SHELTERVETS

SHELTERVETS is an intensive hands-on course for veterinary students who are in their senior  year of their professional veterinary training and who have an interest in global health. Under the supervision of qualified veterinarians, students are immersed in a working shelter and/or livestock environment in underserved regions in South Texas, Mexico, Central America and Latin America where they are actively engaged in vaccinations, diagnostics, medicine and surgery of neglected domestic animals. This course is conducted as a component of the emerging field of Conservation Medicine, which explores links between human, animal and ecosystem health.

SHELTERVETS therefore has a focus not only on the primary medical care of neglected animals, but also on zoonotic threats to human communities and feral animal population control concerns related to encroachment on surrounding wildlife and natural ecosystems. These issues in Conservation Medicine have created a growing need for professional veterinary interventions worldwide. SHELTERVETS is structured to provide veterinary students with a guided exploration into this expression of global health service in a variety of human cultural contexts in order to become more aware of opportunities they may have to make similar contributions throughout their careers.

For additional information on current workshops and more news on shelter medicine, contact us at info@conservet.org.