My how time flies! It’s already 2020 and the IAOPCC is celebrating its 49th year as a recognized association. I often wonder what the founding members of our organization had envisioned the IAOPCC would become. Fast forward 49 years and here we sit with over 200 facilities as members, supplier partners, developed standards, best practices, a code of ethics, District representatives, multiple committees,
along with the only accreditation program to date.
We have truly become the recognized leaders in Pet Aftercare and it’s all because of you, our members. I want to personally thank each and every one of you for your dedication, passion, and commitment to better the industry –
you are the heartbeat of our association!
As with every newsletter, I'd like to update everyone on some of the happenings transpiring within the IAOPCC.
Updates
These are exciting times within the IAOPCC as the first international conference will be held in March on the gold coast of Australia. This is huge - as we attract new members and suppliers from around the world, the pool of resources is growing and will only benefit everyone.
We have developed an Alkaline Hydrolysis committee, chaired by Robert Erdman, to start the process of standards set forth by the IAOPCC, that will also be incorporated into the accreditation program.
Our Executive Director, Donna Bethune, and myself have been working with a small number of members in California with regards to state legislation. Our goal is to have legislation that can be adopted by every state to protect the business operating honestly and morally against the ones who choose not to. If you have ever been involved with something of this nature you know it’s a lengthy and time-consuming process but that will not deter us. Our members are true professionals and need to be protected.
Exciting News! We have performed
our first few visual site inspections on Accredited facilities
and it went extremely well! As outlined in the
IAOPCC Accreditation Program
, your Accreditation is valid for a five-year period beginning from the date Accreditation is granted. Following that five-year period, a visual Site Inspection is required of your facility in order to maintain and continue your Accreditation standing. The inspection is conducted by a Standards Committee Board Member. Accreditation is continuing to raise the bar for our industry – if you haven’t jumped on board, now is the time. It is what sets you apart from your competition and gives you leverage in an increasingly crowded industry.
Finally, if you haven’t heard - Chicago here we come!
The 2020 US conference will be held in Chicago, IL this September 24th-26th. Please save the date and keep an eye out for registration and accommodation info coming soon.
As always “Never let fear slow you down”
Respectfully,
Robert Blosser
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FROM YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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TOGETHER.
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE PET AFTERCARE PROFESSION.
What a great start to 2020! As you read this column, we are just a few weeks away from kicking off our first ever International Conference in Australia! Our International Director, Martin Hopp of Pets in Peace, Australia, has been hard at work preparing a great conference for our international members. Be sure to check out all the highlights in next months’ newsletter – it is sure to be a huge success!
Our plans are well underway for our annual Conference in Chicago this September. We are excited to announce the addition of new certification classes, an Agenda that includes great speakers and important topics, AND a site visit to Hinsdale Pet Crematory & Cemetery --
You Do Not Want to Miss this Conference!
We have many “first time ever” events planned --
Be sure to visit our website often as we continue to add upcoming events, classes, and the latest Conference updates.
If you haven’t yet checked out our On-Line Pet Crematory Operator Program, make it a priority this year to get your staff certified. Our program has been a huge success certifying close to a hundred crematory operators. And, discounts are available for multiple certifications for your staff. We have begun the process of expanding our selection of on-line education classes and look forward to introducing more opportunities later this year. That’s right, we will be offering additional courses that will help to educate and certify your staff members.
Now that’s exciting!
Lots of exciting opportunities coming up this year. I look forward to experiencing them all together!
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2020 IAOPCC AUSTRALIA CONFERENCE
March 13-15, 2020
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
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The International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories (IAOPCC) will be holding its first ever International Conference on the beautiful Gold Coast of Australia, March 13-15, 2020. This promises to be an exciting time of networking with your peers while providing educational learning opportunities specific to your concerns and issues - and we don't want you to miss it!
With our member base growing rapidly outside of North America we want to make it easier for our international members to have access to all the benefits the IAOPCC has to offer. This year's conference will not only provide you with numerous networking opportunities, but also pertinent information that you can relate directly to your business, including trends in the industry. The Conference is open to all pet cremation business owners and staff members. With more than 80 pet crematoriums operating in Australia, now is a great time to start building relationships with other like-minded business owners who understand the challenges and opportunities of our industry.
There is still time to register:
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SAVE THE DATE - IAOPCC 49th ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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Save the date for the
IAOPCC 49th Annual Conference to be held
September 24-26, 2020:
Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza River North
350 West Mart Center Drive
Chicago, IL
Look for registration information in the Spring.
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THE STANDARDS CORNER
with Steve Woods & Keith Shugart, Co-Chairs of the IAOPCC Standards Committee
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Welcome to the Standards Corner! Follow along as our Standards Committee Chairs answer questions and discuss excerpts from our IAOPCC Accreditation Workbook offering sound advice and standards when working towards achieving accreditation. Questions regarding accreditation may be sent to
info@iaopc.com
We have chosen a unique, and at times, a difficult profession when we deal with deceased pets and their after care. We sincerely try to follow all of the wishes of the pet parents and sometimes it just doesn’t work out the way we planned it. We have forgotten something like a fur clipping or a paw print. A product has failed to be up to factory production standards.
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We must answer to our client, the “Pet Parent” and try to make it right for them even if we cannot fulfill their request at a later time. When the cremation is performed and the paw print was missed, what can we do to explain to them that we are truly sorry that this incident took place?
