The Global Animal Disaster Management Conference (GADMC) made a resounding return in July 2023, adopting a new multi-time zone format that garnered historical participation. A record 2,500 delegates, comprising of experts and thought leaders, virtually gathered, drawn by a comprehensive program of over 40 presentations delivered by global authorities in the field. Delegates came from 36 countries across various continents.
Against the backdrop of escalating environmental challenges and an imperative for proactive measures to safeguard both human and animal populations, GADMC 2023 was a pivotal event. The conference served as a nexus for professionals, policymakers and advocates from around the world. The conference was a success in innovation to promote animal-inclusive disaster-resilient communities.
GADMC has rapidly evolved into a truly international platform and has hosted speakers from 14 countries. The incorporation of closed captioning functionality for the online platform provided real-time translation into 16 languages. This underscores the level of accessibility delivered to allow true, real-time participation for people around the world in their own language.
In collaboration with sponsor Four Paws International, GADMC 2023 delivered an array of topics, including wildfires response in the USA, aquatic animal evacuation, the effects of the conflict in Ukraine on animals, the application of artificial intelligence in lessons management and the protection of search and rescue dogs. A candid discussion on the emerging trend of unofficial responses to animal disasters added depth to the discourse.
Spread across 8 sessions over 4 days, the conference accommodated the significant attendance of delegates from North America, which constituted 68% of the overall audience. Post-conference feedback showed that GADMC maintained exceptionally high satisfaction rates with 97% of participants rating their experience as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.
The conference was again hosted by the charitable organisation Animal Evac New Zealand. GADMC remains freely accessible to presenters, attendees and people interested in viewing recorded sessions. This accessibility is made possible through the dedicated efforts of the volunteer committee and the generous support of sponsors, including Four Paws, Humane Society International, International Fund for Animal Welfare and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
The next conference is slated for 2025 and the GADMC committee will leverage advances in real-time translation. This forward-thinking approach will enhance the conference's accessibility and broaden its global reach. GADMC continues to set the standard for global collaboration in animal disaster management and remains the leader in cooperation to promote animal-inclusive disaster-resilient communities.