Shelter Learniverse

Online Course – Application deadline 12/5/25 – Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program Winter 2026 Session – UC Davis KSMP Shelter Learniverse
2025-12-05 00:00 - 23:59 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
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 Winter 2026 session starting 1/5/26! Start learning today and become part of the growing movement to transform animal sheltering.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 12/5/25.
Certification is currently free, #ThanksToMaddie!
Winter 2026 Session Cohort Priorities:

Shelter Type: Public or Private Shelter with Stray Intake Contracts (NOTE: We may be able to accept applicants from some fully private shelters – no stray intakes – but much of the content will be more relevant to shelters that do take in strays).
Shelter Intakes: Shelters must take in both dogs and cats.
Shelter Size: This group will prioritize medium to larger shelters (typically 4,000 intakes/year or more) but will also consider smaller shelters as space is available.

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

Online Course – 12/6/25 – Neighborhood Cats TNR Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)
2025-12-06 11:00 - 13:45
Ready to make a difference for feral and stray cats in your community? Join our expert instructors to learn the best practices for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and effective colony management. You’ll learn what TNR is, why it works, and how to address common challenges such as communicating with neighbors, preparing for trapping, conducting large-scale trapping operations, feeding, and providing winter shelter.
If you’re new to TNR, you’ll gain the essential skills needed to kickstart your TNR journey, while experienced trappers can refresh and sharpen their techniques.
Take advantage of the interactive format, extensive handouts, and real-life video footage from actual projects. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance and access to a dedicated Facebook group for ongoing networking with fellow TNR advocates.
Led by experts from Neighborhood Cats, this 2.5-hour session includes an optional 15-minute Q&A. Registration is just $10.
This course/webinar/series/conference has been approved for Continuing Educational Units by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA).
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/events/tnr-certification-workshop-presented-by-neighborhood-cats-dec-2025/

Online Meeting - Mondays - Weekly Community Conversations #ThanksToMaddie - Maddie's Fund
2025-12-08 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-15 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-05 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-12 11:00 - 12:00
Maddie’s Fund hosts a weekly 50-minute Zoom call for animal well-being professionals. These calls are a collaborative space to share exciting new programs and research, discuss uncomfortable topics, connect with peers in the industry, and more, all while sharing a common goal of preserving the human-animal bond.
Who Should Join?
Executive directors, animal well-being leaders, shelter workers, pet support professionals, volunteers, rescue organizations and anyone who shares the common goal of preserving the human-animal bond.
Win Ca$h for Attending!
Each month, Maddie’s Fund will be giving away up to $5,000 in grants. You can enter to win each time you attend a call or watch on-demand during the month by completing the giveaway drawing entry forms shared in the chat during the calls.
Register Today
Join us each Monday at 11am PT/2pm ET to receive support and learn about innovative ideas other organizations across the country are seeing success with. If you registered prior to July 2025 or are new to these meetings, please use this link to register:
https://maddies.fund/CommunityConversationsRegistration2025
All calls are recorded and uploaded to the Community Conversations page on Maddie’s Pet Forum https://forum.maddiesfund.org/communityconversations
Please note: All views expressed on these calls are not necessarily endorsed by Maddie’s Fund.
WEBSITE LINK: https://maddies.fund/CommunityConversationsRegistration2025

Webinar - 12/8/25 - Resolving Barking Dog Conflicts in Your Community - CalAnimals
2025-12-08 14:00 - 15:00
Presenter: Stuart Clough, NoiseNet
Noise complaints are often the largest source of calls to an animal management team. And animal noise can be a major issue when it is incessant, particularly at night.
But resolving barking cases is hard, time consuming and gathering evidence to prove what is going on is always challenging, sometimes impossible. Barking cases also take time away from solving other problems that are often deemed more important.
Stuart Clough from NoiseNet has been working with ACO’s in Australia and the US to resolve thousands of animal noise complaints. He will describe why noise creates a serious issue for many people, and how understanding why can make it much easier to resolve these cases through mediation.
He will also talk about the use of technology to help resolve noise complaints but also how this technology can be used to help assess animal welfare and to engage with owners who have animals they are struggling to socialise / control. The first alert of a dangerous dog is often a barking complaint – so this provides an opportunity to solve emerging issues before they become a problem.
WEBSITE LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S6BgFBjeQ7OMEQXqEl3T0A

