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  • Online Event – 7/15/25 to 7/17/25 – The Leadership Summit – The AAWA

    Online Event – 7/15/25 to 7/17/25 – The Leadership Summit – The AAWA

    Does your organization have a culture of learning and growth?

    The Leadership Summit is a can’t-miss virtual professional development event for animal welfare leaders who want to boost their own skills and inspire their team members to flourish. Each day features a keynote, followed by a roundtable discussion, and then small group conversations.

    1pm – 2:30 pm ET, daily, Tuesday, July 15 – Thursday, July 17

    Daily Topic & Keynote Speaker
    July 15 – Self-Care and Peer Support for Leaders | Jessica Dolce
    July 16 – Building Trust in Animal Welfare | Jasmin Robinson & Maria Morukian
    July 17 – Strategic Thinking and Balancing Priorities | Dorie Clark

    WEBSITE LINK: https://learning.theaawa.org/leadership-summit

  • Webinar – 6/24/25 – The Legal Building Blocks of California’s RVT Profession – CVMA and SF SPCA

    Webinar – 6/24/25 – The Legal Building Blocks of California’s RVT Profession – CVMA and SF SPCA

    Join the San Francisco SPCA and CVMA (California Veterinary Medical Association) for an exclusive webinar designed for veterinarians, RVTs, veterinary assistants, and shelter professionals who want to better understand the laws shaping the RVT role in California. Grant Miller, DVM, Director of Regulatory Affairs for CVMA, and Bruce Wagman, SF SPCA’s Keith C. Wetmore Shelter Policy and Legal Services Special Counsel, will dive into the laws and minimum standards that define the RVT scope of practice in California.

    Tuesday, June 24th, 2025
    Noon – 2:00 PM

    You’ll gain practical insights into:

    • Tasks that RVTs can legally perform
    • Best practices for supervision and delegation
    • Optimizing RVT training and clinical integration
    • Building trust and collaboration and efficiency among veterinary teams

    This course has been RACE approved for 2 hours of live-interactive continuing education credit in jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval.

    This course will be available on-demand for self-guided/ non-interactive CE credit after June 30th.

    SF SPCA’s advocacy work is made possible in part by the generous support of the Barbara Wolfe Advocacy Fund.

    REGISTER TODAY

  • Online Event – 6/17/25 – All Call: Access to Care Veterinary Partnerships – California for All Animals

    Online Event – 6/17/25 – All Call: Access to Care Veterinary Partnerships – California for All Animals

    Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to engage all members of our communities. Starting February 18, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice, is coming to the All Call to strengthen our capacity to do just that.

    Are you passionate about increasing adoptions, foster, return to home, and keeping more pets and people together? Do you want to learn and share practical strategies for building relationships with diverse communities? This community is for you!

    June 17 Topic: Access to Care Veterinary Partnerships

    At the next call on June 17 at 12 p.m. PT, Jessica Lopez (Executive Director/Founder, The Paw Mission), Ivonne Valdez (RVT/Community Programs Manager, The Paw Mission), and Kristine Watson (Director, City of San Bernardino Animal Services) will share how their access to veterinary care partnership is powering more support for animals and community members.

    The All Call will provide a space for learning, sharing, and networking with colleagues dedicated to building stronger connections with all segments of their communities. You’ll hear how California shelters are advancing culturally-responsive programming and building bridges to decrease length of stay and increase positive outcomes for animals, as well as the shelter staff and community members who care for them.

    About the All Call

    The All Call is a twice-monthly, California community call for animal well-being professionals that occurs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday. The one-hour call is a dedicated space to share and learn from each other. Popular topics include initiatives that create a more inclusive culture for both staff and community, programs that keep pets with their people, industry trends, research studies, as well as the hard stuff, like what’s not working or what is particularly difficult during times of scarcity. The call is a mix of presentations, storytelling, open discussion, and Q&A time.

    The All Call is hosted by the California for All Animals team, Nadia Oseguera-Ramón, Ivy Ruiz, and Allison Cardona. You only need to register one time. Calls are sometimes recorded; recap emails with supplemental resources are sent post-call.

    Register here: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

  • Online Course – Application deadline 7/4/25 – Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program August 2025 Session – UC Davis KSMP Shelter Learniverse

    Online Course – Application deadline 7/4/25 – Shelter Care Specialist Certification Program August 2025 Session – UC Davis KSMP Shelter Learniverse

    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 August 2025 session starting 8/4/25! Start learning today and become part of the growing movement to transform animal sheltering. 

    APPLICATION DEADLINE: 7/4/25.

    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 – 7/22/25 and 7/24/25 – Access to Veterinary Care: Affordable or Excellent: Why Not Both? – CVMA (fee applies)

    Webinar – 7/22/25 and 7/24/25 – Access to Veterinary Care: Affordable or Excellent: Why Not Both? – CVMA (fee applies)

    Affordable care should not equate to substandard care. This presentation will cover how to utilize registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) and veterinary assistants to expand access to care in a surgical setting. We will also explore how leveraging RVTs and veterinary assistants can enhance access to affordable surgical care without compromising quality. We will discuss how RVTs and veterinary assistants can work together to form creative anesthesia and pain management approaches, including making CRIs easy and how to learn and implement local blocks. We will also discuss case management when overnight care is not an option.

