Lily Hargis, KPA-CPT, CSAT

Behavior Therapist, Animal Behavior Wellness Center, Richmond Campus

Instructor, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Lily Hargis is a skilled and compassionate behavior consultant who helps dogs experiencing fear, reactivity, aggression, and separation anxiety. They believe that progress blossoms when both dogs and their humans feel genuinely supported, and they approach every case with empathy, creativity, and teamwork at the core.

Lily holds a BFA from Boston University and has a strong background in communication and relationship-focused care, including teaching bedside manner and empathy skills to VCU medical students. She completed an apprenticeship with aggression specialist Gabrielle Johnson and has designed behavior education programs for pet professionals caring for complex dogs. Additionally, she has introduced Fear Free® techniques to grooming teams across Richmond and continues to deepen her expertise as a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP), a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT), a Research Bites member, and a FluentPet course instructor.

Particularly passionate about supporting families facing separation anxiety, Lily understands the emotional weight this challenge can bring. They love helping guardians feel confident advocating for their dogs and celebrates every meaningful step forward—no matter how small.

Resources:

The Myth of Non-Compliance: A Disability Justice Lens - webinar by Gabrielle

Johnson, a fellow trainer and mentor who has inspired me to bring my knowledge from

the world of human medicine to my work with animals

The Pet Advocates Toolkit: Finding Your Pet's Best Team - a multi-part series available

through FluentPet where I discuss tools for pet parents to advocate for their pets with

all kinds of professionals (groomers, sitters, walkers, vets and more!)

There are also some really awesome podcast episodes from The Standardized

Patients Podcast about the art of breaking bad news, difficult patients, and more!