Practical Human Behaviour Change for the Health and Welfare of Animals is the practical guide to helping people change behaviour for the welfare, wellbeing, and health of their animals. Grounded in evidence, this book enables readers to understand some of the underlying causes of human behaviour towards animals and deliver the crucial techniques and skills to help people make needed behavior changes. These techniques, including the use of the Stages of Change model, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and skilled Active Listening, support practical interventions for owner’s behaviors such as those around diet, exercise, weight control, and breeding; the text also supports professionals through difficult conversations such as euthanasia, hoarding, and giving up ownership. These approaches have been found to improve outcomes for animals as well as engagement with workers by owners. This way of working also reduces psychological burden on workers and help with job satisfaction.

To aid in reader comprehension, Practical Human Behaviour Change for the Health and Welfare of Animals is complemented by case examples, analogies, and exercises. A supporting website provides worksheets and resources to further support the reader’s learning and help put skills into practice.

Written by a highly qualified author with more than 20 years of experience in human behaviour change for animal welfare, the book discusses topics such as:

Foreword vii

Preface ix

About the Companion Website xv

1 Understanding What Lies Behind Behaviours 1

2 Behaviour Change – Traditional Methods and Other Ways to Support Behaviour Change in Others 17

3 The Stages of Change Model 35

4 Motivational Interviewing 55

5 Active Listening 83

6 Finding Focus and Setting the Agenda 113

7 Three Structures to Understand Behaviours and What Change Might Mean 133

8 Working with Ambivalence – The Key to Making Change 157

9 Supporting Preparation for Change – Envisaging Change 173

10 Preparation – Setting Goals, Making Action Plans and Contingency Plans 187

11 Supporting People to Move into Action 209

12 Maintenance of Change and Beyond 231

13 Looking Forward 241

14 Templates and Appendices 247

Index 259