Two-day shelter medicine conference planned for October

Shelter veterinarians, directors, technicians and volunteers will be exposed to the latest knowledge and learn new tools for success during a University of Florida-sponsored conferenceOct. 23-24 at Paramount Plaza Hotel in Gainesville.

Organized by the Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at UF, the 2009 Shelter Medicine Conference will feature experts from the UF College of Veterinary Medicine and elsewhere sharing information about a variety of cutting-edge topics, including 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.

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

"New this year will be a daylong seminar presented by Maddie's Fund and featuring some of the nation's top animal welfare leaders addressing ways to help your organization achieve its lifesaving goals," said Julie Levy, D.V.M., the college's Maddie's Shelter Medicine Professor and program director. That seminar will address creating a pet evaluation matrix and building a thriving foster care program.

Continuing education credits will be available. Only 200 slots are available, so early registration is encouraged. For more information about speakers, topics and presentation schedule, go to http://conferences.dce.ufl.edu/sheltermedicine/. For specific assistance with registration, contact Cathy Gentilman at 352-392-1701, ext. 238. For program questions, contact Rachel Michaud at 352-273-8660.

Maddie's Fund, The Pet Rescue Foundation (www.maddiesfund.org) is a family foundation funded by Workday and PeopleSoft Founder Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl. Maddie's Fund is helping to create a no-kill nation where all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats are guaranteed a loving home. Maddie's Fund invests its resources in building community collaborations where animal welfare organizations come together to develop successful models of lifesaving; in veterinary colleges to help shelter medicine become part of the veterinary curriculum; in private practice veterinarians to encourage greater participation in the animal welfare cause; and in the implementation of national strategies to collect and report shelter statistics. Maddie's Fund is named after the family's beloved miniature schnauzer, who passed away in 1997.