Teaching veterinary students using shelter animals.

Veterinary teaching hospitals (VTHs) are experiencing case-load trends that have negatively affected efforts to prepare students for entry-level veterinary practice, particularly in the area of technical skills training. This article examines the clinical training available to veterinary students through a variety of collaborative shelter models. Benefits and potential problems related to initiating a collaborative shelter clinical training program are reviewed. Collaborative efforts between animal shelters and veterinary schools can provide crucial opportunities for outreach teaching initiatives, particularly for teaching medical and surgical skills.