Get to know Veterinarian Wendy Wolfson from New Orleans! After graduating from Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine, she went straight to work for a large open intake shelter and veterinary clinic. Then in 2007, Dr. Wolfson returned to Louisiana State University and started the Shelter Medicine program where she currently teaches 4th year veterinary students about shelter medicine and surgery.
@Sirius Vet
Veterinarian
Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine
Tell us a little about you and your history in animal welfare.
WW: I am from New Orleans… so of course I have a love of food, music and talk with a funny accent.
Immediately upon graduation (I will not divulge the year) I went to work for the LASPCA which was located in one of the poorest areas of the city. The shelter sponsored a low cost veterinary clinic providing medical and surgical services for underserved communities in and around New Orleans. I worked 6 years as a staff veterinarian and 15 years as medical director for the clinic and shelter. It was a challenging and never boring job
What's an accomplishment that you are most proud of in your career?
WW: After Hurricane Katrina I was offered an instructorship at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. The goal was to start a shelter medicine program which would provide veterinary care for shelters in southern Louisiana and give students hands on training in surgery and medicine.
After 11 years in academia we have a firmly rooted program in the veterinary school. There are numerous courses on animal welfare, shelter medicine, high volume spay/neuter and population control.
Name something related to animal welfare that you are super passionate about and want others to learn?
- The many veterinary students over the past 11 years who upon graduation have entered the field of shelter medicine.
- Partnering with the Louisiana prison system to spay/neuter hundreds of feral cats, teaching inmates skills to become veterinary assistants and provide veterinary care for dozens of cherished pets belonging to inmates.
- To have helped establish the first animal control facility located within prison grounds and staffed by trained inmates in the United States.
- To have LSU as a working partner of the first animal control/adoption center which is located on a university campus.
- To have a firm and honored position established for shelter medicine for the past 11 years in a veterinary school.
- Helping to improve shelters in southern Louisiana become humane, caring institutions for pets. Shelters that participate in our program have substantially increased their adoption rates, have healthier animals for adoption, decreased euthanasia rates and most have made great improvements to their facilities.
Tell us something about yourself people might be surprised to learn.
WW: My passion is to change the court system’s lack of caring about animal cruelty in our community. I am working toward educating students in law school and local district attorneys’ offices about the importance of prosecuting animal cruelty and neglect cases.
Who is your "animal welfare crush?"
WW: My animal welfare crushes are all those who paved the way in shelter medicine... @Julie Levy, @Kate Hurley, Newbury and Griffin. I have met a couple of these ladies and I look at them as rock stars.
My most important mentor was my coworker Dr. Adrie Voors, a brilliant surgeon and veterinarian.
Visit the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine website
Visit the LSU Veterinary Shelter Medicine Facebook Group
Thanks for the interview, Wendy!
You have done such a tremendous amount of work in educating not only veterinary students but also your local community.
We can't wait to learn more about your current projects and many more to come.
Follow @Sirius Vet on Maddie's Pet Forum and ask any questions or comments for Dr. Wolfson below.
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