Shelter Learniverse

Conference - 5/11/26 to 5/13/26 - The Gathering 2026 - CARE (fee applies)
2026-05-11 05:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-12 05:00 - 14:00, 2026-05-13 05:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | The Study at University City, 20 S. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States
The Gathering is CARE’s annual multi-day conference bringing together community members, practitioners, researchers, advocates, and organizers working at the intersection of Human and Animal Well-being.
Across three days, The Gathering creates space to examine how the Animal Welfare and Animal Protection fields have caused harm through exclusion, bias, and inequitable practices — and to collectively build pathways toward reform that honor both people and animals.
Grounded in CARE’s core pillars — Intention, Mobilization, Peace, Education, Acknowledgment, Compassion, and Heart — this conference centers BIPOC leadership, lived experience, and community-based knowledge. Sessions move beyond theory to focus on practical tools, shared learning, and relationship-building that participants can bring back to their communities and institutions.
The Gathering is designed for those who understand that animal welfare cannot be separated from human well-being, environmental justice, and systemic equity. Programming will reflect CARE’s four divisions:

Research & Development
Narrative & Truth Telling
Community Animal CARE
Environmental Justice & Policy

This is not a traditional conference. It is a space for honest dialogue, accountability, healing, and action — built with accessibility, care, and community at the center.
WEBSITE LINK: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/companionsandanimalsforreformandequity/event/thegathering4/

Online Meeting - Mondays - Weekly Community Conversations #ThanksToMaddie - Maddie's Fund
2026-05-11 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-18 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-25 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-01 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-08 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-15 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-22 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-06-29 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
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 - 5/13/26 - Avoiding Costly PAGA Claims: A Practical Compliance Guide for Animal Shelters & Nonprofits - CalAnimals
2026-05-13 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) continues to create significant legal and financial exposure for nonprofit organizations, including animal shelters and animal control agencies. Many well-intentioned employers are unaware of common wage-and-hour compliance gaps that can quickly lead to costly claims.
In this practical and informative webinar, employment defense attorney Mandeep Rupal will break down the most common pitfalls that lead to PAGA lawsuits and provide clear, actionable strategies to help organizations reduce risk. Attendees will gain insight into key compliance areas, including meal and rest breaks, timekeeping practices, employee classification, and documentation practices.
Designed specifically for animal welfare organizations, this session will equip leaders and managers with the tools they need to proactively strengthen compliance while continuing to focus on their mission.
Presenter: Mandeep Rupal, Attorney at Law
WEBSITE LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_O_nPEHFNRtC1mrXjSIcNrA

Online Event - Monthly - Journey You Own Meditation Gathering - JYO
2026-05-13 17:00 - 17:45, 2026-06-02 06:30 - 07:15, 2026-06-10 17:00 - 17:45 | Virtual
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/

Online Course – Starts 5/14/26 – Shelter Dog Behavior Mentorship with Trish McMillan – Shelter Behavior Hub (fee applies)
2026-05-14 00:00 - 23:59 | Virtual
Taught by world-renowned shelter expert, Trish McMillan, The Shelter Dog Behavior Mentorship helps shelter staff understand dog behavior, reduce stress, and improve adoption rates. It’s a valuable program for creating a better environment for shelter dogs and promoting successful adoptions.
How does this work? In Part One, you’ll do a self-audit of your current behavior programming, and put together a list of goals for the next year. Once you have that list together, you’ll be enrolled in Part Two, for a whole year.
There are 20 modules, with zoom meetings every two weeks and a lively online discussion list where you can submit homework, ask questions, and get advice in between zoom mentoring sessions.
Goals:

Shorten length of stay
Reduce stress and improve behavior
Understand the WHY behind behavior
Learn and implement science-based best practices

If you’ve already taken the course and just want access to the materials and webinars without the personal coaching, certificate, or CEU’s, b you can enroll in the on-demand version of this course, just $150 for the first month and $50 for each month afterward. Unenroll any time!
WEBSITE LINK: https://trish-s-school-bcb6.thinkific.com/courses/SDBM365-shelter-dog-behavior-part-one

