Learn to create adoption marketing that connects pets with families through positive framing, compelling storytelling, and audience-centered content. Classes will dive into bio writing, photo and video tips, social media and traditional marketing tactics, using AI and other tools for sustainable output, and how good policies support effective marketing, always drawing on real-world examples. Students will build a practical Adoption Marketing Toolkit for immediate use at their organization week by week.

(5) 75-minute classes over 6 weeks, estimated time commitment of 10 hours for coursework and classes

Instructor: Caitlin Quinn, Self-Employed - Consultant / Instructor

When? Class dates and times coming soon!

Who should apply?  Any animal welfare professional responsible for creating content that promotes pets for adoption, including but not limited to: Marketing and communications staff, Executive & leadership staff, adoption, foster & volunteer coordinators, Volunteers & Board members, and Fosters. 

Content is practical, immediately applicable, and designed for organizations of any size or budget. No prior marketing experience is required.

This course introduces you to the key principles of cooperative care to minimize fear, anxiety and stress, and improve safety for staff and dogs during medical care and day-to-day care in the shelter and other environments, such as foster homes. The examples in this course reflect "real world" shelter situations, where dogs who are unfamiliar with cooperative care require immediate treatment. More details coming soon!

Instructor: Ferdie Yau, Animal Trainer & Wildlife Biologist, Sits & Wiggles Dog Training

When? Class dates and times coming soon!

Who Should Apply? More details coming soon!

Neonatal kittens are the most vulnerable—and most euthanized—animals in shelters nationwide. This course empowers shelters and rescues of all sizes to build sustainable, high-impact neonatal programs grounded in the principles of Shelter Medicine and High-Quality, High-Volume (HQHV) kitten care.

Modeled after the success of National Kitten College, this four-session series provides a step-by-step guide to launching or strengthening a Kitten College–style program tailored to your organization. Participants will learn how to design foster-based systems, implement evidence-based protocols, train and support staff and foster caregivers, and build the partnerships and data infrastructure needed for long-term success.

A defining feature of this course is that every participant becomes part of the National Kitten College movement. Graduates receive a customizable Kitten College logo and framework, allowing them to build and brand a program that best fits their community while remaining connected to a national network of kitten lifesavers. Participants may choose to establish their own nationally recognized Kitten College, join the National Kitten College network as a partner site, or adapt the model to strengthen existing efforts.

Whether you are starting from scratch or scaling an established program, this course equips you with the tools, community, and national alignment needed to save more lives through innovation, collaboration, and compassion.

This course is eligible for 2.0 credit hours toward the AAVSB's (American Association of Veterinary State Boards) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) program.

(4) 60-minute Zoom classes over 4-weeks, estimated time commitment of 10 hours for coursework and classes.

Instructor: Marnie Russ, Founder & Executive Director, National Kitten College

When? Two Class Options:

• SECTION 1:  Zoom classes will be held Mondays 3:00 PM-4:00 PM (Pacific) / 6:00 PM-7:00 PM (Eastern) on 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, and 3/30 

OR

• SECTION 2:  Zoom classes will be held Thursdays 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (Pacific) / 4:00 PM-5:00 PM (Eastern) on 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, and 4/2

Who should apply?  Shelter directors, program coordinators, veterinary staff, foster program managers

Shelter programming for cats is radically changing every day! Learn how it’s evolved and how to create or grow coordinated programs that result in increased feline lifesaving. 

In this advanced-level instructor-led course, students will explore why cat services need reformation and how to lead their organization through challenges. Students will learn how to implement essential cat programs, lead staff and volunteers, engage their community, and be as effective as possible with limited resources. 

Course content includes: Handling Fractious and Feral Cats, Shelter-Neuter-Return and Community Cat Management, Intake Decisions for Cats, FIV, FeLV, Ringworm, Panleukopenia, Behavior Programs, Conflict Resolution, Adoptions, Matchmaking, Working Cat Programs, and more.

(4) 90-minute  Zoom classes over 4-weeks, estimated time commitment of 20 hours for coursework and classes.

Instructor: Monica Tarant, Chief Innovation Officer, Give Them Ten 

When? Zoom classes will be held Wednesdays 12:00 PM-1:30 PM (Pacific) / 3:00 PM-4:30 PM (Eastern) on 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, and 4/1

Who should apply? For shelter-based organization directors, managers or coordinators who are empowered to make changes and launch new initiatives in their organizations. Representatives of organizations with physical facilities will get the most from this offering.

