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  • Online Event – 9/4/25 – Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection: Smarter Systems for Stronger Support – Maddie’s Fund

    Online Event – 9/4/25 – Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection: Smarter Systems for Stronger Support – Maddie’s Fund

    Feeling overwhelmed by an unmanageable foster roster? Struggling to keep caregivers engaged or streamline onboarding? You’re not alone—and there’s a better way forward.

    In this webinar, we’ll explore how SICSA restructured its foster program over the past year to boost engagement, ease staff workload, and improve care for animals. Learn how they:

    • Streamlined our foster roster through a full audit and re-engagement campaign
    • Combined and modernized our dog and cat foster manuals
    • Introduced specialized mentor roles to support caregivers across programs
    • Launched a new, self-paced onboarding process with the help of Google automations and ChatGPT
    • Piloted a bottle baby nursery for staff foster caregivers to grow neonatal capacity

    You’ll walk away with actionable ideas you can tailor to your own organization—whether you’re looking to overhaul your onboarding, clean up your database, or make fostering feel more accessible. This session is ideal for anyone ready to rethink old systems and build a stronger, scalable, sustainable foster program.

    Guest Speaker: Michelle Misra, Foster Program Manager, SICSA Pet Adoption & Wellness Center

    About Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection:
    Join us on the first Thursday of every month to discuss successful foster innovations and programs, collaborate with others in the field, answer questions and talk through complex foster-related issues.

    Who should join: Foster managers, coordinators, volunteers and any staff who are interested in learning about what’s working in foster programs.

    You only need to register once for all meetings: https://maddies.fund/MonthlyFosterRegistration

    Can’t attend live?  Register anyway and you will get a link to the recording within a day or two after each meeting.

    All recordings and resources shared during the webcast will also be available in the Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection group on Maddie’s Pet Forum https://maddies.fund/monthlyfosterconnectionMPF

    Maddie’s Fund does not share registration information.

    The opinions expressed by webinar presenters are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Maddie’s Fund.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://maddies.fund/MonthlyFosterRegistration

  • Online Course – Application deadline 9/13/25 – Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program Fall 2025 Session – UC Davis KSMP Shelter Learniverse

    Online Course – Application deadline 9/13/25 – Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program Fall 2025 Session – UC Davis KSMP Shelter Learniverse

    Are you ready to take your career in animal sheltering to the next level? Offered by the Koret Shelter Medicine Program Shelter Learniverse as part of Maddie’s® Million Pet Challenge, the Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program empowers frontline animal shelter workers to provide exceptional care, grounded in best practices, with a focus on improving outcomes for animals and communities.

    Through engaging online courses, you’ll gain expertise in:

    • Best practices to reduce animal stress.
    • Foundational animal care and medical care to enhance your skills.
    • Behavior, training, and enrichment for healthier, happier animals.
    • Population management to optimize shelter resources.
    • Daily care best practices that streamline your workflow and maximize impact.

    Whether you’re new to shelter work or a seasoned professional, this program equips you with the tools, knowledge, and recognition to make a greater difference.

    Why Become Certified?

    • Advance your career with professional credentials.
    • Learn practical, actionable skills to improve daily operations.
    • Gain confidence in providing high-quality care for every animal.

    Applications are being accepted for the Fall 2025 session starting 10/13/25! Start learning today and become part of the growing movement to transform animal sheltering. 

    APPLICATION DEADLINE: 9/13/25.

    Certification is currently free, #ThanksToMaddie!

    This program is most relevant for individuals working in public shelters or private shelters with municipal contracts. Enrollment is limited; applicants from these shelter types will be prioritized for this session.

    Learn more about upcoming sessions and apply at https://tinyurl.com/SCS-General

  • Webinar – 8/13/25 – The Med, the Myth, the Legend: Animal Behavior Medications in the Shelter – Best Friends

    Webinar – 8/13/25 – The Med, the Myth, the Legend: Animal Behavior Medications in the Shelter – Best Friends

    Are behavior medications appropriate to use in the shelter? If so, how do we use them and what medications do we choose? This session will dispel myths about medication use, review go-to medications, and provide example frameworks you can use in your organization.

