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  • Maddie’s Insights: Exploring efficacy, barriers, and best practices of companion animal foster caregiving - On Demand
    Contains 5 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Explore animal and caregiver welfare, barriers to foster caregiver recruitment and retention, and best practices for foster care programs in animal shelters.

    Maddie's® Insights is our ongoing webcast series with practical tips based on current research to help pets and people. 

    Presenters: 
    Grace Phillips, Master’s Student, Virginia Tech, School of Animal Sciences
    Lisa Gunter, PhD, Assistant Professor of Animal Behavior & Welfare at Virginia Tech in the School of Animal Sciences

    Program Description: 
    Foster care is a unique form of human-animal interaction that is increasingly understood to be an effective tool for improving the welfare of shelter-living animals. Even brief stays in foster care can allow animals to escape the stressors of the shelter, provide an environment that allows for greater social interaction, and offer opportunities for improved health and behavior. In this presentation, the presenters highlight the key takeaways revealed in the 42 published articles evaluating companion animal foster care programs that are included in our recent review paper: Companion animal foster caregiving: A scoping review exploring animal and caregiver welfare, barriers to caregiver recruitment and retention, and best practices for foster care programs in animal shelters. During our discussion, they examine a variety of foster care programs that have been studied, explore the evidence of their effects on human and animal welfare, evaluate the successes and challenges in supporting shelter foster care programs, illuminate discrepancies in equity and diversity of caregiver engagement that offer opportunities for recruitment, and recommend best practices for lasting programmatic success.

    Learning objectives:
    1.     Describe scientific research about foster caregiving as an intervention for companion animals.

    2.     Identify the proximate (i.e., physical and emotional) and distal (i.e., length of stay and adoption outcomes) welfare benefits of foster caregiving for shelter animals as well as their caregivers.

    3.     Explore opportunities for improving foster care programs in animal shelters, including utilizing a stepwise approach to foster caregiving, providing greater caregiver support, increasing the diversity of caregiver involvement, and expanding the extent of community engagement within foster care programs.

    Earn continuing education credit from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement towards 1.0 CAWA CEs. This webinar has also been pre-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). It has also been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit until 2/14/2027 in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval. Complete the quiz to earn continuing education credit.

    Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, follow a discussion or ask questions: https://maddies.fund/MIwebcast041025

    keywords  Maddie's Insights, pet foster care, barriers to pet foster care, Dr. Lisa Gunter, Grace Phillips


    Lisa Gunter, PhD, CAAB, CBCC-KA

    Assistant Professor

    Virginia Tech School of Animal Sciences

    Dr. Lisa Gunter is an Assistant Professor of Animal Behavior & Welfare at Virginia Tech in the School of Animal Sciences and directs the Companion Animal Research & Education (CARE) Lab. Before beginning her graduate studies, she worked for nearly a decade with dogs in animal shelters and owners and their dogs. Over her academic career, she has investigated the breed labeling of shelter dogs, their breed heritage, shelter housing and social interactions with other dogs and people, weeklong fostering, temporary stays in foster homes, short-term outings, behavioral indicators of welfare, post-adoption interventions focused on owner retention, canine adoption and relinquishment in the animal shelter - and more recently, fostering during the pandemic and safety net programs aimed at keeping people and their pets together. Prior to joining Virginia Tech, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Coastal Carolina University and the Maddie’s Fund Research Fellow at Arizona State University and managed the ASU/VT Maddie’s Nationwide Fostering Study. Lisa earned her PhD and MA degrees in the behavioral neuroscience and comparative psychology program at Arizona State University in the Canine Science Collaboratory.

