The Animal Behaviour and Training Council

What The Animal Behaviour and Training Council does

The Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) is a UK-registered charity (No. 1164009 England & Wales; SC047256 Scotland) founded in 2010 and headquartered in Taunton, Somerset, operating as the sole UK charity dedicated to setting and maintaining professional standards in the animal behaviour and training sector. ABTC maintains a national register of assessed practitioners organised by role (Animal Trainer, Animal Training Instructor, Animal Behaviour Technician, Clinical Animal Behaviourist, Veterinary Behaviourist), accredits university and college courses, and provides an APEL (Assessment of Prior Experience and/or Learning) pathway at £460 per assessment for experienced practitioners lacking formal qualifications.

The organisation's core technology platform is a WordPress-based website using Elementor (page builder), Paid Membership Pro (subscription/membership management), Wordfence (security), Complianz (cookie consent), and Google Maps integration to deliver its searchable Practitioner Directory — filterable by species, UK county, practitioner role, and organisation membership. The directory lists 1,000+ practitioners across the UK and 8+ international markets, with major member organisations including Dogs Trust, RSPCA, Blue Cross, Cats Protection, PDSA, APDT, PACT, APBC, and BIAZA. The ABTC Assessing Organisations Certification Scheme was formally recognised by UKAS under ISO/IEC 17067 in October 2025, making it the first UKAS-recognised certification scheme in the sector.

ABTC operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer/government-relations model with six revenue streams: practitioner register fees (subscription, recurring), organisation membership fees (subscription, recurring), APEL assessment fees (£460, professional services), corporate sponsorship tiers (Bronze to Platinum, starting £50), donations (PayPal/BACS/easyfundraising), and merchandise sales via the ABTC Shop (sustainable clothing and eco-friendly accessories). Distribution runs through the online directory (self-serve), the practitioner organisation network (channel partner), and the e-commerce storefront. Operations are volunteer-led: a single administrator works a few hours per week, with all other work donated by trustees and supporters.

Name

The Animal Behaviour and Training Council

Legal name

Animal Behaviour and Training Council

Website

https://abtc.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UK charity that sets professional standards for the animal behaviour and training sector, maintains a national register of 1,000+ assessed practitioners, accredits university courses, and operates a UKAS-recognised certification scheme (ISO/IEC 17067).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification and Standards Body

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Animal Health Policy, Standards & International Coordination (e.g., WOAH/FAO) (HLAMAJAO)

Keywords

• Professional certification standards
• Animal behaviour therapy
• Practitioner registration services
• Animal training accreditation
• Voluntary professional regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Taunton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Practitioner Register Fees: Annual fees charged to practitioners for inclusion on the ABTC Practitioners Register. Practitioners must be full assessed members of ABTC Practitioner Organisations to join.
2. Organisation Membership Fees: Fees paid by professional organisations (Assessing Organisations, Practitioner Organisations, Advisory and Supporting Members) for ABTC membership. Revenue supports charitable aims and running costs.
3. Donations: Voluntary donations from supporters via PayPal, bank transfer, cheque, and easyfundraising. Donations fund public education programmes, advertising, conference attendance, and publicity materials.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sales of sustainable clothing and eco-friendly accessories through the ABTC shop (shop.abtc.org.uk), including branded clothing, notepads, and mugs. Proceeds support the charity's work.
5. APEL Assessment Fees: Fee of £460 for Assessment of Prior Experience and/or Learning (APEL) for Animal Behaviour Technician or Clinical Animal Behaviourist roles, with £160 non-refundable administration fee.
6. Sponsorship Packages: Corporate sponsorship tiers from bronze to platinum, starting from £50, offering benefits including website logo placement and media communications exposure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The ABTC is a UK registered charity that sets and maintains national standards of professional competence for animal trainers, training instructors, and animal behaviour therapists, and maintains the national Register of appropriately assessed practitioners. It provides a publicly searchable Practitioner Directory, accredits university and college courses, offers APEL assessments for experienced practitioners, and operates the first UKAS-recognised certification scheme in the animal behaviour and training sector.

