About this episode

Ryan Cartlidge interviews Shane Gorbett about the importance of objective data in animal training and behavior management.

In this insightful conversation, Ryan Cartlidge is joined by Shane Gorbett — Curator of Animal Training and Behavior at the Philadelphia Zoo and current President of the Animal Behavior Management Alliance (ABMA) . Shane brings a wealth of experience from the zoological world, where he specializes in animal care training and behavior management. Bringing a rare analytical lens to the profession, Shane challenges us to look past "common sense" and intuition, and instead embrace objective data as the foundation for high-level animal welfare and professional advocacy. Together, Ryan and Shane explore how documentation and data collection are far more than just administrative requirements; they are essential tools for clarity and institutional change. Shane shares how moving from "we think it's working" to "we know it's working" allows trainers to communicate more effectively with stakeholders, secure necessary resources, and prove the efficacy of their training programs. He offers practical reflections on how simple, consistent record-keeping can reveal trends that the human brain might otherwise miss, leading to more successful outcomes for both the animals and the humans who care…

People in this episode

Host: Ryan Cartlidge

Guest: Shane Gorbett

Topics covered

• animal training
• behavior management
• data collection
• animal welfare
• professional advocacy
• record-keeping

Keywords

• animal training
• behavior management
• data collection
• animal welfare
• professional collaboration

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Philadelphia Zoo, Animal Behavior Management Alliance, ABMA

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