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. Courses focus on safe, low-stress handling, sound medical and behavioral care, and practical systems that keep animals moving through your shelter instead of getting stuck.
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.
The Shelter Care Specialist Certification is designed for you:
- Built for real frontline work across the shelter: front desk, kennels, adoptions, foster, volunteers, clinic, and field services.
- Short, on-the-job–friendly lessons with coach feedback and tools you can plug directly into existing routines.
- Emphasizes realistic workflows—intake, daily care, behavior support, and outcome planning—so you can do more for animals with the resources you already have.
- Certification is currently free, #ThanksToMaddie!
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.
Applications are being accepted for the Spring 2026 session starting 4/6/26.
Application deadline: 2/27/26.
