In 1990, I embarked on my animal training career, focusing initially on pinnipeds for public presentations, interactive programs, and advanced husbandry and medical behaviors. The sea lion facility was situated within a zoo, which presented an opportunity to expand my expertise beyond marine mammals and consult with other departments of the zoo that required training support. This experience marked the beginning of a comprehensive zoo-wide training initiative.
Through the adoption of operant conditioning techniques, I was able to instruct keepers on training an expansive array of zoo species. Training ranged from basic tasks such as shifting animals on and off exhibits or moving them between enclosures to more complex behaviors that enabled animals to participate in their own medical care. Keepers learned to teach animals to present body parts for examination or treatment and progressed to facilitating advanced medical behaviors, including blood collection, ultrasound, accepting respiratory anesthetics and hand injections for immobilization, vaccination or medical treatments.
After 10 years of working with an extremely diverse group of animals and trainers/keepers, I decided it was time to venture out on my own, so I started my training consultation company.
I work with several zoos providing various training services among very committed animal care staff and truly amazing animals.
I am a broad based trainer with a background that allows for the maximum utilization of innovative solutions and have a depth of experience of natural behaviors and medical procedures to logically assess desired outcomes with employment of realistic steps to achieve their goals.
This is based on the fact that I am also the co-founder and Executive Administrator for African Predator Conservation Research Organization, Inc. (APCRO) as well as a licensed, Certified Veterinary Technician.
Our organization, the African Predator Conservation Research Organization, goal is to preserve the various carnivores found on the continent of Africa (lions, hyena, wild dogs, leopards, cheetah, and jackals). We are a veterinary based organization looking primarily at disease transmission in novel species, emergence of new disease and the genetic and nutritional factors that may be influencing this problem.
Doing field conservation work to help preserve carnivores along with working with zoos to provide the best care for the animals allows for a complete feeling of self-fulfillment, gratefulness, and humbleness to have the pleasure of fulfilling your personal and spiritual goals while spending your life struggling along with others who have the same passion for the best life of both captive and wild animals.
After many years of animal training, when I got my rescued pitty mix, I went through the process of training her to be a therapy dog in the Las Vegas Community.
She has a great demeanor for this role and this has expanded my training even more by learning about this amazing service. It is unbelievably rewarding how dogs can really help people of all ages during difficult times and I am fortunate enough to be able to share my amazing Naledi with people.
