Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program (MSMP) has the mission of enhancing medical and behavioral health of companion animals by providing veterinary students, veterinarians and shelter professionals with specialized knowledge and skills in shelter medicine practice.
This mission is delivered through the following core strategies:
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Training of veterinary students and practitioners in the challenges of homeless animals, animal sheltering systems, and provision of medical and behavioral care for individual animals and shelter populations
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Advanced training of veterinary interns and veterinarians, who become experts and future leaders in shelter ad community medicine
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Outreach consultation services to assist shelters with implementing the industries best practices regarding animal health and welfare regionally and nationally
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Outreach services to assist local shelters and community members increase access veterinary care
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Providing subsidized diagnostic services to animal shelters through Maddies’® Shelter Lab
In order to provide this training and service, we are ever-grateful to Maddie’s® Fund and to dedicated charitable organizations, such as the John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation for a 5-year history of funding.
The John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation “was created for the purpose of protecting and improving the welfare of animals of all kinds with a focus on cats and dogs, the promotion of veterinary programs, and the protection of wildlife, including endangered species, flora and fauna,” the organization states.
Since 2018, MSMP has been a proud recipient of Wiederhold Foundation funding for our Creating Accomplished Veterinarians and Access to Veterinary Care (CAVS) program. During the most recent granting cycle (9/21-10/23) this project had the following outcomes:
1.Shelter outcomes: Thirteen shelters in Central and Northern New York State received free surgical and medical services for animals they would have struggled to access care for otherwise. (See map left and chart below)
2. Animal outcomes: We helped 119 dogs, cats and rabbits receive 177 medi
cal and surgical procedures. Average cost of services provided per animal was $281, with a range of $49-$1070. Each animal received an average of 1.4 procedures with a range of 1 to 5 procedures.
3. Trainee outcomes: Five MSMP faculty mentors and two highly trained technicians helped seven intern and resident trainees and 24 third- and fourth-year veterinary students perform approximately 28 different types of medical or surgical procedure. The most common procedures were dog, cat and rabbit spays and neuters, followed by major dentistry with tooth extractions. Other common surgeries included enucleations (eye removals), mass removals, and amputations.
The Foundation’s support represents a significant portion of MSMP’s ability to provide meaningful outreach services to local shelters. It allows us to offer expert veterinary services while bringing a more
diverse case load to our student and intern trainees, and helps improve individual animal welfare while decreasing length of stay for all animals at our partner shelters. This program strengthens our program’s and college’s relationship with these shelters and their communities.
To learn more about the life-saving work that the John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation helped MSMP provide, check out two great examples: Snickers’ Story and Oz’s Story!
The Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program welcomes support for future shelter and community-owned cases. If you’d like to donate to our program, please visit our webpage here: https://www.vet.cornell.edu/hospitals/maddies-shelter-medicine-program/about-us/donate
A Big Thank You to the John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation!
