For Immediate Release

For more information, contact:
Sonya Hennessy
Association Manager
[email protected]

Association of Shelter Veterinarians Launches Academic Journal

Journal of Shelter Medicine & Community Animal Health provides new, accessible resource to veterinarians and shelter professionals

APEX, North Carolina (November 8, 2022) – The Association of Shelter Veterinarians — the professional organization for veterinarians working in all aspects of animal sheltering — is excited to announce the launch of the Journal of Shelter Medicine & Community Animal Health (JSMCAH). The publication is the first academic journal devoted to shelter and community medicine and will provide evidence-based research impacting the welfare of animals in shelters and communities for veterinarians around the world.

“The launch of this journal has been a long-time goal of ASV,” said Rachael Kreisler, VMD, MSCE, DACVPM (Epidemiology), Associate Professor of Shelter Medicine and Epidemiology at Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine. “To see it finally come to fruition is so rewarding. Our goal with the journal is to provide a central, accessible resource for veterinarians and shelter professionals, as well as to reduce barriers to publication for emerging researchers and those working outside of academia.”

The journal is a rolling admission online, gold open access journal. Its scope includes individual patient care and management; population medicine; accessible veterinary care; high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter; programs and services that address companion animal health, welfare, or homelessness; animal behavior as it relates to shelter and community animal well-being; and disaster response, shelter forensics, and humane investigations.

“Since our inception, the Association of Shelter Veterinarians has pushed our mission to advance and support the practice of shelter medicine in order to improve community animal health and well-being,” said Tom Van Winkle, Executive Director of ASV. “This journal is the next step in meeting that mission.”

The JSMCAH provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public is the most effective way to support the growth of knowledge. It is published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 license making it free to anybody to read, download, copy and disseminate for non-commercial purposes.

For more information on the Journal of Shelter Medicine & Community Animal Health, visit jsmcah.org.

About the Association of Shelter Veterinarians
The Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) was founded in 2001 at the American Humane Conference. That same year, ASV was integral in developing the first shelter medicine residency program at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Since its founding, ASV has served as the voice of veterinary shelter medicine, providing access to comprehensive, evidence-based resources and education for its members and shelters. These resources include the Standards of Care in Animal Shelters guidelines, which were initially completed in 2010 and the highly-anticipated second edition is coming in December. The organization also led the efforts to develop a Board-recognized specialty in shelter medicine through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP), which has grown to 30 diplomates. With more than 2,000 active members and 20 international student chapters, ASV has expanded its reach around the globe. To learn more about the Association of Shelter Veterinarians and its resources, visit https://www.sheltervet.org/.

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