Animal shelter administrative training provides a solid background to successfully manage animal welfare facilities.
Increased advocacy on behalf of abused, neglected and displaced companion animals has created a rise in the number of government-regulated and privately run no-kill animal shelters in the U.S., as well as in other regions of the world. This means an increased need for qualified candidates to manage and staff these facilities also exists. To meet this challenge, some academic institutions now offer graduate and certification programs to individuals seeking animal shelter administrative training.
Academic Prerequisites
The Humane Society University recommends completing coursework in business administration as well as courses in animal health, nutrition and behavior. Experience working or volunteering in an animal shelter, sanctuary, control center or a non-profit organization relating to animal welfare and advocacy is also desirable.
Training Providers
The American College of Applied Science claims to be the first U.S. college to offer a graduate degree program in animal shelter administration. The program consists of 60 credit hours, including the participation in a supervised externship program, the design and execution of an empirical research study and an oral thesis presentation. In addition, the Humane Society University offers a Bachelor of Science program in Humane Leadership, which consists of 39 credit hours.
Core Program Objectives
Program objectives vary depending on which program is entered. However, any core program in animal shelter administration can be expected to cover basic animal health, nutrition and behavior. Courses in ethics and law as they relate to animal care standards and neglect and cruelty issues are also provided. A variety of non-profit management courses are also required, including financial management, qualitative and quantitative statistics and media and public relations management. In addition, completing a selection of elective courses may also be required, including specialized topics such as wildlife conservation, compassion fatigue and animal assisted interventions for at-risk youth.
Continuing Education
The Human Society University offers additional professional development courses on topics such as humane euthanasia, emergency services and feral cat management. The American College of Applied Science offers a credit professional development diploma course in canine behavior counseling.
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