Marisa Bellis
Marisa Bellis is a professional animal trainer, production coordinator, and founder and owner of a USDA-licensed animal training company, Acting Like Animals LLC, which specializes in training and coordinating animals for film, television, and entertainment productions. She has built her career around combining her lifelong passion for animals with professional work in the entertainment industry. Her early experience with animals began at a young age, giving horseback riding lessons in Wisconsin, which helped establish the foundation for her career in animal training and behavior work. Today, she manages all operational and regulatory aspects of running a federally licensed animal training business while maintaining strict compliance with USDA regulations and inspection standards.
As President and Head Animal Trainer of Acting Like Animals LLC, Marisa provides comprehensive production services for media projects requiring trained animal performers. Her company specializes in positive reinforcement training for both domestic and exotic animals, preparing them for scripted behaviors in film, television, and commercial productions. She works closely with directors, producers, and creative teams to coordinate animal action sequences while ensuring safety, ethical treatment, and adherence to animal welfare guidelines. Her production experience includes major film, television, and advertising projects for clients such as Google, Bose, Progressive, Hasbro, and multiple major motion picture and streaming productions.
In addition to her production work, Marisa has extensive experience in animal safety advocacy and media content development. She previously served as a certified Animal Humane Officer and animal safety representative, overseeing animal welfare protocols on more than 100 productions across film and television. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Photojournalism and has studied equine management, supporting her multidisciplinary expertise in animal behavior, photography, writing, and production coordination. Through her work, Marisa continues to promote ethical animal training practices while delivering reliable, high-quality animal performances for entertainment media.
• USDA Licensed Animal Handler
• Animal Law Enforcement Academy
• American Kennel Club
• Animal Behavior College
• FDSA Academy
• Humboldt State University - B.A. in Photojournalism
• Public Speaking Appearances
What do you attribute your success to?
A strong personal work ethic, transparency with clients, being well-prepared and willing to invest time in prep (even at personal financial loss) so the job is done right.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Her guiding lesson has been to stop looking for shortcuts, to trudge through the work, and to push through fear—essentially: learn by doing and take the shot.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don’t look for shortcuts; do the hard work and learn by doing. Push through fear of failure take the shot and learn from both successes and failures.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenge: AI and CGI are replacing some animal roles (especially exotics and dangerous stunts), changing liability and budget calculations for productions. Opportunity: there will still be real-animal roles that require authentic interaction; educating film schools and casting about on-set animal requirements is an avenue for growth.