After earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2007, Dr. Lorene (Lori) Rockwell built a career focused on the intersection of veterinary medicine, animal behavior, and welfare. With over a decade of clinical experience, she recognized the critical role behavior plays in shelter outcomes and the importance of providing animals with both physical and emotional support during their stay.

In 2023, she completed a Master of Science in Animal Behavior and Welfare, expanding her ability to support shelters in managing behavioral health alongside medical care. Dr. Lori is also a certified clicker trainer through the Karen Pryor Academy and integrates evidence-based, low-stress handling and positive reinforcement methods into all aspects of her work.

Dr. Lori partners with shelters to improve the welfare of animals in their care—whether through preventative care, medical assessments, behavior assessments, enrichment planning, staff and volunteer training, or consulting on difficult behavior cases. She is particularly interested in helping organizations create environments that reduce fear, stress, and frustration while supporting adoptability and reducing length of stay.

Her approach centers on practical, science-backed strategies tailored to each shelter’s capacity and needs, with the goal of helping animals not only stay well—but thrive—while in the shelter system.

When she’s not working, you'll usually find her spending quality time with her pets—teaching them fun new tricks or coming up with creative ways to enrich their lives (they keep her on her toes!). She also loves diving into a good book, heading out on the water for a relaxing day of boating, or hitting the trails for a hike. At home, she enjoys baking sweet treats and crocheting cozy creations—it’s her favorite way to unwind and keep her hands busy.