DrJulie Levy
DIS PROF
VM-SACS
Orcid identifier0000-0002-4849-288X (opens in a new tab)
- DIS PROFVM-SACS
- University of Florida, Shelter Medicine Program, 2015 SW 16th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 36208, United States
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research program centers on improving the health, welfare, and outcomes of animals in shelters and community-based care systems through evidence‑driven, highly translational studies. Across my career, my work has consistently advanced practical, scalable solutions to the most pressing medical and operational challenges facing animal shelters.
A central focus of my research is the ecology, diagnosis, and management of major feline and canine infectious diseases, including FeLV, FIV, FIP, heartworm disease, and other pathogens of concern in shelter settings. My team’s studies on FeLV prognostication, lifetime outcomes for FeLV/FIV‑infected cats, and evidence‑based FIP treatment protocols have become widely referenced by shelter medical directors and private practitioners nationwide, directly improving the quality of care for vulnerable animals in resource‑limited environments.
Another major theme of my research addresses systems‑level challenges in animal sheltering, such as the nationwide decline in spay/neuter surgical capacity, veterinary workforce shortages, and strategies for delivering high‑volume, high‑quality care. Our investigations into operational bottlenecks and workforce sustainability have informed local and national policy discussions and guided funding priorities for community veterinary care programs.
My work is intentionally collaborative and deeply applied. I partner with veterinary students, interns, residents, practicing veterinarians, shelters, and national animal‑welfare organizations to ensure that research findings translate rapidly into real‑world clinical protocols. This commitment to impactful, accessible scholarship is reflected in more than 200 publications and 300 invited national and international presentations, key advisory roles with major industry partners, and research funding from national animal welfare and veterinary research foundations.