Shelter Learniverse and Industry-Wide Calendar

SF SPCA and CVMA Present: This informative session will feature Grant Miller, DVM, Director of Regulatory Affairs for CVMA, and Bruce Wagman, Special Counsel for the SF SPCA’s Shelter Policy and Legal Services program, who will share their expertise on 2025 legislative updates and best practices for veterinarians in private practice and shelters, shelter managers, registered veterinarian technicians, and veterinary assistants in California.

Humane World for Animals Presents: In the first webinar of the series, learn what Adopters Welcome is and what it isn’t, how it can build community engagement and help more animals. Whether your shelter or rescue has already embraced Adopters Welcome or you’re new to the conversation, this refreshed content is for everyone.

HASS Presents: Join us March 13th at 1pm/CST as Ashley Shrewsbury, Pet Reunification Specialist at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control as well as Gina Botticello, Community Partnerships and Programs Manager at PASCO County Animal Services, discuss insights into making reunification faster, easier, and more effective. Register today to be part of the solution!

Maddie’s Fund Presents: In 2023, Best Friends conducted the largest U.S. survey on shelter staff well-being. Nearly half of respondents reported high compassion satisfaction, and most plan to stay in their roles. Yet, over half showed high burnout, and over 90% had high compassion fatigue, raising concerns about staff well-being and the sustainability of lifesaving efforts. This presentation will focus on positive solutions and how shelters can learn from veterinary well-being practices to support staff and volunteers.

PPG Presents (fee applies): No, this webinar isn’t about antidepressants. It’s about teaching your dog to swallow pills. Naked pills. This is a core husbandry behavior – a component of cooperative healthcare. We’ll look at some options for shaping voluntary pill-swallowing, which is an extension of the “trick” of fluent eating. Kathy’s experience working with zoo animals provides inspiration to share this information with everyone who cares for a dog.

Open Door Veterinary Collective Presents: Join Open Door Veterinary Collective for lively conversations as we explore innovative and practical solutions that organizations are using to address barriers to accessing pet care and resources in their communities. This session focuses on engaging with human and social service providers to increase access to care for animals and people.

National Kitten Coalition Presents: This webinar will cover what you can do now to prepare and will provide need-to-know information to save more kittens! From administrative level planning, to increasing your foster care team, to essential kitten-care information (whether in the field, in foster homes or in the shelter), this session will address preparation and best practices, leaving you with plenty of ideas to make this kitten season one of your best yet!

Humane World for Animals Presents: Adopters Welcome works best in shelters and rescues that have a supportive growth culture. From customer service skills to understanding bias to recognizing the role of compassion fatigue, a work environment that invests in its people is critical to identifying unnecessary barriers to adoption. This webinar is for all levels of sheltering, including volunteers.

PPG Presents (fee applies): This webinar is for puppy guardians, breeders, and trainers. It focuses on how to prevent behavioral problems in dogs in the future. How we raise our puppies from conception to adulthood can prevent behavioral problems in many dogs. These are anxieties, separation, aggressive dogs, and nervousness. This is for the majority of dogs; there are exceptions, but there is so much we can do to prevent future problems.

International Association of Veterinary Social Work (IAVSW) Presents: here is an ever-growing body of evidence that other animals, including dogs, can also experience post-traumatic stress which may have significant and long-lasting impacts on their cognitive function and behaviour. This session will explore what trauma is and what can cause it, the potential impacts of trauma in dogs and end by providing some key tips on how to support dogs who have been subjected to some form of trauma.

HASS Presents: Seeking new techniques to improve the way increased intake is managed? Join Kaycey Adair, Case Manager of Greenville County Animal Care and Amanda Foster, HASS Programs Director, as they discuss strategies you can use to better understand the “why” behind animals entering the shelter, address immediate pet support needs and easily connect people with social service resources to aid in avoiding unnecessary intake all together.