Pet Professional Guild announces scholarship program for members to further force-free education

Eligible candidates can apply for educational opportunities that support PPG’s stance on avoiding the use of aversive methods and equipment in animal care and training

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. – Jan. 17, 2017 – PRLog — The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is to provide a limited number of scholarships for members to further their education in force-free training and/or pet care. Under the PPG Education Scholarship Program, members will be able to apply for suitable educational programs offered by organizations that support PPG’s Guiding Principles and goals, with a focus on modern, humane and scientifically sound training methods that forgo the use of outdated, aversive training methods or equipment.

Full, associate, and provisional PPG members across all training and pet care specialties are deemed eligible scholarship applicants, provided they are a current member and in good standing for a minimum of 12 months.

PPG must receive scholarship applications between March 15 and April 15 any given year via an online form. All applications will be reviewed by the scholarship selection committee, which includes members of the PPG education committee, the PPG steering committee and a PPG board member. Final scholarship recommendations will be forwarded to the PPG board of directors by May 15 of any given year, and the board of directors will notify all applicants of the outcome of their applications no later than June 15 of the year in question. Scholarship funds will be remitted directly to the educational provider and not the candidate.

In addition, educational organizations that are current PPG members, educational providers, or corporate partners are eligible to apply for the inclusion of their educational facility in the Scholarship Program. Educational offerings can be online, in person, or a hybrid. Opportunities are also available for organizations to in part or fully sponsor a scholarship program and thereby benefit from a range of marketing opportunities with PPG, including a variety of advertising and marketing opportunities across PPG’s wide range of media platforms, and vendor discounts at PPG educational events.

“Education is one of the cornerstones of any industry, and no less in the pet industry which remains unregulated, meaning anyone can call themselves a dog trainer or behavior consultant regardless of skills, knowledge, education and practical experience,” said PPG president, Niki Tudge. “By offering the PPG Education Scholarship Program to our members, we can be sure we are doing everything possible to ensure those who support our Guiding Principles get the backing they need to become qualified and get out into the public domain to help more pets and their families via the use of force-free, non-aversive training methods and equipment.”

For more information about PPG’s Education Scholarship Program and details of how to apply, click here.

About The Pet Professional Guild

The Pet Professional Guild is a 501(c)6 a member organization founded on the principles of force-free training and pet care. Its membership represents pet industry professionals who are committed to force-free training, pet care philosophies, practices and methods. Pet Professional Guild members understand force-free to mean: no shock, no pain, no choke, no fear, no physical force and no compulsion-based methods are employed to train or care for a pet.