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Hanna is the owner and manager of Ethology Academy CC which she co-founded with her late husband, Professor, Johannes Odendaal. It is her voice that you will hear when phoning the offices, and she is the one who answers your e-mails.
Having trained as a teacher at the University of Pretoria, she taught history and languages until she married the love of her life, Professor Johannes Odendaal in 1973. Her life and work became entwined with his. They settled in Bloemfontein where Johannes fulfilled his dream—to establish his own veterinary practice that specialised in Companion Animals. Hanna worked as a veterinary assistant in his practice, gaining practical experience in the handling and management of companion animals under his expert eyes. To complement the veterinary practice, the Odendaals also established a pet boarding facility, named ‘Sorgvry’, which Hanna managed.
In 1985, Johannes became the first Professor in Companion Animal Studies at the Veterinary Faculty at Onderstepoort. After having to leave ‘Sorgvry’ and a life so closely linked to that of her husband and companion animals, she decided to further her studies in Psychology. In 1990, she obtained an Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Pretoria.
She took a position as a Psychometrist at a Government Department. In addition to personnel assessment, she developed and presented courses in Interviewing, Consulting and Presentation Skills, in Self-assertiveness, and in Time and Stress Management. In December 1999, she resigned to join forces with her husband in establishing and managing Ethology Academy. She was actively involved in the administration of the courses and organisation of the seminars. She was also given the opportunity to use her skills and experience in the Human Sciences to present the Consulting and Counselling Modules of the Advanced, Animal Assisted and Grooming Business courses.
Hanna shares her late husband’s passion and life mission to improve the quality of the relationship between humans and their companion animals through education. This is what she has committed to do through Ethology Academy.
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