Conference
Please note our 2020 Conservation Dog Conference has been postponed due to COVID-19. More news on the rescheduled date will follow in due course.
The 2020 Conservation Dog Conference
The Australasian Conservation Dog Network is organising our inaugural Conservation Dog Conference to be held on the 20-21 of August 2020, in Canberra.
The conference will bring together a diverse range of around 200 scientists, ecologists, government officials, land managers, industry dog handlers and trainers on an international scale to discuss key topics on the use of working dogs in conservation.
The 2020 Conservation Dog Conference theme is “Working Together: a scientific and practitioner-based exploration of working dogs within conservation.”
Working Together.
– An examination of the oldest working relationships; human and canine.
– Bringing together leading scientists, ecologists, dog handlers and trainers in discussions around the use of conservation dogs.
– The Conservation Dog Conference is expected to bring together approximately 200 delegates and attendees from across Australasia and around the world, for this event.
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Megan Parker, Working Dogs for Conservation
Dr. Parker began pioneering training methods for conservation detection dogs in 1996 and has worked on projects across the globe to end wildlife trafficking, stop invasive species and protect wild populations and places. We are thrilled to have Megan over to Australia to talk about her work with conservation dogs.

Dr. Romane Cristescu, USC Detection Dogs for Conservation
Dr. Cristescu pioneered the use of conservation detection dogs to detect koalas through scat in Australia, and co-founded (with Dr Celine Frere) the Detection Dogs for Conservation initiative at USC.
www.usc.edu.au/research-and-innovation/animal-and-marine-ecology/detection-dogs-for-conservation

Sponsorship
Our conference is proudly supported by Foundation Sponsors: Zoos Victoria and IFAW Australia. Both organisations have generously supported the ACDN since its inception in 2017. Conference sponsors include:
The ACDN Conference is doing its part to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions through Carbon Neutral’s Plant-a-Tree program.
www.carbonneutral.com.au/plant-a-tree/
The conference will be widely publicised throughout Australasia, through our well established professional and community networks in conservation dog science and practice, and our extensive social media channels. There are many sponsorship options for this premier event. For more information contact our Sponsorship Coordinator Naomi Hodgens conference@conservationdognetwork.com.au
Tickets will be on sale soon. More news to come…