Leticia Dantas

Leticia Dantas is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine, affiliated with the Behavioral Medicine Service within the Department of Small Animal Medicine & Surgery. She holds a DVM (2002), M.S. (2006), and PhD (2010) from Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil, and is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB).

• Education:
• DVM – Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil (2002)
• M.S. – Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil (2006)
• PhD – Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil (2010)

Her research focuses on feline and canine cognition, veterinary psychiatry/psychology, behavior therapy, psychopharmacology, and clinical applications of environmental enrichment in shelter medicine. She emphasizes translational research to improve animal welfare and clinical outcomes.

Dr. Dantas co-edited Veterinary Psychopharmacology, Second Edition (2019) and has authored/co-authored peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. She actively teaches courses in bioethics, neuroscience, clinical behavioral medicine, and applied animal welfare.

• Awards:
• Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) since 2014
• Fear Free Certified Professional and Speaker since 2014

Her professional roles include advising on shelter medicine and behavioral interventions, alongside clinical duties at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. She contributes to interdisciplinary teams advancing veterinary behavioral science and animal welfare initiatives.