The Animal Behaviour and Training Council is the regulatory body that represents animal trainers, training instructors and animal behaviour therapists to both the public and to legislative bodies. 

It sets and maintains the standards of knowledge and practical skills needed to be an animal trainer, training instructor or animal behaviour therapist, and it maintains the national registers of appropriately qualified animal trainers and animal behaviourists.
 

The ABTC is the only charity dedicated to promoting the welfare of animals undergoing training or behaviour therapy. The ABTC believes that it cannot be right to cause any animal pain in order to motivate it to carry out desired behaviours, when humane methods are not only available, but produce better long-term results.

The ABTC believes that improvements in Animal Welfare are achieved by:

• Setting, overseeing and monitoring standards of professional competence in the practice of behaviour therapy and training of animals
• Coordinating and harmonising the activities of organisations directly engaged in the promotion of such standards within different areas of this sector
• Providing information and a point of contact for other agencies more widely connected with animal welfare
• Increasing the awareness and understanding of the pet owning public, with regard to ethical and humane approaches to animal training and behaviour modification
• Continuing to improve our understanding of human-animal interactions, animal behaviour and psychological welfare through ethical research