UF to sponsor shelter-medicine conference in October

Gainesville, Fla.

-- A two-day conference for shelter veterinarians, directors, technicians and volunteers, sponsored by the University of Florida, will be held Oct. 23-24 at the Paramount Plaza Hotel in Gainesville.

Organized by the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at UF, the conference will feature experts from the UF College of Veterinary Medicine and elsewhere. Topics include the use of veterinary forensic science to fight animal cruelty, how to improve the outcomes of impounded animals by controlling infectious diseases in the shelter and strategies for ending the use of euthanasia for population control.

There also will be presentations on feline upper respiratory infection, managing disease outbreaks and understanding how to deal with ringworm and dermatologic disease.

New this year will be a day-long seminar presented by Maddie’s Fund, featuring animal-welfare leaders who will address creating a pet-evaluation matrix and building a successful foster-care program, according to Julie Levy, DVM, the college’s Maddie’s Shelter Medicine professor and program director.

Continuing-education credits are available. There are 200 slots available, so early registration is advised. For help with registration, contact Cathy Gentilman at (352) 392-1701, extension 238. For program questions, contact Rachel Michaud at (352) 273-8660. For program details, click here.