Shelter Medicine Training and Workshops

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

Upcoming Training & Workshops

shelter dogAnimal Care Expo

May 14-17, 2018

Convention Center, Kansas City, Missouri

www.animalsheltering.org/expo

  • Monday, May 14, 2018 (7:30 am – 3:00 pm)

    Managing community cats: How to fix 300 cats in a weekend

    Dr. Julie Levy, Professor of Shelter Medicine, University of Florida Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program, College of Veterinary Medicine
    Dr. Christine Wilford, Founder, Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project

    Securing affordable, high volume spay/neuter services for free-roaming cats is often a challenge for trap/neuter/return (TNR) programs. One solution is a mass spay/neuter clinic which brings together veterinarians, veterinary technicians and other volunteers for one or two days to alter a large number of cats. Many organizations have turned to weekend mass spay/neuter clinics to expand capacity. In this hands-on learning lab, participants will learn the basics of setting up and operating a mass spay/neuter clinic. NOTE: This learning lab will take place at Spay and Neuter Kansas City. Roundtrip transportation from the Convention Center will be provided. Bus will depart promptly at 7:30 a.m.

  • Wednesday, May 16, 2018: 10:15am – 11:45am

    Balancing customer care with capacity for care: Mastering the art of “Yes, and …”

    Dr. Julie Levy, Professor of Shelter Medicine, University of Florida Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program, College of Veterinary Medicine
    Dr. Kate Hurley, Director, UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program

    We never want to say “no” to an animal or community member in need, but how do we balance that with our capacity to care for the animals already in the shelter? In this lively and participatory workshop, leaders in the field will share practical, service-oriented ways to turn, “No, we can’t take this cat today” into “Yes, we will help you, and here are some options.”

  • Thursday, May 17, 2018: 9:00am – 10:30am

    What comes after one million?

    Dr. Kate Hurley, Director, UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program
    Dr. Julie Levy, Professor of Shelter Medicine, University of Florida Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program, College of Veterinary Medicine

    At an Expo not long ago, we dared to imagine reaching a tipping point for how cats are cared for in our shelters and communities. The Million Cat Challenge was born out of the energy of that gathering. Our goal was to document and support the successful cat-saving strategies springing up across North America. Just five years later, the goal of “the million” has been convincingly exceeded—but we’re not done yet. Millions more cats will count on us in the years to come, and shelters need tools, knowledge and community support to succeed. Find out the best lessons learned from the first million and discover how you can be part of locking in and perfecting the methods that work to help cats, the people who care for them and the communities we serve.

Past Training & Workshops

CatDiverting 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 is 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.

  • At this time the Community Cat Management Course is on hold until further notice.

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).

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.

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 .

Other Sheltering & Shelter Medicine Training Resources