    This course qualifies for 1.5 CEUs.

    CVMA Online Seminars are convenient interactive presentations offering CEUs held in real-time. This learning platform allows you to participate from anywhere with internet access—from your practice, your home, or anywhere you have an internet connection. Attending is as easy as a few mouse clicks. You will only need internet access and either computer audio, a headset, or a telephone.

    This webinar is open to veterinarians, veterinary technicians, veterinary hospital staff, and veterinary students only.

    Speaker: Robin Post, RVT
    Robin Post, RVT, started her medical career as a veterinary assistant in the shelter medicine department of the San Francisco SPCA, then assuming a supervisory role in the SFSPCA Spay/Neuter clinic. Before joining Animal Fix Clinic, Robin was Supervisor of Off-Site Spay-Neuter Services, where she coordinated MASH-style spay/neuter clinics and helped develop spay/neuter programs at municipal shelters. She is also a reserve field technician for HSVMA–RAVS. Robin has overseen the anesthesia of literally tens of thousands of dogs and cats (from half-pound kittens to feral dogs to geriatric patients) in just about every imaginable physical condition. She received the CVMA’s Linda Markland Outstanding RVT of the Year Award in 2023.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://cvma.net/continuing-education/upcoming-ce/cvma-access-to-care-webinar/

  • Webinar – 6/9/25 – License Portability in Veterinary Medicine – The Bridge Club

    Webinar – 6/9/25 – License Portability in Veterinary Medicine – The Bridge Club

    It’s time to dive into one of the biggest challenges in vet med: License Portability. Licensure portability, means a professional license earned in one state is recognized and allows the holder to practice in another state without needing to obtain a new license.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://www.thebridgeclub.com/events/license-portability-in-veterinary-medicine-1

  • Webinar – 6/29/25 – Why Pets Matter in Human Services: An Ethical Call to Action for Social Workers and Other Human Service Professionals – Open Door Veterinary Collective

    Webinar – 6/29/25 – Why Pets Matter in Human Services: An Ethical Call to Action for Social Workers and Other Human Service Professionals – Open Door Veterinary Collective

    Why Pets Matter in Human Services
    In human health, mental health, and social service systems, pets are often invisible. They’re not routinely included in assessments, charts, or care planning, even when decisions about housing, healthcare, or safety may depend on them.

    This free, 1.5-credit ethics CEU webinar for social workers and human service professionals addresses this critical gap.

    Ask About Pets: An Ethical Call to Action
    Presented by Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach, LISW-S, LCSW
    Hosted by Open Door Veterinary Collective and the International Association of Veterinary Social Work

    WEBSITE LINK: https://iavsw.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1951749

  • Online Training – 6/21/25 – Drop Trap: A Trapper’s Best Friend – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Online Training – 6/21/25 – Drop Trap: A Trapper’s Best Friend – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Trying to catch the last cat in your colony who isn’t fixed? Got a wily feral who just won’t go into a box trap, no matter how much you spend on roasted chicken? How about catching a litter of kittens all at once—with their mom? All these tough trapping situations and more can be solved if you know how to use a drop trap! Join Neighborhood Cats, co-designers of the first commercially available drop trap, as they discuss how to use this invaluable tool. Plus tips and tricks for advanced drop trappers, too. This program is presented in partnership with Neighborhood Cats.

    Session duration is 2 hours. $10 Fee.

    Registration link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/141353658981139291

  • Online Event – 6/14/25 – Neighborhood Cats TNR Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Online Event – 6/14/25 – Neighborhood Cats TNR Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Are you ready to be part of the solution for feral and stray cats in your neighborhood? Our expert instructors will teach you best practices for Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and colony management. Learn what TNR is and why it works. We’ll cover getting along with neighbors, preparations for trapping, trapping itself (including entire colonies at once), feeding, providing winter shelter, and more. Take advantage of the interactive format, extensive handouts, and video footage of actual projects. Attendees will receive a certificate after taking a short quiz and gain access to an ongoing Facebook group for networking with other TNR activists. Instructed by Neighborhood Cats.

    Session duration is 2.5 hours, followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A session.

    $10 Fee

    Registration Link

  • Online Event – 6/11/25 – Best Friends Shelter Medicine Monthly Webinar – Best Friends

    Online Event – 6/11/25 – Best Friends Shelter Medicine Monthly Webinar – Best Friends

    The National Shelter Medicine team with Best Friends Animal Society hosts monthly webinars on various medical related topics for animal shelters.

    This month’s webinar is about Infectious Disease Outbreak Management.

    All are welcome to attend this month or any of our webinars held monthly. Attendees register only once and can then attend any of the monthly webinars afterwards.

    For more info and to register click here.