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June 21, 2018 by Dr. Elise Gingrich

Audience: Shelter/Rescue Staff & Volunteers, Veterinary Team

Video Length: 71 Minutes

Last year saw communities across the country devastated by hurricanes, wildfires, and mudslides. Other disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and tornadoes can create havoc and destruction for people, animals and property, including animal shelters and disaster response agencies.

Animal organizations can find themselves in a disaster area or can be impacted as displaced animals come into their facility seeking rescue and shelter. Transport and housing resources can be overwhelmed, as can local veterinary response.

That leaves a simple question for every animal organization: Do you have a disaster plan?

If the answer is no, or if you do but you're not sure it's up to date, please join us and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) for The Shelter's Role in Disaster Response with Dr. Elise Gingrich, Supervising Veterinarian at Larimer Humane Society in Fort Collins, CO for this free recorded webcast.

The presentation will focus on providing care and housing for displaced animals, and will cover:

  • How shelters can have a plan to respond appropriately when disasters strike
  • Analyzing your shelter's current state of preparedness
  • Working with other local agencies that may also respond in a disaster situation
  • Determining the exact role of each agency and how the various agencies will work together
  • Review of proper planning procedures and lessons learned from previous disaster response situations
  • Tips for successfully responding to a disaster


This course has been pre-approved for Certified Animal Welfare Administrator continuing education credits.

Bio portrait of Dr. Elise Gingrich smiling, in a black shirt in front of a white background

About Dr. Elise Gingrich

Dr. Elise Gingrich is the Supervising Veterinarian at Larimer Humane Society in Fort Collins, CO. After completing her DVM at Iowa State University in 2005 she spent two years in a small animal/exotics practice in the Chicagoland area. She then completed a residency in Shelter Medicine at Colorado State University in 2010. During her residency Dr. Gingrich received her MPH (through the University of Iowa) and an MS in Clinical Sciences.

After the residency she became the Medical Director at Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control but returned to Colorado for her current position in 2011. Dr. Gingrich is board certified by both the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Shelter Medicine Practice. She is a member of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians Board of Directors where she served one term as President.