CODE OF PRACTICE

Membership is solely by qualification and in order to join the CAPBT Association, members must have successfully completed, as a minimum, the (COAPE) Centre of Applied Pet Ethology CERTA approved Higher Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour and Training, which is regulated by Ofqual on the National Curriculum, or the independently accredited COAPE Diploma in Practical Animal Behaviour and Training.

Code of Practice

This code applies to members of the COAPE Association of Applied Pet Behaviourists and Trainers (CAPBT). Its purpose is to establish certain standards for conduct and to develop and maintain best practice among our members. The aims of the CAPBT are as follows:

To maintain and ensure the highest professional standards of practice of companion animal behaviour therapy, training and any other pet-related service with which the member is involved.
To establish and promote the use of the Emotion, Mood and Reinforcement Assessment (EMRA™) in the practice of companion animal behaviour therapy, training and any other pet-related service.
To provide a support network where members can share their knowledge.
To promote the professional services of its members.

Principles

Members shall practice with integrity and shall recognise their responsibility towards clients, clients' dogs and society in general. Their actions or advice should not knowingly cause psychological or physical distress or damage to any of these.

The welfare of clients and their dogs shall be paramount and shall not be made subordinate to commercial consideration.

Members shall maintain professional relationships with their clients. They shall not exploit such relationships for improper personal, professional or financial gain, nor seek inappropriately to impose their own values on clients.

Members shall not misrepresent their activities or make unrealistic claims to their clients or in their public statements. It should be made clear whenever they are expressing personal opinion and speculative theories should be stated as such.

Members shall respect the views and independence of others and shall not publicly denigrate their conduct or opinions.

Members shall not seek to attract business unfairly or unprofessionally or conduct their practice in any way which would discredit the reputation of the Association.

Members are responsible for continuing their personal and professional development by acquiring knowledge of new theory and practice.

Members shall conduct themselves in such a way as not to undermine public confidence in their profession or the Association and shall not practise when physically or psychologically unfit to do so.

Practice

Members of the CAPBT have completed relevant training with COAPE and will take a holistic approach to the presenting problem. The technique employed and advised by members is based on the Emotion, Mood and Reinforcement Assessment (EMRA™) which is effective in identifying the underlying emotion of the problem behaviour and will follow the Emotional Systems Therapeutic Application (ESTA™) when reducing the problem behaviour. This approach serves to improve the animal's general feelings of wellbeing.

When treating behaviour problems, members will only accept clients in liaison with a practicing Veterinary Surgeon and will conduct themselves in a professional manner so as not to bring the Association, the veterinary surgeon or the profession into disrepute.

Where techniques are experimental, the client and the liaising veterinary surgeon must be so informed, Members shall keep clients fully informed about the nature of and reasons for their actions and any possible risk or drawback that might arise from them. They shall not lead their clients to form unrealistic expectations of the outcome of any action or intervention.

Members cover their individual business activities with professional indemnity and public liability insurance relevant to their individual needs.

CAPBT members are familiar with relevant legislation and are aware of their legal, moral and ethical obligations towards their client, the client's pet and society in general.

Members who work with assistants who are not members of the Association are responsible for ensuring that such assistants act responsibly towards clients and are willing to conform to the spirit of this code.

In joining the Association members agree:

To accept and work within the spirit of the Rules and Regulations of the Association and this code
To acknowledge that membership of the Association is solely for individuals and shall not be used to endorse the activities of any club, society or organisation to which they may belong
Not to disclose any information about any client which comes to their notice as a result of their professional relationship with the client, or which may identify the client, unless it is in response to a legal notice requiring such disclosure, or that the client has given written consent to the nature and extent of the disclosure
Not to do anything that is likely to bring the COAPE Association of Applied Pet Behaviourists and Trainers, its members or the profession into disrepute
Not to use any devices deemed to be aversive or known to cause harm, pain or distress in their practice. This includes, but is not limited to the use of any electronic training device including shock collars, sonic collars and spray collars and/or invisible electronic containment devices, prong collars, check chains, choke chains or any other such device designed to cause pain, fear or startle the animal
Membership will be terminated immediately should a member be found guilty of cruelty or other crime(s) against an animal(s).

Liability

The COAPE Association of Applied Pet Behaviourists and Trainers shall not be liable to Members for any claims, losses, damages or other expenses (either direct, special or consequential) arising as a result of any dispute between a Member and their client or a third party in relation to any professional advice or treatment given. The Member's own professional indemnity insurance will be sufficient to meet any liabilities that might arise as a result of their professional practice.

Membership fees are non-refundable.

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