Shelter Learniverse and Industry-Wide Calendar

Blog

  • Webinar – 2/15/25 – From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Webinar – 2/15/25 – From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    So many cats, so few trappers… and veterinarians… and holding space… and transporters. If you live in a well populated urban or suburban area and you’re trying to use TNR to address your city or town’s entire free-roaming cat population, you’re going to need a lot of help! How do you mobilize the public to trap the cats in their own backyards and get hands-on involved, attract volunteers and gain community support?

    Learn from the folks who started the community TNR program in New York City and helped other municipalities organize their programs as well. We’ll go over training the public, providing support services, tracking success, gaining publicity and more.

    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 2.5 hours, followed by an optional 15-minute Q&A session. Registration is just $10.00.

    This course/webinar/series/conference has been approved for Continuing Educational Units by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). National certificate holders can submit for credit consistent with the NACA CEU policy located https://nacatraining.org/continuing-education-recertification/

    WEBSITE LINK: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7923043849557765726

  • Online Event – 3/1/25 – Neighborhood Cats TNR Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Online Event – 3/1/25 – 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 of attendance and gain access to an ongoing Facebook group for networking with other TNR activists. Instructed by Susan Richmond, executive director, and Bryan Kortis, national programs director.

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

    This course/webinar/series/conference has been approved for Continuing Educational Units by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). National certificate holders can submit for credit consistent with the NACA CEU policy located https://nacatraining.org/continuing-education-recertification/

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/5162202024417496160

  • Online Event – 2/1/25 – Neighborhood Cats TNR Certification Workshop – Community Cats Podcast (small fee applies)

    Online Event – 2/1/25 – 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 of attendance and gain access to an ongoing Facebook group for networking with other TNR activists. Instructed by Susan Richmond, executive director, and Bryan Kortis, national programs director.

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

    This course/webinar/series/conference has been approved for Continuing Educational Units by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). National certificate holders can submit for credit consistent with the NACA CEU policy located https://nacatraining.org/continuing-education-recertification/

    WEBSITE LINK:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/5162202024417496160

  • Webinar – 2/27/25 – Peer Support in Animal Welfare – NACA/Justice Clearinghouse

    Webinar – 2/27/25 – Peer Support in Animal Welfare – NACA/Justice Clearinghouse

    In the dynamic realm of animal welfare, the significance of peer support cannot be emphasized enough. Join us in this webinar as we explore the concept of peer support and its applications in the fast-paced settings of animal sheltering and animal control. We will address how peer support can enhance other mental health initiatives within your organization and the crucial aspect of proper implementation.

    Unlike first responders, the animal welfare sector lags in mental health resource accessibility and addressing the urgent mental health challenges faced by our professionals. Attendees will receive tools to assist them in joining or establishing a peer support team. By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

    • Define peer support.
    • Recognize when it is required.
    • Identify and understand what constitutes a “Critical Incident” in the Animal Welfare Profession.

    This webinar has been certified by the National Animal Care & Control Association and is approved for 1 Continuing Education Unit. Please refer to your NACA membership portal for current CEU submission process. Current NACA Members who attend the live presentation or watch the recording will be able to download a jointly issued attendance certificate that includes the National Animal Care & Control Association logo. Visit the NACA training page for a complete list of future trainings.

    WEBSITE LINK: https://www.justiceclearinghouse.com/webinar/peer-support-in-animal-welfare/

  • Online Event – 1/21/25 – All Call: Stronger Together – California for All Animals

    Online Event – 1/21/25 – All Call: Stronger Together – California for All Animals

    1/21 All Call Update

    The way we get through the hardest days and nights is together: It’s what we’ve seen in the actions of Los Angeles animal shelters, partner organizations, community members, and neighbors near and far. At the next All Call on January 21, we are shifting gears to create space for what’s most needed now—connection and resource-sharing. Join your colleagues across California at 12 p.m. PT to offer and receive support. SoCal organizations will highlight resources available to shelters as they continue to mobilize to assist pets and people displaced by the fires.

