The main reason owners give their pets to a shelter is behavioral problems.

Kelley Bollen, a certified animal behaviorist and shelter animal behavior specialist, has worked in the animal welfare field for 25 years, educating shelter staff and volunteers, veterinary personnel, and the public about animal behavior.

“My goal in life is to educate people about the animals they care for at work or at home in order to improve animal welfare and the human-animal bond,” she said.

A two-day video program, “Seminar on behavior in animal shelters”, will be held Friday and Saturday, August 30-31, at 10 a.m. for dog owners and 11 a.m. for cat owners at Lee County Domestic Animal Services, 5600 Banner Drive, Fort Myers. Sessions are free to the public. Participants will receive a gift bag for their pet.

“The seminar for the public will address the common behavioral problems in cats and dogs that pet owners struggle with and how to understand and resolve these problem behaviors,” she said. “Most people don’t understand their pet – especially why it does what it does, and especially when it behaves in a way that they don’t like. They also don’t understand how animals learn and how best to train them in a positive way to behave the way the owner wants them to.”

Bollen said anyone who adopts a pet and notices behavioral problems should call the animal shelter and ask for help.

“If the shelter cannot help them, the hope is that they can refer them to trainers and behavior experts in the area who use science-based positive behavior change methods,” she said.

For more information, visit LeeLostPets.com or call 239-533-7387 (LEE-PETS).