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What happens when veterinary medicine finally shines a light on animal shelters?
In this episode of Top Dog Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Kate Hurley, Founding Director of the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program and one of the pioneers who helped create the field of shelter medicine.
Starting her career as an animal control officer, Dr. Hurley witnessed firsthand the challenges shelters faced without proper veterinary guidance, disease prevention, or operational support. Determined to change that, she became the first person in the world to complete a shelter medicine residency — helping launch an entirely new field focused on improving outcomes for shelter animals.
In this conversation, we discuss: • The origins of shelter medicine • Reducing disease and euthanasia in shelters • Capacity for care and shelter operations • Using data and AI to improve animal outcomes • Community cat programs and lifesaving innovation • Supporting shelter staff and sustainable systems
Dr. Hurley also shares how small operational changes, better science, and stronger systems can dramatically improve lifesaving efforts across animal shelters nationwide.
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