    Postponed: 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? Join the January 21 All Call to preview our upcoming virtual community of practice focused on multicultural engagement! Interested in joining? Let us know at tinyurl.com/partneringforpets.

    Starting on January 28, this new community will provide a space for peer-supported learning, sharing, and networking with fellow professionals dedicated to building stronger connections with all segments of their communities.

    At each meeting, 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.

    Registration priority will be given to Cal for All Animals grantee shelters. As space allows, non-grantee organizations will also be invited to join.

    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 co-leaders Allison Cardona and Nadia Oseguera 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 here: https://tinyurl.com/all-call

  • Webinar – 1/9/25 – 2025: Overcoming Sheltering Setbacks – HASS

    Webinar – 1/9/25 – 2025: Overcoming Sheltering Setbacks – HASS

    In an environment where overcrowded kennels, limited funding and people in need of pet support services unlike ever before are the norm, HASS is inviting you to be a part of the solution to issues like these 2025! In this webinar, Lee Ann Shenefiel, program director for the Hays County Pet Resource Center, will share proven research, programming and free resources for your organization to unite with HASS in changing animal welfare industry setbacks to successes.

    For our new monthly webinar series built for shelter staff or volunteers of all titles, HASS will offer the opportunity to not only attend a live event, but join optional office hours with the keynote speaker for a  continued discussion or problem solving session regarding the webinar topic.

    Those who register for the live event will also receive information on registering for the office hours as well, and we encourage you to share the link directly with your staff!

    WEBSITE LINK: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/7417355808066/WN_fBbC4puzTdypbsJdZBZoZw#/registration

  • Online Event – 2/6/25 – Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection: Protecting Pups – A Shelter Vet’s Guide to Common Infectious Disease – Maddie’s Fund

    Online Event – 2/6/25 – Maddie’s Monthly Foster Connection: Protecting Pups – A Shelter Vet’s Guide to Common Infectious Disease – Maddie’s Fund

    ​​This presentation equips foster caregivers and adopters with essential knowledge about common infectious diseases in dogs, with a focus on practical tips for prevention and management. Covering topics like parasites, distemper, parvo, leptospirosis, canine infectious respiratory disease complex, rabies, heartworm, and tick-borne diseases, attendees will learn what each disease is, how it spreads, and whether it poses a risk to humans. We’ll discuss key signs to watch for, the severity and prognosis of each disease, and steps to prevent infection in pets and their human families.

    Guest Speaker:  Dr. Rachael Wooten, Medical Director, One Tail at a Time

    Dr. Rachael Wooten, a passionate shelter medicine veterinarian with seven years of experience, proudly represents her Black and Puerto Rican heritage. She earned her DVM from Tuskegee University (2017) and after graduation she completed a shelter medicine specialty internship at the University of Illinois CVM. Currently serves as the Medical Director at One Tail at a Time Animal Rescue in Chicago, and has recently completed a Shelter Medicine Fellowship through UW-Madison and UC-Davis.

    Dr. Wooten actively advocates for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the veterinary community. Her commitment to fostering an inclusive environment is underscored by her completion of the CARE REDI certificate and serving on multiple DEI boards, further enriching her ability to make a meaningful impact in the field of animal welfare.

    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

  • Webinar – 1/15/25 – Is “Cage-Free” the Way to Be? Rethinking Shelter Housing for Happier, Healthier Cats – UC Davis KSMP Shelter Learniverse

    Webinar – 1/15/25 – Is “Cage-Free” the Way to Be? Rethinking Shelter Housing for Happier, Healthier Cats – UC Davis KSMP Shelter Learniverse

    When it comes to caring for cats in shelters, housing isn’t just a place to stay—it’s a critical factor in their health and happiness. But how do you know when to go “cage-free” or stick with individual enclosures? In this engaging and practical webinar, we’ll explore the ins and outs of non-cage housing for shelter cats.

    Discover the surprising benefits and hidden risks of room housing. Learn which cats thrive in group environments and which need their own space to feel safe. See real-life examples of smart room setups and furnishings that work for cats, caregivers, and shelter operations alike. Plus, we’ll walk you through an inspiring case study that demonstrates how creative housing solutions make a lifesaving difference in disaster response.