This course is designed to teach shelter and rescue professionals to identify common behavior problems in shelter dogs and help you place those animals in foster homes. Taking on a dog that presents with concerning behaviors can be a daunting task for a foster caregiver, especially those that are new to fostering. Training shelter staff and volunteers to assist and support foster dogs during their stay not only empowers foster caregivers to take on more cases, but also increases positive outcomes for dogs that present with behavior concerns.

During the live sessions, students will get an in-depth look at case studies, hone their behavior observation skills, learn more about balancing risk and quality of life, break down protocols step by step, as well as look at the subtleties and nuances of big behaviors. At the end of this course, students will use their new skills to develop foster protocols catered to their own organizations.

This course has been pre-approved for 4.0 continuing education units for trainers in the knowledge area from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT).

(6) 90-minute Zoom classes over 7-weeks, estimated time commitment of 16 hours for coursework and classes.

Instructor: Samantha Wolfman, KPA CTP, CPDT-KA, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Wolfman Dog Training & Consulting

When?  

• SECTION 1:  Class dates and times coming soon!

OR

• SECTION 2:  Class dates and times coming soon!

Who should apply? Anyone who handles animals, including directors, managers, coordinators, and volunteers is encouraged to apply. This class is best suited to organizations that have an established dog foster program and are looking to expand their reach with behavior animals.

For as long as anyone can remember, rural communities have struggled to effectively support animal welfare and human well-being connected to it. They often find themselves trapped in reactive cycles that overwhelm limited resources and rarely leave room for prevention or long-term change. They are running hard just to stay in place while the root causes of suffering remain largely untouched. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Across the country, small communities are learning a new way of thinking, enabling them to provide impactful, sustainable services and support to the people and pets in their area. Instead of reacting to crisis after crisis, these communities are stepping back and looking inward. These groups are examining how policies and assumptions shape behavior and outcomes. They are asking different questions: “Where are animals really coming from?”, “What barriers push people toward surrender or abandonment?”, “Are some of our policies actually making things worse?”

By understanding our work as a system in itself and as part of a larger system, rather than as an isolated collection of programs, these communities are finding leverage points that don’t require more money, more staff, fancy facilities, or perfect conditions. Small changes, applied in the right places, are reducing intake, improving outcomes, and uplifting entire communities. 

This course, built on the foundation of Fundamentals of Rural Sheltering, explores that shift. During this course, rural animal welfare leaders will learn how to design services that work with human behavior instead of against it, how to move from punishment to support, and how to build humane, effective systems that reflect the realities of rural life. Leaders will graduate the course with an understanding of how to develop approaches that are right-sized, practical, and durable for their communities. 

(6) 75-minute classes over 7 weeks, estimated time commitment of 11 hours for coursework and classes.

Instructor: Cole Wakefield, Executive Director, Good Shepherd Humane Society

When? Zoom classes will be held Thursdays 1:00 PM-2:15 PM (Pacific) / 4:00 PM-5:15 PM (Eastern) on 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/16, and 4/23. No class the week of 4/6-4/10.

Who Should Apply?  This course is a good fit for:

• Executive directors, shelter managers, and program leaders
• Animal control leadership and supervisors
• Community cat, intake, adoption, or access-to-care program leads
• Rural and under-resourced organizations navigating limited capacity
• Professionals who have completed RS101 or have equivalent experience

Participants will benefit most if they are involved in decision-making, program design, policy development, or community engagement, and are ready to examine not just what they do, but why it works (or doesn’t).

This course is less focused on day-to-day animal handling and more focused on designing systems that support people, pets, and staff.

Youth programming is the key to expanding your organization’s community reach and is the proactive solution needed to end overpopulation and animal cruelty. Youth programs are also beneficial in introducing new populations of potential donors, fosters, adopters, and volunteers to your organization, while also generating revenue at the same time.

In this course, Charleston Animal Society’s Humane Education team will collaborate with participants to discover new ways to engage children, identify and overcome roadblocks, and find resources to enhance your current programming. Participants will also engage in discussions on challenging animal welfare philosophies that may hold us back.

The live portion of this course is particularly valuable for those who have a direct interest in, or are currently involved with youth programming. If you are already facilitating humane education programs, we’ll dive into specific games, lessons, and program details. Topics will include safety and liability, marketing, funding opportunities, available resources, incorporating animal ambassadors, measuring your success, and more.

(4) 90-minute Zoom classes over 4-weeks, estimated time commitment of 12 hours for coursework and classes 

Instructors: De Daltorio, Chief Education Officer; Heather Grogan, Director of Humane Education; and Kylie Wiest, Humane Education Manager at Charleston Animal Society 

When? Zoom classes will be held Wednesdays 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (Pacific) / 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM (Eastern) on 3/11, 3/18, 3/25, and 4/1

Who should apply? For shelter or rescue organizations looking to grow their youth programming. We encourage shelter directors, managers, staff and/or volunteers to apply.

