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Behaviour Congress

Thursday 8 June 2023

Early Bird pricing is available until Friday 7th April 2023

Virtual Event

About Agenda Speakers Book

What is Behaviour Congress?

Behaviour Congress is a one day virtual event focused on animal behaviour.

This congress offers 7 hours of evidenced CPD and in previous events we have welcomed a range of expert industry speakers to deliver lectures on topics including:

  • Feline Toileting Issues - A Welfare Concern
  • Preventing Conflict in Multi-Cat Households
  • Neutering Dogs - where do we go from here?
  • Things that go crash, bang, wallop! Management of canine noise fears and phobias.
  • Rescuing the Rescues – How can we help the rescue dog integrate into our world?

Who should attend?

Veterinary nurses looking to develop their knowledge and understanding of animal behaviour. This congress will be particularly useful if you're:

  • Interested in learning more about reducing stress and anxiety in dogs and cats or managing behaviour in multi pet households
  • Aiming to progress within your role
  • Interested in keeping up-to-date with everything happening in the industry

Why attend?

  • Listen to lectures from a range of speakers who will be sharing their experiences and knowledge
  • Q&A sessions mean your questions will be answered by the speakers themselves
  • Gain practical takeaways that you can implement in your practice
  • Gain information, product knowledge and offers from our virtual exhibitors
  • Earn 7 hours of evidenced CPD
  • Gain online access to recordings of all the lectures and lectures from previous congresses up until the next event
Download the agenda (PDF)

Online Registration and Exhibition

Chairman's Welcome

Lauren Norton BSc (Hons) RVN PGDipCAB CertVNECC 

Feline Toileting Issues - A Welfare Concern

Lucy Hoile, MSc CCAB ABTC – CAB

Urine marking inside the home and toileting in unwanted places are common problems among the feline population, much to the displeasure of their owners, who often see this as a deliberate act of malice.
In actuality, these behaviours often indicate the cat is unhappy and needs help and understanding. In these cases, the cat’s welfare is compromised, and this talk discusses why this is may be so.
We will also look at the potential underlying causes, as well as treatment strategies that improve the cat’s welfare while encouraging more suitable toileting habits.

Preventing Conflict in Multi-Cat Households

Dr Sarah Ellis, BSc (Hons), PG Dip CABC, PhD

Recent research has indicated it is likely around 2 million cats in the UK are living under stressful conditions due to living with another cat (PAW Report 2022). This is stress that could be prevented by putting greater owner understanding of cat behaviour into practice.
This presentation will provide an overview of cat’s environmental and social needs (human and cat) with particular reference to the multi-cat household.
You will come away with top tips to share with clients who are thinking of extending their single cat household to a multi-cat one and for those clients currently with multi-cat households.

Live Q&A Panel

Present questions (anonymously if desired) to the speakers.

Online Exhibition and Lounges

Neutering Dogs - where do we go from here?

Sara Davies, BVMS MRCVS CTC ABTC-VB

In recent years, research has cast a light on the negative effects of neutering dogs, both male and female, whether it be on their health or their behaviour. The conversation is moving away from purely the timing, to whether to do it at all. Where does this leave us, our clients, and dog welfare?
In this session, you will learn about some of the research behind this topic, what this might mean for your practice policy, the advice you give to your clients, what procedure you choose to perform, and how you handle dogs pre and post-operatively.

Live Q&A Panel

Present questions (anonymously if desired) to the speakers.

Online Exhibition and Lounges

Things that go crash, bang, wallop! Management of canine noise fears and phobias

Dr Julie Ashton, BSc(Hons), BVSc, MANZCVs (Veterinary Behaviour), MRCVS, Life on Four Legs

Noise fears and phobias are a common issues in dogs. During this presentation, we will discuss what classifies as a fear or phobia and look at when this becomes 'abnormal' and starts to affect animal welfare.
We will discuss presenting signs, how it can develop and what ways we can offer advice on management.

Rescuing the Rescues – How can we help the rescue dog integrate into our world?

Hannah Donovan, BSc (Hons) BVM&S MVetSci MSc (Clinical Animal Behaviour) MRCVS CCAB, Donovan Vet Behaviour

This presentation will cover the following key learning points:

  • Rescue dogs – from this country and overseas. What can we expect?
  • Canine Behaviour – Body Language and Interpretation. This section aims to offer tools for understanding and interpreting what emotions our canine patients may be experiencing by observing their behaviour.
  • How do we deal with “sticky” situations? What can we do to keep everybody safe and facilitate handling of a “difficult” dog? Some hints and tips for improving the experience of the situation.
  • What can we do to help these individuals in the future? How can we change the dog’s perspective of these situations? Providing some tools for teaching owners how to help prepare their rescue dog for veterinary care.

Live Q&A Panel

Present questions (anonymously if desired) to the speakers.

Chairman's Close

Lauren Norton BSc (Hons) RVN PGDipCAB CertVNECC 

Virtual Exhibition and Lounges

Lucy HoileLucy Hoile, MSc CCAB ABTC - CAB

Lucy has been practicing as a feline behaviourist since 2010 and is one of very few exclusively feline Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourists (CCAB). She is listed as a Clinical Animal Behaviourist with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council and sits on the board of trustees.

Lucy is passionate about seeing cats happy in their home and supporting owners to provide the best cat friendly home they can. She is part of International Cat Care’s Feline Wellbeing Panel and Feliway’s Happy Cat Expert Panel.

Lucy lives in Southampton with her family, including two cats and a Labrador.

