Jade Fountain

MAppBehAnalysis, MSc (Zoology), BSc. (Zoology/Psychology)

Jade is a PhD candidate undertaking research into training and enrichment to improve animal welfare, with an interest in how animal training might be applied across settings to help animals live a good life. She is investigating how scent work activities benefit companion dogs. Her previous academic research looked at aggressive behaviour in native noisy miner birds and disruption of neurobiological reward pathways during learning in laying hens.

Jade is a professional animal behaviour consultant and trainer who is passionate about improving behavioural welfare of animals in human care. She works with all species from dogs, cats, birds and horses, to exotics and native wildlife. Jade has a background in applied behaviour analysis, applied animal behaviour, zoology and conservation ecology which has led to work in endangered species recovery programs across Australia and South Africa, working with companion animals in the assistance sector (autism, mobility and PTSD), detection dogs for conservation, prison dog programs, film and tv industry and managing shelter animal behaviour programs.

Jade is keen to disseminate humane learning principles and bridge practical skillsets for animal caregivers through teaching workshops and seminars, and to improve animal training practices through research and education.