Qualifications In brief

  • PhD [2003] University of Southampton
  • MSc [1995] University of Reading
  • BSc (Hons) [1991] University of Paisley
  • Full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC).
  • Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB).
IUCN Canid Specialist Group BBC Radio Solent Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors

Animal Crackers on BBC1

Candy d'Sa on BBC's Animal Crackers

I appeared on the first episode of Ronnie Corbett's primetime BBC1 series Animal Crackers in December 2013.

Qualifications and experience

I have an Honours degree in Biology (1991) from the University of Paisley. For my dissertation, I studied the behaviour and ecology of captive Arctic foxes within a wildlife park in Dunbartonshire, Scotland. I have a Masters degree in Wildlife Management & Control (1995) from the University of Reading, and spent eight months working on the endangered Canadian swift fox captive breeding and reintroduction programme in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada in order to produce my dissertation. A position as a field biologist with Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) included a year working in Italy for a television company researching for a documentary on domestic and wild dogs. I went on to carry out demographic and behavioural studies of the critically endangered Ethiopian wolf in the Bale Mountains National Park, southern Ethiopia, and implemented a vaccination programme for sympatric semi-feral domestic dogs, in conjunction with the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, WildCRU, the IUCN Canid Specialist Group and the Born Free Foundation.

I hold a PhD from the University of Southampton (2003) for my research on dominance and hierarchies in feral farm cats. I also worked as a dog behaviourist for the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) in Geneva, Switzerland. This included field trips to Afghanistan and Cambodia, to improve the quality and performance of landmine detection dogs. For the past 16 years, I have worked as an Animal Behaviour Consultant and Expert Witness on matters concerning animal behaviour and welfare. I am a full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) and accredited by the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) as a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB). This specialist qualification is recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Psychological Society. I am a Member of the IUCN Canid Specialist Group and have held the position of Assistant Editor of the online journal Canid Biology and Conservation since 2001, reviewing and publishing articles on wild canids (wolves, jackals, foxes and dogs).

I have attended national shows such as Crufts and Discover Dogs as well as scientific conferences such as the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress, giving advice to pet owners and veterinary staff and selling pet products. I have given CPD talks and presentations to veterinary staff and police officers on behavioural problems. I broadcast regularly on BBC Radio Solent’s pet behaviour programmes, and I am frequently asked by national radio stations to give live comment on animal-related current affairs.

I appeared on the first episode of Ronnie Corbett's primetime BBC1 series Animal Crackers in December 2013, and gave a live studio interview for Sky News in April 2016 for their Special Report on Dangerous Dogs.

For my legal experience, please go to my Legal Work page.