Veterinary Sector Spotlight: Shelter medicine
By Julie A Jacob
Veterinary medicine encompasses a broad spectrum of careers. AVMA News is periodically highlighting veterinarians in different areas of the profession in our series, “Veterinary Sector Spotlight,” to help readers learn more about the unique rewards, challenges and opportunities in each sector.
From Colorado to China, Dr. Jennifer Bolser has dedicated her career to helping vulnerable dogs and cats that have no one to speak for them.
“Shelter medicine is providing medical care to animals that may not have an owner or somebody who is their direct advocate,” explains Dr. Bolser, chief clinic veterinarian at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley (HSBV) in Boulder, Colorado. “It’s also population-level care and population control. (And shelter medicine) involves helping to provide care to animals so they don’t have to be surrendered to a shelter.”
When Dr. Bolser graduated in 2004 from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, she wasn’t quite sure what career path she wanted to pursue. Following an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, Dr. Bolser, a Colorado native, applied for a position with the HSBV. In addition to its shelter, the humane society operates a full-service veterinary clinic. It was there that Dr. Bolser discovered the joys of shelter medicine.
“It was fun, stimulating, and rewarding doing shelter medicine as well as general practice,” says Dr. Bolser.
A colleague who was involved in a program to spay and neuter dogs and cats in countries with overpopulation of stray animals got Dr. Bolser to start volunteering as well. She has participated in spay-neuter projects around the world, from the Galapagos Islands to the highlands of Tibet, in wildly varying conditions.
“We may be some places where somebody donates a shop or firehouse and we have electricity and water, and in other places we may be carrying oxygen tanks on a boat, wearing headlamps, and bringing in all the water and supplies,” she says.
In 2015, after 10 years at the HSBV’s clinic, Dr. Bolser left to live and work abroad. She worked in a veterinary practice in Beijing that partnered with rescue organizations, and she also organized spay-neuter clinics. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, Dr. Bolser returned to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley.
Her work is a mix of caring for animals at the veterinary clinic and in the shelter. She loves the problem-solving aspect of her job. It’s like putting together a puzzle to diagnose and treat animals without a medical history and with limited resources to treat them.
“You have to think creatively, and it is a constant challenge of your skills. It opens you up to new ideas and perspectives,” she says.
The biggest challenge, Dr. Bolser adds, is balancing the population-level needs of shelter animals with the unique medical needs of every dog and cat.
Collaborating with animal protection officers on neglect and abuse situations can be emotionally draining as well.
“It can be disheartening at times and weigh heavily because we feel for the animal. But it’s part of the job and why people engage in this work, because you can help bring about a better outcome.”
A thirst for continuous learning, a large dose of patience, and tenacity and resourcefulness are key attributes needed for a career in shelter medicine, she notes.
An internship in shelter medicine, combined with on-the-job experience at a shelter or small animal practice, is the best training for veterinary students and veterinarians interested in pursuing a career in shelter medicine, she says. Conferences, webinars, and continuing education courses can provide additional training.
“Try to find diversity in experiences working in different situations and communities so you can be a great veterinarian no matter what the situation may be, and you can feel confident about your education, experience, and abilities,” Dr. Bolser says.
Every veterinarian, no matter their specialty or type of practice, is an advocate for shelter animals, she stresses.
“Shelter medicine is a part of every veterinarian’s role,” Dr. Bolser said. “They have so much impact by helping a newly adopted animal get adjusted or finding a creative solution to a medical problem so an owner doesn’t have to surrender their animal.”
Julie A. Jacob is a freelance writer based in Racine, Wisconsin.