Erica Schumacher, DVM
Dr. Erica Schumacher fell in love with shelter medicine in 2003 when she joined the medical team at Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) in Madison, Wisconsin as a certified veterinary technician. Following her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian, she attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine and worked with Dr. Sandra Newbury to create the school’s first shelter medicine elective in 2004. Upon graduation in 2008, Dr. Schumacher took a short break from shelter medicine after being accepted for a competitive Wildlife and Conservation Medicine internship at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Upon completing her wildlife internship, Dr. Schumacher sought to find a place where she could pursue both of her veterinary passions- shelter medicine and wildlife. After traveling and working in Arizona, Alaska and Africa, she returned to her roots at DCHS as the Chief Shelter Veterinarian where she oversaw the medical team as well as the shelter’s wildlife center for seven years. She particularly enjoyed supervising the clinical training for the UW Shelter Medicine Program interns, residents, and veterinary students. In 2018, Dr. Schumacher joined the UW Shelter Medicine Program as an Outreach Veterinarian. She enjoys using her clinical background in shelter medicine as well as her love of teaching to help other shelters reach their lifesaving potential.