    Grace Phillips

    M.S. student

    Virginia Tech, School of Animal Sciences

    Grace Phillips is a M.S. student in the Animal Behavior & Welfare Group at Virginia Tech in the School of Animal Sciences. Grace earned her B.S. in biology and psychology from the College of William & Mary. After graduation, she worked on human-animal interaction research studies in the Center for Human-Animal Interaction (CHAI) at Virginia Commonwealth University Health. She also provided foster homes to shelter animals at Heritage Humane Society. While Grace’s undergraduate degree and time at CHAI sparked her love of research, education, and inquiry, her experiences with animal sheltering and therapy dogs enhanced her interest in animal welfare and furthering her understanding of animal behavior. As a graduate student mentored by Dr. Lisa Gunter, Grace is able to combine her research interests and passion for animal advocacy in their Center for Applied Animal Research & Education (CAARE) through research focused on companion animal welfare and behavior. Currently, Grace is studying the efficacy of hybrid foster programs in which dogs reside in PetSmart Everyday Adoption Centers during the day and caregiver homes at night, changes in activity levels of dogs in the animal shelter and once placed in a home, and enrichment interventions that improve the welfare of shelter-living animals.

  • Creating a Movement: The Beginning of #FosterMeLouisville
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits

    How Stephanie Jackson, Public Information Officer of Louisville Metro Animal Services​ got the dog foster program off the ground, built a thriving online community, and engaged foster caregivers.

    This course is part of Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection, monthly webcasts about foster care - supporting pets in our community and animal shelters. 

     In this presentation, Stephanie Jackson, Public Information Officer, Louisville Metro Animal Services shares insights on how she got the dog foster program off the ground, built a thriving online community, and engaged foster caregivers. She’ll dive into the impact of their field trip program, provide practical tips on fostering engagement within your online groups and discuss how she works foster care into the shelter's communications regularly. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow, you’ll leave with actionable strategies to boost your canine foster program!

    Presenter: Stephanie Jackson, Public Information Officer, Louisville Metro Anima Services

    This webinar has been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.

    Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, follow a discussion or ask questions: https://maddies.fund/FosterCon...


    Stephanie Jackson

    Public Information Officer

    Louisville Metro Animal Services

    Stephanie Jackson is a dynamic advocate for animal welfare, celebrated in Louisville and beyond for her transformative work with Louisville Metro Animal Services. As the Public Information Officer, Stephanie brings the stories of the shelter to life—sharing their triumphs, challenges, and the urgent need for community support. Before stepping into her current role, Stephanie spent seven impactful years as the foster coordinator, where she revitalized a struggling program into a lifesaving force. Her innovative “field trip foster program,” honored by Louisville Magazine as the “Best Hour of Your Life,” exemplifies her creative approach to giving shelter animals a better chance at life. 

    Stephanie’s influence extends far beyond local shelter walls. From pioneering compassionate programs like behavioral, hospice, and ringworm fostering to advocating for misunderstood dogs, her work has touched countless lives. Her expertise earned national recognition, including a feature from the Associated Press for her role in Mutual Rescue’s Doggy Day Out Toolkit. Through continued learning with Maddie’s Fund, Stephanie stays at the forefront of sheltering best practices, traveling the country to improve animal care strategies.

    Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family, geeking out about all things dog-behavior, and diving into her love for music. Her unwavering dedication and creativity make her a true champion for animals and a source of inspiration for her community.

  • Behavior Plans to Reduce Hyperarousal in Shelter Dogs: The Impact of Setup and Choice
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Learn how to identify triggers of canine hyperarousal, create tailored behavior modification plans, and implement practical strategies that support the well-being of shelter dogs while enhancing safety and adoption success.

    This course is part of Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection, monthly webcasts about pet behavior - supporting pets in our community and animal shelters.

    Canine hyperarousal behaviors like rapid jumping and grabbing are common challenges in animal shelters, impacting dog welfare, adoption prospects, and the safety of both shelter personnel and animals. Without effective intervention, these behaviors can escalate, reducing a dog's chances of finding and keeping a forever home. Learn how to identify triggers, create tailored behavior modification plans, and implement practical strategies that support the well-being of shelter dogs while enhancing safety and adoption success.

    Presenter: Ferdie Yau, MA, CPDT-KA

    This webinar has been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.

    Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, access the resources, follow a discussion or ask questions: https://maddies.fund/BehaviorC...

    kewords Maddie's Monthly Behavior Connection, Ferdie Yau, canine behavior, hyperarousal in shelter dogs

    Ferdie Yau (MA, CPDT-KA)

    Founder

    Sits & Wiggles Dog Training

    Ferdie Yau (MA, CPDT-KA) is an animal trainer and ecologist who founded Sits & Wiggles Dog Training in New York City in 2009. He specializes in treating complex canine behavior problems and consults with animal shelters nationwide. He is the Staff Trainer at the Humane Society of Westchester and lead workshop instructor for CATCH Canine Trainers Academy. Before working with dogs, Ferdie trained cooperative care behaviors with dozens of species at the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York and developed the behavior and enrichment plan to treat stereotypies in the Central Park Zoo polar bears. He holds a BS in Ecology from the University of Michigan and an MA in Conservation Biology from Columbia University. His experience includes working in environmental education, wildlife rehabilitation, jaguar research and conservation, and restoring heavily disturbed forest and aquatic ecosystems. In his free time, Ferdie studies the lives of urban coyotes living in the New York City Metropolitan area.

  • Dog Behavior Collection: Unwanted Behavior
    Contains 6 Product(s) 1 new product(s) added recently

    Find help for unwanted dog behavior

    Many of us get interested in dog behavior because of a desire to help an individual dog who is displaying behavior that is resulting in impaired welfare for the dog, other animals, or people. There are so many different ways we can modify dog behavior.  Items in this collection utilize training methods that reduce the potential for causing further harm by using harsh or threatening tools or techniques.  

    When attempting to modify behavior in the shelter environment, we need to consider the benefit of the training versus the negative consequences of staying in the stressful shelter environment. Shelters that don’t have strong behavior programs should begin by focusing on meeting basic needs of dogs (link bhr 101) through things like enrichment and foster programs.  

    Once you have those programs and are doing all you can to support dog welfare, that’s when it’s potentially time to start thinking about modifying unwanted dog behavior in foster homes and the shelter environment.  

    This collection includes information about various dog behavior concerns and how to support dogs.

    Additional Content that supports this topic: 

    Maddie's University Dog Behavior Collection: Training and Behavior Modification  

    Maddie's University Behavior Collection: Behavior 101

  • Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition Question and Answer Session - On-demand
    Contains 3 Component(s)

    Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition is all about getting ready for kitten season! This webcast is a recording of the follow-up Question and Answer session recorded on March 18, 2025.

    Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition is all about getting ready for kitten season! This webcast is a recording of the follow-up Question and Answer session recorded on March 18, 2025.

    To learn more about Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition and download handouts from all the sessions, visit Maddie's Pet Forum: https://forum.maddiesfund.org/...

    Speakers:
    Monica Tarant, Chief Innovation Officer, Give Them Ten (Moderator)
    Dr. Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP, Fran Marino Endowed Distinguished Professor of Shelter Medicine, University of Florida
    Marnie Russ, Founder at National Kitten College
    Tabitha Kucera, Owner at Chirrups and Chatter Cat and Dog Behavior Consulting and Training

    Keywords: Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition, Monica Tarant, Dr. Julie Levy, Marnie Russ, Tabitha Kucera, kitten care

  • Doors Wide Open: Engaging with Human and Social Service Providers to Increase Access to Care for Animals and People - On-demand
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Working with human healthcare and social service providers to increase care access for animals and their people!

    Doors Wide Open is a series of short discussions about practical solutions that organizations are using to address barriers to accessing pet care and resources in their communities. 

    Human social services and healthcare organizations can be critical partners with animal welfare in intake diversion/surrender prevention. 

    This session focuses on:
      1. Understanding the types of human services typically encountered in animal welfare work
      2. Quickly raising awareness of common ground and shared goals for collaboration around human and animal welfare
      3. Offering simple strategies to engage in ongoing relationships with key human service providers.

    Guest Speaker: Janet Hoy-Gerlach, Director of Veterinary Social Work at Open Door Veterinary Collective

    Earn continuing education credit from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement towards 1.0 CAWA CEs. This webinar has also been pre-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). 

    Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, follow a discussion or ask questions: https://forum.maddiesfund.org/...

    keywords Doors Wide Open, Open Door Veterinary Collective, human social services and animal welfare


    Janet Hoy-Gerlach, PhD, LISW-S

    Associate Professor, University of Toledo School of Social Justice

    Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach has extensive experience as a social work practitioner in the public mental health service system and is an avid advocate for the inclusion of human-animal interaction considerations within social work practice. Her current research is focused on: benefits of the human-animal bond; facilitators of mental health recovery among individuals living with mental illness; and the use of qualitative research to inform intervention research. She is on the board of the Toledo Area Humane Society (TAHS), where she developed and supervises MSW internship placements that facilitate benefits of human-animal interaction. She helped develop the TAHS Hope and Recovery Pet Program (HARP), which places shelter animals as Emotional Support Animals (ESAs); this is one of the only such programs in the United States. Dr. Hoy provides expert witness testimony for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Department on benefits of human-animal interaction.

  • Camp Maddie: Kitten Edition Package
    Contains 5 Product(s)

    Prepare for kitten season with expert guidance!

    With shelters already stretched thin, this series provides critical insights from industry experts to help organizations scale up their responses to meet the needs of more vulnerable kittens in their communities. These webcasts are designed to equip participants with essential skills and knowledge to tackle the challenges of the upcoming kitten season which is expected to be particularly demanding.

    Speakers are among the top professionals in this field:
    • Dr. Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP, Fran Marino Endowed Distinguished Professor of Shelter Medicine, University of Florida
    • Marnie Russ, Founder, National Kitten College
    • Monica Tarant, Chief Innovation Officer, Give Them Ten Movement
    • Tabitha Kucera, RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP, Owner, Chirrups and Chatter

    For complete information about the agenda and speakers, visit https://forum.maddiesfund.org/...


  • The Rez Clinic Manifesto: How to deliver high volume spay/neuter veterinary care on Native American reservations in a sustainable, impactful and culturally sensitive way
    Contains 6 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Developed by the team at First Nations Veterinary, this course will teach you how to create and deliver high-volume spay/neuter veterinary care. Approved for 3.0 hours of credit from the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) program of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB).

    Developed by the team at First Nations Veterinary, this course will teach you how to create and deliver high-volume spay/neuter veterinary care. The course is specifically geared toward clinic work on Native American reservations, but can be applied to any mobile or MASH-type setting. In this course we examine key decisions in service delivery, with an emphasis on ASPCA Spay/Neuter Alliance protocols and real world experience.

    The First Nations Veterinary mobile unit delivers six clinics a year on multiple reservations. They provide spay/neuter surgery for cats and dogs as well as offering preventatives and addressing minor wellness issues. In their years of delivering clinics, they've honed an efficient process that minimizes stress for both pets and humans. In this course, you'll receive everything you need to deliver a clinic in a mobile or MASH-type setting, including protocols, contracts and inventory spreadsheet.

    This course has been approved for 3.0 hours of credit from the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) program of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). 

  • Maddie’s Insights: Helping the Helpers: Improving shelter staff well-being - On Demand
    Contains 5 Component(s), Includes Credits

    Learn about the difference between burnout and compassion fatigue, the results of Best Friends Animal Society's well-being survey, and what we can learn from innovative veterinary well-being practices.

    Maddie's® Insights is our ongoing webcast series with practical tips based on current research to help pets and people. 

    Presenters: 
    Peter J. Wolf, Research and Policy Analyst, Best Friends Animal Society
    Amanda Weiss, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist

    Program Description: Shelters and rescue groups have shown great resilience, finding innovative ways to save animals despite major challenges. However, many workers face burnout and compassion fatigue, leading some to leave the field.

    In 2023, Best Friends conducted the largest U.S. survey on shelter staff well-being. Nearly half of respondents reported high compassion satisfaction, and most plan to stay in their roles. Yet, over half showed high burnout, and over 90% had high compassion fatigue, raising concerns about staff well-being and the sustainability of lifesaving efforts.

    This presentation will focus on positive solutions and how shelters can learn from veterinary well-being practices to support staff and volunteers.

    Learning objectives:
    Participants will learn about (1) the difference between burnout and compassion fatigue (2) the results of our well-being survey, and (3) what we can learn from innovative veterinary well-being practices.

    Specifically, attendees will learn to:

    1.     Feel validated for working in a profession in which multiple (potentially sensitive) factors are always in play: financial pressure, emergency cases, humane euthanasia, fast-paced environment, a steady influx of more animals to help, etc.

