Page last updated on February 3, 2026 at 11:47 am
Behavior Consulting
Bloomington Animal Care & Control can provide consultations on a wide variety of behavioral issues including, but not limited to: litter box problems with cats, house training, crate training for dogs, introducing a new companion animal into your home, basic obedience techniques, and separation anxiety in dogs.
Please note that certain behaviors cannot be addressed via phone or email.
- Medical issues. Some behavior problems can be a result of or made worse by medical conditions. If you think your pet has a medical need, contact your veterinarian. The Bloomington Animal Shelter cannot give advice on any medical issue your animal may be experiencing.
- Aggression. There are many reasons an animal may behave aggressively, including fear, food or object possessiveness, territorial behavior or protective behavior. Since aggression is a complex behavior with many factors involved, The Bloomington Animal Shelter staff cannot address most aggression your animal is exhibiting via phone or email. Please consult a behavior specialist or pet trainer to resolve any aggression-related issue.
If you are in need of behavior consulting for your companion animal and are a Monroe County resident or have adopted the animal from The Bloomington Animal Shelter, please fill our Pet Behavior Consulting Online Form. Once you have completed and submitted this form, our behavior consultant will review your form and contact you to discuss the issues that you are experiencing with your pet.
If you need immediate counsel, you can reach Emily Herr at 812-349-3873. Her direct email is [email protected].
Please see below for helpful hints for keeping your canine and feline friends healthy, techniques for providing a humane approach to training, and approaches to solving common behavior problems in dogs and cats.
Resources for common cat behavior issues:
Aggression Between Family Cats
Cat Enrichment: Play With Your Cat
Aggressive Play In Young Cats: What To Know And How To Manage It
Litter Box Issues and Urine Marking:
Resources for common dog behavior issues:
Adopting An Undersocialized Dog
Dogs And Children: Important Information For Parents
Canine Enrichment: Dog Toys And How To Use Them
Fearful and Excitement Urination In Dogs
Introducing Your New Dog to Your Resident Dog
Leash Reactivity (Free Online course)
Need additional help? Visit Train Humane to find registry of skilled, credentialed, and Tra(IN) recommended dog trainers statewide who use rewards-based systems. Included is a registry of recommended doggy daycares, boarding facilities, and pet sitters. And a registry of Fear-Free and otherwise behavior-knowledgeable Veterinarians.