Program Info:

M&M Veterinary and Shelter Strategies are in critical demand as shelters nationwide confront the compounding crises of operational burnout and a severe shortage of accessible veterinary care. Leaders are trapped in daily crisis management, lacking the bandwidth to implement the systemic strategies needed for long-term stability. Additionally, this challenge is often magnified as the expert support that would build resilient, sustainable systems is often inaccessible to the very organizations most strained by the lack of them.

There is also a critical need for mentee support to grow the field of shelter specialists. To become board-certified in Shelter Medicine, veterinarians must participate in consultations. While residents and interns generally have this support built into their training programs, those on the non-residency path face significant hurdles. They must independently find consulting opportunities, take unpaid leave, and cover their own travel costs. This system creates a substantial barrier to timely board certification, particularly for veterinarians from marginalized communities.

Meredith Hippert:

For over a decade, Meredith Hippert has led operations for large-scale veterinary and TNR programs across the U.S. and internationally. Her experience includes training veterinary teams in high-volume techniques, coordinating wide-reaching TNR and preventative care campaigns, and managing veterinary services at a high-intake municipal shelter. Meredith excels in fast-paced environments and is passionate about sharing practical strategies to expand access to care and improve program efficiency.

Dr. Maria Serrano:

Dr. Maria Serrano is an accomplished veterinarian with over 20 years of clinical and surgical expertise, including 13 years leading veterinary and forensic teams at one of the largest municipal shelters. She has assisted in developing one of the largest TNR programs nationwide with over 18K+ surgeries performed annually and a high-volume, high-quality, tech driven heartworm treatment process that successfully treats over 500 dogs per year. She is a skilled mentor and leader to a team of 10 veterinarians and 36 technicians.

Whether assisting small groups seeking to establish MASH-style clinics or supporting established brick-and-mortar facilities aiming to optimize their operations, BSNC’s mission is to develop efficient, accessible, and sustainable programs that advance access to veterinary care while prioritizing the well-being of veterinary teams.

Drawing upon decades of combined experience, our expert team provides hands-on training, real-time workflow enhancements, and continued operational support designed to increase surgical output, strengthen staff morale, and maximize clinic effectiveness. Our mission is to empower communities by equipping them with the necessary tools to ensure all pets within their community have access to veterinary care.

National Kitten College is dedicated to advancing the highest standards of High-Quality, High-Volume (HQHV) kitten care in alignment with the principles of Shelter Medicine.

We work to transform outcomes for neonatal and unweaned kittens, the most euthanized population in animal shelters across the United States. These kittens often arrive in shelters that lack the resources, staffing, or training to provide even the most basic care, resulting in preventable loss of life. The gap between intake and adoptability is especially wide in under-resourced communities where lifesaving interventions—like fostering, triage, and medical stabilization—are unavailable or inconsistently applied. We aim to build a unified, lifesaving network committed to ending preventable euthanasia and giving every kitten a chance by bridging the gap from the most vulnerable shelter life to the most desirable in a shelter.