Shelter Learniverse and Industry-Wide Calendar

Blog

  • Event – 2/25/25 – American Black History: Extraction to Extraordinary Concert – CARE (donation applies)

    Event – 2/25/25 – American Black History: Extraction to Extraordinary Concert – CARE (donation applies)

    A Black History Concert
    Extraction to Extraordinary: A Taken People, and Their Adopted Music
    Sponsored by CARE and WYPR

    Performers include Kenyatta Hardison, Sunny Cowell, Brooks Long, DDm, Lafayette Gilchrist, Kamonté Johnson & Justin Taylor

    These performances will pay homage to the power of the African American experience, both the struggle and ascendance; mirrored by music that sustained and healed a people, and inspired the world. Music performances will begin with Working Songs and move to today, fusions steeped in R&B, Hip Hop and Rock-n-Roll.

    Proceeds of Extraction to Extraordinary Musical Event will raise scholarship funds for CARE’s Dr. Jodie G. Blackwell Veterinary Scholarship Fund which benefits African American students. With only 2% of U.S. Veterinarians being African American, CARE, along with your generosity, intends to raise that percentage by helping students offset the incredibly high cost of veterinary school. Last year, more than $80,000 was raised to support our future veterinarians and hope to continue to provide these invaluable funds.

    Streaming and in-person tickets available. Seating is first come first serve!

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.instantseats.com/?fuseaction=home.artist&VenueID=514&artistid=37665

  • Webinar – 3/18/25 – Prepare for Kitten Season – National Kitten Coalition

    Webinar – 3/18/25 – Prepare for Kitten Season – National Kitten Coalition

    This webinar will cover what you can do now to prepare and will provide need-to-know information to save more kittens! From administrative level planning, to increasing your foster care team, to essential kitten-care information (whether in the field, in foster homes or in the shelter), this session will address preparation and best practices, leaving you with plenty of ideas to make this kitten season one of your best yet!

    There will be time for questions, and information about where to find additional, trusted kitten resources will also be included.

    Click here to register for this free webinar!

    Presenter: Rosemarie Crawford, LVT
    Director of Educational Programs
    ,The National Kitten Coalition

    Rosemarie Crawford has long had a passion for helping animals–particularly kittens. She is a licensed veterinary technician, co-founder of The National Kitten Coalition and has almost 20 years’ experience in animal welfare. As a medical staff member in a high-volume, open-access shelter, Rosemarie worked closely with the shelter veterinarian to provide for the animals’ medical and surgical needs. She assisted in developing and implementing successful protocols for the care of kittens in the shelter’s nursery as well as for those in foster care. Additionally, Rosemarie served in two shelters as the foster coordinator and understands the challenges of creating, expanding and maintaining foster programs. In addition to presenting national and international training sessions for The National Kitten Coalition, Rosemarie works at a six-doctor veterinary practice in northern VA and also fosters kittens needing medical care.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2817387046189/WN_MWrI5qXeQhulONl_p5aEGw#/registration

  • Webinar – 3/15/25 – Trapper’s Tips and Tricks Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Webinar – 3/15/25 – Trapper’s Tips and Tricks Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Drawing from over 20 years of experience working with feral cats, the folks at Neighborhood Cats have gathered together their favorite ways of catching the wiliest of felines.

    Whether it’s putting in a clear rear door, using Spam as bait, wrapping your trap with green garden netting, or training a cat to enter a trap, you’re bound to learn something new that will improve your trapping success.

    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.

    This session is led by Susan Richmond, Executive Director, and Bryan Kortis, National Programs Director, and lasts 2 hours, followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A session. Registration is just $10.00.

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/events/trappers-tips-and-tricks-presented-by-neighborhood-cats-march-2025/

  • Online Course – 3/12/25 – Return to Home Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast

    Online Course – 3/12/25 – Return to Home Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast

    Leave all your assumptions about ‘dumped, abandoned, or unwanted’ stray cats at the door! Imagine if every stray cat entering our shelters was treated as a beloved pet with a family searching for them. How can we streamline the process of reuniting lost pets with their owners—without overburdening our dedicated staff and volunteers or filling up shelter space with lengthy stray holds?

    In this session, we’ll explore straightforward, effective strategies and processes you can implement to support the owners of lost cats, become a valuable resource for those who find stray cats, and boost the rates at which cats in our shelters are joyfully reunited with their families.

    Take advantage of the interactive format and earn your certificate of completion after passing a short quiz. Plus gain access to an exclusive Facebook group to network with other cat-focused volunteers and professionals.

    This workshop is presented by Corinne Bourgoin, Shelter Operations Supervisor at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(MSPCA), and lasts 1.5 hours, including an optional 15-minute Q&A session. Registration is just $10.00.