    2.     Understand that we can manage our own responses by implementing and practicing skills, and that our reaction influences those around us.

    3.     Trust that the strongest intervention to burnout and compassion fatigue is thoughtful and deliberate prevention, especially in the context of not being able to fully predict or control our work environment.

    4.     Appreciate that proactive conversations will likely need to occur with many colleagues and within all levels of leadership, including needs assessments, expectations, deliverables, and healthy boundaries. 

    Earn continuing education credit from The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement towards 1.0 CAWA CEs. This webinar has also been pre-approved for 1.0 continuing education credits by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). It has also been approved for 1 hour of continuing education credit until 1/31/2027 in jurisdictions which recognize RACE approval. Complete the quiz to earn continuing education credit.

    Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, follow a discussion or ask questions: https://maddies.fund/MIwebcast...

    keywords  Maddie's Insights, Peter J. Wolf, Amanda Weiss, PsyD, animal shelter staff well-being, Best Friends Animal Society


    Peter J. Wolf

    Research and Policy Analyst

    Best Friends Animal Society

    Peter J. Wolf is the research and policy analyst for Best Friends, a leader in the development and operation of community cat programs. Peter's role involves the analysis of science and public policy related to community cat issues, a topic he's been researching and writing about for nearly seven years.

    Peter holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in industrial design. His professional experience has focused on the acquisition, analysis, and synthesis of quantitative and qualitative data. As a lecturer in The Design School at Arizona State University, Peter taught courses in product design, visual communication design, design thinking and qualitative research methods.

    Amanda Weiss, PsyD

    Licensed Clinical Psychologist

    Dr. Amanda Weiss is a licensed clinical psychologist who received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) from the American School of Professional Psychology - Washington, DC in 2014. She has a research background in suicide bereavement and has worked in private practice, community mental health, and hospital settings in Virginia, Washington DC, and Florida. Dr. Weiss currently maintains a private practice specializing in grief, traumatic loss, pet bereavement, mood and anxiety disorders, mental health in veterinary medicine and animal welfare, and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. Through Not One More Vet’s Veterinary Mental Health Support program, she provides individual and group support services as well as psychoeducational presentations and workshops to veterinary medicine professionals. Dr. Weiss also works at the Faulk Center for Counseling as a clinical program manager and supervises graduate students, interns, and postdoctoral residents.

  • Caring for Cats: A Shelter Vet’s Guide to Common Infectious Diseases in Cats
    Contains 3 Component(s), Includes Credits

    This presentation equips foster caregivers and adopters with essential knowledge about common infectious diseases in cats.

    This course is part of Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection, monthly webcasts about foster care - supporting pets in our community and animal shelters. 

    This presentation provides foster caregivers and adopters with the tools to recognize, prevent, and manage common infectious diseases in cats. Topics include ringworm, panleukopenia, calicivirus, upper respiratory disease, toxoplasmosis, parasites, FeLV, FIV, and FIP. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of what these diseases are, how they spread, and any risks they may pose to humans. We review symptoms, disease severity, prognosis, and prevention strategies, empowering participants to confidently care for their feline friends.

    Presenter: Dr. Rachael Wooten, Medical Director, One Tail at a Time

    This webinar has been pre-approved for 1.0 Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits by The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and by the National Animal Care & Control Association.

    Visit Maddie's Pet Forum to comment, follow a discussion or ask questions: 


    Rachel Wooten, DVM

    Medical Director

    One Tail at a Time

    Dr. Rachael Wooten, a passionate shelter medicine veterinarian with seven years of experience, proudly represents her Black and Puerto Rican heritage. She earned her DVM from Tuskegee University (2017) and  after graduation she completed a shelter medicine specialty internship at the University of Illinois CVM. Currently serves as the Medical Director at One Tail at a Time Animal Rescue in Chicago, and has recently completed a Shelter Medicine Fellowship through UW-Madison and UC-Davis.

    Dr. Wooten actively advocates for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the veterinary community. Her commitment to fostering an inclusive environment is underscored by her completion of the CARE REDI certificate and serving on multiple DEI boards, further enriching her ability to make a meaningful impact in the field of animal welfare.