Training Safety Workshop Abstract
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SAFETY? CHECK! A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR LOOKING AT SAFETY IN ANIMAL TRAINING INTERACTIONS Target pole? Check. Treat pouch? Check. Clicker? Check. Safety? We all go through our mental checklists before beginning a session with an animal. We review our training strategy, make sure we've got the right food, and that all of our supplies are with us. But how many of us review the safety aspects of the stiuation before we begin? How many of us feel like we know how to do that well? Safety should be the primary goal of any animal interaction; safety for the trainers, the animals, the public, and the veterinarians. Through activity based learning, this workshop will introduce attendees to a new way of evaluating safety, with the goal of identifying maximum numbers of potential hazards. Attendees will learn how this approach empowers trainers to be able to better use the tools in their toolboxes to successfully set up animal related sessions to be as safe as possible for everyone involved. |