    For more information and to sign up go here

    Scholarships may be available! Apply for a scholarship to cover the $10 registration fee at this link: https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/event-scholarships/

    WEBSITE LINK: https://www.communitycatspodcast.com/events/return-to-home-certification-workshop-mar-2025/

  • Webinar – 2/19/25 – Improving Access to Care: Financial Triage in Veterinary Medicine – HSVMA

    Webinar – 2/19/25 – Improving Access to Care: Financial Triage in Veterinary Medicine – HSVMA

    One of the most common and distressing barriers to veterinary care for both clients and veterinary teams is finances. When confronted with client financial constraints many practices are forced to provide care at no charge, heavily discount their services or even turn pets away. There is a better way! Join this webinar to learn about practical tools and sustainable solution-oriented financial resources that can be easily implemented by veterinary teams. Help clients say “yes” to your recommended treatment plans and free yourself to work on what matters most: your patient. Register now!

    Learning objectives

    • Attendees will know how to harness financial assistance to benefit their clients and patients, without sacrificing production or clinic revenue.
    • Attendees will appreciate the unique contributions that each team member can make in navigating financial challenges with a client.
    • Attendees will come away with a library of resources for veterinary financial assistance.

    Presenters

    Dr. Margo Hennet is the Director of Veterinary Programs at the Open Door Veterinary Collective. She earned her veterinary degree at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO and then completed a postdoctoral Internal Medicine internship in Boulder, CO. She has professional experience in research, clinical practice, and the pet care industry. As a clinical veterinarian she has practiced in specialty hospitals, general practice, emergency, and rural mobile settings.

    Aimee St. Arnaud is the founder of Open Door Veterinary Collective and a business partner in two full-service veterinary clinics that focus on removing barriers to care and increasing access to veterinary services while still maintaining a net positive revenue. She created Open Door Veterinary Collective, a non-profit that mentors practices that want to replicate this business model as a way to help more pet families get care while reducing moral stress for veterinary teams.

    This webinar is FREE for all attendees. 1.5 hours of RACE CE credits for HSVMA members only.
    Not yet a member? Join HSVMA today!

    WEBSITE LINK: https://hsvma.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__JVIbh3XQYCCs8X_ACTbVg#/registration

  • Webinar – 2/27/25 – Contending with the Polycrisis in the Anthropocene: Climate Change and Human Health – UT OHI

    Webinar – 2/27/25 – Contending with the Polycrisis in the Anthropocene: Climate Change and Human Health – UT OHI

    A virtual seminar with Daniel Mason-D’Croz

    Daniel Mason-D’Croz is a senior research associate in the Department of Global Development at Cornell University. His research focuses on food system transformation broadly, having work on a range of topics in this space such as, assessing climate adaptation and mitigation challenges, estimating potential impacts of current and future diets on public and planetary health, exploring the role of technology and innovation to contribute to alternative food systems, and identifying potential vulnerabilities in current and future food systems.

    This seminar is presented by the University of Tennessee One Health Initiative (UT OHI). Each month, OHI hosts speakers from across UT, the nation, and world to discuss their work, how they tackle current global challenges, and how solutions can be achieved by viewing these problems through a One Health lens. Seminars are held via Zoom on the last Thursday of the month, January – October, from 12-1pm Eastern Time.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://tennessee.zoom.us/meeting/register/1wIfkJPNRyWmoGJQ_pOxgg#/registration

  • Webinar – 3/13/25 – Maddie’s Insights: Helping the Helpers – Improving Shelter Staff Well-Being – Maddie’s Fund

    Webinar – 3/13/25 – Maddie’s Insights: Helping the Helpers – Improving Shelter Staff Well-Being – Maddie’s Fund

    Shelters and rescue groups have shown great resilience, finding innovative ways to save animals despite major challenges. However, many workers face burnout and compassion fatigue, leading some to leave the field.

    In 2023, Best Friends conducted the largest U.S. survey on shelter staff well-being. Nearly half of respondents reported high compassion satisfaction, and most plan to stay in their roles. Yet, over half showed high burnout, and over 90% had high compassion fatigue, raising concerns about staff well-being and the sustainability of lifesaving efforts.

    This presentation will focus on positive solutions and how shelters can learn from veterinary well-being practices to support staff and volunteers.

    Have questions or comments about this topic? Engage with our guest speaker on this Maddie’s Pet Forum discussion thread. https://maddies.fund/MIwebcast03132025

    Register now: http://maddies.fund/MIwebcastsRegister

  • Webinar – 2/27/25 – Building Collective Momentum: Strategies to Increase Transfers and Adoptions  – Best Friends

    Webinar – 2/27/25 – Building Collective Momentum: Strategies to Increase Transfers and Adoptions  – Best Friends

    Recent national data highlights a concerning trend: both adoptions at receiving rescues and shelters and transfers from source shelters are down, on average. This challenge offers an important opportunity to rethink how we can support one another and create lifesaving momentum in the animal welfare ecosystem. Join us for a discussion on how strategic transfer partnerships and open adoption practices can boost our collective impact and save more lives.

