Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida 

The College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida received a $1.7 million grant to create a comprehensive shelter medicine program that will enhance support for local animal rescue operations, improve disease control and adoption rates among shelter animals and expand professional training to fill the current shortage of skilled providers in this area.

Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Program is focusing on four central strategies:

• Shelter evaluation and extension services, including shelter assessments and disease diagnostic, control and prevention services.
• Shelter medicine training for shelter medicine residents, shelter veterinary technicians, shelter veterinarians, veterinary students and animal cruelty investigators.
• Veterinary student training through core courses, shelter medicine electives and externships.
• Development of new knowledge through "in shelter" research projects, shelter medicine symposia, continuing education seminars and the development of a shelter medicine website.

The University of Florida is located in north-central Florida in the town of Gainesville. It is the state's only veterinary college.