Animal Control and Animal Shelter Training
Examining Animal Cruelty & Neglect
Animal Cruelty and Neglect can come in all shapes and sizes. Laws can differ in your county, city and state. Case examples and outcomes will be shared to provide the attendees with ideas and skills to use in their investigations. We will examine and discuss your state laws to help better understand how to prove your case beyond reasonable doubt.
Introducing SMART Animal Shelters
Animal Control was founded out of the need for public safety. The first animal shelter was established to ensure homeless pets didn’t end up suffering a horrific death of being drowned by the municipal dog catcher in the 1800s. The animal welfare movement in the United States is only 157 years old. The current trend is the transportation of homeless pets from the south to the north, TnR, No Kill and more. But what are the consequences, what is the succession plan and what is the right thing to do for the community? This thought-provoking session will take you through the darkest times of animal welfare to the newest slogan, SMART Animal Shelters.
Verbal De Escalation: Stepping Back from the Edge
Have you ever been at yelled by someone while conducting an investigation or helping a customer at the animal shelter? Did you say something that made the situation worse? Have you ever needed to call for a police officer or a supervisor to help you with a verbally combative person? This lecture was designed from techniques like verbal judo, crisis intervention and mediation. We will look at how your body language, tone and the words you use dictate the flow of your interaction and how to make an argumentative person become polite and respectful.
Dog Breed Identification Showdown
Whether you are a new animal control officer or you have been in the field for twenty years this class will provide practical skills to help identify the different types of dog breeds. The American Kennel Club recognizes over 200 dog breeds and the United Kennel Club recognizes over 300 breeds. This will be an interactive class that pits teams against each other to identify the correct breed. In addition to identifying the breed there will be discussions on what the dog was initially bred for. The winner will not only have bragging rights but they will receive a prize.
Scratching the Surface of Bites
Have you ever been dispatched to an animal bite call and couldn't tell if it was a scratch from a cat or a dog? Did you still quarantine the animal because the victim told you that it was a bite? Being attacked or bitten by an animal can be an overwhelming experience, and the events of the incident can be hard to recall for some people. Having the skills to identify the proper type of injuries are invaluable for animal control officers and this class will teach you those techniques through photos, diagrams, statistics and shared experiences.
Dropping the Dog Catcher and the Pound(S)
This session focuses on changing public perception of animal control officers and animal shelters. Do you know where the dog-catcher & dog-pound name came from and why the stereotype still exists? Learn new ways to implement proactive community engagement without adding to your budget. Socially Conscious and No Kill shelters are common in our industry, but do you know the difference between the two? This is the future of animal welfare! Use this seminar to implement change in your community and the culture of your department.
Unleashing Laughter: The Benefits of Humane Humor
Why isn’t humor widely accepted as being professional? Using humor tactfully can help create a better work environment and reduce secondary traumatic stress. Humane Humor helps unleash laughter focused on good, healthy humor. Studies show laughter can reduce stress and help de-escalate hostile situations but using poor humor can amplify them and create a divide between teammates and community members. There will be examples given to identify where and when to use the different styles of humor and how positive thoughts can lead to a happy & healthy work-life balance.
Relationship Between Animal Abuse and Family Violence
Have you heard about the serial killer or mass shooter who abused animals as a kid? The “link” between domestic violence and animal abuse is very common. This session focuses on identifying the perpetrators of animal abuse and how it’s related to family and/or interpersonal violence. There are predictors of violence and ways we can work with law enforcement agencies to get their assistance in preventing future crimes. We have the ability to stop crimes before they happen and this presentation has tools, examples and ideas to help keep your community safe from people causing harm to humans and animals.
Animal Sex Crimes
Sex crimes against animals is also known as bestiality. Though this topic is tabu, it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Bestiality is more common than you think and it is also linked to other crimes like sexual violence amongst children, at risk youth and adults. We discuss your state law and for a better understanding on how to build and prove your case. Learn the ways people groom their animals to participate in this crime along with case studies and ways to investigate it on the internet.
When Your Compassion is Lacking
Compassion fatigue in animal welfare is common. So common that it’s accepted by coworkers, managers and the animals. Think about it, who challenges you to get out of that funk? How do you break the cycle? Overworked, understaffed, too many animals, too many calls for service, are just some reasons for burnout. What works to correct the behavior? Staff appreciation is a difficult task to achieve as people receive appreciation differently. Now is the time to act. Participate in this session to learn ways to influence people and animals positively. The more we challenge each other to do great things the more great things we can achieve!
Disruptors in Animal Welfare
A disruptor in the workplace is defined as a powerful force for positive change that challenges conventional wisdom, breaks down barriers, and revolutionizes the way businesses operate. Our profession would not be where it is today without disruptors like Henry Bergh, Caroline Earle White and George Thorndike Angell. Find out how they influenced change to ensure better treatment of animals. There is a fine line between being a disruptor and being disruptive. Tactfully present new ideas and don’t take no for an answer. There is still so much room for growth in our profession and you may just be the one to leave a legacy.
More Animal Control Training
- Animal Law and History
- Body Condition Scoring
- Hoarding
- Compassion Fatigue
- Animal Fighting
- Mock crime scenes
- Dog behavior and handling
Custom Classes Avaialbe
- Is there a class you want but don't see it listed? Please contact us as we can create classes to fit your needs.