A Cooperative of Behaviourists
Join Us
Are you a self-employed clinical animal behaviourist and fancy joining a community of like-minded practitioners who support each other in their work?
Apply now to be a part of us
Curious? find out more
Our Values & Mission
working together
We share ideas and resources. Through mutual trust and collaboration, all cooperative members benefit, as well as the animals and caregivers we serve.
Ethical and supportive
We offer a non-judgemental, supportive, realistic and tailored approach for our clients. We work on veterinary referral and advocate for reward and evidence-based techniques.
qualified and experienced
At ABC, we maintain high standards of practice. Our members are Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourists (CCABs) or are working towards this independent accreditation.
Be part of something big
Benefits
Say goodbye to managing the difficulties of this job alone. You can continue working independently within your own business, doing what you do best, but also take advantage of being part of a supportive community of like-minded practitioners.
Peer mentoring & networking
You will have the opportunity to be involved in monthly peer mentoring sessions or informal virtual catch-ups over tea and cake. This is a great opportunity to seek regular support and advice from your peers.
Shared business costs
We share collective costs, thus getting you even greater value out of day-to-day expenses and saving you time. You no longer need to handle marketing, process referrals, return enquiries, take payments or book in clients on your own!
shared resources
ABC members have the option to share and use other’s resources to support their work, including behaviour and training handouts, videos, infographics, articles and training manuals. Authors retain intellectual property and can withdraw it as needed.
retain your individual business identity & set your own fees
Although enquiries and bookings are taken through the Coop, payments are passed directly onto you. You set your own fees, availability and ways of working. The client’s contract remains with your business. Your online and physical business identity can remain exactly as it is now if you wish.
By coming together, we generate more referrals
With our collective marketing might, we can fill in all our consult slots, while still reducing our clients’ waiting times. We all direct our individual listings, social media and website contact/referral forms to the Coop, then our team takes it from there. Cases are shared fairly between members, dependent on your location and availability.
holiday cover & first aid behaviour line
Fancy a break for a bit? No problem – just give your current clients our number. You can rest assured that should they have any woes while you are on holiday, they are in safe hands. In fact, we run a first aid behaviour line for owners and vets.
Admin support
The use of a shared email address, phone line, website, online booking calendar and the option to use an all singing and dancing practice management system. Initial enquiries and bookings are handled by our admin team.
have your say: AGM and voting
ABC is owned and run equally by its members. Feel free to take part in our AGMs, join in the discussions in our online group and vote on how you’d like our coop to be run. There are opportunities to serve on a committee or run for a position on the board of directors.
preferential services & referrals between members
As part of ABC, you will be able to receive discounts on additional services our members may provide, such as follow-up support for your cases, remote advice from veterinary behaviourists, mentoring, or even facilities hire. We preferentially refer on cases between each other.
Who’s already on board?
Meet your colleagues
Many wonderful practitioners have already joined our cooperative, each bringing a wealth of experiences and backgrounds. Everyone contributes something slightly different to our community, but all sign up to our Consortium Agreement.
Take a look at who has already joined us
Many of our Members collaborate together on cases. Some Members provide services to other Members – all of course at preferential rates! Check out our Services Table.
Interested?
Eligibility
- FAB Clinicians membership
- Reside in the UK
- Application supported by three Coop Members
- Hold appropriate professional indemnity and public liability insurance
- Ready to work with others, follow the cooperative principles and contribute equally to the shared costs
- Advocate for evidence and reward-based methods
- One of the following:
- CCAB registered
- ABTC-CAB registered and have attained CCAB Pre-certification
- Vet with CCAB Pre-certification or enrolled as an ECAWBM(BM) Resident
fair fees, shared equally
Membership subs
Option 1
Busy practice- For behaviourists seeing more than 2 new cases per month
- Limited time available to volunteer towards the Coop
- Account setup fee: £100
- Joining fee: £500 (after first 20 members)
- Access to full range of Coop benefits
Option 2
Occasional practice or volunteer- For behaviourists seeing approximately 1-2 new cases per month
- OR members who offer at least 5 hours per week of voluntary administration services towards the Coop
- Account setup fee: £100
- Joining fee: £500 (after first 20 members)
- Access to full range of Coop benefits
Check out our Services Table for further info
Testimonials
From Our Members
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I be a member of ABC? What benefits will this bring me?
