Sydney Animal Behaviour Service
Sydney Animal Behaviour Service is the premier behavioural medicine practice in Australia, run by Registered Veterinary Specialist in Animal Behaviour - Dr Kersti Seksel - together with Registered Veterinary Behaviour consultants - Dr Gaille Perry, Dr Jacqui Ley and Dr Caroline Perrin.
Since 1992, cases from all over Australia involving dog, cat, and bird behaviour problems have been assessed by the team at SABS. Problems such as elimination disorders, aggression, fears and phobias, separation anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, cognitive dysfunction are commonly seen. These conditions and many others have been successfully managed and treated using up-to-date behaviour modification techniques, environmental management and sometimes medication that is individually tailored to each case.
Behaviour Consultations
Each pet is individually assessed and then a behaviour modification program, along with environmental management is recommended that takes into consideration not only the pet and its problems, but also the whole family and their lifestyle. Positive reinforcement is emphasised, as the process of managing problematic behaviour should not involve punishment.
Examples of canine and feline cases commonly seen include:
- Anxiety disorders
- Separation anxiety
- Aggression directed towards people
- Aggression directed toward other pets
- House soiling
- Obsessive behaviours eg. tail spinning, fly snapping
If you plan to book a full behaviour consultation (in person, or via phone (02) 9770-7555)we will want you to come to your appointment having filled out the relevant questionnaire. These give us a written outline of your pet's history, its medical background, your daily routine, and of course, the history of any problem behaviours.
Filling out the questionnaire can take some time, and is best done with the input of the entire household.
Click on the links below to download a copy of the questionnaire relevant to you:
Dr Kersti Seksel
BVSc(Hons), MRCVS, MA(Hons), FACVSc(Animal Behaviour), Diplomate ACVB, CMAVA, Dip ECVBM-CA
Kersti graduated with a degree Veterinary Science from Sydney University. She then completed a BA in Behavioural Sciences with a major in psychology at Macquarie University. In 1992 she began developing the program of Puppy Preschools® in veterinary hospitals around Australia. She complete a MA (Hons) degree by thesis on the long and short term behavioural effects of puppy socialisation and training programs. She is a registered veterinary specialist in Animal Behaviour, a Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary scientists in Animal Behaviour, a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviourists and a Diplomat of the European College of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine- Companion Animals.
She is head of the behaviour department at the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre , President of the Australian Companion Animal Council, chair of the Companion Animal sectoral group of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy, serves on the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee of the NSW government and sits on the Animal Welfare Advisory Working group for Dairy Australia. She is a former President of the Australian Veterinary Association, President of the Chapter of Animal Behaviour as well as Council member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. Kersti is the principal of the Sydney animal behavioural service or SABs and the supervisor of two Residents in veterinary behavior.
Dr Gaille Perry
BVSc, MACVSc(Animal Behaviour), PhD, DipEd, BedSt, Cert IV in Assessment and Workplace Training, CMAVA
Gaille graduated from the University of Queensland in 1970. She then worked in her own mixed practice for 10 years. During this time, her hobbies were showing, breeding and training Border Collies, Old English Sheepdogs and Arabian horses and she was an accredited horse show judge. In 1982, she returned to university, gaining a DipEd that year and a BEdSt in 1983. She was appointed as an Instructor at TAFE that year, and since then, has taught animal behaviour and training to veterinary nurses, training class instructors, local laws officers, kennel and pet shop staff, service dog personnel and zookeepers. In her present position as Principal Teacher, she manages courses in Veterinary Nursing, Companion Animal Services and Captive Animals.
Her interest in behaviour led to Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Animal Behaviour in 1993 and a PhD in dog and cat behaviour in 1999. Gaille began working in the behavioural practice at Seaforth in 1999. She is Director of Studies for the Delta Society's Canine Good Citizen Instructor Course, which conducts accredited training for class instructors from all over Australia. Gaille is the behaviour consultant to the RSPCA in Brisbane and a regular speaker at conferences and seminars in Australia and overseas.
A long time dog and cat owner, Gaille enjoys working with dog and cat owners to manage their pet's behaviour.
Dr Jacqui Ley
BVSc (Hons), MANZVCS(VeterinaryBehaviour), PhD, CMAVA
Jacqui graduated from Melbourne University Veterinary School in 1995 and entered small animal veterinary practice. She undertook a Membership to the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Veterinary Behaviour in 2000. She then ran a home visit behaviour practice in Melbourne and has completed a PhD at Monash University developing a model and questionnaire for describing canine personality. She has been involved in teaching the Graduate Certificate in Animal Welfare at Monash University. She is an active member of the Anthrozoology Research Group. Jacqui is undertaking her training towards becoming a registered specialist in Veterinary Behaviour with the Sydney Animal Behavioural Service and the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist centre.
Dr Caroline Perrin
BVSc MACVSc (Veterinary Behaviour) CMAVA
Caroline graduated from Melbourne University Veterinary school in 1996. She has worked in a number of small animal practices in Melbourne and the UK since graduation. She obtained membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Veterinary Behaviour in 2006. Since then she has divided her time between general practice and seeing behaviour referrals in Melbourne. Caroline has been an Examiner for candidates for Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientist in Veterinary Behaviour. She is currently secretary of the Australian Veterinary Behaviour Interest group of the Australian Veterinary Association. Dr Caroline is now undertaking a residency in Behavioural Medicine at SABs.
