[IATCB] News and updates for July 2021

Hello Visitor,

Certificant Highlight

Justice Bellar, CPBT-KA took a moment to share with us.

“I work at The Gabriel Foundation, a non profit parrot welfare organization and shelter! We offer a multitude of different parrot related services, but I work predominantly in adoptions and training. Adopting through TGF requires a famously rigorous educational process on parrot care, including learning about parrot behavior and training. I applied for certification so our adopters can be sure that they're getting sound advice, and to boost my confidence in working with our flock; our birds come to us from  a multitude of different backgrounds and with a wide range of different learning experiences, so it was important to me that I have knowledge assessment to back up the work I do. I feel just a little out of place among so many amazing trainers who work in zoo or wildlife rehab facilities and I found myself oscillating between whether CPBT-KA was the right credential for me, but ultimately I'm glad I made the leap for certification, and would encourage anyone in a similar parrot focused shelter/adoption center to do the same! It isn't like you get the certification and suddenly you become an overnight training whiz, but it did change how I felt about myself as a trainer, and that confidence has aided me in all things training and behavior! I don't think I could share anything about my certification process without mentioning how very lucky I am to work alongside Shauna Roberts and Julie Murad! They have been such amazing mentors throughout all of my time spent working with parrots, and I don't think I'd have had the nerve to apply without their guidance.

My advice to people seeking certification would be... be patient, and relax just a teeny bit. I was so eager to get a training credential under my belt that I was at the testing center hours before my testing time, I had someone else drive me because I was worried I'd be shaking the whole drive to the testing center and back (and I did!) and I may or may not have obsessively checked my email and mail pretty much every day between the test and receiving my certificate... If you study the reading material and have the hands on experience to back it up, you'll pass! Stressing about it won't do you any favors. ”

We would love to highlight you or your facility in our newsletter and on our Facebook page. Let us know the amazing things that you are doing to help raise the bar! Contact kelly.garrison@accgov.com for more information.

Want to find out more about setting these types of standards within your facility or becoming certified? Contact the IATCB board by visiting our website!

Are you a Hopeful Certificant? 

 Looking for the study guide for the CPAT- KA exam? Click here

Looking for the study guide for the CPBT- KA exam? Click here

 2021 Testing Dates

*Applications will not be accepted after 11:59pm Eastern on this date

Our testing company, PTC has partnered with Prometric for Computer-Based Testing. Learn More here. With Prometrics there are no additional International Testing fees!!

Already certified?

The CPBT-KA and CPAT-KA credential is valid for 5 years from the date it is awarded. To renew the credential a certificant must either re-take the examination after 5 years or accumulate sixty Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) by attending IATCB approved workshops, seminars, classes, or conferences.   Head over to here to check out a list of approved CEUs!

Please note that all CEUs MUST be claimed with two (2) months of the event, submissions will not be accepted after this period!

Trainers Talk

ATA’s – Top 10 animal training videos of 2020 – BY RYAN CARTLIDGE

I am personally so inspired by the videos that get shared in our Animal Training Academy membership community. Consequently, in this blog post I thought I would share my top ten from 2020! (Offered in no particular order), Enjoy

Species Spotlight

Apteryx australis The brown kiwi. The kiwi is a unique and curious bird: it cannot fly, has loose, hair-like feathers, strong legs and no tail. Brown kiwis are members of the flightless ratite group. They are unique in their small size and adaptations to forest floor life. These birds are roughly the size of a chicken, with the female being slightly larger. They are brownish grey in color with long, soft feathers that look and feel very fur-like. Their skin is tough and they have whiskers at the base of their bill used for touch. This is especially important for these birds because they have small eyes and poor vision. They are endemic to New Zealand, and reside on North Island , South island, and Stewart Island. The population of brown kiwis found in Okarito forests on the western coast of the South Island was recently recognized as a distinct species, Apteryx rowi, Okarito brown kiwis or rowis. It is thought that this species is made up of only 200 individuals currently. Brown kiwis live in subtropical and temperate forests and grasslands. They prefer to live in large, dark forest areas, which allow camouflage for the birds as they sleep during the day. In undisturbed habitats, kiwis create burrows under stones, banks of streams, or in soft flat open ground. In disturbed areas, these birds have had to adapt to human presence by establishing burrows in rough farmland under logs and shrubs. Brown kiwis are carnivorous, they feed mainly on soil and aquatic invertebrates such as worms, insects, crayfish, amphibians, and eels. They also eat fruit. At night, these birds use their long bills to dig deep into the ground to find creatures living on the ground. The brown kiwi is listed as vulnerable by IUCN. The impact of introduced predators is the greatest threat: stoat Mustela erminea eat eggs and chicks, feral cats eat chicks and juveniles, and dogs, ferrets , and brush-tailed possums kill juveniles and adults. Predation pressure is possibly lower on Stewart Island where mustelids are absent, and dogs are prohibited from most of the island. However, feral cats are widespread and common. The rate of loss of native habitat has declined markedly and this is not currently considered a driver for population reductions. Avian diseases and pathogens are a potential threat, particularly with chicks held in captivity or in high-density crèche sites. -Sources Direct

The International Avian Trainers Certification Board and the International Animal Trainers Certification Board, IATCB, offers you a way to gain professional credibility, increase your earnings potential, and advance your career. We live in a competitive world, and animal trainers are no different than anyone else looking for advanced knowledge and skill in their profession. IATCB endorses voluntary certification by examination for all professionals involved with animals, including trainers, educators, handlers, veterinarians, and all others involved in the care and handling of animals.

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