The Animal Behaviour and Training Council sets and maintains standards of knowledge and practical skills needed to be an animal trainer, training instructor or animal behaviour therapist and maintains the national Register of appropriately assessed animal trainers, instructors and behaviourists. ABTC members include major animal welfare charities, educational organisations and membership organisations for practitioners. ABTC requires members of practitioner organisations to reach and maintain set standards to be included on the Register.
ABTC represents the training and behaviour sector to the public and to governments.
“TO PROMOTE HUMANE PRACTICE IN THE TRAINING AND BEHAVIOUR THERAPY OF ANIMALS AND TO LOBBY FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN ANIMAL WELFARE RELATED TO BEHAVIOUR AND TRAINING OF SAID ANIMALS. THE ABTC DOES NOT SUPPORT THE USE OF HARMFUL OR PUNISHING TECHNIQUES, METHODS OR EQUIPMENT IN TRAINING OR BEHAVIOUR THERAPY.”
The ABTC is the only charity dedicated to promoting the welfare of animals undergoing training or behaviour therapy. The ABTC believes that it cannot be right to cause any animal pain in order to motivate them to carry out desired behaviours, when humane methods are not only available, but produce better long-term results.
The ABTC believes that improvements in Animal Welfare are achieved by:
ABTC Practitioners must use science-led, compassionate and non-punitive methods. Training and Behaviour programmes must not be based on Positive Punishment or the creation of anxiety or fear.
The ABTC Practitioner Directory lists the species which any given practitioner works with (having been rigorously assessed as competent in the role in its entirety by the Practitioner or Assessor Organisation).
The Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) wishes to express its deep concern of the dog handling practices demonstrated by Augusto Deoliveira, commonly known as the “Dog Daddy”. You can read the statement here
ABTC at the BVNA Congress 2023 ABTC Advisory Member, British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) held their annual congress in Telford from 6 – 8 October this year. Celebrating their 50th year, with the theme ‘Empowerment’, this landmark event and high calibre speakers provided opportunities for learning, exploring and connecting with
The ABTC takes every complaint that comes to us from our practitioners, practitioners’ clients, member organisations, and others outside of our member organisations, seriously. Every communication we receive via email or social media channels is responded to; no one is ignored.You can read the full statement here
Animal Behaviour and Training Council – Registered Charity Numbers 1164009 (England & Wales), SC047256 (Scotland)
Milsted Langdon, Winchester House, Deane Gate Avenue, Taunton, TA1 2UH.
