A Code of Technical & Ethical Standards
This is the first in a series of articles designed to assist pet care consumers with selecting an appropriate professional to care for and help them with their pets. In this article, I will answer the question, “What is a professional?” I will also discuss the importance of working under a Code of Technical and Ethical Standards developed by acknowledged experts in pet care.
Almost all professions follow the attributes listed under the heading “A Professional Will:”
Many different professionals work in pet care. They include Animal Breeders, Animal Control Officers, Animal Nutritionists, Animal Rescue/Shelter Workers, Boarding Kennel Operators and Staff, Daycare Operators and Staff, Dog Walkers, Groomers, Pet Photographers, Pet Sitters, Veterinarians and their staff, and undoubtedly some that I have missed. While the government regulates most professions at some level to protect the consumer, the veterinarian is the only one strictly regulated among pet care professions. The other pet care professions are, for the most part, unregulated or lightly regulated. As one working in several areas of pet care, I believe all pet care professionals must comply with these criteria if they are to call themselves professionals.
The most critical criterion on this list, and the most overlooked in the pet care professions, is the need to follow a code of technical and ethical standards established by experts in the field. Architects, Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Social Workers, and most professions have such standards. Why should the pet care professions be any different, especially since these standards exist?
There are three technical and ethical standards for pet care professionals in the USA;
• The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Guiding Principles – The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) was founded by pet care professional Niki Tudge in 2012 as a place where pet professionals committed to humane and progressive training methods could gather to support each other and provide an educational resource to the pet-owning public. From its founding, PPG members have followed PPG's Guiding Principles. “Pet Professional Guild members understand Force-Free to mean that: No shock, No prong, No choke and No pain, No fear, No force are ever employed in the training, behavior modification, care, or management of any pet.”
• The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) 2015 Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines – The AAHA is an international association of more than 50,000 veterinary care providers. Established in 1933, it is well known for setting standards for veterinary practices and quality pet care. A task force was established to investigate the high number of pets presenting to veterinarians with behavioral problems and to recommend a standard for addressing behavior in dogs and cats. This report, issued in August 2015, suggests that a behavioral wellness assessment should be part of every pet’s visit to the vet.
• The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB)—Humane Dog Training Position Statement—AVSAB is a group of Veterinarians, Veterinary Technicians, and doctorate-level Animal Behaviorists dedicated to improving the lives of animals and people through an understanding of animal behavior.
The best pet care professionals I would choose for my pets or recommend to others will be familiar with all three of these standards and likely have their own ethics policies posted on their website, available in printed form, and included in or at least referenced in their contracts. If not, I encourage you to seek a new pet care professional. The Pet Professional Guild is a great place to start – https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/find-a-ppg-professional/
Resources
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) 2015 Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines – [ https://www.aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/behavior-management/behavior-management-home/ ]. First published in….
The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Guiding Principles [ https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/join-ppg/principles-conduct/guiding-principles/ ]
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) - Humane Dog Training Position Statement -
https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AVSAB-Humane-Dog-Training-Position-Statement-2021.pdf
Pet Professional Guild – Find a PPG Professional - https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/find-a-ppg-professional/
Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB)and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of thePet Professional Guild (PPG), where he serves on the Board of Directors and Steering Committee and chairs the Advocacy Committee. He is also a founding director of Pet Advocacy International (PIAI). In addition, Don produces and co-hosts The Woof Meow Showpodcast,available at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts/,the Apple Podcast app, and Don's blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.