Dakin Humane Society has named Dr. Katie Spaulding medical director of its organization, according to Executive Director Meg Talbert. 

Recently, Dr. Spaulding worked as an Infection Preventionist for the Hawaii State Department of Health and served as a One Health Subcommittee Member for the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists’ Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Task Force.

While living in Hawaii, Dr. Spaulding spent six years working with various animal welfare organizations across the islands to provide accessible veterinary care and perform surgical sterilization for the free-roaming cat population there. She also worked as a marine animal stranding volunteer veterinarian with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR), and was hired as a veterinarian for the Marine Mammal Center’s Ke Kai Ola Hawaiian Monk Seal hospital.

Dr. Spaulding began practicing shelter medicine at Dakin Humane Society in 2010 as the Adoption Center Veterinarian, and is particularly interested in infectious disease prevention and control, and antimicrobial resistance. She also has a special interest in alternative sterilization methods to traditional spay/neuter for the management of free-roaming cat populations.

According to Talbert, “Having Dr. Spaulding rejoin Dakin is truly a full circle moment. We are fortunate to welcome her back to the place where she launched her career. She returns with added experience and perspective gained from her impressive accomplishments both at Dakin and in Hawaii. Our staff, volunteers and colleagues respected and appreciated working with her before, and are celebrating her return as our medical director. Additionally, her expertise and interests are much aligned with Dakin’s strategic goals of helping people and animals in the community, and she is excited to see Dakin expand its ability to become a place of learning for animal welfare professionals. Dr. Spaulding has an unwavering commitment to making veterinary care accessible, and providing resources for people who need help in caring for their pets.”

As Dakin’s medical director, Dr. Spaulding is responsible for delivering high-quality, effective medical care to adoption center animals including diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and follow-up, as well as overseeing the adoption center medical functions, and maintaining compliance with applicable laws and protocols. She is one of five veterinarians at Dakin; two serve the needs of the Community Spay/Neuter Clinic, and two others are part of the team at Dakin’s Pet Health Center.

Dr. Spaulding graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology and Ecology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and holds a dual DVM/MPH (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine/Masters in Public Health) degree from Iowa State University/University of Iowa.

Dakin Humane Society, located in Springfield, MA, is a 501 (c) (3) organization that delivers effective, innovative services that improve the lives of animals in need and the people who care about them. Since its inception in 1969, Dakin has become one of the most recognized nonprofit organizations in western Massachusetts, and a national leader in animal welfare. In a typical year, the organization shelters, treats and fosters more than 20,000 animals and has performed over 144,000 spay/neuter surgeries since 2009, making it one of New England’s largest spay/neuter providers.  Dakin’s Pet Health Center, a non-emergency veterinary resource for pet dogs and cats, has conducted more than 16,000 patient visits since it opened in 2022.  Dakin is a local non-profit organization that relies solely on contributions from individuals and businesses that care about animals to bring its services to the community.  For more information, visit www.dakinhumane.org.