    Hear from panelists with expertise leading both open intake and limited intake organizations. Suzette Cruz, Executive Director at Palm Valley Animal Society, and Jess Bridges, Shelter Operations Manager at Peninsula SPCA, will share their best strategies for starting and maintaining strong transfer and/or transport partnerships, as well as maximizing community adoptions.

    Learn how to partner up for maximum impact on the lives of pets and people. Register now and join live on Thursday, February 27 at 5pm ET.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://bestfriends-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/6417367106034/WN_4mGsgNy4RzuqsMKwh8IlRg#/registration

  • Online Event – 3/18/25 – Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition – Live Q&A Follow Up Session – Maddie’s Fund

    Online Event – 3/18/25 – Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition – Live Q&A Follow Up Session – Maddie’s Fund

    Prepare for Kitten Season with expert guidance!

    Join us in this follow live question and answer session on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT. This will provide time for your team to catch up on any sessions they may have missed from Camp Maddie Kitten’s first day on March 4th, to browse the extensive collection of supporting documents, protocols, and forms, and to bring forward any remaining questions and obstacles encountered in enhancing your kitten programs.

    Topics will include:

    • The role of community cat programs in saving kittens
    • Developing kitten foster programs that are effective, safe, and fun
    • Medical protocols tailored for kitten care in shelters and rescues
    • Behavior and socialization protocols for raising confident, friendly kittens

    Join us for this invaluable opportunity to learn from the best in the field and ensure you are prepared to make a difference in the lives of more kittens this season!

    Each presentation has been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit in jurisdictions which recognize the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) approval. They have also been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.

    WEBSITE LINK: http://maddies.fund/CampMaddieKittenRegistration

  • Online Event – 5/6/25 – All Call: Boosting Adoptions with Bilingual Support – California for All Animals

    Online Event – 5/6/25 – All Call: Boosting Adoptions with Bilingual Support – 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!

    On May 6, Director Alma Torres will discuss the Fresno Animal Center team’s approach to community engagement. Join the call to learn how Fresno is fostering a more inclusive organizational culture and advancing welcoming practices, including reaching more adopters by offering bilingual support.

    Through June 3, 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 California for All team members Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna, and Ivy Ruiz, and is enriched by rotating facilitators. You only need to register one time. Calls are sometimes recorded; recap emails with supplemental resources are sent post-call.

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

     


    Ahora, más que nunca, es esencial que todos los miembros de nuestras comunidades participen. A partir del 18 de febrero, Partnering for Pets: A Multicultural Community of Practice (Colaborando para mascotas: Una comunidad de práctica multicultural), llegará a All Call para reforzar nuestra capacidad de hacer precisamente eso.

    ¿Le apasiona aumentar las adopciones, el cuidado temporal, el regreso a casa y mantener juntos a más mascotas y personas? ¿Quiere aprender y compartir estrategias prácticas para cultivar relaciones con comunidades diversas? ¡Esta comunidad es para ti!

    Hasta el 3 de junio, el All Call ofrecerá un espacio para aprender, compartir y establecer contactos con colegas dedicados a construir conexiones más fuertes con todos los segmentos de sus comunidades. Escuchará cómo los refugios de California están avanzando en programas culturalmente responsables y construyendo puentes para reducir la estancia y aumentar los resultados positivos para los animales, y también para el personal del refugio y los miembros de la comunidad que los cuidan.

    Acerca de All Call

    All Call es una llamada comunitaria que se realiza dos veces al mes para profesionales del bienestar animal en California, los primeros y terceros martes. La llamada de una hora es un espacio dedicado a compartir y aprender unos de otros. Los temas más populares incluyen iniciativas que crean una cultura más inclusiva tanto para el personal como para la comunidad, programas que mantienen a las mascotas con su familia, tendencias de la industria, estudios, y también temas difíciles, como lo que no funciona o lo que es particularmente difícil en tiempos de crisis. La sesión es una mezcla de presentaciones, historias, debate abierto y tiempo para preguntas y respuestas.

    All Call está organizada por Allison Cardona, Nadia Oseguera-Ramóna e Ivy Ruiz, miembros del equipo de California For All, y se complementa con facilitadores rotativos. Sólo es necesario inscribirse una vez. En ocasiones, las llamadas se graban; después de la llamada se envían correos electrónicos de resumida con recursos adicionales.

    Regístrese: https://tinyurl.com/all-call