The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine launched its Shelter Medicine Program in 2022 thanks to support from Rescue Funding Resource Inc., a Georgia-based foundation dedicated to improving shelter medicine through higher education.

“Giving to UGA is uniquely rewarding. The many folks we have met in our experience have been more like family,” says Alton Conway, president of Rescue Funding Resources, whose initial support helped launch a partnership with the Athens Area Humane Society. Two faculty members were recruited to teach fourth-year veterinary students on clinical rotations at the shelter.

Donors continue to make compassionate care for this vulnerable population possible while strengthening our commitment to training the next generation of veterinarians and promoting animal welfare throughout our surrounding communities.

The program is led by CVM alumna Dr. Staci Cannon (DVM 2010) – one of only 42 board-certified shelter medicine specialists in North America. They oversee 48 students who perform and assist with more than 1,100 procedures annually, as well as advise shelters of various sizes on best practices for infectious disease prevention.

Students spend three weeks at the Athens Area Humane Society immersed in hands-on clinical training, gaining expertise in shelter medicine and surgery, managing complex medical and behavioral cases. They also providing guidance to regional shelters on infectious disease prevention and outbreak response.

With a current class size of 150 students, the College recognizes that increasing student opportunity for this experience is imperative.

“This rotation is in very high demand among 4^th year veterinary students,” Cannon says. “Students gain critical hands-on experience examining animals, interpreting diagnostic test results, performing surgery, and managing medical conditions they will see commonly in general practice. After this rotation, students are more confident and knowledgeable to serve their future clients and animals, including their community animal shelters.”

Today, donors continue to drive this program through expanded support.

Last year, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation pledged the lead gift of a comprehensive fundraising plan by UGA CVM to support the shelter medicine program for years to come. Their gift will allow the college to acquire a mobile veterinary clinic to train students and, to one day, promote companion animal welfare throughout the state.

As part of this campaign, notable donors and animal lovers generously support to ensure future veterinarians earn valuable experience in shelter medicine, Georgia shelter animals have access to medical care, and faculty advance clinical research on existing and emerging threats to shelter animals.

We still have some road to cover. To learn how you can support this important initiative, please contact Michelle Jones, Senior Director of Development at 256.452.3772 or mjones5@uga.edu.

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is a philanthropy founded to help transform lives and communities by uniting people across differences to find common cause. Started in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, the foundation has granted more than $1 billion to charitable causes, centered mostly around Atlanta and Montana.

Their collective giving areas are Atlanta’s Westside, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health and Well-Being, and Youth Development. In addition to the priority areas of giving, the foundation oversees a large portfolio of grants including support of essential Atlanta nonprofit institutions, such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Shepherd Center, and enduring founder-led initiatives, such as veterans and the military and stuttering, among others.

Rescue Funding Resource, Inc., is a foundation dedicated to improving shelter medicine through higher education. Through their generous support, donors continue to make compassionate care for this vulnerable population possible while strengthening our commitment to training the next generation of veterinarians and promoting animal welfare throughout our surrounding communities.