    What you’ll walk away with:

    🐾 A clear understanding of the pros and cons of cage-free vs. cage-based housing.

    🐾 Insights on designing and furnishing non-cage housing that supports social play, stress relief, and behavioral wellness.

    🐾 The skills to make informed decisions on when and how to use group housing to support cats’ natural instincts and well-being.

    Don’t miss your chance to get your questions answered live during the Q&A with shelter design experts Drs. Denae Wagner and Becky Stuntebeck.

    PLUS: Get exclusive access to our new, game-changing Cat Housing Assessment Tool — available for the first time ever to live attendees!

    Get ready to rethink cat housing like never before. Your shelter—and your cats—will thank you!

    #ThankstoMaddie, this webinar is brought to you by Maddie’s Million Pet Challenge Learniverse at the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program.

    Register now: https://tinyurl.com/cathousinginfo

  • Webinar – 12/19/24 – Unleash the Power of Cognitive Challenges: Building Gritty, Resilient Dogs! – FDSA (fee applies)

    Webinar – 12/19/24 – Unleash the Power of Cognitive Challenges: Building Gritty, Resilient Dogs! – FDSA (fee applies)

    Welcome to the Canine Cognitive Challenges Framework, developed by presenter Barbara Lloyd!

    This framework sets a new standard for raising puppies and transforming the mindset and trajectory of mature dogs.

    What to Expect in This Exciting Webinar:

    • In-Depth Video Analysis: Watch Barbara dissect videos of various dogs tackling specific Cognitive Challenges. Gain unprecedented insights into what the data reveals about their problem-solving skills, confidence levels, resilience, and ability to handle frustration.
    • Effective Training Techniques: Learn how to leverage this valuable information to train your dog faster and more effectively. Barbara will share her expert tips and strategies to help you get the best results.
    • Real-World Applications: See the direct translation of Cognitive Challenges work into real-world results. Barbara will showcase footage demonstrating how these techniques improve everyday life, work, and competition performance.

    Why Attend?

    Discover the transformative power of Barbara Lloyd’s Canine Cognitive Challenges and take the first step towards a better-trained, confident and happy dog.

    Presenter: Barbara Lloyd

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

  • Webinar – 1/9/25 – Maddie’s Insights: Benefits of Pair-Housing Dogs on Welfare Measures and Length of Stay – Maddie’s Fund

    Webinar – 1/9/25 – Maddie’s Insights: Benefits of Pair-Housing Dogs on Welfare Measures and Length of Stay – Maddie’s Fund

    Dogs are often housed alone in shelter settings to reduce injury and disease spread. However, social isolation can be a stressor for dogs. Most prior studies have focused on laboratory dogs or shelter dogs that have been kenneled for several months. Thus, those results might not necessarily generalize to shelter dogs, many of which have shorter lengths of stay than those dogs studied to date and might be cohoused soon after intake.

    Dr. Feuerbacher and her team investigated the behavioral and physiological effects of single- or pair-housing shelter dogs, most of which had recently entered the shelter, as well as the impact of pair-housing on length of stay. In this talk, Dr. Feuerbacher will review the literature on cohousing dogs, go into detail on her study methods and results, and discuss the benefits and practical considerations of pair-housing dogs.

    Attendees will learn to:
    1. Identify behavioral and physiological benefits of pair housing
    2. Identify adoption benefits of pair housing
    3. Understand the requirements to consider using pair housing safely

    Register here https://maddies.fund/MIwebcastsRegister

    Can’t attend live? Register anyway and you will get a link to the recording after the webcast.

    Guest Speaker: Dr. Erica Feuerbacher, Associate Professor, School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech and Director, Applied Behavior & Welfare Lab

    Engage with our guest speaker on Maddie’s Pet Forum: https://maddies.fund/MIwebcast01092025

    WEBSITE LINK: https://maddies.fund/MIwebcastsRegister