SAFE CAPTURE®

TRAINING

Chemical Immobilization and Anesthesia of Domestic and Wildlife Species

Learn reliable, safe, and effective techniques for the species you work with and the scenarios you encounter!

This training provides the most complete, up-to-date instruction available on chemical immobilization of animals, presented in an easy-to-understand manner that is applicable to all experience levels. The instructors are veterinarians and biologists who specialize in remotely-delivered anesthetic agents. This program, which has historically been considered by many to be the standard in chemical immobilization training, is now part of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Academy.

Typical Course Agenda:

Day One
Introduction/General Considerations
Medication Delivery Techniques
Capture Pharmacology
Dart Lab Video Presentation

Day Two
Species Specific Drug Dosages & Volume Calculations
Approach, Post Capture Care & Anesthesia Monitoring
Medical Emergencies
Human Safety and Accidental Human Exposure

Continuing Education Credits

16 hours of Continuing Education credit approved by the following organizations:

National Animal Care & Control Association, RACE & TWS logos

 

We are now offering Safe Capture Chemical Immobilization Training in three formats:

• Livestream
• In-Person
Self-Guided e-Learning

Please contact us at AcademySafeCapture@sdzwa.org if you are interested in group rates or have any questions about this program.


 

Livestream Training Events

 

June 25-27, 2024 – 3-day event

Hosted by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Academy
Days 1 & 2: 7:00am – 2:00pm PT
Day 3: 7:00am – 11:30am PT
Early Registration closes: June 10, 2024
General Registration closes: June 18, 2024

Pricing & Registration


 

In-Person Training Events

 

NEW YORK (Cortland)
March 26-27, 2024

Hosted by the DEC Wildlife Health Program
Early Registration closes: March 11, 2024
General Registration closes: March 19, 2024

 

MARYLAND (Owings Mills)
April 9-10, 2024

Hosted by Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Early Registration closes: March 25, 2024
General Registration closes: April 2, 2024

 

CALIFORNIA (Pomona)
April 20-21, 2024 – SOLD OUT

Hosted by Western University of Health Sciences
Early Registration closes: April 5, 2024
General Registration closes: April 11, 2024

 

FLORIDA (Miami)
May 8-9, 2024

Hosted by Zoo Miami
Early Registration closes: April 23, 2024
General Registration closes: May 1, 2024

 

VERMONT (Barre)
May 21-22, 2024

Hosted by Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife
Early Registration closes: May 6, 2024
General Registration closes: May 13, 2024

 

VIRGINIA (Fredericksburg)
July 9-10*, 2024

Hosted by Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy
Early registration closes: June 24, 2024
General registration closes: July 02, 2024

*Qualification Day for VA ACO’s will be on July 11. Additional registration is required, and a separate registration link will be provided to class participants.

 

COLORADO (Golden)
July 23-24, 2024

Hosted by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
Early registration closes: July 8, 2024
General registration closes: July 15, 2024

 

Pricing & Registration


 

Self-Guided e-Learning

For more information on this format, please click here.


 

Feedback From Safe Capture Trainees

"Practical information with reference materials; instructor was approachable, engaging, and spoke from experience."

"I really enjoyed the demonstrations of the different items used during chemical immobilization."

"Very knowledgeable and experienced instructor. Also truly appreciated the very detailed course material." 

Who Would Benefit From This Training?

Professionals working in…

ZOOLOGICAL MEDICINE

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

WILDLIFE RESEARCH

WILDLIFE REHABILITATION

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS

WILDLIFE RANCHERS

VETERINARY MEDICINE

 

 

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Academy's Safe Capture program is pleased to bring our training to colleges and universities! Click here to contact us if you are interested in having a Safe Capture training event at your institution.

TRAINING TOPICS

ANESTHESIA TECHNIQUES

  • Injectable and inhalant techniques.
  • Proper injection sites.
  • Remote-delivery equipment and technology.
  • Advantages and disadvantages of commercially available darting systems.
  • Techniques and field modifications to ensure accuracy and consistency.

ANIMAL WELFARE

  • How to recognize, prevent, and treat immobilization-related medical emergencies.
  • Strategies and techniques to minimize stress during capture and handling.
  • Training and conditioning techniques to facilitate animal handling, examination, and sample collection without the use of drugs.

