Course Overview
Teaches the fundamentals of using shelter data to make data-driven decisions to enhance animal health and improve operational efficiency. 3 credit course.
Course Content
Population management in a companion animal shelter is often described as having the same principles as large animal production systems. However, few shelters prioritize using metrics to proactively manage animal flow or monitor for disease. Instead, many shelters only use data in a reactive manner or in the form of an annual report. This course will teach students to (a) retrieve, (b) assess, and (c) interpret population-level metrics on a regular basis. Students will learn about data collection and retrieval, review basic epidemiological and statistical principles, and develop a critical eye for data quality which will allow students to make data-driven decisions in a timely manner.
Enrollment Information
- Course Lead Instructors: Dr. Louiza Chan and Dr. Lisa Shriver
- Course Number: VME 6815 all sections
- Semester Credit Hours: 3
- Term: Spring/Fall
- Syllabus: Syllabus
- Pre-Requisites/Co-Requisites: Access to a local animal shelter where you can gather population data and have access to animal shelter software reports.