An initiative aimed at improving the health and well-being of shelter pets has kicked off with a five-year, $7.4-million grant from Maddie’s Fund. The Maddie’s Million Pet Challenge (MMPC) will offer consultations to animal shelters and veterinary clinics, focused on finding ways keep pets with their families and minimize surrenders. The program, which is a collaboration by the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) Koret Shelter Medicine Program, the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at University of Florida (UF), Open Door Veterinary Collective, and Team Shelter USA, will also offer tips on how clinics can establish a financially sustainable model to help remove cost as a barrier for pet owners, the foundation says. “Our goal is for every animal in every community to be assured what we call the ‘four rights,’” says Kate Hurley, DVM, MPVM, PhD, director of the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program. “That means providing every animal with the right care in the right place, at the right time, and with the right outcome. This is the new normal communities deserve, and we want to help them get and stay there.” The initiative was inspired by Maddie’s Million Cat Challenge, which addressed the “before, during, and after” for cats at risk of shelter entry, the group says. “The Million Cat Challenge was wildly successful, ultimately more than tripling its goal of saving the lives of one million shelter cats and supporting the adoption of proven cat-friendly methods across more than 1,500 North American shelters,” says Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DABVP, of the Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program at UF. “Now, in that same spirit, we’re inviting shelters and veterinary practices to join us in reimaging community-centered sheltering and care, reserving shelter care for animals with no other options.” The program is available at no cost to participants. For more, click here.