Webinar - 12/9/25 - Vet Med Legislation Year-End Updates - The Bridge Club
2025-12-09 17:00 - 18:00
To advance veterinary medicine, strong legislative action is essential. This year-in-review conversation offers valuable insight into the policy shifts shaping the future of the profession—and what to expect in 2026. It’s a must-attend for anyone looking to understand what’s happening beyond the exam room.
WEBSITE LINK: https://thebridgeclub.com/event/end-of-year-update-on-vet-med-legislative-updates/

Webinar - 12/10/25 - What Happens When They Go Home? - Petszel
2025-12-10 10:00 - 11:00
Animal welfare organizations work tirelessly every day to care for animals in their community. For many of these animals, adoption is the goal. But what happens after that pet heads home with their new person? Join us as we take a deep dive into data from nearly 40,000 post-adoption surveys sent to pet parents throughout the United States.
Data were collected over a 6-month period in 2024, and included time points one day, one week, and one month after adoption. We will explore data surrounding the most common (and less common) challenges that adopters faced, giving organizations actionable insights to help better prepare pets for their post-adoption journey and prepare staff to better serve pet parents with post-adoption issues before they get out of hand. In addition, we will look at questions around adopters’ engagement with veterinary care, training, pet loss prevention, and more.
Speakers: Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP & Michael Greenberg, DVM
WEBSITE LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RkK4_loHQim5f_wJA4KWhw#/registration

Webinar - 12/10/25 - Expanding Veterinary Access in Shelters: Creative Models That Drive Lifesaving - Best Friends
2025-12-10 13:00 - 14:00
Access to veterinary care has become a significant barrier to lifesaving in animal shelters. Traditional staffing models can no longer meet the medical needs of growing shelter populations. This session explores creative, flexible veterinary relationship models that expand access to care without relying solely on hiring a full-time on-site veterinarian. We will cover practical approaches including regional veterinary partnerships, telemedical support, community-based care, shared-care networks, veterinarian of record models, protocol-driven care, and leveraging non-DVM staff under appropriate oversight. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to bring more veterinary support into their shelter, reduce bottlenecks to lifesaving, and improve outcomes for animals even in resource-limited environments.
Presented by: Dr. Colleen Guilfoyle, DVM
National Shelter Medicine; Best Friends Animal Society
WEBSITE LINK: https://bestfriends-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/4717437859110/WN_iRsWQsmFS4aikwy3tfGwsg#/registration

Online Event - Monthly - Journey You Own Meditation Gathering - JYO
2025-12-10 17:00 - 17:45, 2026-01-14 17:00 - 17:45
Create a shared, supportive space to explore grounding practices.
The guided meditations happen every month and typically run 30-45 minutes. All are welcome to these very low-key sessions, with videos on or off, whatever feels most comfortable to you. No speaking is necessary unless you’d like to share at the end of the session.
Attendees register once and can attend any of the monthly meditation dates. Don’t forget to add the dates to your calendar to ensure you don’t miss out on any sessions.
About the Host
Jyothi Robertson is a student of meditation practice for 40+ years and trauma-sensitive grounding practices formally for the past three years. She was raised by parents who practice meditation and lead spiritual teachings for members of their Indian community. She began pursuing her own formal exploration of spirituality as an anthropology major at Princeton University and conducted fieldwork for her thesis while living at an ashram (spiritual center) in India in 1996. As a veterinarian, she is interested in highlighting the spiritual connection between all living beings.
Jyothi has completed certifications in trauma-sensitive mindfulness, advanced trauma-sensitive meditation, deep listening, DEI, and since 2019, has been receiving training in Buddhist meditation practices and philosophy. As a student learning meditation, she is interested in exploring these practices with others in community.
WEBSITE LINK: https://jyo.world/meditation-gathering/

