2022 OFCA Seminar to focus on kennel care

The Ohio Forum for Companion Animals was created in 2003 to create a forum for people to gain valuable knowledge of how Ohio is a trendsetter in making sure kennel owners throughout the state go above and beyond in caring for their animals.

In taking steps to promote that message, the organization will present the 2022 OFCA Seminar Friday Feb. 25 from 4-8 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 26 from 7:15 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Mt. Hope Event Center. The event is open to anyone and is free to attend.

The members of OFCA want the public to realize that Ohio has taken important steps to ensure that the state’s dog kennel owners are providing the very best care for their animals and that the dire kennel situations seen on television are not the norm. The hope is to share this message with not only people from Ohio, but with the many people who visit the event from out of state.

“We try to visit shows like this out of state and we like the fact that we have people coming to ours from several different states to see how we do things,” said member Mike Miller. “Different areas have different ways of doing things, so it is good to draw off of other types of experiences.”

OFCA was created to make sure puppies are being treated with expert care, raised by knowledgeable and caring kennel owners who go above and beyond in putting the welfare of each animal’s physical and mental welfare first.

According to the OFCA board, the goal is to bring all dog breeders on board and show them the proper way of raising and caring for dogs. One of its biggest goals is to educate the public and kennel owners about the steps they are taking to make sure dogs are being raised in the right way.

The OFCA board members believe this is about creating responsible breeding facilities, practices and raising puppies that are treated like part of the family until they are adopted.

That means adhering to their mission of serving the group’s members and communities by educating, encouraging and promoting humane canine husbandry with an emphasis on innovation and integrity.

The upcoming event was created to help provide a platform to further integrate those very goals.

The show kicks off Friday, Feb. 25 with doors opening at 4 p.m. Lunch will be available and at 5:30 p.m. Stacy Mason will present an AKC Trick Dog Class that will be fun for the entire family. At 6:30 p.m. Lloyd Miller will present “Our Summer in England,” a slide presentation about his time spent in England promoting best farming practices.

The doors will reopen at 7:15 a.m. Saturday, with free coffee and doughnuts. On stage 1, there will be an ODA and legislative update at 8:30 a.m., with Shane Donely, DMV, presenting a seminar on reproduction at 9 a.m.

At 10 a.m. Glendon Yoder will present “Customer Engagement – Vibrant Business,” as he looks at how kennel owners can better connect with customers and leave an inspiring and encouraging impression.

At 11 a.m. John Bolin will present “The Battle of Animal Ideologies.” Bolin is a former investigator for an animal rights organization who found that the organization was fraught with deception to its agenda. Bolin, a former police officer and U.S. marshal, will bring to light certain truths about animal welfare in these animal rights organizations.

He will discuss how his time working with one particular animal rights organization led to the realization that it works to manipulate law enforcement to further the agenda it desires. He will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how its efforts are about money, greed and power more than animal rights.

Dr. Greer, DMV, will present “Pregnancy Management” at 1 p.m., where she will discuss pregnancy management as well as puppy health management priorities. That will be followed by a veterinarian tech panel discussion at 2 p.m.

On stage 2, there will be plenty of family and children-based topics, including a coloring contest at 9 a.m., a grooming session at 10 a.m., children’s activities presented by USDA at 11 a.m. and a women’s panel discussion at noon.

The two-day event has many sponsors, with the three platinum sponsors being Vinyl Tech, Buckeye Puppies and American Kennel Club.

In addition to all the speakers, there will be 85 vendors present who will host tables and booths for dog-related items like food and nutrition to dog kennel manufacturers and concrete companies plus more. It will also include non-dog related vendors including health care products, essential oils and many others.

In addition, the lunch menu on both days will serve as a fundraiser for the Mary Shetler and her children. The family was widowed with the passing of Mahlon Jay Shetler several months ago. All the proceeds from the lunch that features a complete meal of great food options will go to the Shetler family.