We live and work in a world where stress is constant, change is nonstop, and the emotional toll of helping others—both animals and people—can be overwhelming. 

Live Better: The Power of YOU™ is a 5-week online experience designed to help you reconnect with yourself, make sense of what you’re feeling, and build practices that help you live and lead with more clarity, intention, and care.

Through stories, reflections, and honest conversation, you’ll get practical tools for emotional regulation, discover what you need to be well, and learn how a greater understanding of self, intentionality, and coherent action can help you live and work better. 

It’s not about adding more to your plate. It’s about making sense of what’s already there—so you can show up more fully as YOU. That’s where the power is.

By the end of this course, you will:

✔ Clarify your beliefs and values so you can lead and help others with more authenticity and purpose.

✔ Build emotional awareness and boundaries to stay grounded and present for the people and animals who count on you.

✔ Shift limiting thought patterns to respond with intention—especially in moments of stress or self-doubt.

✔ Explore forgiveness and acceptance to release what’s holding you back and live with more compassion and ease.

✔ Deepen your self-worth and self-compassion so you can care for others without losing yourself in the process.

(5) 90-minute  Zoom classes over 5-weeks,  estimated time commitment of 13-16 hours for coursework and classes. 

Instructors:  José Ocaño, Founder & CEO, and Angel Guzmán, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Hatching LLC

When? Class dates and times coming soon!

Who should apply? This course is designed for leaders, helpers, and humans who want to strengthen their emotional regulation and build grounding practices they can carry into daily life. It's for those ready to challenge limiting beliefs, redefine what success means to them, and cultivate self-inquiry and compassion—especially in difficult moments.

Participants will learn to show up with greater clarity, curiosity, and confidence, aligning their personal values with how they lead, work, and live. Through this work, we aim to cultivate lives and leadership rooted in intention and purpose, so that we can be more aligned with ourselves—and in service to our teams, communities, and the causes we care about.

Whether you're navigating change, leading a team, or simply seeking to live with more intention, this course offers space, tools, and support to help you live better—starting from within.

Logistically, managing a shelter clinic can be hard! And while there is a lot of help and support for private practice managers, it doesn’t always translate to shelter medicine. During this course, you will learn to identify key points in your shelter clinic day-to-day operations that can help you streamline processes, create usable and applicable protocols, share solutions to common problems, and create an overall more efficient and effective shelter clinic. Another topic of discussion will be culture. The instructor will share some proven, tangible actions you can take to improve the human connections in your workspace. Set the right example so you can bring the best out in your staff! 

This course is eligible for 4.5 credit hours toward the AAVSB's (American Association of Veterinary State Boards) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) program.

(4) 90-minute Zoom classes over 4-weeks estimated time commitment of 12 hours for coursework and classes   

Instructor: Jordana Moerbe, Medical Care Director, Austin Pets Alive! & Shelter Support Director, American Pets Alive!

When? Zoom classes will be held Thursdays from 8:00 AM -9:30 AM (Pacific) / 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (Eastern) on 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, and 4/2

Who should apply? For shelter clinic managers, lead technicians, health supervisors, veterinarians, or other veterinary field staff and volunteers looking to make a difference or start a career in shelter medicine leadership

This course is about how we show up together in the workplace and will help leaders and teams explore the collective side of well-being and leadership. You’ll learn how culture is shaped, how power can be shared more equitably, how values become real when they’re lived, and how trust, accountability, and engagement fuel strong, resilient organizations. Through honest dialogue, reflection, and practical frameworks, you’ll gain tools to strengthen your workplace culture, navigate power dynamics with awareness, and foster environments where people feel connected, valued, and supported.

Instructors:  José Ocaño, Founder & CEO, and Angel Guzmán, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer, Hatching LLC

When?  Class dates and times coming soon!

Who should apply?  

Prerequisite: To apply for this course, you must have previously completed the "Live Better: The Power of You" Instructor-Led Course. 

This course is for leaders, helpers, and teams who want to: 

• Cultivate Intentional Leadership rooted in compassion and coherence.  
• Build healthier, more intentional workplace cultures. 
• Recognize and address power dynamics. 
• Strengthen employee engagement through clarity, growth, and meaningful feedback. 
• Cultivate trust and accountability as the foundation for collaboration and decision-making. 

Whether you manage people, influence systems, or simply want to contribute to a stronger culture in your organization, this course offers practical tools and shared reflections that help transform “how we work together.” It’s especially relevant for those navigating change, working in high-stress helping professions, or striving to create environments where both people and animals can thrive.