Having a 90% or higher save rate has become the gold standard for measuring the success or failure of an animal shelter or rescue, and it will continue to be an important metric. The problem is that the save rate focuses only on a singular point in a complex societal issue. The more the animal welfare industry learns about people and pets, the more we realize that the trouble is less about the pets in the shelter and more about the “people problems” that put them there to begin with. Dr. Ellen Jefferson, President and CEO of Austin Pets Alive!, covered this topic in her recent Psychology Today article. Now, she’s joining us alongside Cole Wakefield, Executive Director of The Good Shepherd Humane Society, to discuss in a live webinar. Read the article, bring your questions, and join us to participate in what is sure to be a lively discussion. Vincent Medley, Maddie’s® Director of Human Animal Support Services, will moderate.
Blog
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Online Course – Starts 3/18/24 – Introduction to Shelter Medicine – VIN (fee applies)
Course Information:
Why is my local animal shelter vaccinating puppies so many times? Why are they spaying these kittens so young? Why aren’t my usual treatments working for upper respiratory infections in adopted kittens?Perhaps you’re a private practitioner seeing pets recently adopted from the local shelter. Maybe you’re interested in helping at that shelter. Or perhaps you’ve taken a new position and are new to shelter medicine. Maybe it’s time for a change and you’re considering getting involved in animal welfare. If you’re interested in learning more about the basics of shelter medicine to better support your local shelter and your clients, this course is for you!
Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the course, the participant should be able to
- describe a comprehensive preventive medicine approach, including an intake protocol for dogs and cats entering animal shelters.
- describe how vaccination strategies in shelters differ from private practice.
- discuss the pros and cons of FeLV/FIV screening in shelters.
- discuss which disinfectant classes are recommended for use in animal shelters and how efficacy against various pathogens differs.
- describe the use of trained support staff to effectively and efficiently provide care for all pets entering the shelter.
- discuss the management of common shelter diseases including:
- Feline upper respiratory tract disease
- Canine infectious respiratory disease
- Canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia
- Canine distemper virus
- Dermatophytosis
- discuss strategies to reduce kennel stress and common behavior challenges in shelter-housed dogs, including pharmaceutical interventions, environmental management, and behavior modification.
- discuss balancing disease risk with the enrichment benefits of conspecific play (playgroups) in shelter-housed dogs.
Level and Prerequisites: This basic VIN CE course is open for enrollment to veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists actively interested in shelter medicine.
Credit Approval: This course is approved for 2 hours of continuing education credit by RACE for veterinarians and veterinary technicians/technologists. (RACE 20-1139748)WEBSITE LINK: https://www.vin.com/ce/SHEL103-0324.htm
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Online Certificate Program – Starts 3/11/24 – Animal Shelter Management Certificate Program – Marketing & 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://uc.pacific.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=21282#courseSectionDetails_2946837
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Webinar – 3/10/24 – Ectoparasites: Do We Really Want Them to Take a Bite? – VETGirl
Take a bite out of prevention!
In this complimentary, 1-hour, VETgirl–Ceva Animal Health webinar, Dr. Susan E. Little, DVM, PhD, DACVM (Parasitology) will review how ectoparasites feed and examine the timing of effectiveness of available control products throughout this intricate process. Tune in for a review of preventive measures taken before feeding begins to ensure the highest level of canine comfort and health!
Thanks to sponsorship from Ceva Animal Health, the recording of this webinar will be available to view free and On-Demand until December 31, 2024. (Remember: you must be logged in as a free Basic, ELITE Trial or ELITE member to register for the live event)
WEBSITE LINK: https://vetgirlontherun.com/webinars/march-10-2024-ectoparasites-do-we-really-want-them-to-take-a-bite/
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Webinar – 3/28/24 – The Power of Pets: How Pet-friendly Domestic Violence Shelters Aid Healing, Build Morale, and Support Fundraising – NACA/Justice Clearinghouse
What happens when we support people in crisis and their pets? Join this interactive discussion to learn how creating a pet housing program not only removes a significant barrier to service, but also provides tremendous support in the healing process for people in crisis. You don’t have to be an animal lover to see how including pets in programming can have a powerful effect on everyone involved – from pets, to pet parents, to staff.
This will be an engaging discussion that requires only an open mind and the willingness to shift your lens. Attendees will leave feeling energized and ready to take on the next steps to creating a pet housing program!
NACP and D-SAACP Advocates can earn 1 CEU by attending this webinar through the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP)® and the DoD Sexual Assault Advocate Certification Program (D-SAACP). Founded in 1975, the National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA) is dedicated to the professionalization, leadership and future of the victim advocacy field. To learn more about NOVA, visit trynova.org.
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.
Presenter: Katie Campbell is the Director of Collaboration and Outreach for RedRover, with more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit world. She has worked with diverse communities across racial, ethnic, and economic lines in positions ranging from front-line service to management roles. This has included working closely with survivors of domestic violence, as well as other individuals at risk, and with many nonprofits serving these communities.
Katie is a firm believer that more can be accomplished when organizations work together and with the community, rather than in silos. With this foundation, she provides training and assistance on how to create and sustain community-based pet programs, which includes the importance of recognizing pets in domestic violence, the power of collaboration, and the potential role of pet programs in fundraising.
