Membership Categories
Animal Behaviour and Training Council membership is open to all professional organisations with a stake in the ethical training of, and bringing about behaviour change in, animals kept in association with humans in the UK.
There are a number of different categories of membership of the ABTC.
Membership fees for 2026:
Membership categories Annual fees Application fees
Supporting Member £115 £115
Advisory Member £220 £280
Practitioner Organisation Member £280 £280
Assessing Organisation Member £280 £880 (and £610 every 3 years at review)
To apply for membership:
All organisations should complete Stage One Application Form.
Practitioner Organisations will then need to complete Stage Two Application Form.
Assessing Organisations will then need to complete Stage Two Application Form and Stage Three Application form plus Appendix One and Two.
You will find the links to the Application Guidance Notes and the forms that you need to complete under the different categories, below.
Advisory Organisation
Advisory Membership – Open to professional groups/organisations involved in animal welfare but not directly representing practitioners.
Application fee is £280
Membership fee is £220 annually.
Please click here for the Stage One Application Form
Please click here for the Application Guidance Notes
Please click here for a list of ABTC Advisory and Supporting Organisation Members
Supporting Organisation
Supporting Membership – Open to professional groups/organisations involved in animal welfare but not directly representing practitioners. This includes charitable organisations.
Application fee is £115
Membership fee £115 annually.
Please click here for the Stage One Application Form
Please click here for the Application Guidance Notes
Please click here for a list of ABTC Advisory and Supporting Organisation Members
Practitioner Organisation
Practitioner Organisation Membership – Open to organisations representing practitioners in animal training or behaviour therapy. These organisations can register their ABTC-assessed practitioners on the ABTC National Registers of Practitioners.
Application fee is £280
Membership fee is £280 annually
Please click here for the Stage One Application Form
Please click here for the Stage Two Application Form
Please click here for the Application Guidance Notes
Please click here for a list of ABTC Practitioner Organisation Members
Assessing Organisation
Assessing Organisation Membership – Open to organisations assessing practitioner standards for ABTC registration.
Application fee is £880 (and £610 every three years at review)
Membership fee is £280
Please click here for the Stage One Application Form
Please click here for the Stage Two Application Form
Please click here for the Stage Three Application Form
Please click here for the Application Guidance Notes
Please click here for Stage Three Application Form Appendix One
Please click here for Stage Three Application Form Appendix Two
Please click here for a list of ABTC Practitioner Assessing Organisation Members
Individual
ABTC trustees are automatically made individual members and have one vote each at general meetings. Other individuals can only be members by invitation of the ABTC and they must have a particular skill or specialist knowledge that will benefit the work of the Council. Individual members that are not trustees do not have voting rights.
Applications are always welcome.
Membership Renewal
Membership is renewed annually and is conditional upon member organisations continuing to meet the ABTC membership criteria and payment of their annual renewal fee.
Please note these categories and processes are subject to review and revision.