About Us
Helping you and your pets live better lives.
This centre brings together a team of qualified individuals who are able to provide owners of pets with effective, practical and compassionate animal behaviour treatment.
The pet behaviour industry is unregulated and full of misinformation, and advice that may even be dangerous. It is time to have a place where you can trust that your pet will be treated with professional and evidence-based solutions to any and every problem.
Our team is committed to ongoing research and learning and we remain at the forefront of modern animal behaviour practice. It is our goal to provide you with a service that allows you and your pets to live happier and
healthier lives together.
Our Story
How do you know I’m the best person to help your dog?
Anyone can claim to be a behaviourist, but only an accredited veterinary behaviourist has all of the tools to help your family member. With so much at stake it’s vital that you’re not misled into believing that someone is more qualified than they are.
We know how animals learn and how their brains work, which means I won’t just address the unwanted behaviour, but will figure out why the behaviour appeared in the first place. We will develop an individualised, holistic wellbeing plan and give you and your pet the skills and support you need to succeed.
We provide evidence based and ethical treatment plans provided with regular contact and support from Dr Jess: a qualified Veterinary Behaviourist with over 20 years experience in the animal and veterinary industry, both here and overseas.
We care deeply about animals and strive every day to improve their wellbeing.Your pet matters and we are here to help both you and your beloved family member.
Our Founder
Dr Jess Beer
As an accredited veterinary behaviourist you know that I’m not just accountable to you and your dog, but also to the professional bodies I’m accredited to.I have been meticulously tested by the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists and as part of my accreditation, I am required to complete further professional development each year. This means you can be sure of getting the most modern, scientifically proven methodologies to help your dog. I will help you find the behaviour you want, and give you and your dog the skills to make sure that’s the behaviour that shows up more often. I won’t necessarily need to ‘teach’ your dog anything, but help them develop the skills they need to live a full, happy and anxiety free life.
What is a Veterinary Behaviourist?
We are highly skilled, fully qualified veterinarians that have then gone on to specialise in behaviour. We can create a truly effective plan for your furry family member that may include medication, carefully controlled desensitisation, and other scientifically proven methods like positive reinforcement to help your pet thrive.
A qualified veterinary behaviourist won’t try and sell you a ‘quick fix’ collar because they know that animal behaviours can be very complex, and while a punishment may mask the issue temporarily, it won’t help your family member in the long run. In many cases those tools will make things even worse, as the punishment techniques (often described as aversion, negative reinforcement or balanced training) can actually increase fearful or aggressive responses.
If someone is advocating punishments like shock or citronella collars, promoting the long disproven ‘dominance’ or pack theory, or offering you a quick fix or set timeframe for when issues will resolve, odds are they are not a qualified behaviourist. They may actually make things worse.
When you choose Kiwi Vet Behaviour you can be sure of scientifically supported, ethical treatment plans and perhaps most importantly, ongoing wraparound support. I know that living with a fearful or aggressive pet is immensely challenging. When you choose Kiwi Vet Behaviour you know that have every aspect of your pets physical and mental health covered, and you can rest easy that you are doing the best for your pet.
Meet The Team
Dr Jess Beer
Director | Veterinary Behaviourist
Dr Jess Beer has more than 20 years of experience in companion animal clinical practice and has worked in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, as well as donating her time to charities in around the world. In 2014, Jess gained her Membership of ANZCVS in Veterinary Behaviour, and since then has been practicing in general practice, charity rescue organisations and, Kiwi Vet Behaviour, as a Veterinary Behaviourist.
As an accredited veterinary behaviourist, Jess has been meticulously tested by the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists and as part of her accreditation, she is required to complete further professional development each year. This means you can be sure of getting the most modern, scientifically proven methodologies to help your pet.
Dr Emma Ruck
Veterinary Behaviourist
Emma knew from a young age that she wanted to be a vet and graduated from Massey University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science with distinction. She spent numerous years working in small animal practices (including some time at a Behaviour referral practice) in Adelaide, South Australia and has recently made the move back home to Auckland.
Emma's path to becoming a behaviour vet started with wanting to improve the experience pets have during their clinic visits, learning to reduce their stress levels meant a better relationship with both pet and owner, something she is still passionate about. Getting her own special needs dog in 2020 prompted her to get further involved in the animal behaviour world to address her separation distress and general anxiety. During this journery she found a desire to help others better understand their pets' behaviour so they have happier lives together. She gained her Membership qualification in Veterinary Behaviour in 2023.
Ange Fletcher
Lead Trainer
Hi I’m Angela, I have been a veterinary nurse since 2003 and I have loved teaching puppy classes since 2006. I teach dogs and even cats and rabbits using positive reinforcement techniques.
I completed my Delta Certification IV in Animal Behaviour and Training, and I am a certified SAPro separation anxiety trainer. I am Fear Free elite certified, a member of APDTNZ, and have a Level 2 Cooperative Care Certificate. I am committed to continuing education in force free training such as the Aggression in Dogs Master Course and LEGS dog ethology course.
I enjoy helping people and their families set their pets up for success and to understand and improve communication with their pets. I love helping bridge the training and veterinary worlds by building confidence in the veterinary clinic and teaching cooperative care to give dogs the ability to consent to medications, handling and treatment without using fear or force.
Our Memberships