IMMOBILIZATION PHARMACOLOGY

  • Drug and dosage recommendations.
  • Proper use of super-concentrated drugs.
  • How to re-dose if immobilization is incomplete.

SAFETY

  • Personnel and public safety considerations.
  • Handling accidental human exposure to immobilizing drugs.

LEGAL

  • Record keeping and legal considerations, including DEA, AMDUCA, IACUC.

 

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS

Dr. Mark Drew headshot

Dr. Mark Drew

Dr. Mark Drew has a BSc in Wildlife Management and Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He received an MSc in Zoology from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, working on winter tick ecology with moose. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1987 from the University of Minnesota-St Paul. He completed a residency in Zoological and Wildlife Medicine from the University of California-Davis in 1989. Mark taught in the Zoological Animal Section for the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California-Davis for 2 years and Texas A&M University for 6 years. Mark was the Wildlife Veterinarian for the California Department of Fish for 2 years and Game Idaho Department of Fish and Game for 21 years. Mark is a Diplomat of the American College of Zoological Medicine, past President of the American College of Zoological Medicine, and past President of the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians. He has been teaching chemical immobilization courses for 25 years.

Dr. Ken Waldrup headshot

Dr. Ken Waldrup

Dr. Kenneth Waldrup completed his BS (Microbiology) in 1976, his MS (Veterinary Parasitology) in 1980 and his DVM in 1983, all from Oklahoma State University. Ken received his PhD (Veterinary Medical Science) from Texas A&M University in 1991 and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Invermay Agricultural Centre near Dunedin, New Zealand working with farmed deer anesthesia and reproduction, as well as wildlife diseases. He has served as CWD program supervisor with the Texas Animal Health Commission and is currently Regional Zoonoses Control Veterinarian with the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Dr. Ken Waldrup headshot

Dr. Curtis Eng

Dr. Curtis Eng graduated from Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine. He worked as the Associate Veterinarian in a small animal/exotic animal practice and volunteered at the Lincoln Park Zoo, and then became the Assistant Director/Staff Veterinarian for the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana. He became the Director of Animal Health and Husbandry at the Phoenix Zoo and the Chief Veterinarian at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. During his zoo career, conservation medicine has been his true passion having been intimately involved with the reintroduction of the Peninsular Pronghorn, Black Footed Ferret, Sumatran rhino, and California condor. Dr. Eng has also served as the attending veterinarian at a large research chimpanzee facility. He is currently the Director of Clinical Relations and an Associate Professor at Western University, College of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in Zoo, Exotic and Wildlife Medicine. He volunteers as the veterinarian for wildlife and exotic animals for the Pasadena Humane Society and works part time in an exotics-only private practice. He currently fosters birds and reptiles that are looking for good homes.

Dr. Ken Waldrup headshot

Dr. Thomas deMaar

Dr. Thomas deMaar has been a wildlife and zoo veterinarian for over 30 years. Embracing the extreme form of multiple species "one medicine" he has worked with several zoos in the United States, operated a wildlife conservation medicine practice in Kenya for 8 years, cared for domestic livestock in Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, Uganda, and USA, and consulted for federal and state wildlife agencies. He taught at Tufts University, the University of Nairobi, and the University of Texas system and mentored high school, college, and graduate school students from numerous countries. Throughout the years, Dr. deMaar has undertaken wildlife rehabilitation for thousands of wild mammals, birds, and reptiles. He is currently the attending veterinarian for Sea Turtle, Inc. on South Padre Island, Texas.

Dr. Liza Dadone headshot

Dr. Liza Dadone

Dr. Liza Dadone, VMD is a zoo veterinarian with giraffe medicine expertise. She assists zoos and ranches with their giraffe care, serves as a veterinary advisor for giraffe in the American Zoological Association (AZA), and has been part of more than 100 giraffe anesthesia procedures.

Dr. Dadone brings more than 18 years of zoo and field conservation experience to her anesthesia cases and teaching. After graduating from University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine, she completed a zoo internship at the Calgary Zoo, a zoo residency at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and worked for more than 12 years at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. In 2023, she founded Giraffe Veterinary Services to provide specialty care for giraffe in zoos in the US and internationally. She also collaborates with the Animal Search and Rescue exotic animal response team to problem solve anesthesia and emergency rescue challenges for zoo and wildlife species.

CONTACT US

For more information about these trainings, please fill out the form below.