Webinar - 12/11/25 - Maddie's Insights: Exploration of Opportunities for Barriers and Bias During Off Site Animal Adoption Events with Dr. Lexis Ly - Maddie's Fund
2025-12-11 12:00
This webcast presentation shares findings from a large survey of 484 U.S. animal shelter and rescue organizations on adoption event practices and adopter screening procedures. Participants will learn about common processes in adoption decision-making, the role of implicit bias in these processes, and how organizational procedures can affect both the speed and equity of pet adoptions. The session will highlight areas for animal shelter professionals to reflect on their own adoption practices and consider strategies for reducing barriers while supporting successful matches between people and pets.
Earn continuing education credit from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement towards 1.0 CAWA CEs. This webinar has also been pre-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). It has also been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit until 10/14/2027 in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Lexis Ly, Researcher
Lexis Ly, PhD, is researcher with a background in companion animal issues and One Welfare. Her previous work used animal shelter and community data to understand how to maintain human-animal bonds, help animal shelter services provide equitable services, and reduce intake and increase adoption of shelter animals.
WEBSITE LINK: https://maddies.fund/MIwebcastsRegister

Webinar - 12/11/25 - Disasters and Large Animal Evacuation: Best Practices and Preparedness - NACA/Justice Clearinghouse
2025-12-11 12:00 - 13:15
Natural disasters can strike any moment, and it’s crucial to ensure the safety of human lives and our beloved animals during these events. Evacuating large animals is a complex and often under-discussed aspect of disaster preparedness. This webinar will examine the essential steps and strategies for safely evacuating large animals and establishing an evacuation site during emergencies.
This webinar has been certified by the National Animal Care & Control Association and is approved for 1 Continuing Education Unit.
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.justiceclearinghouse.com/webinar/webinar-on-disasters-and-large-animal-evacuation-best-practices-and-preparedness/

Webinar - 12/16/25 - Doors Wide Open: Pawsitive Peer Support: Helping Each Other Without the Heavy Load - Open Door Veterinary Collective
2025-12-16 12:00 - 12:30
Join Open Door Veterinary Collective for a second series of 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.
Animal welfare work is rewarding – and often emotionally intense! In this 30-minute webcast, we’ll explore how to support each other in ways that strengthen connection without adding emotional strain. You’ll learn practical tools for peer debriefs that allow space for processing difficult experiences without “trauma dumping”, including strategies to listen with care, respond with empathy, and keep both the speaker and the listener/supporter resilient!
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Explain the difference between healthy peer support and trauma dumping.
Use low-impact debrief techniques to process challenging situations with colleagues.
Apply active listening skills that reduce emotional overload for both parties.
Understand how to compassionately set boundaries around support provision.

Earn continuing education credit from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement towards CAWA CEs as well as from the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA).
Speaker: Janet Hoy-Gerlach, PhD, LCSW, LISW-S, Director of Veterinary Social Work, Open Door Veterinary Collective
Come with your lunch and your questions! This will be an engaging, real-world conversation about advancing human and animal well-being together.
Who should attend? Everyone is welcome! This series is perfect for those interested or involved in access to veterinary care. Each session will be recorded and viewable on-demand within a few days after the event.
Earn continuing education credit from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement towards CAWA CEs as well as from the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA).
REGISTER NOW: https://maddies.fund/DoorsWideOpenWebcastSeriesRegister

