Disease often occurs in shelter animals; however, many illness-related problems can be prevented by using proper management techniques.  The level of shelter medicine education among Massachusetts shelter and rescue workers varies widely. This task force is designed to bring all personnel to the same high level by using already established guidelines and protocols.

It is also important to note that the common practice of bringing animals into the state means that the potential for disease being brought into Massachusetts has increased. Often this is because of a shelter or rescue’s lack of understanding of the above issues. As a result, some animals are getting sick and dying unnecessarily.

By having this foundational training program, we hope that advocates will be able to better interpret and adhere to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) regulations for animal shelters.