Maddie's Shelter Medicine Programs at Iowa State University 

Iowa State University has received funding in three different areas related to shelter medicine: Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Program, Maddie's^® Animal Shelter Infection Control Tool, and Maddie's^® Infection Control Manual for Animal Shelters.

Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Program

Project Start State: April 1, 2003
Funding through Phase V: $358,796

Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Program at Iowa State University focuses on veterinary student education, engagement with the veterinary community and the public, and the discovery of new information.

Veterinary Student Education

• Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Course introduces freshmen veterinary students to different shelter models (adoption guarantee, traditional, animal control) and the medical/behavioral problems commonly found in each.
• Select students receive Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Externships enabling them to work alongside a full-time veterinarian at an adoption guarantee animal shelter.
• Maddie's^® Summer Scholars participate in summer research projects and display their results at the Summer Scholars Research Day. 
• Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Excellence Award is given to one senior who demonstrates leadership and commitment to shelter medicine and the adoption guarantee philosophy. 

Engagement with the veterinary community and the public

• Continuing education programs for veterinarians and veterinary technicians are offered on the local, state, national and international level.  The focus is on infectious diseases recognition and precention and population control of compation animals.

Discovery of new information

• Investigation of the epidemiology of infectious disease in urban and rural shelters is ongoing.

 

Maddie's^® Animal Shelter Infection Control Tool

Funding: $443,000 

Maddie's^® Infection Control Tool is a an on-line biologic management resource that can help animal shelters prevent disease outbreaks and behavior problems, conserve resources, streamline workload, and, most importantly, save animal lives. The tool takes animal shelter personnel through a survey of their own practices in animal husbandry, animal health, disinfection & sanitation, facility & environment, emergency management & training, and public health. It then helps shelters evaluate their procedures, compare them to best practices, identify areas for improvement and get guidance on making lifesaving, resource-conserving changes.

Maddie's^® Infection Control Tool was developed by veterinarians from the Center for Food Security and Public Health at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine with a grant from Maddie's Fund. The infection control tool is accessible online to every shelter at no cost.

 

Maddie's^® Infection Control Manual for Animal Shelters

Funding: $75,282

The Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine developed and produced Maddie's^® Infection Control Manual for Veterinary Students and Animal Shelter Veterinarians.

The purpose of the handbook is to enhance knowledge about infection control measures in the shelter environment and to aid veterinary professionals in the development and implementation of infection control protocols.

The manual includes training materials on CD as well as disease-specific fact sheets and PowerPoint presentations for animal shelter veterinarians to use in training shelter staff and volunteers.

More than 3,000 copies have been distributed to eighteen colleges of veterinary medicine, members of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, and to animal shelters. The Manuals are available upon request from the University for $30 plus shipping and handling.

Order online at www.cfsph.iastate.edu and click on products; by phone at 515.294.7189; by fax at 515.294.8259; or by e-mail at cfsph@iastate.edu.

 

Established in 1858, Iowa State University was the first state institution to found a veterinary school. Surrounded by rural communities and family farms, Iowa State is located in central Iowa, just north of Des Moines.