About Us

ICAN Co-Coordinators

The two ICAN Co-Coordinators, Taryn Blyth and Ruby Leslie, work very hard behind the scenes to answer emails, coordinate with our member organisations, support members on social media- and of course -network!

When you email or direct message ICAN on social media, you’ll be talking to either one of these ladies. We would be very happy to hear from you. Contact us here or at our email at ican.coordinators@gmail.com.

Both Taryn and Ruby (listed below in alphabetical order) are highly certified and experienced in animal training and welfare, and both are highly committed to maintain ICAN’s force-free training and animal welfare ethos in their own work and for ICAN.

Learn more about the ICAN Co-Coordinators below.

Get To Know ICAN Co-Coordinators

Ruby Leslie

Fear Free Certified Speaker, Low Stress Handling Certified, Fear Free Veterinary, Shelter & Groomer Certified, ISFM Feline Behaviour Certified

Ruby Leslie is the founder of Welfare For Animals (WFA), a humane, companion animal training and animal welfare business based in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Prior to January 2019, she lived and ran WFA in Chengdu, Sichuan, China for over 8 years.

The aim of her work with WFA is to train the trainer, veterinarian, animal professionals, shelter professionals, companion animal guardians and interested individuals. Her specialty is force-free, positive reinforcement, behaviour modification for rescues, fearful companion animals, cooperative care for grooming and vet visits.

Ruby has over 10 years of international experience in companion training and animal welfare focused on Canada, UK, Thailand and China. Additionally, she is highly certified in various animal behaviour, welfare, and training from reactivity, fear to anxiety, to Fear Free, Low Stress Handling, shelter welfare, and International Society for Feline Medicine.

On top of WFA, she has also worked as a professional Editor, Writer, and Copywriter for over 10 years for various conservation and companion animal magazines. Additionally, she designed ICAN's current website.

Since 2019, she worked as the Social Media Manager for ICAN and took on the additional responsibilities of Co-Coordinator in 2022.

Click here to learn more about Ruby's work at WFA

Taryn Blyth

Taryn Blyth DipCAB (OCN - UK), Advance Certificate in Early Canine Development (UP)

Taryn has been training and working with dogs and their people since 1998, when she got involved in dog training classes after finding an abandoned puppy, Wyatt Earp. Four years later, Taryn and her husband found an abused and abandoned Rottweiler cross on the side of the road. Emily needed a lot of support to overcome her history and so Taryn's journey into studying and understanding canine behaviour began. Taryn completed the Diploma in the Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training through the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE) with distinction and went on to join the COAPE lecture team in 2013 until 2019, when the courses were taken on-line.

In 2009 Taryn opened Kommetjie Canine College, a training school offering everything from puppy socialisation to advanced classes, Canine Good Citizen and Trick training. Taryn also runs online courses of interest for dog owners and trainers.

Taryn is a Practitioner Member of the COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers (CAPBT) as well as an ICAN (International Companion Animal Network) certified Animal Behaviourist.She was head trainer at the Cape Rottweiler Club for several years after bringing her first pure-bred Rottweiler, Judah, into the family.

Taryn's first love is still training and working with her own dogs and she has spent as much time as possible over the last decade and more working with her Rottweilers, Rosie and Cruz, earning titles in Rally Freestyle Elements and Trick Dog events. In 2020 Taryn adopted a horse, Jedi, and has had tremendous fun teaching him new skills and building his confidence through clicker training.

Click here to learn more about Taryn's work at Kommetjie Canine College.

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