The Best Friends Podcast Episode 144
Since the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) published it in 2010, the “Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters” has been an invaluable resource to shelters, rescues, and any organization that provides temporary care for animals nationwide.
Ten years after its initial release, 19 shelter veterinarians formed a task force to update the guidelines. Their goal was to reflect the current reality in shelters and incorporate the science, expert consensus, and programmatic knowledge. The result is a comprehensive set of guidelines everyone can use to assess and improve their operations.
This week we speak with two shelter veterinarians about the updated guidelines and how they can help you in your work; Dr. Lena DeTar, who served on the task force as an editor, and the medical director for Best Friends, Dr. Erin Katribe.
Click here to check out all the episodes from the podcast.
Resources from this episode- The Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
- ASV: Checklist of Key Statements
- Best Friends network program spotlight: ASV releases updated Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
- Best Friends Animal Society: National Action Week for Animals
This week's guests
Lena DeTar DVM, MS, DACVPM, DABVP
Lena joined the ASV as a student member in 2005 during her first year at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating in 2009, she worked in shelters and low-cost clinics in the western United States before starting a residency program in Shelter Medicine at Oregon State University/Oregon Humane Society in 2013. Lena completed the residency, a master’s program in veterinary science with a Public Health certificate through the University of Florida, and became boarded in Preventive Medicine in 2016.
Since then, Lena has been an Assistant Clinical Professor at Cornell University’s Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program and regularly teaches didactic courses to third- and fourth-year students, teaches the clinical rotation in Shelter Medicine, lectures at conferences and veterinary colleges, and consults with regional shelters. Lena became board certified in Shelter Medicine Practice in 2017. Lena joined the ASV Board in 2019 and serves on the Position Statements, Membership and Continuing Education committees and is the ASV Board Liaison to the Guidelines Review task force.
Erin Katribe DVM
Erin earned her DVM degree from Texas A&M University in 2009, with a focus in small animal medicine and an interest in Shelter Medicine. Following graduation, she moved to Austin, Texas, where she initially practiced full-time emergency and critical care and performed relief work in High-Quality, High-Volume Spay/Neuter (HQHVSN) and local shelters. In 2014, she moved to nonprofit full-time, working as Medical Director for Animal Trustees of Austin, a small nonprofit organization that provided low-cost services to the public and partnering with local shelters.
Erin moved to Kanab, Utah, in January 2017 and began working at Best Friends Animal Society’s sanctuary. She became Best Friends’ Medical Director in 2018 and completed her master’s degree program in Shelter Medicine through the University of Florida the same year. Erin also provides contract services for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) program as a Field Clinic Veterinarian and is passionate about teaching the next generation of veterinarians about the field of Shelter Medicine. She joined the ASV Board in 2019 and serves on the Website, Continuing Education, and Membership committees.
Episode Transcript