Event

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Date(s) - March 20, 2013
6:00 am

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World renowned animal handling pioneer and subject of an HBO movie about her life, Dr. Temple Grandin, will headline the first ever Animals for Life Summit. Grandin, a professor of animal sciences at Colorado State University, is a specialist in livestock handling and animal facility design. Half the cattle in the United States and Canada are handled in facilities designed by Grandin, and she has offered animal welfare consultation to companies such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King.

Grandin’s remarkable achievements are underscored by an amazing success story. She was born a severely autistic child, and by the age of two could not speak. Years of speech therapy helped her to overcome her disabilities, and encouragement from a high school teacher led her to pursue a career in animal science.

Since conquering her autism, Grandin has become a leader in animal research. She has contributed several hundred articles for industry publications and written a number of books on both animal research and her triumphant life story. One book, the New York Times bestseller Animals in Translation, combines the two prominent areas of Grandin’s life, exploring the relationships between animals and people with autism.

Grandin has been featured on 20/20, 60 Minutes, NPR and Larry King Live. She has been named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, and in 2010 HBO aired a biopic about her life starring Claire Danes. She remains a prominent international meat industry consultant, developing industry guidelines for humane livestock handling.

The Animals For Life Summit will generate healthy discussion about the many facets of the human-animal bond. Other Summit discussions will highlight aspects of human-animal relationships that include the associations between human health and pet ownership and the special relationships that form between service dogs and owners.

Online registration is available. Early-bird registration closes March 6.

The Animals for Life Foundation is a non-profit organization that celebrates the human-animal bond and the many ways animals bring quality to human life. It was established in 2009 and has granted more than $100,000 to programs that aim to improve the human-animal bond, including supporting a classroom therapy dog, a therapy dog program for children with autism, a local foods event and a career program for students interested in animal professions.