available. For more information, contact Manda Overturf Shank, Kirkpatrick Foundation program officer, at manda@kirkpatrickfoundation.com. Scenes from the Cat Café Photos courtesy of the Kirkpatrick Foundation.