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    At the ARLGP, we know that healthy pets in our community are happy pets in our community. Like humans, animal health encompasses both physical and mental wellness. Through our training and behavior department, we offer a variety of programs, guidance, and support to community members (both two and four-legged). We recognize the growing need in our community and are doing our part in helping make behavior and training services accessible to all. Take a look at our available training classes here.

    We have amazing trainers who work hard to build a bond between you and your pets. Take a look at our trainer’s bios below:

    Amber Zawrotny (CPDT-KA & CGC Evaluator) is our Behavior & Training Manager.

    With a decade of animal welfare experience ranging from bottle-feeding kittens to behavior modification across species as small as rats and as large as horses, and decided to specialize in educating pet owners on how to form the best possible relationship with their animal family.

    Amber has been at ARLGP since January 2023, and animal welfare since 2013. Prior to her time here she contributed to animal shelters in New Hampshire, Washington State, and Connecticut. Her experience across the country has given her ample perspective on the human-animal bond and specifically in shelter dogs’ needs.

    Amber also handles the majority of our cat behavior inquiries, and is actively working on becoming a certified cat behavior consultant.

     

    Kim Tran (CPDT-KA) attended college in Western Mass and graduated in 2010 with a BA in Business Administration, but then soon realized her calling was instead working with dogs.

    After entering the canine world in 2012 and later bringing home her first dog, she realized how much fun it was to take training classes with her dog, Moose Pug, teaching him basic obedience, tricks, as well as passing his CGC test. Kim became interested in dog training both as a career, and to better understand dog behavior and how it could help her in her day-to-day job. Kim started her dog training journey in Boston where she was able to become a training assistant, and then to eventually became a professional dog trainer.

    For a brief time before the pandemic, Kim and Moose became a certified therapy dog team until his passing, an achievement she looks back on fondly.  Often reflecting on her time training Moose, she enjoys helping people understand how to better communicate with their dogs, helping to form bonds and lasting relationships, and most importantly showing them how to have fun!!

     

    Faith Paglierani (BS Animal Behavior) is a native Mainer who got her bachelor’s degree in animal behavior from UNE in 2017. She then spent a few years working on a farm animal sanctuary in New Jersey that introduced her to the world of non-profit work. After moving back to her home state, because let’s face it, New Jersey has nothing on the natural beauty of Maine, she joined the canine staff here at the ARLGP in the fall of 2020.
    There are many aspects of animal care that occur at a shelter and she was already fascinated by animal behavior, so moving towards the behavior team was always a goal. She has transitioned to the team in December of 2023 and is excited to start interacting with the community and learning how she can better assist people in building and maintaining strong bonds with their animals. Faith specializes in enrichment and meeting underlying needs of our canine companions, in order for training to be effective.
    Faith is currently working on her CPDT-KA and shares her home with her beloved Pyrenees Shepherd mix, Winston, and her cat, Simon. She often takes shelter dogs on field trips with her crew and can be found adventuring in the woods!