Animal Encounters: in partnership with Animal Teach
This year, the Aquatics & Reptile Zone is excited to welcome Animal Teach, bringing expert-led education to the PATS show floor!
Four sessions run daily, each giving visitors practical, trade-relevant knowledge they can take straight back to their business, from customer conversations to stocking decisions and staff training. Each session includes time for questions, so visitors can put their own scenarios directly to the presenters.
Outside of session times, the Animal Teach team remain on their stand throughout the day, on hand to answer questions, talk through specific animals or situations, and offer guidance one to one.
Every session is led by Animal Teach founder and zoologist Naomi Ennis, supported by the Animal Teach team, with animals selected on the day based on individual health and behaviour checks to ensure the highest welfare standards throughout the show.
Animal Encounters can be found on Animal Teach's stand U10 in the Aquatics & Reptile Zone. |
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Daily Sessions
11:00 – Snake Behaviour and Care: Separating Fact from Myth
Customer misconceptions about snakes are one of the most common barriers to confident selling and advice-giving. This session equips staff with the science to correct common myths, answer customer questions with authority, and build trust with reptile-keeping customers.
12:00 – Animal Adaptations: What They Mean for Responsible Care
Understanding why an animal behaves and lives the way it does is the foundation of good product recommendations and husbandry advice. This session helps staff translate adaptation science into practical guidance customers can act on, supporting better outcomes and fewer returns.
14:00 – Small Animal Welfare: Shifting Perceptions in the Trade
The session will explore welfare considerations across a range of smaller species, including examples such as guinea pigs and hamsters. We will also use an invertebrate ambassador as a discussion point to challenge perceptions and demonstrate that even animals which are often viewed as “simple” or “low maintenance” have specific and important welfare needs.
15:00 – Education and Welfare: Building Better Practice Through Knowledge
A practical look at how ongoing staff education directly improves welfare outcomes and customer confidence, with take-home approaches businesses can build into their own training and customer advice.
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About Animal Teach
Animal Teach delivers exciting, educational and interactive workshops that are designed to meet curriculum outcomes, promote life-long learning and build confidence and practical skills.
We adhere to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018, ensuring every encounter is safe, ethical and meaningful.
Our mission is simple: to provide exciting educational opportunities that inspire all generations to truly connect with animals. Our vision drives us to make these experiences affordable, adaptable and accessible to everyone, while raising awareness of animal care and the natural world.
Animal Teach helps to Inspire Our Future, one unforgettable animal encounter at a time.
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