Product overview

The Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) operates as a professional standards and registration body for the animal behaviour and training sector in the UK. Rather than a single product, ABTC offers a portfolio of interconnected services: a Practitioner Directory (searchable register of assessed practitioners), a Recognized Courses Programme (accrediting university and college courses), APEL assessment for experienced practitioners, Standards documentation for multiple roles (Animal Trainer, Animal Training Instructor, Animal Behaviour Technician, Clinical Animal Behaviourist), and supplementary resources including a Mental Health & Wellbeing Toolkit, BSL Interpretation Service, and ABTC Shop. The UKAS-recognized Certification Scheme provides quality assurance for assessing organizations. The organization also accepts donations and offers sponsorship opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ABTC Shop: Sustainable clothing and eco-friendly accessories shop operated by ABTC, with proceeds supporting the charity's work.

Products and services

• Practitioner Directory A searchable online directory of assessed and registered animal behaviour and training practitioners, filterable by species, county/location, practitioner role type, and practitioner organisation membership. Lists over 1,000 practitioners across 86 pages, including Animal Training Instructors, Clinical Animal Behaviourists, Animal Trainers, Animal Behaviour Technicians, Veterinary Behaviourists, and Accredited Animal Behaviourists.
• Practitioner Standards and Role Standards Documented standards defining knowledge requirements and performance criteria for Animal Trainer (AT), Animal Training Instructor (ATI), Animal Behaviour Technician (ABT), Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB), and Veterinary Behaviourist (VB) roles, covering both Knowledge & Understanding and Practical Skills.
• Recognised Courses Programme Accreditation programme recognising educational courses at universities and colleges that meet ABTC's Knowledge and Understanding requirements for each practitioner role, including FdSc and BSc degrees from institutions such as Hartpury University, University Centre Bishop Burton, and ARU Writtle.
• APEL (Assessment of Prior Experience and/or Learning) Assessment route for individuals who have not completed ABTC-recognised courses but have gained knowledge and understanding through practical experience, informal learning, or non-recognised formal courses, for Animal Behaviour Technician or Clinical Animal Behaviourist roles. Fee of £460 with £160 non-refundable administration component.
• Species-Specific Owner Resources Information pages for animal owners covering Dogs, Cats, Equids (horses/donkeys), and Other Species (rabbits, parrots, reptiles), linking to member organisation resources on behaviour, training, welfare, and care.
• Practitioner Organisation Membership Programme Membership programme for Assessing Organisations, Practitioner Organisations, and Advisory and Supporting Members, providing a channel for assessing and onboarding practitioners who then join the ABTC Register.
• Expert Witness Register Register of practitioners qualified to serve as expert witnesses in animal behaviour and training cases. Currently not accepting new applications as the EW Standard is under review.
• BSL Interpretation Service Partnership with Sign Solutions providing British Sign Language video interpreters (InterpretersLive!) for deaf BSL users accessing practitioner services. Available for both pre-booked appointments and on-demand virtual signing support.
• UKAS-Recognised Assessing Organisations Certification Scheme Assessing Organisations Certification Scheme formally recognised by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) under ISO/IEC 17067. The first UKAS-recognised certification scheme in the animal behaviour and training sector, providing a recognised certification framework for assessing organisations.
• ABTC Shop E-commerce platform selling sustainable clothing and eco-friendly accessories (notepads, mugs) crafted from certified organic cotton, recycled materials, and ethically sourced fabrics. Proceeds support ABTC's charitable work.
• Donations Programme Charitable donations accepting PayPal, bank transfer (BACS), cheque, and easyfundraising. Supports ABTC's work in promoting ethical training and behaviour practices.
• Corporate Sponsorship Programme Sponsorship tiers from Bronze to Platinum offering opportunities for name/logo visibility on the ABTC website and in media communications, starting from £50. Current sponsors include The DoGenius Institute (Silver), iPET Network (Bronze), Hanne Grice Pet Training & Behaviour, and Veterinary Behaviour Support Ltd.
• Mental Health & Wellbeing Toolkit Resource developed by the DEI Working Party offering practical strategies for managing stress, enhancing resilience, and prioritizing self-care for practitioners. Includes sections on physical health, sleep, nutrition, mindfulness, peer networks, and work productivity.

