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Detective, Educator, Mediator: A Holistic Approach to Foster Behavior Support:  November 2025 in Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection

  • 1.  Detective, Educator, Mediator: A Holistic Approach to Foster Behavior Support:  November 2025 in Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection

    Posted 10-20-2025 10:24 AM

    *To earn a Certificate of Attendance for continuing education credit, you'll need to watch this webcast on Maddie's University here. *

    Zan’s Presentation: https://bit.ly/4o0iXRn  

    Presentation Handout: https://bit.ly/LowellHandout  


    Webcast Description:  

    Foster insights are invaluable to shelters & rescues, and no concern should ever be dismissed or taken more lightly than the foster presents it. At the same time, that initial presentation of a concern tends to only offer one perspective: the human's. Zan's presentation will walk through example cases of their tried and true process of taking an analytical approach that simultaneously gets to the root causes of an animal's concerning or unwanted behaviors and promotes a more nuanced understanding of those animals' needs among fosters, all without sacrificing compassion for either. 

    Q & A from the webcast:


    About Zan Lowell: 

    Zan Lowell got their start in animal welfare as a volunteer with Austin Pets Alive! in 2013 where they quickly discovered a passion for dog behavior and training. They joined APA!'s Dog Behavior Team as an intern in 2014, and in 2017, they became a full-time behavior trainer supporting dogs both onsite at the shelter and with transitioning into their new homes. At the end of 2019, Zan transitioned to APA!'s Dog Behavior Follow-Up Team where they spent the next five years helping to build APA!'s resource library and directly supporting thousands of adopters and fosters with the dogs (and sometimes cats!) in their care. In recent years, they have developed a particular interest in the neuroscience of dog behavior and a trauma-informed approach to addressing behavioral challenges, especially among rescued and rehomed animals. They currently live in Richmond, VA with their medical alum cat and behavior alum (and playgroup success story) pittie mix. 


    #Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment
    #FosterPrograms

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    Kelly Duer
    Senior Shelter Solutions Specialist
    Maddie's Fund
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  • 2.  RE: Detective, Educator, Mediator: A Holistic Approach to Foster Behavior Support:  November 2025 in Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection

    Posted 20 days ago

    Thank you everyone who attended my presentation yesterday! I hope you all got something out of it.

    As promised, here is Sarah Lyons' webinar on Fostering Fearful Dogs I mentioned during the Q&A :)



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    Zan Lowell
    they/them
    Dog Behavior Trainer & Consultant
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  • 3.  RE: Detective, Educator, Mediator: A Holistic Approach to Foster Behavior Support:  November 2025 in Maddie's Monthly Foster Connection

    Posted 20 days ago

    Thank you for posting the webinar!



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    Jennifer Earp
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