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  • Online Course – Starts 2/6/23 – Compassion Fatigue Strategies Plus – University of Florida – Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program (fee applies)

    Online Course – Starts 2/6/23 – Compassion Fatigue Strategies Plus – University of Florida – Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program (fee applies)

     **The Spring 2023 section is now open for registration! This session begins February 6, 2023 and runs for 8 weeks. Register now for $200. Registration fee will increase January 1st**

    Compassion Fatigue Strategies Plus is a unique online course designed to support people who work with animals. In this four module, self-paced class, you will establish a foundation of knowledge to help you better understand and transform your experience with compassion fatigue (aka empathy strain), burnout, and stress. Course begins 02/06/2023-04/02/2023.

    The course will help you recognize signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma, learn how to reduce stress injury, increase your self-care and team-care practices, build compassion satisfaction, restore resiliency, and make successful changes in your life and in your organization.

    In live calls and recorded modules, you will learn critical resilience skills, such as: self-awareness, self-regulation + grounding techniques, intentional perspective + cognitive reframing, self-care and setting limits, social support and debriefing, and how/when to seek mental health help. The live calls will be on Tuesday evenings at 8pm ET. Calls will be recorded and shared for those unable to attend the live session.

    This class is a personal exploration to help you build the self-awareness necessary to manage the impact of compassion fatigue and other workplace stressors. Please be aware that the class work can be emotionally challenging.

    By the end of class you’ll have a variety of practical strategies to help you manage and transform your experience with compassion fatigue and reduce overall stress. You’ll have a better understanding of yourself and how to engage in self-care that works for you, as well as how to support your staff using vicarious-trauma informed approaches, so that you can be well, while you continue to do good work!

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/education/continuing-education/compassion-fatigue-strategies/

  • Webinar – 11/14/22 – Leptospirosis and Canine Influenza Virus Outbreaks: Could Maps Help You Stay Up to Date? – VETGirl

    Webinar – 11/14/22 – Leptospirosis and Canine Influenza Virus Outbreaks: Could Maps Help You Stay Up to Date? – VETGirl

    Pick a place on the map!

    In this complimentary, 1-hour VETgirl–Zoetis webinar, Dr. Emilio DeBess, DVM, MPVM reviews the outbreaks of Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) and leptospirosis in the United States. Tune in to get the most up-to-date information on these infectious diseases to provide you with all the data you need to know!

    Thanks to sponsorship from Zoetis, this webinar is FREE to all!

    Not a VETgirl ELITE member? Get your learning on with the #1 veterinary CE resource – clinically relevant, practical, and accessible 24/7 on your own time! Don’t miss out – click HERE to join now! All the webinars are recorded and can be viewed 24/7 after their release date for CE credit. If you’re watching the recording later on, don’t forget to take the CE quiz with it when you’re done to get your CE certificate!

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/november-14-2022-leptospirosis-and-canine-influenza-virus-outbreaks-could-maps-help-you-stay-up-to-date/

  • Webinar – 11/13/22 – New Therapies for Treatment of OA in Dogs and Cats – What is Here Now and What is Coming Later – VETGirl

    Webinar – 11/13/22 – New Therapies for Treatment of OA in Dogs and Cats – What is Here Now and What is Coming Later – VETGirl

    NSAIDS aren’t your only option…find out what’s new in dogs and cats for treating OA!

    In this complimentary, 1-hour VETgirl–Zoetis webinar, Dr. Steven Budsberg, MS, DACVS reviews the current therapies available for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) in dogs and cats. Tune in to learn new therapies that have just been approved as well as those currently in clinical testing.

    Thanks to sponsorship from Zoetis, this webinar is FREE to all!

    Zoetis logo orange JPG CMYK

    Not a VETgirl ELITE member? Get your learning on with the #1 veterinary CE resource – clinically relevant, practical, and accessible 24/7 on your own time! Don’t miss out – click HERE to join now! All the webinars are recorded and can be viewed 24/7 after their release date for CE credit. If you’re watching the recording later on, don’t forget to take the CE quiz with it when you’re done to get your CE certificate!

