Purdue to start shelter medicine program with the help of Maddie's Fund

Alameda, Calif.

-- Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine will follow in the footsteps of Cornell by launching a new shelter medicine program with a grant from the nonprofit Maddie's Fund.

Maddie's Fund awarded $1.1 million to Purdue over the next three years to support the program, Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program, which will focus on research, shelter medicine education and training future leaders in the field. The program will provide graduate and residency training in shelter management, applied behavior and preventative medicine, according to the nonprofit. The grant also will fund a doctoral graduate program in shelter-based population medicine, a post-DVM fellowship in shelter medicine, a combined residency and master's degree program in Animal Behavior, and shelter externships for veterinary and veterinary technology students.

Beginning in January, Purdue will work with two collaborating shelters, PAWS Chicago and the Humane Society of Indianapolis.

Maddie's Fund awarded Cornell's veterinary school a six-year, $1.7 million grant in 2005 to develop a shelter medicine program there.