Climbing the Ladder
Animal shelters have come a long way, largely due to the ever-increasing professional experience and qualifications of the folks who run them. If you want to make a lifelong career of sheltering, if you hope to gradually climb the ladder from scooping poop and walking dogs to guiding the direction of an organization, it’s not enough to simply love animals—you must develop your skills. Here’s how to do it. More...

Coffee Break: What Advice Would You Give Someone Starting Out in the Animal Welfare Field?
In your space, you passed on your best advice for someone starting out in the animal welfare field. More...

The Behavior Department: Burning Out on Behavior
While shelter work can provide trainers great personal satisfaction and a sense of purpose, it can also be a huge source of stress. More...

Coffee Break: How You Got Involved in Animal Welfare
When asked how and why you entered the animal welfare field, your responses were both fascinating and inspiring. More...

Get Certified
To work in this industry, some say, you’ve got to be certifiable. Until recently, though, there was never a way to prove that. More...

What’s the Diagnosis?
New evaluation program aims to help shelters improve staff retention and morale. More...

Slowing the Revolving Door: Strategies for Improving Staff Retention, Part 2
This second of two articles on staff retention investigates the benefits of ensuring a support network for staff and the importance of providing training and opportunities for advancement. More...

Slowing the Revolving Door: Strategies for Improving Staff Retention
Most employees at shelters are there because they want to help animals, but animals alone usually aren’t enough to keep people in the animal care and control profession. This first of two articles on staff retention explores what management can do to create a positive work environment through good communication, clear expectations, consistent procedures, and ample feedback and recognition. More...

105 Careers for Animal Lovers
Many who would like to begin work in the animal field or shift gears midway through their careers may not be aware of the dozens of opportunities available.  More...

Humane Society University
Humane Society University (HSU) provides professional development and training to the animal care and control community. More...

Networking and Internet Groups
Want to connect with your colleagues in the animal care and control field? Check out these networking opportunities. More...

Shelter Volunteer Management Discussion Group
This is a group for managers of volunteers (both paid and volunteer) who work with animal shelters, breed placement groups, and other animal welfare organizations. Join us in exploring issues related to staff-volunteer relations, volunteer recruitment, training, retention, and supervision. This is a great opportunity to share ideas and improve the experience for volunteers as well as discuss the benefits they provide to our organizations. More...

Shelter Diagnostic System
This is an assessment tool designed to help private and public animal shelters run better by surveying employees and making specific recommendations based on survey results. More...

The Scoop
This free monthly e-newsletter from animalsheltering.org and Humane Society University, in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States, provides the latest news and training updates for the animal care community. More...

Humane Career Toolbox
Humane Society University's Humane Career Toolbox will be of interest to people of all ages who seek to professionally assist animals. The toolbox contains resources for both beginning and enhancing a career helping animals. More...

Job Descriptions and Fact Sheets from Humane Society University
The essential purposes, duties, tasks, responsibilities, and salary information for a variety of animal care and control positions. More...

Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership
Humane Society University and Duquesne University's School of Leadership and Professional Advancement have developed an online Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership. The accelerated online program is designed for individuals working in animal care and control facilities across the United States. The coursework is intended to develop management skills that are directly transferable to leadership positions within one's animal care and control organization. More...

Masters Degree in Community Leadership
The 18 credit hours earned in the Humane Society University/Duquesne University online Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership may be applied towards the completion of a Master of Science in Community Leadership (MSCL). The MSCL is a 36-credit degree. Certificate students electing to earn the degree would need to complete the additional 18 credits (6 courses). Students can earn the 36-credit degree in two years entirely through online study. More...

Bachelor's Degree in Humane Leadership
Humane Society University and Duquesne University's School of Leadership and Professional Advancement have developed an online Bachelor of Science degree program with a major in Humane Leadership. The accelerated program is designed for individuals working in animal care and control facilities across the United States and is intended to provide targeted, specific knowledge that will support their career goals in animal advocacy and shelter management. Duquesne Univeristy is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. More...

Finding Foundation Support for Your Education
Humane Society University presents a free online infomercial for a free e-learning tutorial from The Foundation Center. Finding Foundation Support is designed for U.S. students seeking financial support in the form of undergraduate scholarships or fellowships, residencies, internships, or other awards in order to pursue their education. More...

First Strike: Cruelty to Animals and Interpersonal Violence
This self-paced, online course is designed for educators, investigators, animal care and control personnel, law enforcement officials, protective service professionals, and other anti-violence workers looking to gain a fundamental knowledge of the relationship between cruelty to animals and interpersonal violence. More...

Trap-Neuter-Return: How to Manage a Feral Cat Colony
This self-paced online course will describe each step in the trap-neuter-return (TNR) process in detail, including working with neighbors and the community at large, feeding, setting up adequate shelter, arranging for spay/neuter, trapping (including preparations, equipment, and techniques), caring for the cats while they’re confined, and other feral cat issues like rabies, wildlife, and relocation. In addition, the course will discuss why TNR works to reduce feral cat numbers and why other methods, such as trap and remove, have failed. More...