    *Note: Viewing this webinar is for individual use only; VETgirl webinars are not designed nor meant to be viewed in a group setting due to RACE-CE audit purposes. Inappropriate sharing or viewing of the webinar may result in revoking of membership.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/november-13-2022-new-therapies-for-treatment-of-oa-in-dogs-and-cats-what-is-here-now-and-what-is-coming-later/

  • Webinar – 11/14/22 – Dog Playgroups Part 3: The How – Getting2Zero

    Webinar – 11/14/22 – Dog Playgroups Part 3: The How – Getting2Zero

    Learn about all the ways in which Dogs Playing For Life Playgroups are transforming shelters all across the USA.

    In this last session, we take a deep dive into the critical aspects of how to successfully facilitate playgroups in your shelter.

    Attendees will be offered a robust collection of video examples and important discussions on safety, effective handling techniques, and how to take the first steps to implement or enhance their own shelter playgroup programs.

    Attendees will learn the various ways in which handlers should observe and learn about the dogs in their playgroups in order to create the safest, most enriching and informational experiences for the dogs in their care.

    This webinar is the third of three that have been delivered over the previous months.

    To learn more about DPFL go to https://dogsplayingforlife.com

    Presenter: Aimee Sadler

    Aimee is the Founder and CEO of Dogs Playing for Life (DPFL). With 35 years of experience working with multiple species in varying venues, Aimee has become an internationally recognized trainer and speaker specializing in shelter programs that enhance quality of life and reduce canine euthanasia in animal shelters. The cornerstone of DPFL’s programming is our Every Dog, Every Day!, an out-of-kennel enrichment model that is in increasing demand and has been introduced to over 300 shelters across the U.S. and Canada. DPFL’s measured programming is contributing to safer shelter environments by reducing dog-human bites while increasing canine lifesaving at an average rate of 4% at participating shelters. Starting in 2017, dogs most at risk of behavioral euthanasia can get a second chance at DPFL’s Canine Center Florida, an advanced training and behavior care center with an overall save rate of 86 percent.

    Aimee has regularly presented at animal welfare and professional dog training conferences such as HSUS’ Animal Expo, Best Friend’s Annual Conferences, Masters in Behavior Conference, and the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) Conferences. DPFL was the inaugural recipient of Petco Foundation’s Love in Action Award. In 2016, DPFL was featured in Episode 4 of the PBS television series, “Shelter Me.”

    Aimee is a proud recipient of the Henry Bergh Leadership Award and the Maddie’s Hero Award and has been inducted into the Members Hall of Fame for the IACP.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.g2z.org.au/g2z-webinars-and-online-events.html

  • New Course Helps Keep Animals on Track to the Right Outcome

    New Course Helps Keep Animals on Track to the Right Outcome

    Our goal for every animal in need is to get them as quickly as possible to the right outcome, whether that involves a trip to the shelter or assistance in the community. This could look like sterilizing, vaccinating, and returning a cat to their neighborhood home; reuniting a dog with their family; or helping a foster kitten make the move to their new family. The Right Outcome, the capstone course in the Maddie’s® Million Pet Challenge Learniverse Four Rights series, is here to help you match each animal with the outcome that is right for them and make a plan to achieve it.

    Click “Course Home Page” Button below to take this course hosted on
    Maddie’s®️ University.



    First, you’ll learn how weigh all possible outcomes to identify the right one—the outcome that best supports the well-being of animals, honors the connections between humans and pets, stabilizes communities, and maintains public health and safety.

    Subject matter experts from the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program will outline the most important Return to Home principles that enable us to get animals back to the homes they already have and lead you through identifying and removing barriers that can work against reunification efforts or make it harder for animals who need new homes to find them.

    Finally, you’ll learn strategies for avoiding decision fatigue and promoting team clarity and consensus, so that you can make decisions with more confidence, compassion, and empathy, including determining when the right outcome for an animal is humane euthanasia to relieve suffering.

    This short, self-paced online training module (SPOT mod) has been approved for 2.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA) and by National Animal Care and Control Association, as well as two hours of continuing education credit until October 20, 2024 in jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval.

