Shelter medicine has emerged as a veterinary specialty dedicated to improving the health and welfare of animals in shelters and rescues.
Shelters represent a critical welfare intervention point for animals in the highest need. But shelter stress itself is a major welfare problem — the noise, unfamiliar smells, loss of routine, and lack of social contact cause measurable distress even in short stays. Shelter medicine focuses on disease prevention, behavioral support, and rapid placement to minimize the welfare cost of the shelter stay itself.