Pets in our region will get more protection during natural disasters thanks to a series of workshops proposed by the Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Program. The project received a 2017 Engaged Opportunity Grant through Engaged Cornell and will enable the Maddie's^® Shelter Medicine Program and the ASPCA to educate local shelters about accommodating pets during natural disasters. This project is among 22 that received funding this fall.

"This grant has given us the opportunity to provide training that is often too expensive for small organizations," said Elizabeth Berliner DVM '03, the Janet L. Swanson Director of Shelter Medicine. "By building on our strong partnerships with area shelters, we can ensure the wellbeing of these animals. Additionally, by providing this opportunity to our veterinary students, we are setting the stage for ongoing work in this and other communities around disaster preparedness."

Maddie’s^® Shelter Medicine Program is a comprehensive shelter medicine program at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine made possible by Maddie’s Fund^®.

Other projects include connecting researchers to federal and state policymakers, supporting children affected by the opoid epidemic, sending students to the United Nations climate conference, and collaborating with cooperative businesses for experiential learning.

Open to all faculty and staff, these grants fund off-campus student leadership programming, conference travel to present on engaged scholarship, and myriad other projects and programs that advance community engagement at Cornell. The Office of Engagement Initiatives awards Engaged Opportunity Grants three times a year, and upcoming deadlines are Feb. 9 and April 9, 2018.

For more information about this round of funded projects or upcoming applications, visit the Engaged Cornell website.

A version of this article originally appeared in the Cornell Chronicle.