Shelter Behavior Hub

What Shelter Behavior Hub does

Shelter Behavior Hub is a privately held, Asheville, North Carolina–based education company founded by Trish McMillan in 2020 that delivers online courses, cohort-based mentorships, and consulting in dog and cat behavior to animal shelters, rescue organizations, and individual learners. The curriculum is evidence-based and aligned with Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) guidelines, with Trish's profile — an MSc in Animal Behavior, CPDT-KA and CDBC credentials, and nearly eight years as Director of Animal Behavior at the ASPCA in New York — anchoring the offering. The company also authored the defensive handling section of an ASPCA-published book and operates a small network of co-instructors (Mik Moeller, Laurie Lawless, Sue Alexander).

Name

Shelter Behavior Hub

Legal name

Shelter Behavior Hub

Website

https://shelterbehaviorhub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Education

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Medicine & Training-Integrated Veterinary Services (HLAMAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA), Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB)

Keywords

• Animal behavior training
• Shelter education programs
• Online mentorship courses
• Continuing education webinars
• Dog cat behavior consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Online Course Enrollment: Online courses and mentorship programs sold individually via Thinkific platform. The flagship Shelter Dog Behavior Mentorship is split into Part One (paid enrollment, $750) and Part Two (free upon completing Part One). On-demand monthly subscription version available at $150 first month and $50/month thereafter. Shelter Cat Behavior Mentorship sold as a 13-week program for $395. Additional mini-courses sold à la carte.
2. Professional Speaking and Consulting: Trish McMillan offers in-person consulting and training for shelters and organizations. In-person consulting/training priced at $2500/day plus expenses (two-day minimum). Local shelters in the Asheville, NC area can book a one-hour seminar for $500. Custom programming available upon request. Organizations hosting events are responsible for travel, lodging, meals, facility rental, marketing, and professional fees.
3. CEU-Accredited Webinars: Webinars such as 'Enrichment for shelter dogs' offer 3 CEUs for CCPDT, sold as individual course enrollments on the Thinkific platform. These serve both individual learners and shelter organizations for staff training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shelter Behavior Hub provides online courses, cohort-based mentorships, and CEU-accredited webinars focused on dog and cat behavior for animal shelters and rescue organizations. It also offers in-person consulting, defensive handling training, and keynote speaking delivered by founder Trish McMillan, grounded in ASV guidelines and evidence-based behavioral science.