Quantifiable outcome

• UKAS recognition achieved for Assessing Organisations Certification Scheme
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKAS formally recognised ABTC's Assessing Organisations Certification Scheme as meeting requirements of ISO/IEC 17067 (October 2025). This accreditation enables ABTC to apply for Certification Body status and positions the organisation as the first UKAS-recognised certifier in the animal behaviour and training sector.
• Sign SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides British Sign Language (BSL) video interpreter services through InterpretersLive! platform. Enables BSL users to access ABTC practitioner services with interpreter support for both in-person and online appointments.
• NEWC (National Equine Welfare Council)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABTC membership in NEWC, formed in 1977, supports collaboration on horse, pony, donkey and mule welfare initiatives. NEWC's mission is protecting equine welfare through ensuring health and welfare as the overriding factor in decision-making.
• The DoGenius InstituteminorOthersSilver sponsor supporting ABTC's work. Provides canine training education and behaviour programmes.
• iPET NetworkminorOthersBronze sponsor supporting ABTC's charitable work. Provides animal care education and training qualifications.
• Hanne Grice Pet Training & BehaviourminorOthersSponsor supporting ABTC. Provides pet training and behaviour services.
• Veterinary Behaviour Support LtdminorOthersSponsor supporting ABTC. Provides veterinary behaviour support services.
• APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 274 registered practitioners. Assesses members for AT and ATI roles. Provides dog training instructor courses and professional development.
• PACT (Professional Association of Canine Trainers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 205 registered practitioners. Assesses members for AT and ATI roles. Provides canine training instructor courses.
• APBC (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 173 registered practitioners. Assesses members for ABT and CAB roles. Provides professional behaviour counselling standards.
• Dogs TrustcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor animal welfare charity member with 74 registered practitioners. Contributes to training and behaviour sector standards. Co-founded 'A Dog is for Life' campaign.
• BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional organisation with 61 registered practitioners. Represents zoos and aquariums for AT role assessment. Focus on exotic and zoo animal training.
• FABC (Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 57 registered practitioners. Assesses members for CAB roles. Provides clinical animal behaviour education and resources.
• Puppy SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 45 registered practitioners. Provides puppy training instructor courses and socialisation guidance.
• TCBTS (The Canine Behaviour and Training Society)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 34 registered practitioners. Assesses members for AT, ATI, and ABT roles.
• KPA (Karen Pryor Academy)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 29 registered practitioners. Provides force-free dog training education through clicker training methodology.
• GTA (Gundog Trainers Academy)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 19 registered practitioners. Specialises in gundog training instructor assessment and education.
• NAC (Natural Animal Centre)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractitioner Organisation with 17 registered practitioners. Provides equine training instructor courses and animal behaviour education.
• IAABC (International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational practitioner organisation with 16 registered practitioners. Provides behaviour consultant assessment and continuing education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT UK): UK membership organisation for dog training instructors and a key ABTC Practitioner Organisation that assesses members for AT and ATI roles. Closely comparable as a dog-training membership body working under ABTC's standards framework.
• Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC): UK organisation that assesses Clinical Animal Behaviourists (CAB role) for ABTC. Directly comparable as a clinical behaviour practitioner organisation embedded in the ABTC assessment framework.
• International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants (IAABC): International membership and certification body for animal behaviour consultants covering dogs, cats, parrots, and horses. Directly comparable as an international practitioner standards body with a similar role structure (e.g., certified consultants).
• Professional Association of Canine Trainers (PACT): UK canine training instructor organisation that assesses members for AT and ATI roles under ABTC. Comparable as a canine-focused professional membership body in the same practitioner assessment ecosystem.
• Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC): UK-based professional association for pet behaviour counsellors and a core ABTC Practitioner Organisation that assesses members for ABT and CAB roles. Directly comparable as a membership and standards body for animal behaviour practitioners.
• Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT): US-based independent certification body that assesses and credentials dog training and behaviour professionals. Directly comparable as a third-party certification scheme for dog trainers and behaviour consultants.

Broad incumbents

• The Kennel Club (UK): UK canine welfare and registration body with its own training accreditation programmes (e.g., Kennel Club Accredited Instructors). Comparable as an established UK canine sector organisation that sets standards for dog-related activities.
• Pet Industry Federation (PIF): UK trade association representing the wider pet industry, including grooming, boarding, training, and retail. Comparable as a larger, broader membership body that overlaps with animal training and behaviour but covers adjacent pet services.
• British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA): UK professional association for small animal veterinarians, including veterinary behaviourists who sit on the ABTC register. Adjacent but bigger professional body that overlaps in clinical animal behaviour practice.

Emerging players

• Karen Pryor Academy (KPA): Force-free dog training education provider and ABTC Practitioner Organisation offering clicker training certifications. Comparable as a specialist training education provider feeding practitioners into the ABTC register.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/animal-behaviour-training-council-ltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Animal Behaviour and Training Council