    Right Outcome is the final course in a self-paced series that explores each of the Four Rights, an evolution of the Million Cat Challenge’s Five Key Initiatives and the foundation of Maddie’s® Million Pet Challenge. Within the Four Rights, every element works in concert to support one another: animals and people are treated as individuals, empowering shelter staff to make the best decisions for everyone; community safety net services are in place and flourishing; and humane care within the shelter is provided, with appropriate outcomes for the animals that do come in, allowing shelters to deliver the Right Care, in the Right Place, at the Right Time, to the Right Outcome.

    Enroll today for free #ThankstoMaddie! The Right Place, The Right Time, The Right Care and other SPOT mods, along with cohort-style, coach-led Bootcamps, are available in the Maddie’s® Million Pet Learniverse at no cost.

    Do you have comments, questions, or ideas related to the Four Rights? Join the discussion on Maddie’s Pet Forum.

  • Webinar – 12/1/22 – Dogs Are Always Food Motivated – They Need It for Survival – It’s our role to figure out what works best in different situations! – PPG (fee applies)

    Webinar – 12/1/22 – Dogs Are Always Food Motivated – They Need It for Survival – It’s our role to figure out what works best in different situations! – PPG (fee applies)

    Are you worried that your dog isn’t food motivated and that you won’t be able to use food in their training sessions? Are you a pet professional? If so, you will no doubt have heard this question, “How can I train a dog that isn’t food motivated?”

    In this not to be missed presentation, we will immerse ourselves into the topic of food motivation, increasing our understanding of why some dogs are indifferent to food during their training sessions, and discuss a variety of solutions!

    The presentation includes invaluable information on everything from mealtimes to strategies for treat deliver; from Motivating Operations to an individual dog’s Hierarchy of Rewards; from the importance of reciprocal focus to unrealistic expectations; from how we sometimes inadvertently reduce the ‘value’ of a reinforcement consequence to strategies that will increase its value instead… We will even delve into some imaginative feeding ideas that will provide additional mental and physical enrichment, not just in training sessions, but also in the dog’s daily life!

    The webinar is essential viewing for all pet professionals and pet dog guardians!

    Registered for the live event, get busy and cannot make it!

    No worries you will automatically receive a recording!

    Learning Objectives:

    • Recognize ten key reasons a dog may not be interested in ‘working’ for food treats
    • Understand the impact the delivery method has on the reinforcement consequence’s ‘value’
    • Learn how to categorize a dog’s individual preference into their personal Hierarchy of Rewards
    • Increase your understanding of motivating operations
    • Understand how emotional responses also motivates operants

    CEUs: PPAB 1.5, CCPDT (pending), IAABC (pending), KPA (pending)

    About Your Presenter

    Louise Stapleton-Frappell B.A. Hons. PCBC-A. PCT-A. CAP3. CTDI. CWRI. DN-FSG2. DN-CPCT2. FFCP.

    Louise’s experience, her background as a teacher and her impressive pet industry credentials means she is uniquely qualified to share her skills and knowledge with both the public and pet industry professionals. The creator of the DogNostics’ Dog Trainer Certification Program, Louise has presented at conferences internationally and has gained a reputation for expertly teaching and training humans and canines at her own establishment, The DogSmith of Estepona, in Southern Spain.

    Louise has published numerous articles on dog training and dog behavior and is also the published co-author of the following titles, A Lexicon of Practical Terms for Pet Trainers and Behavior Consultants and Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-4995324

  • Webinar – 11/3/22 – The Elemental Questions with Suzanne Clothier – FDSA (fee applies)

    Webinar – 11/3/22 – The Elemental Questions with Suzanne Clothier – FDSA (fee applies)

    How the dog responds to life is highly individual, blending temperament with personality and history — and of course, the environment and others around him. Understanding the dog within the context of this complex blend of information helps handlers work to modify and adapt their handling and goals for enhanced relationships and better performance.

    Whatever your training goals or sport, the Elemental Questions™ help you truly “see the dog” and provide the detailed information about each animal as he is. This is where truly humane training is grounded: in detailed knowledge about the individual dog.

