Sarah Corson MSc

I set up London Pet Behaviour in 2006 after a life-long interest and love of animals.  This passion initially stemmed from owning pets, including dogs, cats and horse, and being responsible for their welfare from a young age.  The behavioural needs of animals have always been of interest to me, even at the tender age of 7 – I had a free-range hamster loose in my bedroom!  Since that time, I have gained a vast amount of practical experience with animals including assisting at a veterinary surgery, working on many different horse yards, work shadowing at the International League for the Protection of Horses, volunteering at wildlife rescues centres, completing up to Stage III British Horse Society qualifications, as well as gaining a BSc (Hons) in Equine Science. 

The welfare of stray and shelter dogs became of particular interest to me after spending three months working for the Thai Society for the Conservation of Wild Animals.   The majority of my time at the project was focused on the control and care of the stray dog population, assisting vets with their neutering, vaccination and medical care, plus the day to day running of the shelter.  The work also included the feeding and care of a number of wild animals including Asiatic and Sun bears, Gibbons and Macaques.  I enjoyed my time in Thailand immensely and, although challenging, found the experience thoroughly rewarding and resolved, thereafter, to focus my career in the field of animal behaviour and welfare. 

These experiences led me to undertake a COAPE Diploma in The Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training, prior to undertaking my MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Edinburgh University in 2005.  My Masters provided me with an in-depth knowledge of animal behaviour and welfare including that of: Farm; Laboratory; companion; zoo and wild animals and for my thesis, I investigated the effects of different husbandry techniques on dog behaviour during, and post, kennelling. 

More recently, I have been lucky enough to train with experts in the field of behaviour and training.  I trained as a Puppy School Tutor, under the guidance of Gwen Bailey and spent 15 months working alongside renowned Pet Behaviour Counsellor, Sarah Whitehead, at her Windsor behaviour and training practice.   My studies and practical experience culminated in me gaining Full Membership to the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, the leading UK organisation in this field.  I am very lucky to have a job which enables me to prevent behaviour problems before they develop by providing specialist advice during the vital early stages of a puppy's life, as well as improving the behaviour and welfare of numerous companion animals through my behavioural work.