    Presented by: Dr. Abbie Atteberry DVM, MS, CAWA, Elite FFCP

    National Shelter Medicine; Best Friends Animal Society

    WEBSITE LINK: https://bestfriends-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/4717437859110/WN_iRsWQsmFS4aikwy3tfGwsg

  • Webinar – 7/30/25 – What Every Animal Shelter is Getting Wrong and How To Fix It – Outcomes Consulting

    Webinar – 7/30/25 – What Every Animal Shelter is Getting Wrong and How To Fix It – Outcomes Consulting

    Join us on July 30 at 2:00 PM EST / 11:00 AM PST for a live webinar, facilitated by Kristen Hassen of Outcomes Consulting Group, and featuring industry experts Jackson Galaxy, Dr. Sara Pizano, and Cameron Moore.

    In this webinar, you’ll connect with expert animal shelter consultants who have visited hundreds of animal shelters. What they share may surprise you! Despite geographic and demographic diversity, differences in the size and types of animal shelters, and unique animal shelter cultures, many problems animal shelters experience are nearly identical. We’ll break down the key solvable challenges and offer practical fixes that have worked time and time again to reduce length of stay, improve staff and volunteer morale, make shelters safer, and ensure every animal receives the care and attention they deserve. Dr. Sara Pizano, Jackson Galaxy, and Cameron Moore will come together for the first time to share their combined decades of experience helping shelters recover from crises, improve operations, and plan for the future.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://tinyurl.com/4xcx2fxt

  • Online Event – Fourth Thursdays – Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection – The Human Side of Shelter Work: Navigating Tough Situations (Part 2) – Maddie’s Fund

    Online Event – Fourth Thursdays – Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection – The Human Side of Shelter Work: Navigating Tough Situations (Part 2) – Maddie’s Fund

    Veterinary Social Worker Most of us in the animal shelter world are there because we love animals. But what about all of the human emotions and situations that come with the job? In this session, Valerie Bogie, MSSW, Veterinary Social Worker, discusses some of the toughest emotional challenges shelter workers face- and how to navigate them with care and compassion.

    Attendees will learn:

    • How communicating with clients & co-workers impacts well-being
    • An overview of types of grief and current grief models to support emotional processing
    • The emotional toll of euthanasia and how to care through it
    • Tools to support yourself and your team through emotionally complex situations

    This webinar is for anyone working in or around animals in shelters. You are not alone – and you can work towards a more sustainable career.

    About Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection: Join us on the fourth Thursday of every month as we talk about dog and cat behavior – supporting pets in our community and animal shelters. Each month, we hear from speakers about topics of interest to our group, such as behavior medications, modifying animal behavior, assessing and improving animal welfare, and how organizations successfully provide behavior support to dogs and cats.

    Who should join: Animal welfare staff and volunteers who are interested in dog and cat behavior, and everyone who works to keep pets out of shelters and in homes.

    You only need to register once for all meetings: https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration

    Can’t attend live? Register anyway and you will get a link to the recording within a day or two after each meeting.

    All recordings and resources shared during the webcast will also be available in the Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection group on Maddie’s Pet Forum – https://maddies.fund/monthlybehaviorconnectionMPF

    Maddie’s Fund does not share registration information.

    The opinions expressed by webinar presenters are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Maddie’s Fund.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration

  • Online Event – Fourth Thursdays – Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection – Maddie’s Fund

    Online Event – Fourth Thursdays – Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection – Maddie’s Fund

    Join us on the fourth Thursday of every month as we talk about dog and cat behavior – supporting pets in our community and animal shelters. Each month, we hear from speakers about topics of interest to our group, such as behavior medications, modifying animal behavior, assessing and improving animal welfare, and how organizations successfully provide behavior support to dogs and cats.

    Who should join: Animal welfare staff and volunteers who are interested in dog and cat behavior, and everyone who works to keep pets out of shelters and in homes.

    You only need to register once for all meetings: https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration

    Can’t attend live? Register anyway and you will get a link to the recording within a day or two after each meeting.

    All recordings and resources shared during the webcast will also be available in the Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection group on Maddie’s Pet Forum – https://maddies.fund/monthlybehaviorconnectionMPF

    Maddie’s Fund does not share registration information.

    The opinions expressed by webinar presenters are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Maddie’s Fund.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration

  • Online Event – 9/25/25 – Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection – The Human Side of Shelter Work: Building Compassion Satisfaction and Resilience (Part 1) – Maddie’s Fund

    Online Event – 9/25/25 – Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection – The Human Side of Shelter Work: Building Compassion Satisfaction and Resilience (Part 1) – Maddie’s Fund

    Working in animal shelters can be deeply meaningful—and emotionally draining. In this session, Valerie Bogie, MSSW, Veterinary Social Worker, defines key terms while sharing fresh strategies to help you to increase your well-being and continue the work you are so passionate about!

