Australian Institute of Animal Management Ltd

2025 Workshop

Join Us at the 2025 AIAM Workshop!

29 & 30 October 2025 | Chapter Place, Coburg, Victoria

We invite animal management professionals, industry leaders, and stakeholders to the 2025 AIAM Workshop — Australia’s premier event dedicated to advancing best practices in companion animal management.

This two-day workshop provides a unique opportunity to:
✅ Engage in critical discussions on animal management policies and practices
✅ Explore innovative approaches to animal management
✅ Network with industry experts and fellow professionals
✅ Gain insights into the latest research, legislative changes, and rehoming initiatives

Program

Start	Finish	DAY 1 - WEDNESDAY 29 OCTOBER 2025
8:30	9:00	Registration
9:00	9:10	Brenton Thomass - Australian Institute of Animal Management Welcome
9:10	9:25	Opening
9:25	9:40	Welcome to Country
9:40	10:40	Keynote Speaker Matt Newlands & Narelle Mason - Frontline Mental Health Understanding stress & trauma in community-facing roles
10:40	11:00	Morning Tea
11:00	11:20	Michelle Hayes - MacDonnell Regional Council Slow and steady wins the race: Education as a key driver in animal management and social change
11:20	11:40	Petra Edwards - City of Charles Sturt Dani Scuteri - City of Charles Sturt Charles Sturt’s doggy days: A new approach to pet education through animal behaviour lens
11:40	12:00	Kylie Ashley - Cradle Coast Authority Removing Barriers to Better Cat Ownership in the Northwest Tasmania
12:00	12:10	Questions
12:10	1:10	Lunch
1:10	1:30	Kelly Long - The Lost Dogs’ Home Dogs in the park: Preventing surrenders through free community training
1:30	1:50	Jenny Turton - Animal Management in Rural & Remote Indigenous Communities Culturally & contextually appropriate animal management education and training support for remote indigenous communities
1:50	2:10	Petra Edwards - City of Charles Sturt Dani Scuteri - City of Charles Sturt Stay updated, not outdated: What animal management officers need to know about dog training
2:10	2:20	Questions
2:20	2:40	Afternoon Tea
2:40	3:40	Keynote Speaker Matt Newlands & Narelle Mason - Frontline Mental Health Resilience in practice: Building capacity for sustainable service
3:40	4:00	Jack Schofield - City of Cockburn Tanya Battye - City of Cockburn Enhancing mental health support in animal management: Proactive strategies for officer well-being
4:00	4:20	Anita Olden - La Trobe University Professional quality of life, mental health and intention to leave in animal management officers: Exploring the role of job demands and resources
4:20	4:30	Questions
4:30	4:40	Close
5:00	5:15	Annual General Meeting

6:30	9:30	Animal Management Awards and Dinner

Start	Finish	DAY 2 - THURSDAY 30 OCTOBER 2025
8:30	9:00	Registration
9:00	9:10	Brenton Thomass - Australian Institute of Animal Management Opening
9:10	9:30	Katie Belt - The Lost Dogs' Home Keeping pets and families together: A compassion approach to surrender prevention
9:30	9:50	Tony Cabrio - Blacktown City Council From vision to reality: Delivery Blacktown City Council's $39 million Blacktown Animal Rehoming Facility (BARC)
9:50	10:10	Daniel Kennedy - Wollongong City Council Implementation of the animal care and impounding services (Wollongong Pet Connection)
10:10	10:20	Questions
10:20	10:40	Morning Tea
11:40	11:05	Dr Gemma Ma - RSPCA NSW Dr Brooke Kennedy - University of New England Keeping cats safe at home: A holistic approach to domestic cat management in NSW
11:05	11:30	Fra Atyeo - Bendigo Animal Relief Centre Ben Radford - Bendigo Animal Relief Centre Proactive shelter population management: Increasing returns to owners and reducing shelter intake
11:30	11:55	Jenny Cotterell - Australian Pet Welfare Foundation Dr Diana Rayment - Australian Institute of Animal Management Cat conversations: Demystifying modern domestic cat management
11:55	12:20	Allie Small - The Vet Project Fur the greater good: Alternatives to euthanasia in cat management
12:20	12:30	Questions
12:30	1:30	Lunch
1:30	1:55	Professor Jacquie Rand - Australian Pet Welfare Foundation Resolving complaints: Smarter local strategies to keep cats out of the pound
1:55	2:20	Jenny Cotterell - Australian Pet Welfare Foundation From enforcement to engagement: Sustainable cat management works for communities
2:20	2:45	Brad Schofield - City of Salisbury Cat Population Management: A desexing and rehoming strategy for local government
2:45	2:55	Questions
2:55	3:!5	Afternoon tea
3:15	3:35	Stephanie Houten - Animal Welfare Victoria Anna Battese - Animal Welfare Victoria Partnering for progress: Improving cat management and pet rehoming
3:35	3:55	Anthony Gionfriddio - Architecture Matters Creating an effective design strategy for modern animal welfare facilities: Aligning best practice with built and operational realities
3:55	4:15	Dr Diana Rayment - Australian Institute of Animal Management Decoding dangerous dog behaviour assessments: How, why and what behaviour professionals need from you
4:!5	4:25	Questions
4:25	4:30	Close