 

Dr Sarah Ellis, BSc (Hons), PG Dip CABC, PhD

Sarah’s interests span the behaviour and welfare of the domestic cat. She has a BSc in Zoology and Psychology, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling and a PhD which focussed on improving the welfare of cats housed in homing centres.

Sarah spent eight years at the University of Lincoln as a post-doctoral research scientist working on numerous feline behaviour and welfare projects.

She splits time between her role as Head of Cat Advocacy at charity International Cat Care and consultancy involving lecturing, writing (including co-authoring NY Times Best Seller ‘The Trainable Cat) and media work.

 

Sarah DaviesSara Davies, BVMS MRCVS CTC ABTC-VB

Sara is a UK practising vet who spent nine years in small animal practice before switching to pet behaviour and training, where she has worked for the last 20 years.

In addition to her vet degree, Sara is an honour graduate of Jean Donaldson’s Academy for Dog Trainers, a full member of the APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors), and an ABTC registered veterinary behaviourist and clinical animal behaviourist.

She is a committed reward-based trainer with a keen interest in both the welfare of the pet and the comfort of the client.

 

Julie AshtonDr Julie Ashton, BSc (Hons), BVSc, MANZCVs (Veterinary Behaviour), MRCVS
Life on Four Legs

Dr Julie graduated from Bristol University in 2009 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and a BSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare.  She spent two years at a busy North London practice before moving to Sydney, where she worked both in small animal clinics and a large referral practice.

In 2014, she obtained her Memberships (by examination) to the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Veterinary Behaviour and then set up Life on Four Legs - her Veterinary behaviour referral service.

In 2019, Julie relocated back to the UK and became a FABC accredited clinical animal behaviourist. She is a full member of the APBC and is a ABTC accredited Veterinary Behaviourist. She now runs a busy behavioural referral practice seeing cats and dogs on the border of Essex and Cambridgeshire.

 

Hannah DonovanHannah Donovan, BSc (Hons) BVM&S MVetSci MSc (Clinical Animal Behaviour) MRCVS CCAB
Donovan Vet Behaviour

Since completing her studies from the University of Leeds, University of Edinburgh and University of Lincoln, UK, Hannah worked originally as a mixed vet with horses, livestock and small animals, and has since worked in small animal practices. She has also travelled and volunteered around the world in clinics and shelters, and spent some time working in a large RSPCA hospital and shelter in Sydney, Australia.

Hannah has enjoyed providing continued education for vets and vet staff around the world about animal behaviour and how to improve handling and understanding during veterinary visits, rehabilitation of rescued animals or teaching young animals and preventing behaviour issues. Hannah’s aim has always been to improve animals’ quality of life and welfare by continually learning herself and teaching veterinary and shelter staff.

Hannah is an RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) Advanced Practitioner in Companion Animal Behaviour, an ASAB (the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour) accredited Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) for equines, dogs and cats, an ABTC (Animal Behaviour and Training Council) registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist and registered Veterinary Behaviourist, a Full Member of the APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors), a Director and Certificated Member of the FAB Clinicians (Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians) and a Committee Member of the BVBA (British Veterinary Behaviour Association).

 

Lauren NortonLauren Norton  BSc (Hons) RVN PGDipCAB CertVNECC
The College of Animal Welfare

Lauren graduated from the BSc Veterinary Nursing programme in 2010, and has since worked in small animal general practice and referral. Having completed a Post Graduate Certificate and Diploma, she is currently studying for an MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour, and is an online tutor and module leader on the BSc Veterinary Nursing programme.

Lauren is particularly interested in the relationship between pet nutrition and behaviour.

 

Further details about our 2023 event will be available soon. In the meantime, take a look at who exhibited at our 2022 event:

APBCAssociation of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC)

The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) is a network of friendly and professional practitioners who work alongside the vet-led team with a variety of species including dogs, cats, horses, small mammals, reptiles, birds and other animals. APBC members offer a variety of in-person and remote services (including internationally).

Full APBC members are qualified, assessed and regulated, having met the standards set out by the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC), to promote animal welfare through training and behaviour change.  Full members have a depth and breadth of skills, knowledge and experience, unrivalled within the animal behaviour industry.

The APBC also organises regular events aimed at owners, trainers, behaviourists and the veterinary team.

CAW LogoThe College of Animal Welfare

The College of Animal Welfare is one of the largest providers of veterinary nurse training in the UK, with centres in Cambridgeshire, North London, Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, West Midlands, County Durham and Scotland. We strongly believe that education and training is the key to raising standards of animal welfare. To this end, we strive to create new and accessible opportunities for learning, and encourage employers and those working with animals to undertake appropriate levels of training and continue with lifelong learning and education.

Behaviour Congress
Full Price
£175
Early Bird
£125
Saving
£60

Early Bird pricing is available until Friday 7th April 2023. All prices are listed without VAT and savings including VAT.

Book now

Behaviour Congress is a one day virtual event that focuses on animal behaviour.

Why exhibit with us?

  • Limited exhibitor numbers - Unlike larger congresses where hundreds of exhibitors often mean that visitors will not remember everyone, exhibition space for these events is strictly limited. As such you will get the opportunity to engage with the delegates attending our congresses personally.
  • Make meaningful business connections – Network with those that influence decision making in veterinary practice and make relevant industry contacts virtually.
  • Cost effective – with exhibitor packages starting from just £50+VAT, our prices offer value for money and fall considerably below that of larger events within the industry.

To find out more contact Claire Gregory on 01480 422060.