The 5th Forum on Shelter Medicine and Shelter Management once again established itself as one of Portugal’s leading events dedicated to Shelter Medicine and animal welfare, bringing together more than 350 participants over two days at the Convento São Francisco Conference Centre in Coimbra.
Organised by Vasco da Gama University School (EUVG) in partnership with the Polytechnic University of Coimbra (IPC), through the Coimbra Agriculture School (ESAC), the Coimbra City Council, and the Vida Boa Animal Sanctuary Association, the Forum brought together veterinarians, veterinary nurses, shelter managers, students, biologists, policymakers, municipal technicians, animal care staff, and volunteers from animal welfare organisations. The event provided an important platform for knowledge exchange, scientific updates, and discussion of current challenges in Shelter Medicine.
The scientific programme featured 22 speakers, including three internationally renowned experts from the United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States, who shared their expertise and experience in shelter medicine, animal welfare, shelter management, public health, and animal protection policies.
EUVG’s research played a prominent role in this year’s edition, with the presentation of eight scientific studies—three oral communications and five poster presentations—developed by the institution’s academic staff and students. The research covered topics including parasitology, zoonotic diseases, the One Health approach, health communication, and clinical case studies, highlighting both the diversity and the practical relevance of the research carried out at EUVG in the field of Veterinary Medicine.
One of the most distinctive aspects of EUVG’s scientific contribution was the active involvement of students from the Integrated Master’s Degree in Veterinary Medicine and the Master’s Degree in Internal Medicine of Companion Animals, who participated as authors and researchers in every presentation. This reflects EUVG’s educational model, which integrates students into research activities from the Integrated Veterinary Practice courses through to their master’s dissertations, promoting an evidence-based education and fostering the generation of new scientific knowledge.
The high level of participation, the quality of the scientific programme, and the strong engagement of professionals, researchers, students, and institutional partners further consolidate the Forum on Shelter Medicine and Shelter Management as a leading national event. At the same time, they reinforce the position of Vasco da Gama University School as a reference institution in veterinary education, research, and knowledge transfer, with particular expertise in Shelter Medicine and Shelter Management and a strong commitment to advancing animal welfare.