
Brittany Watson, VMD, PhD, DACVPM
Additional Titles:
Director, Shelter Medicine and Community Engagement
Dr. Watson is the Director of Shelter Medicine and Community Engagement and an Associate Professor in Shelter Medicine and Community Engagement (Clinician Educator) at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She acts as the Co-Head of the Behavior, Welfare, and Human-Animal Interaction Research Division and is a member of the Animal Welfare and Behavior Program faculty. Dr. Watson is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and serves on the continuing education committee. She was previously the Veterinary Director of Continuing Education Initiatives at Charleston Animal Society. She received her BS in Biology and MS in Education at Duquesne University and her PhD in Educational Leadership at the University of South Carolina. Her dissertation focused on evaluating changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in humane education and science outreach programs. Interests include One Health approaches to problem solving, interprofessional collaboration, and community engagement.
Insights into Shelter Dog Outcomes Using Behavioral and Biological Stress Markers L Powell, K Graham, L Grant, O Lenz, CL Reinhard, H Yost, E Anderson, Physiology & Behavior, 115040 2025.
Confirmation of Efficacy of Commonly Used Veterinary Surface Disinfectants Against Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales Isolated from Pets LC Garcia, J Dietrich, B Watson, CL Reinhard, SD Cole Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 61 (4), 83-89 2025.
Can interprofessional education that embeds One Health be an effective platform for climate change education in veterinary and medical curricula? R Roopnarine, TL Webb, A Riles, C Tucker, B Watson, R Chun American Journal of Veterinary Research 86 (5) 2025.
Investigating the relationship between canine training classes and post-adoption return rates in North American shelters D Ahmed, B Watson, CL Reinhard, L Powell Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 106654 2025.
The Twenty Highest Priority Questions to Answer to Improve Access to Veterinary Care S Pailler, SM Hawes, KE Houlihan, J Hoy-Gerlach, M Sumridge, Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health 4 (1) 2025.
Pursuing relevant regional and far-reaching research L McDuffee, S Dawson, K Hoddinott, C Martin, K Proudfoot, American Journal of Veterinary Research 1 (aop), 1-1 2025.
The intersection of Interprofessional Education and One Health: A qualitative study in human and veterinary medical institutions C Tucker, J Keyel, A Blue, R Chun, A Estrada, H Khalili, A Riles, One Health 19, 100767 6 2024.
Principles of Veterinary Community Engagement: 2024 B Watson, E Berliner, L DeTar, E McCobb, W Frahm-Gilles, E Henry, Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health 3 (S2) 8 2024.
Public perceptions of free-roaming dogs and cats in India and the United States R Sensharma, CL Reinhard, L Powell, B Watson Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 1-15 2024.
A prospective study of mental wellbeing, quality of life, human-animal attachment, and grief among foster caregivers at animal shelters L Powell, R Ackerman, CL Reinhard, J Serpell, B Watson Plos one 19 (5), e0301661 3 2024.
Understanding feline feelings: An investigation of cat owners’ perceptions of problematic cat behaviors L Powell, B Watson, J Serpell
Applied Animal Behaviour Science 266, 106025 16 2023 Understanding the motivations of foster caregivers at animal shelters R Ackerman, B Watson, J Serpell, CL Reinhard, L Powell Animals 13 (17), 2694 8 2023.
Shelter medicine sustainability from an academic perspective: challenges and issues E McCobb, PC Crawford, ML Harrold, JK Levy, A Perkins, CL Reinhard, Journal of Veterinary Medical Education 50 (6), 611-617 4 2022.
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis among Shelter-Housed Felines in a Philadelphia Suburb DJ Mitchell, CL Reinhard, SD Cole, D Stefanovski, B Watson Animals 12 (16), 2012 2022.
Behavior education and intervention program at a small shelter I. Effect on behavior knowledge and safety ML Lilly, B Watson, C Siracusa Journal of applied animal welfare science 25 (3), 195-207 1 2022.
One Health clinic promotes veterinarian-client trust among underserved pet owners and provides learning opportunities for veterinary students L Powell, M Walsh, CL Reinhard, K Jankowski, B Watson Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 260 (8), 931-939 11 2022.
A pilot study examining the experience of veterinary telehealth in an underserved population through a university program integrating veterinary students L Lundahl, L Powell, CL Reinhard, E Healey, B Watson Frontiers in Veterinary Science 9, 871928 13 2022.
Pet Owners’ Perceptions of COVID-19, zoonotic disease, and veterinary medicine: The impact of demographic characteristics L Powell, TM Lavender, CL Reinhard, B Watson Veterinary Sciences 9 (5), 195 15 2022.
Returning a shelter dog: the role of owner expectations and dog behavior L Powell, B Lee, CL Reinhard, M Morris, D Satriale, J Serpell, B Watson Animals 12 (9), 1053 35 2022.