Dinner & Awards Night

Dinner and awards night is on Wednesday 29 October from 6.30-9.30pm at The Yard, Chapter Place. Dinner includes 3 course meal and drinks.

The Animal Management Awards will be announced during the dinner. The awards recognises and celebrates the outstanding contributions of animal management officers, leaders and teams from across Australia.

These awards honour dedication, innovation and excellence demonstrated in the delivery of animal management services, showcasing the vital role these professionals play in building safe, healthier communities and promoting responsible pet ownership nationwide.

The awards shine a light on the individuals and teams who go above and beyond, often working behind the scenes, to ensure the wellbeing of animals and the safety of our communities. From proactive community education to innovative programs, their work sets new standards of professionalism and compassion in the field.

These awards are not just a celebration of achievements - they are a recognition of the passion, resilience and leadership that drive continuous improvement in animal management across Australia.

There are 4 award categories:

Animal Management Officer of the Year
Leader of the Year
Excellence in Innovation in Animal Management
Excellence in Workplace Wellbeing

To nominate for an award, please download the awards information here.

Please ensure you select a registration that includes dinner if you are attending the dinner and award function. Alternatively, you can book a separate ticket to the dinner.

Pentridge Prison Tour

On Tuesday 28 October at 6.30pm there is an optional 90 minute tour of the former H Division of Pentridge Prison. This tour is run by the national trust and is strictly limited to 30 people. This requires a separate registration at a cost of $30 per person, so select this ticket option when registering for the workshop.

More information about the tour can be found here.

Accommodation

Accommodation has been secured at the Adina Apartment Hotel Pentridge at $250 per night including breakfast for 1 person. The hotel offers spacious studio-style suites and stylish one and two bedroom apartments. The hotel is attached to Chapter Place so ensures that attendees have convenient and comfortable options just steps away from the event spaces .

To secure your booking visit this link BOOK NOW or use the codes below.
Promo code: AIAM2025
Rate code: AIAMCONBF

Workshop Sponsorship

Join us as a sponsor of the 2025 Australian Institute of Animal Management (AIAM) Workshop, where animal management professionals, industry experts, and key stakeholders from across Australia come together to share insights and best practices.

This is your chance to align your brand with the leading voices in animal management and showcase your commitment to responsible pet ownership, community welfare, and innovative solutions.

Why Sponsor?

Boost Your Brand Visibility – Your company logo will be featured on workshop materials, event promotions, and AIAM’s website.
Showcase Your Products & Services – Present your solutions to an engaged audience of animal management officers, government representatives, welfare organizations, and researchers.
Network & Build Partnerships – Connect with key decision-makers and influencers in the animal management industry.
Demonstrate Corporate Social Responsibility – Position your business as a leader in supporting responsible animal management practices.

Sponsorship Packages Available

We offer a range of sponsorship levels to suit your business goals:

Gold Sponsor – $10,000 (Exclusive)
Silver Sponsor – $5,000
Bronze Sponsor – $2,000
Dinner Sponsor – $2,500 (Exclusive)

Secure Your Sponsorship Today!

To become a sponsor, download our sponsorship opportunities document, complete the sponsorship form and send it to Brenton Thomass at president@aiam.org.au.

Limited sponsorship opportunities available – don’t miss out!

With Thanks to our Sponsors

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

Our Workshop

Australian Institute of Animal Management Limited - ABN 69 666 244 980 - Suite 514, 89 Burwood Road Hawthorn Victoria 3122