Behaviour Referral Service for Vets
Qualified, professional, trustworthy and reliable.
Accepting canine behaviour cases upon veterinary surgeon referral.
The Canine Behaviour Referral service includes…
Review of the patient’s clinical history following your referral
An in-person 1:1 diagnostic behavioural consultation to understand the underlying cause of the problem behaviour (behavioural diagnosis)
Provision of a behaviour report containing tailor-made recommendations on behaviour problem management, and a behaviour modification plan, which I will share with you, the referring vet, so that you are fully aware of your patient’s behavioural diagnosis and the recommended plan of action.
Team-Based Approach
I accept cases that are referred to me exclusively by a veterinary surgeon.
Working solely upon veterinary referral ensures that physical health issues that could be contributing to the dog’s behaviour have been ruled out or are being addressed, before embarking on a behaviour modification plan.
This approach allows for more effective intervention and is in line with the standards of good practice and codes of conduct of leading professional animal behaviour bodies, including the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC) and the Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) Accreditation Body.
Following the behaviour consultation with your client, I will contact you to share the outcome and the way forward, and in some cases, as necessary, to discuss the need for further diagnostics and/or medication.
Through my qualifications and affiliations with the aforementioned leading animal behaviour bodies, I am hoping to offer the highest standard of clinical animal behaviour practice, safeguard animal welfare and the human-animal bond, and work with you to provide an optimal service to you and your clients.
Hello, I’m Maria Debono.
I am a veterinary surgeon, having studied at University College Dublin, Ireland
I have practised as a veterinary surgeon in Ireland and Malta
I have obtained an MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour with distinction from the University of Edinburgh
I am a pre-certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB)
I am a candidate member of the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC)
I am a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Animal Behaviour at MCAST
How To Refer a Patient
Option 1:
Fill out the online referral form.
You will also be asked to upload your patient’s full clinical history. Alternatively, you may opt to send the patient’s clinical history separately, following online form submission, by email to contact@mariadebono.com.
Option 2:
Download the referral form.
Download the form in PDF format, fill in, scan and email this to me along with the patient’s full clinical history.
Please note:
I cannot proceed to book clients for a behavioural consultation until I have received your completed referral form and the patient’s clinical history.
You will receive a response from me by email within 48 hours of receipt of the submitted referral form and patient clinical history. If you have any questions, kindly send an email to contact@mariadebono.com or click on the button below.
Thank you for your support and cooperation.
