Squamish-based Sea to Sky Canine Training is the second company in the Sea to Sky region to receive BC SPCA’s AnimalKind accreditation.
Another Squamish business, Paw In Hand, received the accreditation last year. There are now 20 AnimalKind accredited training businesses in BC.
The BC SPCA launched the AnimalKind program for dog training companies in January 2019.
The AnimalKind sets out science-based training standards to ensure humane treatment for dogs. The accreditation also makes it easy for the public to find companies that are committed to animal welfare.
Laura McAlduff, owner of Sea to Sky Canine Training, is excited about receiving the accreditation.
“By being accredited, not only will Squamish residents know that I care about their dogs, but also that I am committed to helping them give their dogs the best life, in the best place,” she says.
The BC SPCA receives hundreds of calls every year from dog guardians seeking guidance on how to find a dog trainer, says Nicole Fenwick, manager, research and standards for the BC SPCA.
Fenwick says SPCA accredits trainers who use positive, reward-based methods, and then also checks that trainers meet the standards the SPCA sets as part of the AnimalKind accreditation.
Maren Bruun, the owner of Paw In Hand, the first accredited trainer from the region, said she understand that owners are tempted by the promise of quick-fix methods to stop undesirable or unsafe behaviour in dogs.
The AnimalKind program guarantees that no dangerous methods are used by its accredited trainers, she says.