With the growing interest in pet behaviour, there are now many courses available at a variety of academic and non academic levels and many people are advertising themselves as behaviourists or dog or cat 'whisperers', some with little or no qualifications or experience.
In order to ensure the highest welfare for pets and to offer a knowledgable and professional service, Inga has ensured that she has attained the highest qualifications possible and holds a
Masters Degree: Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling from Southampton University. She is a
Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist and a Full Member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC).
She works closely with the veterinary profession and only accepts clients on veterinary referral to ensure that there are no underlying medical problems causing or exacerbating a behaviour problem. Because of her qualifications most pet insurance companies will cover the cost of a consultation with Inga.
Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling is a relatively new discipline and there is much ongoing research in the subject. As a professional behaviourist, Inga ensures she receives
regular CPD (Continuing Professional Development). This is attained through attending conferences and seminars as well as through extensive reading.
Inga attends several behaviour related events each year so that she has up to date knowledge of the most recent research and behavioural techniques. She adds to her extensive behaviour library from the bookstalls at these events.
Inga annually attends the CABTSG (Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy Study Group) conference, held alongside the BSAVA (Britiish Small Animal Veterinary Association) conference and attends regular APBC events as well as other, individual, related, seminars, such as the British Dermatalogy Study Group Meeting on Behaviour (2007). She also attends relevant FAB (Feline Advisory Bureau) conferences. Inga ensures that she is up to date with current legislation and attended a seminar on Dog Law in June 2010 held by Trevor Cooper of Cooper & Co. Solicitors, who is acknowledged as being the leading expert on dog law in the UK.
Inga has also attended numerous international conferences such as the International Congress of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine, (Vancouver, Canada 2001 and Edinburgh, Scotland 2009) the European Congress on Companion Animal Behavioural Medicine, (Granada, Spain 2002, Cremona, Italy 2004, Marseille, France 2005, Ghent, Belgium 2006) and a European Society of Feline Medicine conference (Prague, Czech Republic 2006).
Inga subscribes to CABTSG (Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy Study Group), FAB (Feline Advisory Bureau) and UFAW (Universities Federation for Animal Welfare).
She also has a degree in Marketing and has many years experience in the advertising and magazine publishing industries.