welfare,certified behaviorist,environmental enrichment

Studies show stress in laboratory animals can negatively affect research. We work with you to design the optimum welfare program for your animals. Our goals are to:

Provide the best psychological welfare; yet minimize effects on research.
Increase staff safety/efficiency with animal communication workshops.
Provide transition plans for adopting/retiring animals when appropriate.

We also provide consultations for animals who need one-on-one help.

Our Expertise Includes:

20 years working with dogs, cats, rats, birds, monkeys, horses, dolphins, and other animals in university and hospital research-, shelter-, zoo-, and home-settings.
5 years building and evaluating enrichment, welfare, and behavior modification programs in industrial settings.
Certification as an Applied Animal Behaviorist by the Animal Behavior Society.

Our Programs Address:

Behavior enrichment and socialization practices.
Group housing, animal introductions.
Training to procedures to reduce animal stress & increase efficiency.
Training staff to manage fear versus dominance situations.
Rehabilitating poorly adjusted animals.
Reducing aggression and inappropriate attention seeking.
Reducing stereotypy and repetitive behaviors.
Physical enhancement and enrichment of research colony environments.
Fears and phobias, stranger shyness.
Adoption and retirement training for animals.

Establishing a new animal welfare program can require transition periods, retraining, and sometimes, rethinking philosophies. We help with this process.

Custom-Tailored Workshops:

Educational presentations to staff.
Evaluate your present program.
Design a program tailored to your needs.
Show you how to implement this program.
Show you how to evaluate your program to ensure that it is working.