December 2018 by Carolyn R. Brown and Jocelyn Kessler

Audience: Executive Leadership, Shelter/Rescue Staff & Volunteers, Veterinary Team

Video Length: 59:28

Surveys conducted by the ASPCA reveal that more than half of respondents who rehomed or surrendered animals would have kept their pets if they had been offered some assistance including low cost or free veterinary care. The goal for these pets is to prevent them from entering the shelter and keep them where they truly belong - in the loving home they already have.

Additionally, owners living in underserved communities who never consider relinquishing or rehoming their pet feel the stress of having limited access to affordable veterinary care. The goal for these pets is to improve their health, increase longevity and provide compassionate end of life care to end suffering.

Whether you operate a shelter, low cost spay/neuter clinic or other type of practice, this workshop helps you to identify the needs of your community and discover how to maximize your resources and incorporate affordable and accessible preventive and basic veterinary care into your organization.

This presentation was recorded at the 2018 ASPCA-Maddie's® Cornell Shelter Medicine Conference.

About Dr. Carolyn R. Brown

Carolyn R. Brown, DVM Senior Medical Director, Community Medicine, ASPCA, is a graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University and has extensive experience in small animal medicine, shelter medicine and high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) surgery including pediatric and TNR programs. Carolyn worked in general small animal private practice at a for-profit low-cost clinic and a large limited intake shelter and adoption center before joining the ASPCA in 2011.

Carolyn is currently the Senior Medical Director of the ASPCA Community Medicine department which provides basic and preventive care to pets living in poverty and HQHVSN surgeries to at risk cats and dogs via mobile and stationary clinics in New York City and Los Angeles. Dogs and cats in the care of shelters, rescue groups, foster programs and TNR practitioners also receive HQHVSN surgeries through the department.

In 2017, the department performed more than 60,000 surgeries. Carolyn determines and evaluates medical and surgical protocols for the department and maintains the program's Standard Operating Procedure Manuals. She also leads a team that quantitatively and qualitatively evaluates the program's medical standards of care and efficiency by carefully monitoring the metrics of the program on a monthly basis.

About Jocelyn Kessler

Jocelyn Kessler is the Sr. Director of Operations, Community Medicine at the ASPCA, supporting program functions such as animal transport, finance & data administration and staff development for all Community Medicine programs, including eight mobile spay/neuter, three Primary Pet Care and three stationary spay/neuter clinics in New York and Los Angeles.

In 2017, the ASPCA's Community Medicine team served nearly 75,000 animals. Jocelyn earned an MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver. Prior to joining the ASPCA in 2011, she acquired over 20 years of experience leading teams in the for-profit sector.

She served as the director of operations for a 64-store, Colorado-based retail chain, led a team of 150+ employees at a Target store in North Carolina and managed strategic business development at Cox Communications in San Diego. Jocelyn is particularly focused on employee engagement and professional development, as well as connecting with communities that lack access to resources for pets.