As a member of ABC, you will receive multiple benefits that you may not have access to when working as a lone individual.
Examples of the benefits you will receive include:
- Peer mentoring and networking.
- Shared business costs.
- Shared resources.
- Administration support, including a shared email address, phone line, online booking calendar and practice management system.
- Discounts and additional services from other members.
- Take part in AGMs and voting.
- Holiday cover and first aid behaviour line.
- Collective marketing efforts.
- Retain your business identity and set your own fees.
Say goodbye to managing the difficulties of this job alone. You can continue working independently within your own business, doing what you do best, but also take advantage of being part of a supportive community of like-minded practitioners.
Will I still be able to operate through my own business as an ABC member?
Yes! As a member of ABC, you retain your individual business identity and set your own fees. All your clients will book your services through our booking system. Initial enquiries, booking and referrals will be handled by our admin team, freeing you up time to work with your clients.
What are the requirements to be a member of abc?
Eligibility:
- FAB Clinicians membership
- Application supported by three Coop Members
- Live in the UK
- Hold appropriate professional indemnity, public liability and employers liability insurance
- Ready to work with others, follow the cooperative principles and contribute equally to the shared costs
- Advocate for evidence and reward-based methods
- One of the following qualifications:
- CCAB registered
- ABTC-CAB registered and have attained CCAB Pre-certification
- Vet with CCAB Pre-certification or enrolled as an ECAWBM(BM) Resident
I'm starting out as a behaviourist and don't have a business set up yet. Will I need to set up a business as well as being an ABC member?
As a member of ABC, your clients will book your services through our online booking system. Initial enquiries and referrals will also be handled by our admin team. Due to these benefits, you don’t need to have your own website or brand/business identity. However, to comply with the law, you may need to be registered as either a sole trader or limited company in the UK. You are also required to have your own public and professional liability insurance, as well as meet the other membership requirements.
I already have an established business. What's the point in being a member of ABC?
Even if you have an established business and your own ways of working, being a member of ABC will provide you with multiple advantages.
Being part of our community provides you with access to various benefits that you just wouldn’t get by working as a lone practitioner.
Examples of the benefits you will receive include:
- Peer mentoring and networking.
- Shared business costs.
- Shared resources.
- Administration support, including a shared email address, phone line, online booking calendar and practice management system.
- Discounts and additional services from other members.
- Take part in AGMs and voting.
- Holiday cover and first aid behaviour line.
- Collective marketing efforts.
- Retain your business identity and set your own fees.
Say goodbye to managing the difficulties of this job alone. You can continue working independently within your own business, doing what you do best, but also take advantage of being part of a supportive community of like-minded practitioners.
What are the costs of membership?
Costs of membership vary depending on how many new cases you plan on seeing each month, and whether you wish to volunteer time for the coop’s administration duties each week. For more information, see our services table here.
Do I have to volunteer lots of my time?
No! There is no obligation to volunteer your time to the ABC. For instance if you’re a VB, you won’t be expected to answer all other members vet-related qs. You can contribute as much or as little as you like to the Coop, although of course the more members engage with each other and in the running of the Coop, the more our community will thrive.
Resources from FAB Clinicians
Useful animal behaviour info
Species Handouts
Helpful articles on a range of issues created by species experts. From barky dogs to screaming parrots, animal carers can access up-to-date information on common behaviour issues.
Vet Q&As
FAB Clinicians runs a series of free Q and A sessions for veterinary professionals. Each session focuses on a particular topic and after a short introduction, vet staff can ask questions of the panel.
Send Us an Email
Call Us Today
0330 390 3866