Online Event - 12/19/25 - December Feline Chat and Chuckle with Marci Koski – Paths To Becoming a Feline Behavior Consultant - PPG
2025-12-19 12:00 - 13:00
Join Laura Cassiday and Joanna Wachowiak-Finlaison as they chat with Marci Koski about paths to becoming a feline behavior consultant.
PPG members, you can log in via Zoom if you prefer. The link is in your event confirmation email.
This event will be live-streamed on Facebook from the main PPG Facebook page.
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/webinars-events/webinars/december-feline-chat-and-chuckle-with-marci-koski/

Online Course – Starts 1/5/26 – The Thinking Animal: Cognition and its Role in Behavior – IAABC (fee applies)
2026-01-05 00:00 - 23:59
** IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ONLINE WEEKLY MEETINGS **
Meetings are not recorded
Meetings take place on Mondays at 2:00 pm Eastern (first meeting January 12th)
Meetings are 1 hour in duration
There are 4 meetings for this course
What’s going on in an animal’s head (even when they’ve decided it’s a great idea to stick their head in a wasp’s nest) is a complex, fascinating, and vital part of understanding their behavior!
This 4-week course will introduce some key questions in animal cognition, including:

How do animals understand time?
Do animals have good short- and long-term memories?
Can animals comprehend numbers, logic and other abstract concepts?
How can we use animal cognition to make more effective and enjoyable behavior interventions for animals and humans?

Your instructor, Dr. Kristina Spaulding, CAAB, will guide you and your fellow students through exercises and discussions designed to engage and excite you about this ever-growing field of research!
WEBSITE LINK: https://iaabcfoundation.org/courses/the-thinking-dog-cognition-and-its-role-in-behavior/

Online Course – Starts 1/5/26 – Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program Winter 2026 Session – UC Davis KSMP Shelter Learniverse
2026-01-05 08:00 - 17:00
Are you ready to take your career in animal sheltering to the next level? Offered by the UC Davis 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.

Start learning today and become part of the growing movement to transform animal sheltering.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 12/5/25.
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 - 1/7/26 - New Horizons (Laws) for California Animals – in and out of the shelters - CalAnimals
2026-01-07 10:00 - 11:00
San Francisco SPCA’s Shelter Policy and Legal Services program is ready to start 2026 off with a bark and a purr and fill you in on all the new laws passed last year that become effective on January 1, 2026. Learn about the expanded potential for RVTs and VAs to do more in the shelters; about the expanded ability to have RVT-run vaccination clinics to help public animals across the state; and several more bills that continue to improve the lives of California animals in the shelters, and in their new homes.
Presenter: Bruce Wagman, Attorney
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.calanimals.org/on

Webinar - 1/8/26 - Maddie's Insights - Consentful Contact: Pilot Study on Human–Dog Touch - Maddie's Fund
2026-01-08 12:00 - 13:00
Understanding and respecting an animal’s signals during interactions can significantly enhance their welfare and improve the human-animal interactions. In this presentation, Dr. Amir Sarrafchi will discuss his research on how dogs respond behaviourally when allowed to choose or refuse human contact. Drawing from his work on animal agency and consent, Dr. Sarrafchi will explore how these concepts can be practically applied in everyday animal care, shelter environments, and adoption programs.
The session will translate research findings into simple, effective strategies that caretakers, trainers, and shelter staff can use to promote consent-based handling and improve welfare outcomes.
Learning Objectives

Recognize behavioural indicators that reflect a dog’s comfort or discomfort during human interaction
Understand the importance of agency and consent in enhancing animal welfare and fostering a more humane relationship between humans and animals
Apply practical strategies for incorporating choice and consent into daily care, training, and shelter routines

Earn continuing education credit from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement towards 1.0 CAWA CEs. This webinar has also been pre-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). It has also been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit until 10/14/2027 in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval.
About the speaker
Dr. Amir Sarrafchi is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. His PhD research focused on animal behavior and the impact of providing animals with agency and consent on their welfare during human-animal interactions. He holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree and a Master’s in Applied Ethology and Animal Biology.
During his PhD, Dr. Sarrafchi investigated how allowing animals, particularly horses and dogs, to exercise choice during interactions with humans influences their behavioral and physiological responses. His recent work explores how promoting agency can improve welfare outcomes in both companion and working animals. Dr. Sarrafchi is passionate about bridging the gap between science and practice to enhance the daily care, handling, and understanding of animals.
WEBSITE LINK: https://maddies.fund/MIwebcastsRegister