Online Event - Third Wednesdays - Shelter Med LIVE - UC Davis KSMP
2026-05-20 16:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-17 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
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 talk shop about 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.
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

Webinar - 5/21/26 - Raccoons, Reports and Real-Time Maps: Using Data and Maps to Tell Wild Stories and Shape Smart Policies - NACA/Justice Clearinghouse
2026-05-21 10:00 - 11:15 | Virtual
Whether it’s responding to calls about baby birds or guiding residents through raccoon encounters, many shelters are more involved with wildlife than they realize.
But here’s the catch: if you’re not tracking it, you’re missing half the story.
In this webinar, you’ll learn how to create a simple yet powerful wildlife tracking system and see how that data can transform into compelling maps and visual stories using low-cost (or even free) tools. We’ll also feature a real-world case study from our Shelter Mentorship partners at Harker Heights Pet Adoption Center in Texas, showing how data tracking reshaped their approach to wildlife and community engagement.
Whether you’re an ACO, shelter manager, or community outreach specialist, this webinar will equip you with practical tools to track and visualize wildlife and field service data (including TNR or street dog programs), make smarter decisions for both domestic and wild animals, advocate for resources through clear visual evidence, and build community trust through transparency and education.
Let’s turn that “we don’t take wildlife calls” into “we’re leading the way on wildlife care and conflict prevention.”
Presenters:
Shiloh Wester, Shelter Administrator for the Harker Heights Pet Adoption Center
Grace Kahle, Program Manager for the Urban Wildlife team at Humane World for Animals
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/raccoons-reports-and-real-time-maps-using-data-and-maps-to-tell-wild-stories-and-shape-smart-policies/

Webinar - Fourth Thursdays - HASS Connect - HASS
2026-05-28 11:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
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.
*You only need to register for the series once.
Time: 1-2 p.m. CT
Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/eYjSHEXEQ–_PxoL4pH2_g#/registration

Online Event - Fourth Thursdays - Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection - Maddie's Fund
2026-05-28 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-06-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
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 - First Thursdays - Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection - Maddie's Fund
2026-06-04 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-07-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
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 Event - First Fridays - First Fridays: AI for Animal Welfare Professionals Collaboration Calls - Outcomes for Pets Consulting
2026-06-05 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-03 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
Please join us every first Friday of the month to discuss AI use in animal shelters, share new AI developments, and join your peers in discussing creative solutions to common problems.
Meetings will occur the first Friday of each month at 11 am PST / 2 pm EST.
Registering for this meeting will register you for the complete series.
REGISTER NOW: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tzBOM-0PQ6KEJp3lyAJ0fA#/registration

Hybrid Conference – 6/18/26 to 6/21/26 – PacVet 2026 – CVMA (fee applies)
2026-06-18 08:00 - 19:00, 2026-06-19 08:00 - 19:00, 2026-06-20 07:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-21 08:00 - 12:05 | Virtual
The 2026 Pacific Veterinary Conference (PacVet), sponsored by the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), is where veterinary professionals from all walks of the profession come together for a one-of-a-kind educational experience in California. With nearly two decades of impact, PacVet continues to be a trusted destination for continuing education, professional connection, and industry discovery.
Choose from a wide range of CE tracks designed for veterinarians, technicians, practice managers, practice staff, and veterinary/RVT students—covering topics like small animal medicine, small animal surgery, practice management and ownership, avian/exotics, shelter medicine, and more! Plus, round out your educational journey with hands-on labs and practical workshops. Beyond the classroom, explore a lively exhibit hall filled with the latest tools, tech, and solutions for your practice.
Whether you are looking to learn, connect, or recharge by the coast, PacVet 2026 offers the perfect blend of education and inspiration in a setting that celebrates the profession and the people who shape it.
WEBSITE LINK: https://pacvet.net/
