UF Shelter Medicine Online

Welcome back and happy first day of class, future Gator alumni!! 🐊✨

We think first day introductions are in order!

Whether you’re working in a shelter or in veterinary medicine, logging on from Gainesville, Michigan or somewhere in between, say hi in the comments!!

Bonus points for introducing the pet who will inevitably be studying alongside you this semester. 🐶🐱📚

New World Screwworm is probably a name you already know. But after being pushed out of the U.S. decades ago, it’s something we have to talk about again.

While companion animal cases remain uncommon, shelters, rescues and community cat programs should know what to look for and how to prepare. The UF Shelter Medicine Program has brought together resources from trusted veterinary, animal welfare and government organizations covering prevention, diagnosis, treatment, transport considerations and more.

We hope these resources can help animal welfare organizations stay informed, prepared and ready to protect the animals in their care as we learn more.

Find our New World Screwworm resources here: https://bit.ly/45Zvu0B

Guidance on Screwworm for Shelters, Rescues & TNR Programs » Shelter Medicine Program » College of Veterinary Medicine » University of Florida New World Screwworm (NWS) is an emerging concern for animal shelters, rescue organizations, and community cat programs.

To all of our Summer 2026 UF Shelter Medicine graduates, congratulations! 🎓✨

We’re proud of the passion and dedication you bring to protecting animals everywhere. The work you’ve done and continue to do matters, and we know you’ll carry that same commitment into every animal, shelter and community you serve. 🐊

Meet our Summer 2026 grads here: https://bit.ly/45dtd1y

Our own Dr. Becky Morrow has received the 2026 AVMA Meritorious Service Award! 🎉

The award recognizes a veterinarian whose service has brought honor and distinction to the profession. Through her work expanding access to veterinary care, training professionals around the world and supporting animal cruelty investigations as a volunteer forensic veterinarian, Dr. Morrow has made an impact on countless animals and communities.

We’re also fortunate to have her share that experience with students across multiple courses in our online Shelter Medicine Graduate Program.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Morrow on this well-deserved recognition! 🐾

🐈Shelter Scenario:

A litter of recently admitted kittens is moved into the general cat population after intake. Within a few days, staff notice vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and a sudden drop in appetite. One kitten declines quickly, and now another cat housed nearby is starting to look “off.”

For shelter professionals, this is a situation where timing, housing history, vaccination status and quick decision-making matter.

What’s going on here, and what would your next step be?

In animal shelters, data can tell a bigger story than what’s happening on any one day. 📊

VME 6815: Animal Shelter Population Management by the Metrics teaches students how to retrieve, assess and interpret population-level shelter data to make more timely, data-driven decisions. From animal flow to disease monitoring, this course helps students look beyond annual reports and use metrics proactively to support animal health and improve shelter operations. Students will explore data collection, basic epidemiological and statistical principles and how to evaluate data quality so they can better understand what the numbers are really saying.

Learn more about the course below. ⬇️

https://bit.ly/4vAbCeW

There’s only one week left to apply for Fall 2026! 🐾

Designed for working professionals and aspiring leaders, UF's 100% online Shelter Medicine program offers master’s, graduate certificate and non-degree options to help you grow your impact without stepping away from your career.

Applications are closing soon. Take the next step toward the role you’ve been working for. ⬇️

https://bit.ly/4vuab1L

Shelter leaders, how does your community prepare for July 4th?🎆

For many shelters, the holiday does not end when the fireworks stop. The days around July 4th can bring an increase in lost pets, stray intakes, reunification efforts and urgent community messaging.
Some shelters focus on microchip clinics or ID tag events before the holiday. Others increase lost-and-found communication, prepare foster pleas, adjust staffing or share very specific pet safety reminders with their communities.

We’d love to hear what has worked where you are.

What does your shelter do before, during or after July 4th that has made a difference for pets and families in your community?🐾

Shelter medicine is sometimes misunderstood as “just shelter work.”

But for the professionals in it, the field is much bigger than that.

It touches population health, infectious disease, access to care, community programs, animal welfare, behavior, leadership and the systems that shape outcomes for animals and people.

Our 100% online Shelter Medicine program gives professionals a way to build that knowledge through master’s, graduate certificate and continuing education options.

Fall applications are closing in 1 month. Apply today or find out more below.⬇️

https://bit.ly/4uMRgQ6