Online Course – Starts 1/12/26 – Animal Shelter Management Certificate Program – Shelter Operations – PetcoLove/UoP (fee applies)
2026-01-12 00:00 - 23:59
About the Course
Quality animal care and efficient processes are essential to a shelter’s success and lifesaving mission. Designed for shelter professionals and leaders, this course provides the knowledge and skills to ensure exceptional care for animals and develop effective adoption programs, all while delivering excellent customer service for your community. You will explore animal care and enrichment for both cats and dogs, understand core principles of shelter medicine and clinic operations, and be provided with an essential understanding of animal health considerations to make appropriate decisions.
Individual cost: $595 (Bundle courses to save!)
Course Dates: 1/12/26 – 3/8/26
8.0 CEUs
About the Program
The Animal Shelter Management Program, originally developed in partnership with the Humane Network and now powered by Petco Love, is an innovative professional development opportunity designed to strengthen the future of animal welfare. This redesigned, now 3-course online certificate program brings together the expertise of a leading national nonprofit dedicated to saving pet lives with the academic excellence of a top-tier university, creating a transformative curriculum for current and aspiring shelter leaders.
Through a combination of evidence-based coursework, real-world case studies, and leadership training, participants gain the tools and strategies needed to address the complex challenges of modern animal sheltering. From operational management and community engagement to fundraising and lifesaving program design, the program equips professionals with the knowledge and confidence to elevate their organizations and expand their impact.
Rooted in compassion, collaboration, and excellence, the Animal Shelter Management Program reflects Petco Love’s unwavering commitment to create a lifesaving nation for pets. In partnership with the University of the Pacific, this program not only advances shelter leadership but also fosters a sustainable, innovative future for animal welfare across communities.
​WEBSITE LINK: https://www.pacific.edu/education/professional-development/certificate-programs/animal-shelter-management

In-Person Workshop - 1/13/25 to 1/16/25 - Shelter Behavior & Enrichment Workshop - Shelter Playgroup Alliance (fee applies)
2026-01-13 00:00 - 2026-01-16 23:59
Don’t miss out on this hands-on workshop to build essential skills for safely working with dogs in the shelter over four days at Berkeley Animal Care Services. You will work in small groups along side experienced, certified coaches to build your skills in a supportive and constructive environment. Join us January 13-16, 2026, and you will earn a Certificate of Completion, as well as the confidence and skills to improve the lives of the animals in your care.
​This workshop is limited to 20 participants. Register to secure your spot now!
Who: Shelter Staff & Volunteers
What: Behavior & Enrichment Workshop
When: January 13-16, 2026
Where: Berkeley Animal Care Services, 1 Bolivar Dr, Berkeley, CA 94710
Cost: $800
​CEUs: 27 (CCPDT), 20 (IAABC)
No prerequisites are required to attend this workshop. This is a special offering open to all shelter staff and volunteers, regardless of the status of online course work.
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.shelterdogplay.org/in-person-workshops

