Shelter Medicine Training and Workshops

In addition to our unique shelter medicine course work, Maddie’s^® Shelter Medicine Program offers and participates in a variety of learning opportunities from conferences to special courses for veterinarians, veterinary students, and shelter practitioners and staff.

Upcoming Training & Workshops

Online Learning Opportunities

cat reading our newsletter The current pandemic has led to the cancellation of in-person educational events, but provides an opportunity for shelter/rescue staff and volunteers to take advantage of the many online educational options for the animal welfare community.

Here are some recommendations:

Fear Free Shelters. A great credential for all shelter staff and volunteers. Can be completed in less than six hours and is free (including four base modules and one bonus module). Enroll here.
Maddie’s^® University is a free online learning management system that is comprised of a full catalog of classes to help you learn the A to Z of all things animal welfare. Register here.
Online courses and webinars from ASPCAPro.
The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement Learning Center provides educational programs for its members as well as non-members. Learn more here.

Recorded Webinars

Webinars Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

white dog in lap of person working on laptop

COVID-19: 5 Critical Takeaways for Florida Animal Shelters and Spay/Neuter Clinics with Dr. Julie Levy. View here.
Guidance for COVID-19 for Nonprofit, Government and In Practice Veterinary Personnel with Jim Tedford, president and CEO for The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and Certified Animal Welfare Administer (CAWA); Michael Lappin, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM), Chair, WSAVA One Health Committee; Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice), Fran Marino Endowed Professor of Shelter Medicine, Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at UF. View here.
Spay/Neuter in the COVID Era with Dr. Julie Levy, Fran Marino Endowed Professor of Shelter Medicine Education, Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at UF; Aimee St. Arnaud, Director of National Veterinary Programs, Best Friends Animal Society; Sharon Harvey, President and CEO, Cleveland Animal Protective League; Dr. Staci Cannon, Medical Director, Nashville Animal Care and Control. Register and view here.
10 Minutes With The Experts with Dr. Julie Levy, Fran Marino Endowed Professor of Shelter Medicine Education, Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at UF; Dr. Sandra Newbury, University of Wisconsin Shelter Medicine Program. View here.
Best Practice Strategies Before, During & After the Pandemic with Sara Pizano, DVM, MA, Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at UF/Million Cat Challenge and Team Shelter USA. View here.
Coping with Stress During COVID-19 with Jessica Dolce, Certified Compassion Fatigue Educator (CCFE). View here.
Q&A: New Recommendations and Protocol for Sheltering COVID-19 Exposed Pets with Dr. Sandra Newbury, University of Wisconsin Shelter Medicine Program. View here.

Recorded Webinars on Other Topics:

New AAFP FeLV/FIV Guidelines: 5 Critical Takeaways for Your Shelter with Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice), Fran Marino, Endowed Professor of Shelter Medicine, Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at UF. Register and view here.

Past Training & Workshops

Fun with FeLV Cases: Is This Cat Infected?

Jan. 19-21, 2020 – Orlando, Fla.

Dr. Julie Levy and Dr. Susan Little will be presenting on Jan. 19, 2020, at VMX 2020 on feline leukemia virus. FeLV is one of the most common infectious diseases of cats and is found worldwide. This presentation will use real-life cases to illustrate a variety of test results and diagnoses. Additionally, the Shelter Medicine track at the conference will be held on Jan 20-21, and will include managing chronic disease in shelter cats, feline URI, transport, canine respiratory outbreaks, updated FeLV and FIV testing protocols, kitten diarrhea, and more, all happening during the shelter medicine track on Jan. 21-22. Get more information and register here.

KittyCon Tampa Bay

Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2019 – Tampa, Fla.

Dr. Julie Levy, Cameron Moore, and Chrissy Sedgley of the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at UF will be presenting on “FeLV and FIV: Caring for and rehoming vulnerable cats,” “Defining Community Cats,” “The Million Cat Challenge,” and “Reducing Barriers to Adoption” at KittyCon Tampa Bay at the Doubletree by Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore, in Tampa, Fla. View the full schedule here and get more information here.

Compassion Fatigue Strategies Online Course

Sept. 30-Nov 24, 2019 – online

The Maddie’s^® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida is once again offering its Compassion Fatigue Strategies online course with certified compassion fatigue educator Jessica Dolce. This course is open to anyone who works with animals. Registration is available now, with the course beginning Sept. 30, 2019. Learn more.

ABVP Symposium

Oct. 10-13, 2019 – Denver, Colo.

The ABVP Symposium is a leading CE event for veterinarians, veterinary residents, veterinary technicians, and students. The ABVP is the parent organization of the shelter medicine specialty. Former Maddie’s^® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida intern Dr. Meaghan Mielo will be presenting “Spay/Neuter Tattoos: Veterinary Training and Compliance with Practice Guidelines” during the Shelter Medicine track. Learn more and register.

Webinar: How Fear Free and Best Practices Go Hand in Hand in Shelters

Sept. 18, 2019 – online

In this free webinar, Dr. Sara Pizano, who heads up our Million Cat Challenge shelter consultation program and is a Fear Free Certified veterinarian, will discuss how Fear Free and best practices in shelters are intricately woven together. View recorded webinar.

Webinar: 6 Questions to Slay Compassion Fatigue

Sept. 19, 2019 – online

If you want to learn more about how to manage compassion fatigue from Certified Compassion Fatigue Educator Jessica Dolce or if you’re wondering if our upcoming online course, Compassion Fatigue Strategies, which begins Sept. 30 and is also taught by Dolce, is the right kind of support for you or your staff, join us. This webinar is free and open to all who work with animals. Get more information and register here.