How can we “make it right”?
We all know that our clients are very important to us. We also know that with “word of mouth” and today’s social media, a human error can be broadcast quickly damaging our reputation and affecting our business.
A number of our members have asked for guidance in this area. What are we to do to try to make it right as much as possible with our clients? Don’t say anything “we might get sued” is not the answer to this situation. We need real and sincere attempts at solutions.
This year at the IAOPCC Conference in Chicago there will be a class to discuss this problem and outline solutions and possible outcomes. We will also hear how to manage negative on-line reviews and how to get those positive reviews posted! It is a discussion that is necessary as we always continue to strive for perfection in serving the aftercare needs of our “Pet Parents” and their pets.
Make sure you make your plans now to be there – you will not want to miss this opportunity to hear from your peers!
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IAOPCC ACCREDITATION SPOTLIGHT
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Congratulations to
River Valley Gateway Pet Crematory
, Grand Junction, CO on receiving Accreditation.
CLICK HERE
for an interview with River Valley Gateway Pet Crematory.
The following facilities have received Five-Year Re-Accreditation Status:
A Beloved Friends Pet Crematory of Northern Nevada, Reno, Nevada
Gateway Pet Memorial Services, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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IAOPCC ACCREDITATION WORKBOOK
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The 2018 Accreditation Workbook available.
Being an accredited facility allows you to demonstrate to your community and your clients your ongoing commitment to excellence. Request your Accreditation Workbook today!
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We would like to welcome the newest IAOPCC members:
Affiliate Members
Mark Ruben, Corinth, TX
Joshua Williams, Columbus, OH
Regular Members
Alberta Pet Cremation Inc.
, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
BiCity Pet Cremation Services
, Midland, GA
Cherished Pet Cremations
, Houston, TX
Companion Cremation
, Bundaberg, North, Australia
Golden State Pet Crematorium
, Castro Valley, CA
Sanctuary Pet Cremation
, Singapore
Supplier Members
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
with Martin Hopp, IAOPCC Board Member
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The big news is that the IAOPCC will be holding our first ever Pet cremation conference outside of America. The world is a small place and if the IAOPCC want to be an international body we need to go to other countries.
The conference in Australia has been budgeted to break even so this event will not impact the association 2020 budget. We are hoping to have 80 people attend our conference from all over Australia and New Zealand from March 13-15, 2020.
This conference will not replace our annual American conference which is in Chicago next September. The Australian conference is open to all members so if anyone wants to come over and join us we would love to see you.
Our membership numbers out side of America are the strongest they have ever been and this is showing the growth and strength of the IAOPCC. We listened to our International members who have told us that they would love to come to our conference every year but the cost both in time and dollars is prohibitive.
We have chosen the beautiful Gold Coast in sunny Queensland for our conference location so even if you can not join us this year jump on line and google the Gold Coast and feel sorry for us as we lay on the beautiful beaches under the best weather you can ever imagine.
All the conference details are on our web page so please have a look at the conference itinerary and other information.
If anyone has any questions about the Australian conference please feel free to contact Martin on +61 407964092 or email him at
marhopp@gmail.com.
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IAOPCC EXHIBITS AT VMX IN JANUARY
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IAOPCC exhibited at the VMX - The World's Leading Veterinary Conference January 18-22 in Orlando, Florida.
The Expo Hall has over 700 exhibits and is visited by over 17,000 veterinary professionals and guests from around the world including veterinarians, veterinary nurses/technicians, practice managers, and veterinary team members.
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Senator in Stuart files a Bill Regarding Pet Cremations
Laury Sullivan misses her beloved cat, Sevilla.
Fifteen years ago she found Sevilla and her sister Croix abandoned in an alley.
"They were smaller than the palm of your hand, about half of the size of the palm of your hand. precious little things," she said.
Last year, Sevilla was diagnosed with cancer. She died months later. A pet cremation company was contacted.
"They were making the arrangements to hold her until we could get there."
But Laury says before they could see Sevilla one more time, the cremation was done.
"We still don't know to this day what happened to her."
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RENEW YOUR 2020 MEMBERSHIP
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Have you renewed your IAOPCC membership for 2020?
Renewing your IAOPCC membership online is easy!
CLICK HERE to login to your membership profile and renew your membership.
If you need your login information, please contact the home office at
info@iaopc.com.
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Our office has moved! Please note the new IAOPCC Home Office Address:
750 US Highway 202, Suite 200
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Phone: (800) 952-5541
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CALL FOR IAOPCC MEMBER NEWS
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We want to hear from YOU! Please share your news with your IAOPCC peers! Send updates, articles and award announcements to
info@iaopc.com
.
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Our goal is to provide a list of resources that you can draw from to provide to your staff and clients for educational and informational services. If you have a resource that you would like to submit for consideration, please email us
info@iaopc.com
.
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ADVERTISE WITH THE IAOPCC
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The
eNews & Views
is distributed to members three times a year along with a special printed Conference edition of the
News & Views
each Summer. The IAOPCC offers several advertising options to fit every budget!
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The
International Association of Pet Cemeteries & Crematories (IAOPCC)
is an organization dedicated to advancing the standards, ethics, and professionalism of pet cemeteries and crematories around the world.
With Members in more than 15 countries, we are the
Recognized Leader in the Pet Aftercare Profession
!
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