Our Behaviour and Support Service 

Our behaviour and support service is led by Samantha Lympany-Tier, MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour, with a specialist interest in feline behaviour and welfare. Sam has received a CCAB pre-certification and is a provisional member of the APBC and FABC.  

Sam can help with cases such as: 

  • Canine behaviour concerns: fear and anxiety, phobias, repetitive behaviours and separation anxiety. 
     
  • Feline behaviour concerns: house-soiling, territory marking, fearful behaviour, aggressive behaviour, repetitive behaviour, stress-related behaviour and multi-cat household tension. 
     
  • General behaviour support: preparing for a new arrival, utilising enrichment, welcoming a new pet home, early-life essentials advice, and pre-purchase advice. 
     
  • Emotional support: emotional guidance through medical diagnosis with behaviour management and environmental adaptions, living with a blind or deaf pet and bonding with your pet.  
     
  • Training: co-operative care training, getting used to the veterinary practice. 
     

How can I access these services? 

These services can be both in-person or via telemedicine. We do not recommend bringing your animal for the first appointment, until Sam has conducted a virtual assessment as this helps avoid unnecessary stress. We require a referral from your veterinarian, who we will work closely with throughout your behaviour support.  

How can I prepare for a behaviour or training consultation? 

You will be sent a pre-consultation questionnaire via email, which we ask that you complete at least 48 hours prior to your consultation. This provides Sam with as much background information as possible to help diagnose and develop your pet's treatment plan. We strongly suggest you collect videos and pictures of your pet's behaviour where possible, but do not put yourself or your pet in harm's way or induce stress.  

What can I expect from a behaviour consultation? 

Behaviour concerns are not the result of a ‘bad pet’, our pet’s do not behave in such a way to annoy or spite us, they behave in a way which they feel guarantees their security. 

Behaviour consultations are like trying to put together a puzzle, to see a full picture. In doing this, we can see how the behaviour has developed. This involves taking a detailed history of your pet, how the behaviour started and how it has progressed. Often, there is an underlying medical cause. We would work with your vets to understand and collaborate on a treatment plan. 

After taking a detailed history, Sam will work with you to determine how we can meet both you and your pet's needs. Sam will continue to support you in implementing a treatment plan for your pet, this often involves behaviour modification techniques based on positive reinforcement and environmental management. Sam might also suggest use of other products such as a harness or a clicker, or pheromone therapy. You will be provided with a summary of the plan and additional support material where appropriate. 

We recommend at least one follow up review, which is usually made between 2-4 weeks depending on your treatment plan. Minor adjustments or modifications to the plan can be available via email support.  

How much does this service cost? 

For canine and feline behaviour concerns: 

  • Initial consultation + review: £350 
  • Initial consultation + x3 reviews: £510 

For other behaviour support services: 

  • Initial consultation: £80 
  • Review: £40  
  • x6 training sessions: £220 
  • X8 training sessions: £300 

In some instances, these services can be covered by your pet's insurance. If you would like to discuss this further, please get in touch with our insurance team.  

Referring Vets 
 
When referring clients for behaviour or training, the duty of care remains with the vet, by referring your client to Optivet Referrals you can be confident that your patient will be taught by an educated professional who holds a strong code of ethics. Your input will be sought when appropriate, and you will be provided with written reports and updates. As pain and medical conditions are frequently part of behaviour cases, we often advise on behavioural medications as an adjunct to behaviour modification plans.  

If you are unsure as to the support you require for your client, please do not hesitate to contact behaviour@optivet.com