Shelter medicine focuses on the physical and mental health of unwanted animals.

Shelter medicine has only recently developed as a defined area of practice

"Shelter medicine is not a problem, it's an opportunity!" said UC Davis vet Kate Hurley, speaking on the final morning of BSAVA Congress.

Kicking off the event's first ever stream dedicated to shelter medicine, Kate, who leads the pioneering shelter medicine programme at UC Davis, California, gave delegates a brief overview of what shelter medicine involves and where it is today.

Until recently, vets have had a fairly limited role in addressing the problem of companion animal homelessness. When they have worked with animal shelters, the focus has been on spaying, neutering and individual animal healthcare. However, a growing emphasis on animal welfare - both inside and outside the profession - has led to vets having a new, more cohesive role.

Shelter medicine focuses on the physical and mental health of unwanted animals.  Its priority is to prevent rather than treat problems - with then end goal of getting a healthy animal out of the shelter. This is achieved through a combination of vaccination, sanitation, parasite control, stress reduction, nutrition, air quality and facility design.

Although vets have worked with shelters for a long time, shelter medicine has only recently developed as a defined area of teaching, practice and research. The first shelter medicine class was offered at Cornell University in 1999, and since then has expanded greatly throughout the US.

In the UK, there is an increasing amount of interest in recognising and developing expertise in the field. The Association of Charity Vets have held three CPD meetings over the last two years, attracting over 100 veterinary surgeons and nurses. Furthermore, BSAVA are showing their support to the movement at BSAVA Congress this year with an entire stream dedicated to the practice.

Shelter medicine has come along way in the last 15 years. Not only is it a recognised area of veterinary practice, many animal shelters are working with shelter medicine programmes, such as Maddies, to save more than 90 per cent of the animals they take in. By taking up the challenge, vets not only learn the skills to provide a service which is desperately needed, they also open up rewarding career opportunities.

To find out more about shelter medicine, visit www.sheltermedicine.com