Introducing the CABTSG
Message from the CABTSG President
The Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy Study Group (CABTSG) is an organisation of which I am very proud to be President. The primary purpose of this group is to study and research animal behaviour. One fact that is not well known is that there are more pets put to sleep because of unacceptable behaviour than those affected by disease or injury. The beauty of the CABTSG is that it brings together all those with an interest in animal behaviour, veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, psychologists, behaviourists and trainers to mention but a few. I have always maintained each of these has a lot to contribute and when we all work together this must be of benefit to the animal owning community. It is an accepted fact that companion animals are a health benefit to the community provided they behave well and are looked after responsibly. The more we know about and can influence companion animal behaviour for the better the more benefit there is for animal owners and also for the whole community.
CABTSG has its origins in an upstairs room of BVA Headquarters in the early 1990's chaired by Roger Ewbank and called out of concern over the lack of definition of the role of the veterinary profession in veterinary behaviour and its relationship with non-veterinarians working within the field. In my opinion, one of the greatest achievements of CABTSG has been its inclusivity from the outset. It is affiliated to the veterinary profession through BSAVA (and so able to help inform the profession on behavioural matters), but it has never sought to be exclusive to others - rather it recognises the multidisciplinary nature of the field and encourages all to share their opinions and experience. Related to this is the other great achievement of CABTSG in my opinion, the founding of the International Veterinary Behaviour Meetings. The first of which was held in Birmingham in 1997. The significance of the first meeting is difficult to overestimate, as it was the first truly international and multicultural meeting for the discipline and brought together individuals from across Europe, Japan, South Africa and The Americas with the support of their national veterinary associations. These have become a biennial event since and are an important legacy of CABTSG.