I am amazed how after five years since the start of a regulatory process in the field of animal behaviour and training there is still a lack of understanding at practitioner level about what is happening, who is going to be properly qualified, which organisations are recognised and recognised by which authorities.
There is a simple answer to the question ‘why is this the case?’ and that is that those who refuse to adopt the high standards that have been set by the ABTC continue to publish misinformation to justify their position (I would refer you back to my previous blog on unethical marketing). This is leaving individuals who are trying to find answers to their questions unable to make sense of it all and decipher what is correct and what is not. The sad result of this is that newcomers to the sector will invest time and money in training and education and many will eventually be very disappointed. They will discover that their efforts have been wasted because they have made decision based on information that is not entirely correct.
As far back as 2008 everybody that was asked agreed that standards were necessary and the series of talks chaired by CAWC followed in an attempt to create a regulatory system. Those talks broke down without any agreement other than for a basic code of conduct. The suggestion that any one organisation was in some way endorsed by CAWC as being the one to take the process on is a fantasy and anyone saying otherwise is at best hopelessly mistaken. No such endorsement was given although an encouraging letter was received from Lord Soulsby, the chairman of CAWC acknowledging the work and support that had been achieved by ABTC along with a similar email from the late sir Colin Spedding who chaired the meetings.
One of the most ridiculous notions out there is that there is a difference between an animal behaviourist and a canine behaviourist. This is really clutching at straws in a desperate attempt to somehow make a distinction between the two The real distinction is between those who have adopted the high standards of the ABTC and those who choose to remain outside of a process that is supported by the veterinary profession (BSAVA, BVA, BVNA) and the government (Defra). Any title that includes the word animal does so to allow for the speciality of any species, a quick glance at the list of speciality species on any of the ABTC registers will show that the vast majority of registered practitioners specialise in dogs. I should add however that even if someone only wants to deal with dogs there is an absolute need to have some knowledge of other commonly kept species because they frequently form part of the dog’s social environment and to not have that knowledge means you are not properly qualified to deal with such cases.
The fact remains that there are only two organisations that Defra refer the public, the police and local authorities to when there is need for trainers and behaviourists and they are the Kennel Club (those qualified under the KCAI scheme) and the ABTC (full members of approved organisations) and nobody else. Others have made representations to be included but they have been rejected, I would invite my readers to draw their own conclusions about the reasoning behind such omission.
The result of misinformation is that people are being confused in an otherwise very clear situation, make no mistake, the process is gathering pace and those who are able to distinguish between the reality of that and the multitude of nonsense that persists will be able to make wise decisions.