Rethinking Rabbits: Integrating the New Shelter Housing Guidelines

Date & Time: Now available on demand

Speakers: Mehnaz Chumkee Aziz, DVM, DABVP, Zarah Hedge, DVM, MPH, DABVP, Sarah Hicks, DVM, Jonna Swanson, DVM

Rabbits are the new kids on the block: Most animal shelters weren’t designed with this sensitive, recently-domesticated species in mind. A shelter stay can spike stress both for bunnies and the teams challenged with meeting their needs.

The first-ever Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) Guidelines for Humane Rabbit Housing in Animal Shelters is here to help. Join Drs.Chumkee Aziz, Zarah Hedge, Sarah Hicks and Jonna Swanson for a conversation on applying these new standards— developed by nearly two dozen rabbit care, facility design and shelter medicine experts—to your everyday shelter scenarios. These experts will break down:

• The why behind the recommendations and how they bridged data gaps
• The highest-impact recommendations to focus on first
• Solutions for common shelter challenges
• Doable first steps for shelters with limited budgets and small teams

Approved for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit by RACE, CAWA, and NACA. Missed it? Click the link below to watch the recording and access the resources.

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The Fungus Among Us: Preventing, Diagnosing, and Treating Ringworm

Presenters: Cynthia Karsten, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice), KSMP, Rebecca Stuntebeck, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice), Paws to Elevate, Erica Schumacher, DVM, UW Madison Shelter Medicine Program

In this webinar, experienced shelter veterinarians share how new and ongoing research has transformed the way they diagnose, treat, and manage ringworm in shelter settings. Drawing from hands-on experience treating a lot of cats, they’ll break down updates on what works and how to avoid overcomplicated pathways that lead to increased LOS and unnecessary crowding.

You’ll walk away with practical, evidence-based guidance for building a consistent and effective ringworm management strategy, one that protects animal health and supports well-being during treatment—and preserves staff sanity.

By the end of this webinar, you’ll be able to:

• Confidently distinguish true ringworm infections from look-alikes
• Build an effective, streamlined treatment protocol, including how to determine cure
• Support the well-being of animals and staff using insights from the newly updated Ringworm Management Guidebook

Approved for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit by RACE, CAWA, and NACA.

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You Can Handle It! Humane Techniques & Tools for Shelter Med Procedures

Date & Time: June 17, 2026, 4-5pm

Animals’ fear, anxiety, and stress coming into the shelter can turn an exam, vaccinations, or the euthanasia experience into a tense, even traumatic, ordeal for all involved, compromising care, safety, and efficiency. With often little information about an animal’s history and the need to balance safety with population health, solid humane handling techniques and tools are foundational for medical teams.

When that 70-pound dog won’t stop spinning and snapping, or the senior cat wants to lash out from the crate, is your team prepared to respond in a way that won’t cause lasting trauma to the animals or the team? In this episode of Shelter Med LIVE, relief shelter veterinarian Dr. Michelle Gaston and Humane Innovations founder John Peaveler join host Dr. Jenn Bennett to share tips and techniques for humane handling and behavior management in high-stress shelter situations.

You'll leave this conversation knowing:

• Techniques for defensive handling/protected contact that may differ from what you were taught in veterinary school
• Equipment and safety tools help protect staff while minimizing the impact to the animal’s experience
• How the veterinarian’s leadership role impacts shelter handling culture and why strategic support is essential for medical teams
• How investment in proper humane handling training and equipment helps the shelter’s bottom line – it just makes good financial and people sense!

Shelter Med LIVE isn’t a lecture—it's a conversation for veterinarians, and everyone else who wants to talk shop on shelter medicine. Kick back and recharge with your colleagues in the middle of a long week! Find past episodes on-demand in the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program Shelter Learniverse, #ThanksToMaddie!This event has been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit by CAWA and NACA.

Can't make it live? Register now to receive the recording later.

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Decisions, Decisions: Sharing Shelter Leadership

Date & Time: Now available on demand

At the end of the day, shelter veterinarians and organizational leadership are aligned in purpose...but why doesn’t it always feel that way? When roles, authority, and expectations overlap or conflict, working together can be tricky. Yet team clarity and animal outcomes depend on collaboration—especially in high-stakes situations. At the May Shelter Med LIVE, we dove into how we can build better relationships with executive leadership, advocate for medical standards, and take more leadership in shelter decision-making.

Host Dr. Jenn Bennett and guests Drs. Erin Doyle and Ada Norris discussed ways to strengthen your role across three core areas that drive clinical care:

• Shelter policies and protocols
• Population health strategies
• Organizational culture

Shelter Med LIVE isn’t a lecture—it's a conversation for everyone who wants to talk shop on shelter medicine. Kick back and recharge with your colleagues in the middle of a long week!

Couldn't make it live? Click the link below to receive the recording and resources, accessible through the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program Shelter Learniverse, #ThanksToMaddie! This event has been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit by CAWA and NACA.

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