Behavior

Melissa is passionate about and deeply involved in the community of veterinary behavior and training. She has worked in both general medicine and behavioral specialty medicine. Her focus now remains in the nonprofit arena where she can combine the knowledge that she has gained from her bachelor’s degree in health services administration and her certifications as a VTS in behavior and a Fear Free professional. Melissa enjoys sharing her knowledge with fellow veterinary professionals and training pet parents through presenting at conferences, teaching veterinary hospital staff, or working one on one.

Rachel is a veterinary nurse and a member of the Academy of Veterinary Behavior Technicians. She is the lead veterinary behavior technician at The Behavior Clinic in Olmsted Falls, Ohio. Rachel is a Certified Training Partner through the Karen Pryor Dog Trainer Professional Academy. She is a Fear Free Certified Level 3 Professional, is on the Fear Free Speakers Bureau, and is a member of the Fear Free Advisory Panel. Rachel is also the speaker committee chair and website chair for the Clinical Animal Behavior Conference and serves as secretary for the Academy of Veterinary Behavior Technicians.

Ellen graduated from SUNY Delhi in 1996 and has worked in many sectors in veterinary medicine. She started out in veterinary technology as a student primate biohazard technician at LEMSIP in Sterling Forest, NY. After closing of the lab, she moved to shelter medicine (Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, DC), and a few corporate small animal hospitals in the DC metro area.

]In 2002, she joined NOVA CAT CLINIC, an approved Gold Cat Friendly Practice, and is the LVT to a five-doctor practice and supervisor to an assisting staff. She also runs the Chris Griffey Memorial Feline Foundation, which is dedicated to helping other rescues and shelters with the critical neonatal and pediatric patient. Ellen lectures on the critical feline neonate and also safe restraint and anesthesia techniques.

Debbie has been a full-time registered/licensed veterinary technician since 1996 and worked in private practice for more than 14 years. Since 2005, she has been the animal behavior technician for Veterinary Behavior Consultations, LLC. She assists Kenneth Martin, DVM, DACVB, during behavior consultations. Debbie is also a co-owner of TEAM Education in Animal Behavior, LLC. She is a contributing author and coeditor of the textbook Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses. She is also a coauthor of the book Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog and the Karen Pryor Academy course “Puppy Start Right for Instructors.” She is honored to be representing veterinary technicians on the Fear Free executive council.

Debbie has been a full-time registered/licensed veterinary technician since 1996 and worked in private practice for more than 14 years. Since 2005, she has been the animal behavior technician for Veterinary Behavior Consultations, LLC. She assists Kenneth Martin, DVM, DACVB, during behavior consultations. Debbie is also a co-owner of TEAM Education in Animal Behavior, LLC. She is a contributing author and coeditor of the textbook Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses. She is also a coauthor of the book Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog and the Karen Pryor Academy course “Puppy Start Right for Instructors.” She is honored to be representing veterinary technicians on the Fear Free executive council.

Debbie has been a full-time registered/licensed veterinary technician since 1996 and worked in private practice for more than 14 years. Since 2005, she has been the animal behavior technician for Veterinary Behavior Consultations, LLC. She assists Kenneth Martin, DVM, DACVB, during behavior consultations. Debbie is also a co-owner of TEAM Education in Animal Behavior, LLC. She is a contributing author and coeditor of the textbook Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses. She is also a coauthor of the book Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog and the Karen Pryor Academy course “Puppy Start Right for Instructors.” She is honored to be representing veterinary technicians on the Fear Free executive council.

Esther Klok, a veterinary technician at Dierenkliniek Winsum in the Netherlands, previously described her passion for bringing new ideas from the NAVC Conference home to her clinic in 3 articles in 2016 (available on TodaysVeterinaryTechnician.com). In this article, she outlines how her clinic designed a program that not only helps dogs with noise anxiety, but also improves the human–animal bond and has even increased community awareness of how noises affect animals.

Vicky Halls is a registered veterinary nurse and full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, consulting widely as a feline specialist. She is a member of the International Cat Care behavior and welfare panels and the author of a number of best-selling books. She was also voted The Nation’s Favourite Cat Behaviour Author in the United Kingdom.