Webinar - 1/14/26 - Capacity for Care: Setting the Right Target & Finding Tools to Stay There - CalAnimals
2026-01-14 10:00 - 11:00
The term “Capacity for Care” gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean and can it even be useful in the face of the seemingly relentless onslaught of large dogs shelters are facing today?
In this practical webinar, Dr. Kate Hurley from the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program will cover the specifics of how to calculate the right target number to maximize life-saving while optimizing animal health and welfare – and staff sanity. Hurley will demonstrate how any shelter can use the Koret Shelter Medicine Program’s free online C4C calculator to estimate how many animals need to be housed at any one time, based on expected monthly intake and target length of stay. Then we will dive into a practical example of how this number was calculated and aligned with housing capacity at the South L.A. branch of Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS), part of one of the largest and most challenging shelter systems in the United States.
Annette Ramirez, Interim General Manager from LAAS, along with members of her team, will share their agency’s experience of going from severe crowding to attaining, and more importantly maintaining, a population pretty close to their Capacity for Care. A key to success was moving from long standing policies driving a reactive decision making process to a proactive framework that can identify dogs at risk before they deteriorate severely or the population swells beyond staff’s ability to provide care. And they did it even in the face of rising intake and without increasing the euthanasia rate! It’s a pretty inspiring example and we hope it will be a useful one for many shelters facing similar challenges.
Presenters:
Dr. Kate Hurley from UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program
Annette Ramirez, Garens Loyd, Sarah Quintanilla from Los Angeles Animal Services
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.calanimals.org/on

Webinar - 1/14/26 - Defeating Distemper: Proven Strategies to Save Lives - Best Friends
2026-01-14 13:00 - 14:00
Transform canine distemper from a death sentence into a lifesaving success story. In this webinar, learn how shelters can manage outbreaks effectively, apply updated protocols to clear infected dogs faster (no more months of isolation!), and save the lives of both exposed and infected animals.
Presented by: Dr. Erin Katribe, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice)
National Shelter Medicine; Best Friends Animal Society
Register here: https://bestfriends-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iRsWQsmFS4aikwy3tfGwsg

Webinar - 1/21/26 - Lead Forward: A Fresh Start for Animal Welfare Leaders - NACA/Justice Clearinghouse
2026-01-21 10:00 - 11:15
Step into the new year with clarity, confidence, and renewed purpose. Whether you’re leading a municipal shelter, running a nonprofit, or supporting a field team, this webinar will offer space to reset, refocus, and realign your leadership goals.
We’ll explore practical strategies to inspire your staff, set meaningful goals, and stay anchored to your mission—even as the landscape shifts around you. Because the animals—and the people who care for them—deserve your strongest, most intentional leadership yet.
This webinar has been certified by the National Animal Care & Control Association and is approved for 1 Continuing Education Unit.
Presenter: Spencer Conover
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.justiceclearinghouse.com/webinar/lead-forward-a-fresh-start-for-animal-welfare-leaders/

Webinar - 1/21/26 - Kitten Development–Fast Tracked - National Kitten Coalition
2026-01-21 13:00 - 13:30
Join us for this quick, 30 minute webinar covering the important milestones kitten caregivers need to know about. This live session will not only help you accurately determine the age of kittens, but it will also provide you with essential information to know what’s expected with for the first 12 weeks of a kitten’s development.
Gain the confidence to know what physical characteristics kittens should be showing as they grow and develop. You’ll also have a chance to ask questions!
Register now for this free webinar! This webinar will be recorded and made available through NKC’s eLearning soon after the live event.
Presenter: Rosemarie Crawford, LVT
WEBSITE LINK: https://kittencoalition.org/event/kitten-development-fast-tracked/

Online Event - 1/21/26 - Shelter Med LIVE: Behavior Belongs in Shelter Medicine: The Shelter Vet's Role in Behavioral and Emotional Health - UC Davis KSMP
2026-01-21 16:00 - 17:00
Behavior might have felt like a blip on the vet school radar, but in the shelter it’s a critical skill to develop and essential to helping animals cope. Care for an animal’s mental and emotional state is a part of a shelter veterinarian’s daily workload and one of the most important aspects to supporting whole animal health. As a shelter vet, only you can determine when a medical issue is behind behavior changes, legally diagnose conditions, and prescribe treatments, and you’re uniquely positioned provide guidance on balancing human and animal health and safety to staff, volunteers, adopters, community members, and colleagues caring for animals who need behavior support.
Join Drs. Cindi Delany, Emilia Gordon, and Sarah Mantovani on this episode of Shelter Med Live to explore the shelter veterinarian’s impact and often overlooked role in shaping and managing dog and cat behavioral and emotional health.
After this conversation, you’ll be ready to:

Clearly articulate the goals of behavior management and how those differ before and after the shelter stay
Identify the most common behavioral diagnoses in sheltered animals and best practices for medical management
Understand the shelter veterinarians’ role in pathway planning and behavioral decision making and how they can impact capacity for care

Approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit by CAWA and NACA.
Host: Jennifer Bennett (host), DVM, MS (Behavioral Neuroscience), CAWA
Guests: Cynthia Delany, DVM, KPA-CTP; Emilia Gordon, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice); Sarah Mantovani, DVM, MS (Shelter Medicine)
About Shelter Med LIVE
Shelter medicine bridges gaps in veterinary care access, ensuring animals are sterilized, vaccinated, and have the medical treatment they need before going home to the people and communities who care for them. Shelter Med LIVE is the place where vet professionals connect around what it takes to make shelter medicine happen every day—from intake triage to MacGyvering creative fixes. Every third Wednesday, join your UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program host Dr. Jenn Bennett and special guests for real talk and real solutions.
Ask questions (or send them in ahead of time). This isn’t a lecture—it’s a conversation for everyone who wants to nerd out on shelter medicine. Kick back and recharge with your colleagues in the middle of a long week.
This event has been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit by CAWA and NACA, and 1 hour of non-medical continuing education credit by RACE.
Can’t make it live? Register to receive the recording and resources after the event, accessible through the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program Shelter Learniverse, #ThanksToMaddie!
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.shelterlearniverse.com/events

Roundtable - 1/22/26 - HASS Connect: Let's Talk Big Dogs - HASS
2026-01-22 11:00 - 12:00
You are invited every fourth Thursday of the month, to join fellow leaders from national, government, and non-profit animal welfare organizations for a strategic roundtable discussion focused on the most pressing challenges facing our field. From staffing shortages and volunteer engagement to community trust, and the evolving role of shelters, this session invites candid dialogue, shared learning, and collaborative problem-solving. Whether you’re leading a municipal agency, nonprofit organization, or national initiative, your insights and experiences are vital to finding solutions.
Our first session will be discussing one of the industries biggest issues – BIG DOGS! This will be an open discussion on what’s working, what isn’t, and what we haven’t tried.
Join us Thursday, January 22 at 1 p.m. CT!
WEBSITE LINK: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/eYjSHEXEQ–_PxoL4pH2_g#/registration

Online Event - 1/22/26 - Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection - Pain and Behavior: A case-based talk - Maddie's Fund
2026-01-22 12:00 - 13:00
Pain and discomfort are often under-diagnosed in dogs with behavioral issues. This presentation will highlight why this happens, and reviews cases where pain was the cause of the behavior issues or made behavioral issues worse. This is happening in young dogs and dogs who may not show any typical signs of pain/discomfort, but rather express it as aggression and/or anxiety.
Speaker: Emily Levine, DVM, DACVB, Animal Behavior Clinic of New Jersey
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 - 1/22/26 or 1/27/26 - New Laws for 2026 - CVMA
2026-01-22 17:30 - 19:00
With several new laws taking effect in 2026, it is important for veterinary practices to have a clear view of the legal landscape to ensure continuing compliance. This talk will cover new and important laws pertaining to veterinary practice, as well as new general employment laws that apply to California businesses. The course qualifies as continuing education credit for the purpose of California veterinarian and registered veterinary technician license renewal.
This course qualifies for 1.5 CEUs.
This webinar is open to veterinarians, veterinary technicians, veterinary hospital staff, and veterinary students only.
This course is complimentary to all CVMA members!
WEBSITE LINK: https://cvma.net/continuing-education/upcoming-ce/new-laws-for-2026/
