UF Shelter Medicine Online

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

It's Veterinary Appreciation Day, and we’re celebrating our people already doing the work in shelters, clinics, rescues and animal welfare spaces.

From the long hours and hard conversations to the full kennels and everyday problem-solving, we’re grateful for the veterinarians, vet techs, shelter medicine professionals and clinic teams who keep showing up for the animals and communities that need them. 🐾

If even one animal is better off because of you today, we’d call that a pretty good day.

Thank you for all that you continue to do. 🧡

Some kitten fosters may not think of themselves as fosters at all. 🐈

During kitten season, many shelters are working to grow their foster base while also managing high intake, limited space and urgent care needs. But in some communities, support may not be starting from zero.

Research highlighted by ASPCA Pro found that in Los Angeles County zip codes with high kitten intake, 26% of surveyed residents had already fostered kittens on their own without formal shelter support. At the same time, the biggest barriers to fostering were time, cost and space.

For shelter professionals, that raises a useful question. How can shelters better support the people who are already helping kittens in informal ways?

That could mean offering supplies, medical care, short-term foster options, bilingual materials or even simpler training.

Not every person helping kittens will become a traditional foster. But with the right structure, some may be able to help in unexpected ways.

As kitten season continues, what is your shelter doing to make foster support more realistic for the people already helping kittens in your community? 💬

Read more from ASPCA Pro here: https://bit.ly/43IhFCz

For Erika Oguro, her shelter medicine journey started with one question. 🐾

While volunteering at an animal shelter in Los Angeles during an undergraduate exchange program, she noticed how different shelter operations were compared to those in Japan. When she asked why, the staff asked her, “Do you know about shelter medicine?”

The conversation was life-changing.

Erika began researching the field in Japanese, only to find that no university in Japan offered shelter medicine as a specialized area of study. She knew she wanted to help bring that knowledge home and applied to UF’s online Shelter Medicine program.

Since beginning the program in Spring 2023, Erika has helped translate the full ASV Guidelines into Japanese, co-founded the Japan Animal Shelter Alliance and continued working to expand access to shelter medicine education in Japan. Today, she runs the nonprofit while also developing shelter management software designed specifically for Japan’s sheltering landscape. 🐕

Her capstone work focused on a deeply important need: animal disaster response in Japan. After hearing from municipal shelter staff about the challenges they face during emergencies, Erika conducted a nationwide survey of local governments and plans to share her findings with participating municipalities in Japanese.

Now as an alumna, Erika is continuing to build toward a future where shelter medicine is more widely understood, more accessible and more deeply connected to animal welfare in Japan. Through her work, she hopes to help shift the field toward “evidence-based, welfare-centered decision-making” that protects both animals and the people who care for them.

From a question she first heard inside a Los Angeles shelter to the work she’s now leading in Japan, Erika is helping make shelter medicine easier to learn, talk about and put into practice!

Big dogs can have big personalities, big love to give and, in many shelters, a much longer wait for adoption. ❤️‍🩹

Hill’s 2026 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report found that large dogs are facing some of the longest shelter stays, with many potential adopters weighing concerns like space, cost, housing restrictions and confidence in caring for a larger dog.

For shelters, that points to a real opportunity: helping adopters feel more prepared through conversations about training, behavior, cost expectations, lifestyle fit and what caring for a large dog can actually look like.

Sometimes the barrier is not a lack of interest. It is uncertainty.

What do you think? Have you experienced this issue in your shelter?

The full report offers a helpful look at the barriers large dogs face and what shelters can do to support better outcomes. ➡️ https://bit.ly/3RQ34ST

Rescue dog people, this one is for you! 🐾

Today is National Rescue Dog Day, a reminder of the second chances made possible through shelters, rescues, fosters and adopters.

So in honor of the day, obviously, we need to see the dogs!

If you have a rescue dog, tell us about the dog you adopted, fostered or accidentally let take over your entire life. Drop their name, photo or adoption story in the comments. We want to know who’s running your house! 🐕

A doggy day out might sound simple, but the research behind it is worth paying attention to.🦮

Recent studies have found that short-term foster stays and doggy day outs can improve shelter dog welfare and increase their chances of adoption.

Dogs who spent just 1 to 2 nights in foster care were 14.3x more likely to be adopted, while dogs who went on outings like field trips or doggy days out were 5x more likely to be adopted!

And the team’s latest paper takes it a step further, showing that a weeklong break from the shelter was linked to even more rest and reduced stress.

Check out the full paper here: https://peerj.com/articles/20608/

🐕 If you’re seeing this, chances are you want to make a difference in shelter pet care. Well, we can help! VME 6813: Behavioral Health for Shelter Dogs and Cats is your go-to course for understanding and improving shelter animal behavior.

Ever wonder why some pets end up in shelters? Or how to help them thrive while they’re there? This course covers everything from canine and feline communication to tackling common behavioral issues. Plus, you’ll get practical tips that can actually boost adoption and retention rates. 🐾✨

Learn More: https://bit.ly/4cWiugB

Congratulations to our Spring 2026 Online Shelter Medicine grads! 🎓 Your dedication to improving animal care and advocating for their well-being is inspiring.

We can’t wait to see the difference you’ll make for animals and communities everywhere. 🐾

April 30th is Adopt a Shelter Pet Day 🐾

Every year, millions of animals wait in shelters for a second chance. Adopting a pet not only gives them a home, it can change your life too. If adoption isn’t an option for you, there are so many ways you can help your local animal shelter.

🐕 Volunteer your time by walking, feeding or spending social time with shelter animals.

🏡 Foster a pet to give an animal a temporary home and free up space for others.

💉 Sponsor a dog by contributing to medical care, food or shelter costs for a specific animal.

🧸 Donate supplies such as crates, toys, blankets, food and bedding.

📢 Spread the word by following and sharing local shelter posts to help pets find homes.

🎁 Host a fundraiser or food drive to rally your community to support local shelters.

It doesn't have to be much. Whatver time or energy you decide to give will go a long way to help your local shelter! What are you doing to help animals in your community?❤️