    Attendees will learn:

    • The signs and impact of secondary trauma, burnout, burden transfer and compassion fatigue
    • Navigating moral distress and tough ethical dilemmas
    • The importance of compassion satisfaction—and how to cultivate it
    • Tools to better understand yourself, build resilience, and practice sustainable self-care

    This webinar is for anyone working in or around animals in shelters—especially those feeling the weight of the work. Leave with renewed clarity, practical tools, and a reminder that you matter, too.

    About Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection: Join us on the fourth Thursday of every month as we talk about dog and cat behavior – supporting pets in our community and animal shelters. Each month, we hear from speakers about topics of interest to our group, such as behavior medications, modifying animal behavior, assessing and improving animal welfare, and how organizations successfully provide behavior support to dogs and cats.

    Who should join: Animal welfare staff and volunteers who are interested in dog and cat behavior, and everyone who works to keep pets out of shelters and in homes.

    You only need to register once for all meetings: https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration

    Can’t attend live? Register anyway and you will get a link to the recording within a day or two after each meeting.

    All recordings and resources shared during the webcast will also be available in the Maddie’s Monthly Behavior Connection group on Maddie’s Pet Forum – https://maddies.fund/monthlybehaviorconnectionMPF

    Maddie’s Fund does not share registration information.

    The opinions expressed by webinar presenters are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Maddie’s Fund.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://maddies.fund/MonthlyBehaviorRegistration

  • Webinar – 8/12/25 – Unlocking Insights from USDA APHIS Inspection Reports: Navigating Data and AI Applications – Life of Riley at Spring Point

    Webinar – 8/12/25 – Unlocking Insights from USDA APHIS Inspection Reports: Navigating Data and AI Applications – Life of Riley at Spring Point

    Explore the USDA APHIS Inspection Report database on licensed dog breeder compliance—its scope, strengths, and limitations—and learn how to effectively navigate and analyze this valuable public data. We’ll share how we leverage this public data to uncover patterns and demonstrate an AI powered app to enhance understanding and promote animal welfare compliance.

    Speakers from Life of Riley partner JVR Shelter Strategies:
    Dr. Jyothi V. Robertson, Owner and Principal Consultant
    Ross Mauck, Consultant & Senior Data Analyst

    WEBSITE LINK: https://lor.dog/webinars/

  • Webinar – 8/7/25 – Helping Animals Faster: Using Innovation to Reduce Length of Stay and Save More Lives – NACA/Justice Clearinghouse

    Webinar – 8/7/25 – Helping Animals Faster: Using Innovation to Reduce Length of Stay and Save More Lives – NACA/Justice Clearinghouse

    In 2018, Pasco County Animal Services was saving over 85% of animals coming to the shelter but could not break through to saving more than 90%. This innovative leadership team took on the challenge and completely changed their live outcome model to include new, progressive ways for animals to enter and leave alive. As a result, the length of stay for animals in the shelter went from 28.5 days all the way to 3.1 days and the shelter has been above a 90% save rate since 2019.

    In this session, Assistant Director Spencer Conover will provide real-life challenges the organization was facing as well as tangible tools, tactics, and resources shelters can use to help lower length of stay, better optimize budgets, and increase the save rate in their organization without additional funding or staff. This interactive and engaging presentation will focus on streamlining intake procedures, recruiting and retaining rescue partnerships, fast-tracking animals through your shelter, prioritizing budget areas that will have the largest impact on your saving rate, and bringing the team together to focus on a common goal.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://www.justiceclearinghouse.com/webinar/helping-animal-faster-using-innovation-to-reduce-length-of-stay-and-save-more-lives/

  • Conference – 8/1/25 to 8/3/25 – Taking Action for Animals 2025 – Humane World for Animals (fee applies)

    Conference – 8/1/25 to 8/3/25 – Taking Action for Animals 2025 – Humane World for Animals (fee applies)

    Taking Action for Animals (TAFA) brings together volunteers, advocates and animal welfare organizations from across the U.S. for one shared goal: to better the lives of animals and people alike. TAFA will take place in New Orleans from August 1-3, 2025.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://www.humaneworld.org/en/events/taking-action-for-animals