In partnership with Greater Good Charities’ Rescue Rebuild program, Katie created and spearheads the Don’t Forget the Pets collaborative project. The project aims to support and connect representatives from animal welfare organizations and human services organizations to create pet housing programs to support people and pets in crisis.
WEBSITE LINK: https://www.justiceclearinghouse.com/webinar/the-power-of-pets-how-pet-friendly-domestic-violence-shelters-aid-healing-build-morale-and-support-fundraising/
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Webinar – 3/19/24 – Maximizing Your Reuniting and Re-nesting Strategies for Wildlife – NACA/Justice Clearinghouse
Are you maximizing the ability of your agency to respond to calls about birds and squirrels that have fallen out of nests, very young raccoons seen without mom, or fawns and baby rabbits alone in fields or backyards?
This webinar will help you assess reuniting and renesting opportunities and achieve the best outcome for these animals. Learn how to know when intervention is necessary and focus on strategies that increase opportunities to reunite dependent young with their wild parent(s), including recognizing when community members can help and how to best facilitate that as an organization.
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.
Presenter
John Griffin is the Senior Director of Urban Wildlife Programs for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). John oversees field and policy programs focused on implementing humane and effective approaches to resolving wildlife conflicts across the country. This work includes consulting with—and providing trainings and resources for—animal care and control professionals, law enforcement, wildlife responders and state and municipal agencies. John also assists with field programs requiring capture and chemical immobilization as well as disaster response and wildlife rescue. For nine years, he ran the HSUS’ Humane Wildlife Services program, which provided eviction and exclusion services. From 2015-2016 John was part of a National Geographic Expedition team exploring raccoon behavior in urban areasWEBSITE LINK: https://www.justiceclearinghouse.com/webinar/maximizing-your-reuniting-and-re-nesting-strategies-for-wildlife/
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Online Event – 2/29/24 – American Black History Series: Myth Busting and Bridging Gap – The Ins and Outs of Black Veterinarians Building in Underserved Communities – CARE
Join CARE’s American Black History Month series conversation with Dr. Azalia Boyd, Chief Veterinary Medican Officer, and Dr. Tierra Price, Founder, BlackDVM Network. Topics: Discussing issues, false narratives, stereotypes, and perceptions that can create divides. Using this space to educate builds community and connection to change the inequities impacting the communities.
Speakers: Dr. Tierra Price and Dr. Azalia Boyd
CARE is hosting our 3rd annual American Black History Month Series. This speaker series aims to raise $250,000 towards African American Veterinary Scholarships for students at Tuskegee’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
American Black History Month: Dark Shadows are Evidence of our Ascent.
CARE is telling the stories of suffrage and pain. While the dark shadows were meant to destroy black people, the fact that we can tell our own narratives, is evidence that we have risen.
You must register ahead of the event to receive your registration link. Please click on the link to sign up. While registration is FREE, we are asking everyone to contribute towards our Dr. Jodie G Blackwell Black Veterinary Scholarship fund. Donate Here.
WEBSITE LINK: https://careawo.org/american-black-history/
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Online Event – 2/22/24 – American Black History Series: Environmental Justice and Black Farming and Why They Matter – CARE
Get curious with representatives from CARE’s Environmental Justice, Community Animal CARE, and CARE Center teams. What is Environmental Justice and how is that different from Environmental Protection? What is the Black Farmers Act and why is it needed? Aline Silva interviews Akisha Townsend Eaton, Rae Williams, and Tre Law to share important historical information for Black land owners and farmers, how it intersects with Environmental Justice, and why we should all care about this to benefit humans and animals.
Speakers: Akisha Townsend Eaton, Rae Williams, Tre Law, and Aline Silva
CARE is hosting our 3rd annual American Black History Month Series. This speaker series aims to raise $250,000 towards African American Veterinary Scholarships for students at Tuskegee’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
American Black History Month: Dark Shadows are Evidence of our Ascent.
CARE is telling the stories of suffrage and pain. While the dark shadows were meant to destroy black people, the fact that we can tell our own narratives, is evidence that we have risen.
You must register ahead of the event to receive your registration link. Please click on the link to sign up. While registration is FREE, we are asking everyone to contribute towards our Dr. Jodie G Blackwell Black Veterinary Scholarship fund. Donate Here.
WEBSITE LINK: https://careawo.org/american-black-history/
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Online Event – 2/15/24 – American Black History Series: Figures you should know about, and why you don’t – CARE
Throughout history, we have seen and heard of the stories of powerful figures who, one way or another, influenced the society we live in today. In this segment, we will discuss significant historical figures you may not know about due to our historic and modern-day inequities. As we know, there is still much work to do, especially considering the Human and Animal Wellbeing space.
Speakers: Dr.Alina Luna and Johnny Jenkins
CARE is hosting our 3rd annual American Black History Month Series. This speaker series aims to raise $250,000 towards African American Veterinary Scholarships for students at Tuskegee’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
American Black History Month: Dark Shadows are Evidence of our Ascent.
CARE is telling the stories of suffrage and pain. While the dark shadows were meant to destroy black people, the fact that we can tell our own narratives, is evidence that we have risen.
You must register ahead of the event to receive your registration link. Please click on the link to sign up. While registration is FREE, we are asking everyone to contribute towards our Dr. Jodie G Blackwell Black Veterinary Scholarship fund. Donate Here.
WEBSITE LINK: https://careawo.org/american-black-history/
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Online Event – 1st and 3rd Tuesdays – All Call – California for All Animals
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