Shelly earned her dual track (large and small animal) Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 2010. She holds undergraduate degrees in both Zoology and Biology, and has extensive experience working with domestic animals, pet rescue and wildlife rehabilitation.
Twice, Shelly has cofounded organizations to aid animals in crisis. The first was in 1999-2000 when, under the supervision of a Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator, she co-created Carin’ for Herons. The second was in 2005, when she cofounded Pet Rescue – Colorado Effort, a Hurricane Katrina-inspired, pet rescue operation. Shelly and her partner also recruited and organized 75 volunteers from Colorado who supported the rescue of 101 dogs and cats from over-crowded shelters in Mississippi and Louisiana. Through Pet Rescue – Colorado Effort, these lost pets were transported to Colorado, given veterinary care, placed in foster homes and eventually 100 of these animals were placed in permanent homes – one dog was reunited with his owner.
Shelly has either worked or volunteered for a variety organizations and animals for the past 15 years. Her experience includes volunteering at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital in the Radiology and Anesthesia Departments, handling horses, alpaca, llama and small animals. She was employed at the Parasitology Department as a laboratory assistant as well as a technical writer for six undergraduate and veterinary level parasitology courses. During veterinary school, she completed two externships with HSUS, the first at the Cape Cod Wildlife Center in Massachusetts and the second at the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation in Colorado.
Shelly was involved with the growth and expansion of Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Lyons, CO. She worked directly with rehabilitating wildlife, and during the off-season, she supported administratively through training volunteers, writing and editing the policies and procedures manual, and was involved in public education. She is currently working on opening Colorado’s first wildlife hospital and rehabilitation center in Fort Collins, Colorado
