Meet the Staff

Volunteers

The Animal Behavior Center is run by volunteers and students seeking experience in animal behavior and the use of applied behavior analysis. Once in a while we have a volunteer position available. If you are interested in volunteering and are over the age of 18, please contact us, and we will be in touch with you.

Internships

Our internship inquiries are coming in at a high rate and we are working with a few different colleges nationwide to provide this service. Please contact us with questions.

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Staff

Karen Pratt

Manager

Karen has worked in the marketing and communications field for 23 years as an Accounting Supervisor and then as a Director of Administration and Accounting. She then went on to a whole new endeavor as an Accounting Manager for 8 years at an Orthodontic Office and then a Practice Manager for another Orthodontics office for 1 year until a major medical incident cut her professional career short in 2011. She has been with The Animal Behavior Center for over ten years since the center opened. Karen lives in Sylvania very close to The Animal Behavior Center with her youngest daughter Sandy. Sandy also volunteers at The Animal Behavior Center and works at a doggy day care. Karen’s oldest daughter, Michelle is a Veteran Marine and married to a fellow veteran Marine, Wes. Michelle is an editor at a large academic publishing company based in San Diego, CA. and Wes is currently in Seminary school studying to be a pastor.

Karen loves any kind of animal! She has 3 dogs, 11 cats, an African Grey, English budgies, and 2 cockatiels. Karen also helps her daughter Sandy with their Oriental cats/kittens in breeding and showing pedigreed TICA registered cats. Since being at The Animal Behavior Center, she has learned so much from Lara. Using applied behavior analysis and positive reinforcement training has opened her eyes to a whole new level of compatibility and has strengthened her relationship with her animals at home.

Sandy Pratt

Sandy currently works a Doggie Daycare. Sandy volunteers on a regular basis helping out with feeding, cleaning and training. Also, volunteers at the events wherever she is needed. Sandy has a passion for rescuing animals in need and will go out of her way to help the owner or get the animal in good hands, whether it be a veterinarian, shelter, etc. Sandy’s dream is to open a rescue facility someday. Sandy has started raising Oriental show cats; TICA registered and pedigreed.

Lindsay Douglas

Lindsay is an undergraduate student who is currently pursuing a degree in Applied Behavior Analysis. With that degree, she plans to study animal behavior with hopes of opening her own wildlife rehab and rescue center. Lindsay has always had a passion for animals and hopes to instill that same passion in others after learning all she can about the animal behavior field.

Beth Peoples

Beth’s bio is a little different but I couldn’t help but post her awesome story as her bio:

“Once upon a time there was a bird show in Toledo, Ohio. That show, basically started my ABC journey. My intent was to just pick up a food pre-order but what bird parent can resist the temptation to look around for other goodies?
Lo and behold, there it was. That friendly lady turned out to be Karen Pratt and her daughters. Karen had information about a bird club in Toledo that met once a month and there was a meeting SOON!I went to that meeting and that is where I met Lara Joseph. There was so much educational value presented. Never missed a meeting after that. Later, Lara started The Animal Behavior Center and I attended as many workshops as I could. Every once in a while I’d see posts about volunteer positions open but the timing was never quite right.

It is now 11 or 12 years later and I come to the center twice a week and work on enrichment toys; please nobody pinch me; if this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up!”

Kendall Jukalla

Kendall is a graduate of Northern Michigan University with degrees in both Communication Disorders and Nursing. She has been an RN for over 6 years and currently works at 2 hospitals in the Toledo area. She has been a volunteer at The Animal Behavior Center since early 2018. She lives in Lambertville, not far from the center’s new location at Indian Creek Zoo, with her husband, Trevor, and a small zoo of their own.

Kendall always says that while nursing pays the bills, animals are her true passion! All of her animals are rescued/rehomed, and she stands firmly by the adage “ADOPT DON’T SHOP”. She has 2 parrots, a Green Wing Macaw, Murray, who used to reside at the ABC, and an African Grey named Buzz. She also has 2 dogs, a Great Dane and a Mastiff mix, and 2 cats. Both of her cats were foster fails, as she frequently fosters litters of stray kittens.

As an experienced volunteer, Kendall gets to work and train with a variety of animals, as well as create enrichment/foraging toys. Lara has shown her, first hand, how applied behavior analysis and positive reinforcement can change behavior and improve the animal/owner relationship. Kendall’s work at the ABC has strengthened the bond between her and her own pets, and she is excited to continue to learn and grow as a volunteer!

Deb Sasse

Debbie attributes her Busia(Grandmother) for her love of Animals. She always had a kittens, puppies, a bird or fish for her to love on. Mom and Dad also helped that along. Growing up Debbie had a Dog Grooming business which her Dad helped her to start.
Debbie has been in Veterinary Medicine as a Registered Veterinary Technician for over 45 years, everyday is an adventure. and still currently working at a clinic in Temperance Michigan. So volunteering at ABC seemed like a good fit.
At this time she and her husband have 2 GSD’s and 1 St Poodle. All 3 have unique personalities and keep them on their toes.
“At this point in time I have been volunteering for 10 months and will continue till forever.”

Contact Us

Our Location

419.360.1234
2744 Consear Rd.
Lambertville, MI 48144