Product overview

Shelter Behavior Hub is an education platform providing shelter behavior training programs for animal welfare professionals. The core offerings are two flagship mentorship programs: the Shelter Dog Behavior Mentorship (a year-long program with Part One at $750 and Part Two included free, plus an on-demand version at $150 first month) and the Shelter Cat Behavior Mentorship (a 13-week program at $395). Supporting these are multiple short courses and webinars covering dog and cat body language, enrichment, behavioral intake, dog introductions, and defensive handling. The platform also offers speaking and consulting services by founder Trish McMillan, including in-person training at $2500/day and local seminars in Asheville, NC. All courses are delivered through Thinkific and include CEUs for certifications like CCPDT.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shelter Dog Behavior Mentorship A year-long cohort-based mentorship program for shelter staff and animal welfare professionals covering dog behavior science, stress reduction, adoption best practices, and behavior programming. Includes Part One (self-audit and goal-setting) and Part Two (20 modules with biweekly Zoom meetings, homework, and alumni discussion list).
• Shelter Cat Behavior Mentorship A 13-week cohort-based deep dive into feline shelter behavior, from intake through adoption. Covers feline behavior, SOP writing, behavior modification, and program streamlining for shelter staff and volunteers. Next cohort onboards July 14, 2026.
• On-Demand Shelter Dog Behavior Mentorship Subscription-based self-study version of the Shelter Dog Behavior Mentorship providing access to written materials and webinars without personal coaching, certificate, or CEUs.
• Shelter Dog Training Mentorship Mentorship program instructed by Sue Alexander covering shelter dog training best practices, dog training history, and methodology for shelter staff.
• Enrichment for Shelter Dogs Mini-course co-taught with Mik Moeller teaching shelter staff how to set up a comprehensive enrichment plan for shelter dogs. Awards 3 CEUs for CCPDT.
• Dog Introductions Course co-taught with Laurie Lawless on safe and effective dog introductions to help reduce length of stay and keep the community safe.
• Dog Body Language for Shelter Workers Webinar overview of dog body language focused on improving dog-reading skills and keeping shelter workers safe.
• Cat Body Language for Shelter Workers Webinar overview of cat body language focused on improving cat-reading skills and keeping shelter workers safe.
• Is It All How They Are Raised? Course exploring where behavior problems in dogs originate and what role raising plays in problems dogs present.
• Behavioral Intake for Shelter Dogs Course on improving intake protocols and information gathering to help reduce length of stay and find shelter dogs appropriate new homes.
• Live Chat Recordings Archive of previous live chat recordings available for rewatch. Signing up also subscribes users to newsletters.
• Defensive Handling Course Self-study course on defensive handling techniques for shelter staff, originally authored by Trish McMillan for the ASPCA.
• In-Person Consulting and Training On-site shelter consulting and staff training services delivered by Trish McMillan. Priced at $2,500 per day plus expenses with a two-day minimum; organizations cover travel, lodging, meals, facility rental, and marketing.
• Local Seminars (Asheville, NC Area) One-hour seminars including Q&A sessions for local shelters in the Asheville, NC area, priced at $500.
• Custom Programming Virtual or in-person customized programming tailored to meet specific needs of shelters, dog training clubs, and businesses. Available upon request.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced shelter animal length of stay through improved behavior programming
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Laurie LawlessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaurie Lawless co-teaches the 'Dog Introductions' course alongside Trish McMillan, bringing input from two long-time shelter professionals. The course helps shelter staff safely introduce dogs to potential adopters and other dogs to reduce length of stay and keep communities safe.
• Mik MoellerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMik Moeller (referred to as 'the King of Shelter Enrichment') co-teaches the 'Enrichment for Shelter Dogs' mini-course, which teaches shelter staff how to set up comprehensive enrichment plans. Mik is listed as an instructor on the Shelter Behavior Hub instructors page.
• Sue AlexanderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSue Alexander CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, CDBC is a guest contributor and instructor, authoring blog posts and co-teaching the Shelter Dog Training Mentorship. She brings expertise in dog training history and methodology to the platform's content.
• Old Dogs Go to HelenminorOthersOld Dogs Go to Helen is mentioned as a donor that provided a surgical cost donation for blind kittens Humphrey Bogart and Fred Astaire, enabling their combined enucleation and neuter surgeries. This is a charitable/donor relationship rather than a commercial partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC): Professional membership association for animal behavior consultants that offers educational resources, webinars, and CEUs across companion animal species. Comparable because it sits in the same continuing-education ecosystem and offers overlapping educational content for the same learner personas.
• Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International (SPCA International): International animal welfare organization that runs training and capacity-building initiatives for shelter and rescue staff globally. Comparable as a larger, broader incumbent in the same shelter-education ecosystem with content overlapping with Shelter Behavior Hub's international shelter professional audience.
• ASPCA Pro: Professional education arm of the ASPCA providing free and paid training resources for shelter staff, behavior teams, and veterinarians. Comparable as a shelter-focused professional education provider with overlapping curriculum (including Trish McMillan's authored defensive handling content) and similar learner personas.

Direct peers

• Karen Pryor Academy: Premier dog training professional education program offering certifications, online courses, and continuing education for animal trainers. Comparable in providing structured, expert-led behavior and training education with certification/CEU value, overlapping with Shelter Behavior Hub's dog-focused content.
• Animal Behavior College: Large online animal training and behavior education provider offering mentor-based distance learning programs for aspiring pet professionals. Comparable in delivery model and target learner (animal care professionals) to Shelter Behavior Hub's mentorship format.
• Animal Behavior Institute: Online education institution offering certificates and diplomas in animal behavior, training, and zoology. Directly comparable as a remote-first education provider serving students interested in behavior and training careers, much like Shelter Behavior Hub's cohort-based approach.
• E-Training for Dogs: Online dog training and behavior courses taught by leading experts, sold as individual classes and continuing education. Directly comparable in that it offers a roster of expert-led online courses for trainers and behavior professionals, a model Shelter Behavior Hub replicates for the shelter audience.
• Fear Free Pets: Education and certification platform for veterinary and animal care professionals focused on reducing fear, anxiety, and stress in animals. Highly comparable as a continuing-education brand targeting shelter and vet staff with courses, certifications, and CEUs, similar to Shelter Behavior Hub's CEU-accredited webinars.
• Companion Animal Sciences (CAS): Online institution offering certification programs in applied animal behavior, focusing on dog and cat behavior consulting careers. Directly comparable as a certificate-bearing, distance-learning animal behavior school that serves aspiring pet/animal professionals.

Others

• Maddie's Fund: Major animal welfare foundation that funds and develops shelter education programs, including Maddie's University (formerly APDT). Comparable as a funder/educator in the shelter behavior training space where Shelter Behavior Hub operates, though positioned more as a grantmaker and free-resource provider than a paid course vendor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/shelterbehaviorhub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shelter-behavior-hub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Shelter Behavior Hub