Dr. Cheryl Ellis received both her Bachelor’s degree and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California at Davis, CA. Her professional interests include equine technical rescue, disaster preparedness, response and emergency care and stabilization of the equine patient. She is the California Veterinary Medical Association’s Disaster Coordinator for California Region IV. Prior to acceptance into the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, she enjoyed a full career in the Emergency Management System as a professional firefighter for Sacramento City Fire Department and as an EMT-II/Paramedic for Metropolitan Ambulance Company. While working as such, she obtained her AA degree in Fire Science and Technology.
Upon acceptance into UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, she became a member, then later the President of the UC Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT). Upon graduation, she was employed by the UC Davis International Animal Welfare Training Institute (IAWTI) to continue her professional work on combining her past career as a firefighter with the unique and specialized needs of large animal technical rescue and disaster response.
Dr. Ellis, who is a Department of Homeland Security Certified Instructor, was formerly assigned to the UC Davis – Cal EMA project to help create and deliver training curriculum designed for first responders, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal services and organized animal rescue groups on managing animals in disasters as well as the single animal technical rescue. The emphases of her courses are how to integrate the veterinarian and improve first responder and public safety levels when faced with challenging animal rescues.
Education, experience and training
- Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, University of CA at Davis
- Bachelor of Science, University of CA at Davis
- Associate of Arts in Fire Science Technology
- Veterinary Emergency Response Team Veterinarian at UC Davis
- Emergency Response Veterinarian, Private Practice
- Safe Capture International: Chemical Immobilization of Animals for Animal control, Animal Rescue and Disaster Preparedness
- CA Department of Fish and Game: Chemical Capture and Restraint of Wildlife
- Safe Capture International: Chemical Immobilization of Animals
- Department of Homeland Security Instructor Development Course
- Department of Homeland Security Certified Instructor
- ICS I.S. 10.a: Managing Animals in Disasters: Awareness and Preparedness 2013
- ICS I.S. 11.a: Managing Animals in Disasters: Community Preparedness 2013
- Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue: TLAER 2012
- Equine Rescue Awareness and Safety: TLAER 2010
- Air Craft Safety Awareness: Sling load operations with live animals 2009
- ICS 100, 200 and 700 Certification 2009
- Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue: TLAER 2006
- Felton Fire Department: Large Animal Rescue 2005
