CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2021 ZOE SHELTER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Made possible by Dr. Lisa White and her husband Brody in remembrance of their dog Zoe, the annual scholarship program debuted in October 2014 in honor of the ASPCA’s Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog-Month. The program is designed to assist shelters as they implement training and enrichment programs that both enrich the lives of the animals in their care and help the animals find their forever homes. This year, six scholarship recipients were selected from dozens of applications representing shelters and rescue organizations throughout the world.
“After reviewing many outstanding scholarship applications, we are thrilled to announce this year’s winners,” said KPA Associate Director Gretchen Carey. “These recipients represent shelters from across the globe. We look forward to seeing how they use the knowledge gained from the Shelter Training & Enrichment course to improve shelter life for their animals and staff members.”
We look forward to seeing how they use the knowledge gained from the Shelter Training & Enrichment course to improve shelter life for their animals and staff members.
The 2021 Zoe Shelter Scholarship recipients are:
Hannah Anagnostou, Warrior Dog Rescue, Savage, Minnesota
Hannah Anagnostou, originally part of a foster family for Warrior Dog Rescue in Savage, Minnesota, and now a member of its leadership team as the organization’s Sponsorship Coordinator, is a 2021 Zoe Scholarship recipient. Having encountered and learned from a KPA Certified Training Partner, the rescue is looking to educate team members about positive reinforcement and enrichment after enjoying initial success with some of their adult dogs. “We want our team of passionate dog people to be on the same page regarding training and enrichment.” Hannah recognizes the value gained from the generosity of people coming together to sponsor dogs and pups that are in need and is grateful for the opportunity to complete the Shelter Training & Enrichment course. “I’m very fortunate to be a part of the continued mission to find dogs their forever homes.”
Daniel Jiménez Bellete, Animalejos, Segovia, Spain
Daniel (Dani) Jiménez Bellete, a volunteer canine educator at the Animalejos shelter in Segovia, Spain, is a 2021 Zoe Scholarship recipient. Dani’s goal is to help the dogs in the shelter, some are hunting discards, offering emotional rehabilitation while working on the deep issues of fear and aggression. “I would love to use the clicker but find it difficult, as many of the dogs suffer from sensory deprivation syndrome and are very frightened by sounds.” The Shelter Training & Enrichment course will enable Dani to grow the volunteer shelter community, establish training protocols, and develop longer-term plans for improving shelter conditions. “I will make the most of the scholarship opportunity to help the dogs of our little shelter.”
Costache Oana, Animal Society for Speranta Shelter, Bucharest, Romania
Costache Oana, a trained psychotherapist and now a member of the inaugural Mesagerii Sperantei (Messengers of Hope) program at Animal Society for Speranta Shelter in Bucharest, Romania, is a 2021 Zoe Scholarship recipient. Costache and others in the program are working with 15 dogs, searching for new approaches for solving behavioral and emotional issues to make all of the animals in the shelter (500!) better candidates for adoption. “This scholarship is my gift to the Animal Society team and a thank you to those who trusted me to be part of the program. I am eager to show that fresh ideas make a difference! The scholarship will be a turning point in my career."
Claudia Paterson, RSPCA South Australia, Lonsdale, South Australia
Claudia Paterson, first a volunteer and now a member of the dog team at RSPCA South Australia, is a 2021 Zoe Scholarship recipient. Claudia says that she is always eager to learn more about behavior and enrichment—and about what works in a shelter environment. RSPCA South Australia is currently creating new sensory-enrichment paddocks for the dogs that provide a range of experiences, including a variety of smells, plants, surfaces, textures, and objects at different heights. While dogs at the shelter are already fed via enrichment methods such as puzzles, Kongs, snuffle mats, cardboard boxes, muffin trays, and more, Claudia knows that “there is always new information to learn and improvements that can be made.” She is excited to learn as much as she can from the Shelter Training & Enrichment course.
Jourdan Ribbler , Pets Without Parents, Columbus, Ohio
Jourdan Ribbler, a long-time staff member of Pets Without Parents in Columbus, Ohio, is a 2021 Zoe Scholarship recipient. Managing staffing and other changes necessitated by COVID-19, Pets Without Parents is using the opportunity to strengthen and revamp their volunteer program as they ramp up their reopening. Jourdan’s hope is that knowledge and skill from the Shelter Training & Enrichment program will enable her to both communicate best practices in training to co-workers, volunteers, and adopters and encourage behavior transformations for animals that are often without life skills and sometimes completely shut down. “These transformations make all the hard work, baby steps, setbacks, and stress worth it! I am eager to see the positive impact for our pets and the people involved.”
Mary Whalen, Humane Society of Greater Savannah, Savannah, Georgia
Mary Whalen, the Canine Behavior Department Coordinator at the Humane Society of Greater Savannah, is a 2021 Zoe Scholarship recipient. Mary is spearheading major changes to the organization, having advocated for and initiated an internal behavior and enrichment department to help meet the needs of their animals. While Mary has experience as a professional dog trainer, this is her first position in a shelter environment, and she is eager to broaden her knowledge about what works in shelters. “We have been using trial and error and, unfortunately, have hit some setbacks.” The scholarship to the Shelter Training & Enrichment course will enable Mary to help “behaviorally challenged dogs, prepare them for the adoption floors, and provide surrender-prevention training to recently adopted dogs at risk of being returned.”
About Karen Pryor Academy
Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior (KPA) offers positive-reinforcement-based courses for both experienced and aspiring trainers. KPA offers 12 all-online courses (Dog Trainer Foundations, Dog Trainer Foundations-Immersion, Dog Trainer Comprehensive, Puppy Start Right for Instructors, Dog Sports Essentials, Shelter Training & Enrichment, Canine Freestyle, Smart Reinforcement, Better Veterinary Visits, Train Your Cat!, Concept Training: Let’s Get Started, and Concept Training: Modifier Cues). The KPA flagship Dog Trainer Professional program is a combination of online learning and hands-on workshops. KPA is advancing the field of force-free training by certifying and promoting the next generation of skilled animal trainers and teachers. To learn more about Karen Pryor Academy courses, visit www.karenpryoracademy.com. To see an international list of KPA Certified Training Partners, visit https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer.