The UF College of Veterinary Medicine’s newsletter, The Veterinary Page, recently featured a profile of Dr. Lauren Rockey, a 2012 graduate and recipient of Maddie’s® Certificate in Shelter Medicine and Maddie’s® Award for Excellence in Shelter Medicine.
When new UF College of Veterinary Medicine graduate Dr. Lauren Rockey turned 18 – the age she had to be to volunteer at her local county animal shelter – she visited the shelter to begin the paperwork. In the coming year, she fostered neonatal kittens and cats with upper respiratory infections, exercised and performed basic obedience lessons with dogs, and visited the local farmer’s market every weekend with dogs and cats for adoptions.
That year was when she decided she wanted to become a veterinarian- but only if she could focus on shelter medicine in her career.