Lara is the owner of The Animal Behavior Center, an international, educational center focusing on teaching people how to live, love, and work with animals using positive reinforcement and approaches in Applied Behavior Analysis. She is a professional animal behavior consultant and trainer. Lara travels internationally giving workshops, lectures, and provides online, live-streaming memberships on animal behavior, training and enrichment. Laraโs focus is on behavior and training with all species of animals whether in the home, shelter, zoo, or educational ambassador. Her daily work focuses on teaching people through her live-streaming services on animal training, behavior modification, and enrichment to people all over the world via her Projects, Memberships, webinars, and live streamed lectures and presentations.
She sits on the advisory board for All Species Consulting, The Indonesian Parrot Project, and is director of animal training for Natureโs Nursery, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Whitehouse, Ohio. She is also the founder of several animal organizations for animal welfare and has much experience working with deaf, blind, or deaf and blind animals. She has been asked to co-author and is currently working on international manuals of animal behavior and training.
Lara is a professional member of The Animal Behavior Management Alliance, The International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators, and The Pet Professional Guild. She is a published author and writes regularly for several periodicals including The Pet Professional Guildโs BARKS for professional dog trainers, a behavior column for BirdTalk Magazine, and contributes to blogging for Deaf Dogs Rock. She is a guest lecturer in the Zoo Biology; Animal Nutrition, Behavior & Diagnostics taught by Dr. Jason Crean at St. Xavier University; Chicago. Lara has presented for a wide variety of organizations such as The Philadelphia Zoo, The Ohio State Exotic Veterinary Club, The Association of Avian Veterinarians, Best Friends Animal Society, The Pet Professional Guild, The International Wildlife Rehabilitatorโs Conference, The Autism Model School, and The Wheaton College division of Applied Behavior Analysis.
Speaking
Lara is available to speak to your group via teleconferences or in-person presentations and workshops. See the speaking page for more information.
Presentations
Where to Begin: Off-Contact to Free-Contact Training with Zoo Animals – The Pet Professional Guild Geek Week – November, 2020
Mentions / News Articles
- Local cockatoo that was slated for euthanasia stars in national commercials – 13 Action News, Toledo, Ohio – June, 2019
- From โProblem Parrotโ to TV Star – Lefeber – July, 2019
- The Animal Mind – The Blade – July, 2016
Interviews / Podcasts
- Vicki Ronchette Interviews Lara on using Applied Behavior Analysis with animals – August, 2021
- Lara is interviewed on BlueZooBird podcast – February, 2020
- Lara tells the story of Sam, the Blind Amazon – BlueZooBird podcast
- Crate Training, Jumping Up, Digging and Behavior Analysis – Pure Dog Talk
- Best in Flock Interview with Lara – September, 2018
- Positive Solutions for Canine Aggression Issues – Pure Dog Talk
- Raising Deaf Dogs – Interview by Dr. Becker – October, 2017