A qualitative analysis of clinical year veterinary student journal entries for a shelter medicine rotation S Jafarian, E Akpek, CL Reinhard, B Watson Frontiers in Veterinary Science 9, 858419 7 2022.
A retrospective analysis of pre-/post-test scores of students participating in online asynchronous shelter surgery coursework CL Reinhard, L Powell, B Watson Journal of Veterinary Medical Education 49 (1), 102-108 4 2022.
The impact of returning a pet to the shelter on future animal adoptions L Powell, CL Reinhard, D Satriale, M Morris, J Serpell, B Watson Scientific reports 12 (1), 1109 15 2022.
A veterinary and nursing collaboration to increase access to healthcare S Chee, S Rivera, AA Huntley, L Lundahl, C Bocage, DE Holt, B Watson, Journal of Nursing Education and Practice 12 (3) 2022.
A survey of veterinary student and veterinarian perceptions of shelter medicine employment L Powell, CL Reinhard, J Serpell, B Watson Journal of Veterinary Medical Education 50 (1), 27-52 10 2021.
Spectrum of care: more than treatment options CR Brown, LD Garrett, WK Gilles, KE Houlihan, E McCobb, S Pailler, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 259 (7), 712-717 66 2021.
Relinquishing Owners Underestimate Their Dog’s Behavioral Problems: Deception or Lack of Knowledge? L Powell, DL Duffy, KA Kruger, B Watson, JA Serpell Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8, 734973 32 2021.
Animal shelters’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic: A pilot survey of 14 shelters in the Northeastern United States L Powell, C Houlihan, M Stone, I Gitlin, X Ji, CL Reinhard, B Watson Animals 11 (9), 2669 24 2021.
The effects of Solliquin administration on the activity and fecal cortisol production of shelter dogs T Stillo, RJ Norgard, D Stefanovski, C Siracusa, CL Reinhard, B Watson Journal of Veterinary Behavior 45, 10-15 2 2021.
Development of international learning outcomes for shelter medicine in veterinary education: a Delphi approach J Stavisky, B Watson, R Dean, BL Merritt, RWJR Van Der Leij, R Serlin Journal of veterinary medical education 48 (5), 610-619 10 2021.
Workplace relations and opportunities for career development impact the retention of veterinarians in shelter medicine L Powell, CL Reinhard, J Serpell, B Watson Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8, 732105 11 2021.
Characterizing unsuccessful animal adoptions: Age and breed predict the likelihood of return, reasons for return and post-return outcomes L Powell, C Reinhard, D Satriale, M Morris, J Serpell, B Watson Scientific reports 11 (1), 8018 47 2021.
The effects of frequency and duration of handling on the development of feline upper respiratory infections in a shelter setting CC Burns, LE Redding, B Watson Animals 10 (10), 1828 6 2020.
Retrospective evaluation of outpatient canine parvovirus treatment in a shelter‐based low‐cost urban clinic K Perley, CC Burns, C Maguire, V Shen, ER Joffe, D Stefanovski, Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care 30 (2), 202-208 22 2020.
Activation of mosquito immunity blocks the development of transmission-stage filarial nematodes EB Edgerton, AR McCrea, CT Berry, JY Kwok, LK Thompson, B Watson, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117 (7), 3711-3717 28 2020.
Powell, L., Reinhard, C., Satriale, D., Morris, M., Serpell, J., Watson, B. Characterizing unsuccessful animal adoptions: age and breed predict the likelihood of return, reasons for return and post-return outcomes Scientific Reports 11: , 2021.
Stillo, T., Norgard, R. J., Stefanovski, D., Siracusa, C., Reinhard, C. L., Watson, B. The effects of Solliquin administration on the activity and fecal cortisol production of shelter dogs Journal of Veterinary Behavior 45: 10-15, 2021.
Burns, C. C., Redding, L. E., Watson, B. The effects of frequency and duration of handling on the development of feline upper respiratory infections in a shelter setting Animals 10: 10, 2020.
Perley, K., Burns, C. C., Maguire, C., Shen, V. G., Joffe, E., Stefanovski, D., Redding, L., Germanis, L., Drobatz, K. J., Watson, B. Retrospective evaluation of outpatient canine parvovirus treatment in a shelter-based low-cost urban clinic Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care 30: 202-208, 2020.
Edgerton, E. B., McCrea, A. R., Berry, C. T., Kwok, J. Y., Thompson, L. K., Watson, B., Fuller, E. M., Nolan, T. J., Lok, J. B., Povelones, M. Activation of mosquito immunity blocks the development of transmission-stage filarial nematodes Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 117: 3711-3717, 2020.
Clinical Specialties:
Shelter Animal Medicine, Humane Education, Preventive Medicine, Public Health, Community Engagement
Hospital & Services:
Education:
PhD (Educational Administration) University of South Carolina, 2013; VMD (Veterinary Medicine) University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 2010; BS/MS (Biology, Education) Duquesne University, 2006
Board Certification:
Diplomate, College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine
Additional Certification:
Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice
Contact:
University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104