Animal Welfare & TNR Conference

August 10-11, 2019 – Puerto Rico

This free, two-day, dual-track conference will include classroom instruction for veterinary and shelter/rescue personnel. The conference is free to all. Participants must register for and attend all training sessions. Learn more.

FeLV: Caring for and Rehoming Vulnerable Cats

July 26, 2019 – Dallas, Tx.

Dr. Julie Levy and Monica Frenden will be presenting about adoption of FeLV cats at the Best Friends Conference. Learn more and register here.

ASPCA Cornell Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Conference

July 12-14, 2019 – Ithaca, N.Y.

Now in its 16th year, this conference provides high-quality education for veterinary, animal shelter, and spay/neuter professionals to improve the quality of care for animals. Learn more and register here.

Making Every Day Count: Population Management for Animal Shelters

June 28, 2019 – Largo, Fla.

Join Dr. Brian DiGangi and Ms.Kate Pullen of the ASPCA for a full-day workshop on how to provide better care for greater numbers of animals without compromising health and welfare. Learn more and register here.

HSUS Animal Care Expo

Apr. 15-18, 2019 – New Orleans, La.

Join Dr. Julie Levy, Dr. Kate Hurley, and the Million Cat Challenge team at our interactive exhibit booth to discover the latest big wins for saving shelter cats. #allthecats Learn more about our speaking sessions here.

Recognizing and Responding to Animal Cruelty

March 30, 2019 – Tallahassee, Fla.

“Recognizing and Responding to Animal Cruelty.” A free seminar in Tallahassee. Email kristina.baucom@aspca.org for more info or to register.

VMX – The World’s Leading Veterinary Conference

Jan. 19-23, 2019 – Orlando, Fla

Dr. Natalie Isaza presenting “One Welfare in Real Life: Experiences from Teaching and Providing Outreach Medicine” for the WSAVA Animal Wellness/Welfare Symposium track. Learn more and register here.

Shelter Medicine Track at the ABVP Symposium

Oct. 11-14, 2018 – Tampa, Fla

Join Dr. Julie Levy, Dr. Cynda Crawford, Dr. Sheilah Robertson, alum Dr. Staci Cannon, UF consultant Dr. Sarah Pizano, and Dr. Elizabeth Berliner, Director of Shelter Medicine at Cornell University, at the annual ABVP Symposium! Learn more.

Diverting Feline Intake

Nov. 16, 2017 – Orlando, Fla

Join Maddie’s^® Professor of Shelter Medicine Dr. Julie Levy, the Florida Animal Welfare Association, and Best Friends for this free seminar, on Nov. 15, 2017, in Sarasota, Fla. (Cat Depot) . Learn more and register here.

What Shelter Cats and Dogs Want You To Know: A Day of Learning with Dr. Julie Levy and Dr. Sarah Kirk

Nov. 15, 2017 – Sarasota, Fla

Join Maddie’s^® Professor of Shelter Medicine Dr. Julie Levy and Dr. Sarah Kirk for this free seminar, on Nov. 15, 2017, in Sarasota, Fla. (Cat Depot) . Click here to learn more or to register.

Veterinarian to Leader: Leadership Skills for Medical Directors

Oct. 27-28, 2017 – Gainesville, Fla.

SOLD OUT! This two-day, in person workshop will zero in on the unique leadership challenges shelter veterinarians face. Attendees will be able to put aside veterinary and technical issues for two days and focus in on what it takes to provide outstanding leadership to a team, including communication skills, collaborative decision making, conflict negotiation, and more. Click here to learn more or to register for this event.

Compassion Fatigue Strategies

Online CE Course, Fall 2017

This online CE course is uniquely designed to offer support for people who work with animals. Transform your experience with compassion fatigue through the instruction of Jessica Dolce, a Certified Compassion Fatigue Educator. Click here for more information or to register.

Surgeons to Leaders CE Workshop

Maddie’s^® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida was proud to present this two-day CE workshop for veterinarians in collaboration with Emancipet. The Surgeons to Leaders CE workshop is designed for professional veterinarians who are on a management career track.

Maddie’s^® Community Cat Management Course

This week-long intensive program will use a combination of lectures, discussions, and clinical laboratories to cover the controversial topic of managing unowned community cats.

The Community Cat Management Course is not currently being offered.

Maddie’s^® Shelter Medicine Conferences

Maddie’s^® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida is not currently scheduling future Shelter Medicine Conferences.

Past Conferences

Collaborative Programs

Veterinary Forensic Sciences

Veterinarians play a critical role in animal cruelty investigations.

The University of Florida’s online graduate certificate program in Veterinary Forensic Sciences is comprised of five 3-credit courses and is provided by the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in partnership with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Veterinary Forensic Science

Operation Catnip

Leaders in Community Cat Management.

Operation Catnip is a nonprofit organization offering free spay/neuter and vaccines for unowned free-roaming community cats from Alachua County, Florida since 1998. Our clinics are run entirely by volunteers (veterinarians, vet technicians and other trained volunteers) and are capable of sterilizing over 200 cats in a matter of hours.

Operation Catnip

Forensic Toxicology

Focused on advanced and general principles.

The University of Florida’s online graduate certificate* program in Forensic Toxicology is comprised of five 3-credit courses and has been designed to meet the needs of today’s working professionals; providing a strong working background in analytical techniques, pharmacokinetics, drug elimination and toxicology .

Forensic Toxicology