Re-Imagining What's Possible in Animal Shelter Behavior Programming

 Ferdie Yau (MA, CPDT-KA) is a wildlife biologist and animal trainer with over 20+ years of experience training both exotic and domestic species.

He is a strong advocate for improving animal welfare through his work as the Director of Community and Shelter Outreach for Behavior Vets and as Staff Trainer at the Humane Society of Westchester.

He is the host of “Worry Less, Wag More: The Behavior Vets Podcast”, which aims to educate practitioners and caretakers about the effectiveness and joy of reward-based training.

Ferdie has an MA in Conservation Biology from Columbia University and studies the ecology of New York City’s urban coyotes with the Gotham Coyote Project.

Dot Baisly is the Executive Director for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Behavior Consultant at Heal Veterinary Clinic in Watertown, MA. Dot also holds a master’s degree in Animal Behavior from Tufts University and is a certified dog behavior consultant (CDBC), certified cat behavior consultant (CCBC), and certified shelter behavior specialist (CSBS).

Dot is currently a core member of the Shelter Playgroup Alliance team where she facilitates course content for the on-line program and in-person workshops. Most recently she was the director of behavior for Northeast Animal Shelter where she built a behavior program and transformed the organization’s approach to behavior as a result of her leadership. Prior to this she was also the lead behavior staff at the SPCA of Westchester and then the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

Dot also worked as a consultant for Paws With A Cause, working with service dogs and the clients they serve for over 10 years.  She has been working in animal welfare, veterinary care and behavior for over 20 years, both in animal welfare and rescue organizations and as a private consultant.  Dot has consulted with private clients since her initial certifications, working with owned cats and dogs on a regular basis.  In her private practice, Dot specializes in working with dogs and cats exhibiting significant behavioral concerns, including human-directed aggression.

She also provides consultations to shelters across the country where she has evaluated dogs, educated staff and volunteers and continues to be recognized as a key leader in the animal welfare and shelter behavior community where she is sought out for her expertise, compassion, and skill in leading change efforts. Prior to working in sheltering, Dot managed a veterinary clinic and worked as a technician where she developed her knowledge and skills in low-stress veterinary handling. Since that time, Dot has taught those techniques in shelters and at veterinary practices across the country.