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Credentialing & Education

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Raising the Bar

The IAABC's core mission is to raise the standards of animal behavior consulting worldwide, making our credentialing process the core function of the organization. IAABC offers credentials for early to late-career professionals that are grounded in the sciences that combine to create an animal behavior professional, including learning, ethology, biology, and psychology.

Global Impact 

Our credentials are recognized internationally, and the IAABC actively works with national and local governments to ensure that becoming credentialed with the IAABC will provide the credential holder with the right to work in any locale that regulates the industry. We also stand up for behavior professionals as experts in their field and work to ensure that animal behavior practitioners are viewed on equal footing with professionals in related fields. This critical stance protects the field of animal behavior and supports individuals' ability to work independently in their careers.

Education and Oversight

In order to maintain our standards of ongoing education, the IAABC assists credentialed practitioners by actively seeking out qualified education providers in various languages and specialties, providing a set of pre-approved resources for continuing education that includes the best minds in the field. Learning from our approved providers is sure to help trainers and consultants succeed in their careers and stay on top of advances in the various sciences. 

Image: a woman holding a treat pouch stands in front of a sitting dog; a person feeds a sea lion from a bucket; a smiling man in a hat holds a macaw

Image: a man touches noses with a cat; a woman feeds a carrot to a horse

Member Testimonials

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  • Here I get support, information and training on current, evidence-based knowledge. A great community of international consultants offers great exchange on each relevant topic to support each other helping animals, their owners or even organizations that take care of animals of different species.

    By Sylvia Czarnecki, Certified Horse Behavior Consultant

  • I am proud and honored to be certified by, a member of, and educator for the IAABC. I consider the organization to be the industry standard for well-rounded, quality, ethical animal behavior information that is disseminated in a supportive, effective, collaborative environment. The IAABC works very hard to produce not only quantity of educational resources, but also quality.

    By Katenna Jones, Certified Dog & Cat Behavior Consultant

  • As a member, I get to network with experts in my field all over the world. This allows me to expand my knowledge in cat behavior as well as shelter behavior. As the feline behavior manager in an open intake shelter, this opportunity to learn from the best has allowed me to ensure the mental health and behavior needs are met for the cats in our care. The IAABC is the "go to" place for people all over the world to find experts in animal behavior. As a certified member my profile is available for the public to view. Since I earned my certification, I've seen my private business almost triple.

    By Lisa Stemcosky, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant

  • IAABC has been an invaluable learning tool for both myself and staff. As a shelter professional, the webinars provide relevant and up to date information to be used in multiple formats. The online convenience allows for continuing education, minus the travel.The mentorship programs are nothing short of amazing, including the pricing . This organization is always looking forward and growing.

    By Amy Schindler, Shelter Behavior Affiliate

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