There’s a new, different, better experience in the Maddie’s® Million Pet Challenge Learniverse, and it’s designed with your feedback, your busy schedules, and your big goals in mind. The Spring 2023 Shelter Summit and Fast Tracks will give you the opportunity to learn by doing, create the change you want to see, and go further together with your colleagues and the support of expert coaches. If you would like to watch all or part of the recorded Summit, each presentation and Q&A session is viewable on Maddie’s® University.

Now that the Shelter Summit event is over, it’s time to join Fast Tracks and Track Packs! You can find schedules, registration links, and descriptions of each track below. Be sure to register for Fast Tracks (open to everyone, no application needed) before 3/28. Thinking about applying for one of our limited spots as a “Track Pack” member in one or more of the Fast Tracks? Apply to be considered by 3/31. We would love to have you join us! If you have any questions, please contact us at learniverse@sheltermedportal.com. For more information, visit www.sheltersummit.com.

Ready to make change happen? Choose one or more Fast Tracks and start doing—with support!

Sprint from idea to implementation and ongoing improvement in eight weeks by connecting with coaches and fellow participants in four live sessions alternating with four optional office hours.

Go from participant to pace-setter: Apply to run with an exclusive Track Pack.

Apply to join a Track Pack to unlock dedicated coaching sessions and get the extra accountability, motivation, and inspiration you need to get the impact you want. Stay on track by advancing within a tight-knit group of shelters working side-by-side with your coaches to achieve your goals.

As a Track Pack member, you could be spotlighted for other track participants to learn from your challenges and successes. You’ll cheer each other on, exchange experiences and ideas to turn setbacks into solutions, and measure progress together.

Track Pack spots are limited; apply now! The final deadline for Track Pack applications is March 31.

#ThankstoMaddie, participation in the Shelter Summit and Fast Tracks is absolutely free and everyone is welcome!

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.sheltermedportal.com/spring-2023-shelter-summit/#Track_Packs

The Cat Lifesaving Course, run by Best Friends Animal Society in collaboration with Southern Utah University, will offer practitioners, community members, advocates, and volunteers an opportunity to learn about the proven policies, programs and procedures necessary to meet the community’s expectations of cat lifesaving. Registration is now open for this seven-week, online course that begins on March 6. Questions? Contact learning@bestfriends.org

WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.suu.edu/prodev/best-friends/cat-lifesaving-course.html

Society’s relationship to pets continues to evolve. The majority of people consider their pets to be beloved family members and expect their local animal shelter to work diligently to save the lives of the dogs and cats that enter the facility. This program will provide the knowledge you need to assume a management or leadership role at an open-admission animal shelter. You’ll learn how to maximize a shelter’s lifesaving potential through program management, community engagement, and shelter operations while at the same time preparing yourself for an exciting career.

The five courses are:

• Leadership covering strategic planning, analyzing operations, decision-making, managing people and processes to achieve results, organizational responsibilities, and working with a board of directors.
• Shelter Operations covering adoptions, animal care and sheltering fundamentals, animal behavior and enrichment, and customer service.
• Community Program Development covering volunteers, foster care, spay/neuter, pet retention, events, and community relations.
• Animal Health and Clinic Operations covering understanding shelter medicine, basic animal health considerations and care, euthanasia decisions, and clinic operations.
• Marketing and Development covering development fundamentals, fundraising strategies, marketing fundamentals, adoption promotion, social media and websites, and media relations.

Each of these courses include live video conference sessions with top experts in the field providing students valuable contacts within the field. Additionally, alumni have access to exclusive networking opportunities and receive notification of employment opportunities.

You can sign up for individual courses or all five for a discount. All five must be completed to get a certificate.

Marketing and Development: Apr 4 to May 14, 2023
Instructor: Diane Blankenburg and Laurie D. Daily
Course Code: UNSM 025 51 (6 CEUs)

Who will benefit from the program?

• Professionals seeking a career change to something more personally fulfilling.
• New shelter directors.
• Shelter directors or managers wishing to improve their organization’s live release rate and sustainability.
• People working in the animal welfare field who wish to advance into management roles.
• Board members of animal shelters.

Credit for program/courses

Upon completion of all five courses, you will receive a Certificate in Animal Shelter Management from the University of the Pacific.

Each course earns:

• Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the University of the Pacific
• Association of Animal Welfare Advancement CAWA Continuing Education (CE) credits

Schedule and Registration

Each of the five online courses are six weeks long and are offered sequentially. The entire program is about seven months long, and a new round starts again after a short break. More information on start dates of each course and the registration form can be found on the University of the Pacific website. 

​WEBSITE LINK:  https://education.pacific.edu/education/professional-development/certificate-programs/leadership-health-certificates