    Suzanne’s simple but powerful Elemental Questions are:

    1. Hello? Looks at the dog’s social interactions
    2. Who are you? Asks about how the dog perceives and responds to his world
    3. How is this for you? Asks about the immediate situation and the dog’s mental, physical & emotional balance
    4. Can you…? Looks at the dog’s physical abilities & limitations
    5. May I…? Seeks ways to gain the dog’s cooperation and permission
    6. Can we…? Balancing the dog/handler team’s abilities and limitations against goals

    For each dog, the answers to these questions provide a wealth of information to those interested in helping that dog be all that he can be.

    Note: This webinar is back by popular demand. Please check your webinar library before purchasing to avoid duplicate purchases.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/self-study/webinars

  • Online Certificate Program – Starting 1/9/23 – Animal Shelter Management Certificate Program – Community Program Development – Humane Network/UoP (fee applies)

    Online Certificate Program – Starting 1/9/23 – Animal Shelter Management Certificate Program – Community Program Development – Humane Network/UoP (fee applies)

    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.

    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

  • Webinar – 11/10/22 – Partnering for Positive Results – Say “Yes, And” to Build Effective Teamwork through the Power of Ensemble – VETGirl (fee applies)

    Webinar – 11/10/22 – Partnering for Positive Results – Say “Yes, And” to Build Effective Teamwork through the Power of Ensemble – VETGirl (fee applies)

    Take the “but” out of your vocabulary.

    In this 1-hour, VETgirl leadership webinar, Dr. Jeff Thoren, PCC, BCC will invite you to consider the possibility that every situation you face and every interaction you have with others is a piece of improv. Life IS improvised, no matter much you might like to have a script. To thrive in work and life, you must get comfortable coping without a plan that you can confidently control. Tune in to learn how improv can help with adapting to whatever your clients, colleagues, or life give you.

    It is highly recommended that all attendees watch THIS VIDEO prior to the webinar.

    This 2022 leadership track course qualifies as continuing education applicable to the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) certification program offered by the VHMA, CVPM Course ID#21-123.

    Not a VETgirl ELITE member? Get your learning on with the #1 veterinary CE resource – clinically relevant, practical, and accessible 24/7 on your own time! Don’t miss out – click HERE to join now! All the webinars are recorded and can be viewed 24/7 after their release date for CE credit. If you’re watching the recording later on, don’t forget to take the CE quiz with it when you’re done to get your CE certificate!

    *Note: Viewing this webinar is for individual use only; VETgirl webinars are not designed nor meant to be viewed in a group setting due to RACE-CE audit purposes. Inappropriate sharing or viewing of the webinar may result in revoking of membership.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/november-10-2022-partnering-for-positive-results-say-yes-and-to-build-effective-teamwork-through-the-power-of-ensemble/

  • Webinar – 11/9/22 – Go for the Guts-O: Basics of GI Surgery – VETGirl (fee applies)

    Webinar – 11/9/22 – Go for the Guts-O: Basics of GI Surgery – VETGirl (fee applies)

    Intimidated by GI surgery and need a crash course in the basics?

    In this 1-hour, VETgirl small animal webinar, Dr. Michelle Trappler, DACVS reviews the basics of gastric and small intestinal surgery. Join us to get the confidence you need to tackle the basics of GI surgery, tissue handling and key surgery tips for successful routine GI surgery.

    Not a VETgirl ELITE member? Get your learning on with the #1 veterinary CE resource – clinically relevant, practical, and accessible 24/7 on your own time! Don’t miss out – click HERE to join now! All the webinars are recorded and can be viewed 24/7 after their release date for CE credit. If you’re watching the recording later on, don’t forget to take the CE quiz with it when you’re done to get your CE certificate!

    *Note: Viewing this webinar is for individual use only; VETgirl webinars are not designed nor meant to be viewed in a group setting due to RACE-CE audit purposes. Inappropriate sharing or viewing of the webinar may result in revoking of membership.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/november-9-2022-go-for-the-guts-o-basics-of-gi-surgery/