Midterm 2: Animal Shelters

Question 1

7 steps of animal flow through a shelter

Answer 1

1. Source
   - stray, owner surrender, return, agency transfer, shelter offspring, animal protection cases, other
2. Incoming
   - file creation, behaviour and medical info collection, ID tracing
3. Medical Entry Exam
   - health screening, vaccination, “track” placement
4. Behaviour Testing
   - behaviour screening, case management, recommendations
5. Surgery
   - spay/neuter, special surgeries
6. Adoption Process
   - shelter, foster, interview
7. Post Adoptive Support
   - training, pamphlets, impacts

*Non-Adoption Outcomes
- Transfer, euthanasia, return to owner

Question 2

What are the shelter admission processes?

Answer 2

1. managed intake
2. ID verification
3. Animal file creation
   - Identifier
   - Microchip/tattoo info
   - Facility entrance date
   - Species, age, sex, colour, breed
   - Medical history
   - Behaviour history

Question 3

Why do shelters conduct entry exams?

Answer 3

“Full assessments when the animals come in”

1. Animals enter with various health statuses
2. Unknown health histories in many cases
3. Maintain ‘herd health’
   - screen for disease
   - vaccination
4. Identify animal’s next steps
   - medication intervention
   - behaviour evaluation
   - euthanasia

Question 4

What do behaviour evaluations attempt to identify?

Answer 4

1. identify risk level
2. make rehoming recommendations
3. improved adoption matching

Question 5

What do ideal temperament tests include?

Answer 5

1. Valid: Does the test correctly identify behaviour?
2. Reliable: Is the test repeatable with the same result and do different testers get the same result?
3. Feasible: Can the test be done with available resources?

Question 6

What are 4 behaviour evaluation test types?

Answer 6

1. Test batteries
2. Expert opinion
3. Behaviour history
4. Daily observation

Question 7

Test type: Test Batteries

Answer 7

Description
- Set of standardized stimuli administered and responses recorded

Example
- SAFER

Validity
- Mostly unknown; due to embargos

Reliability
- High; because there may be less outcomes

Feasibility
- Moderate; depends on the test, if it takes a lot of resources then it is low

Question 8

Test type: Expert Opinion

Answer 8

Description
- Rating and recommendations by a expert based on experience

Example
- Veterinarian assessment of case
- Behaviourist consult

Validity
- Low

Reliability
- Low

Feasibility
- High

Question 9

Test Type: Behaviour History

Answer 9

Description
- Recommendations based on owner completed questionnaires

Example
- C-BARQ

Validity
- Mostly unknown
- C-BARQ however is validated

Reliability
- Low

Feasibility
- High to Low; high if short, low if it involves a lot of resources

Question 10

Test Type: Daily Observation

Answer 10

Description
- Notes based on observations made by staff and volunteers as animals go through daily routine

Example
- Behaviour journaling

Validity
- Mostly unknown

Reliability
- Low; what one individual nots may differ from another

Feasibility
- Moderate

Question 11

What are the 4 pros and 6 cons to Test Batteries used as behaviour evaluation?

Answer 11

Pros
- standardized
- reduced subjectivity
- measurable
- each dog viewed as an individual

Cons
- requires training and time
- behaviour may not reflect behaviour in a home
- shelter stress can alter test results
- behaviour can change over time
- some behaviour not testable in shelter
- fast

Question 12

What are 2 pros and 3 cons to expert opinions used for behaviour evaluation?

Answer 12

Pros
- quick
- low stress on animals

Cons
- risk of bias
- no definition of an expert
- opinions can vary widely

Question 13

What are 4 pros and 3 cons to behaviour history used as a behaviour evaluation?

Answer 13

Pros
- behaviour history from real life situations
- covers behaviours not testable in shelter
- minimal resource usage
- low stress on animals

Cons
- applicable only to owner surrenders
- owners may not accurately identify behaviour
- owners may misrepresent behaviour intentionally

Question 14

What are 2 pros and 4 cons of daily observation used for behaviour evaluation?

Answer 14

Pros
- low stress on animals
- observation in real life situations

Cons
- time intensive
- may not see all behaviour
- in shelter behaviour may vary
- extended observation period

Question 15

What does behaviour and physical in shelter care look like?

Answer 15

Behaviour
1. Daily monitoring
2. Socialization
- ppl
- animals
3. Enrichment
- food
- social
- environmental

Physical
- 9 minutes per day for cleaning
- 6 minutes per day for feeding
- medical checks
- elimination tracking

Question 16

What is often a limiting factor in shelter flow through?

Answer 16

Surgery

Question 17

What are specialized surgery considerations?

Answer 17

• Recovery
• Resource usage
• Is treatment humane?

Question 18

Adoption placement types

Answer 18

• Adoption floor (open vs closed)
• Foster based
• Back of shelter

Question 19

How to improve how animals “show”

Answer 19

• Home environments
• Training

Question 20

Intensive adoption processes

Answer 20

• long questionnaires
• home visits
• screening
• “meet your match”

Question 21

Adoption conversation processes

Answer 21

• conversation based
• focused mostly on answering questions
• open ended questions
• less rigorous
• “adopters welcome program”

Question 22

Adopter Support

Answer 22

1. Preadoption counselling resources followed but do not prevent behaviour problems
2. Follow up calls and surveys allow support before problem behaviours become unacceptable
3. Training classes aid in pet integration but few adopters participate even if free
4. Limited feasibility to deliver due to resources required

Question 23

What are 4 important points about euthanasia?

Answer 23

1. Prevents release of dangerous animals into the community
2. Provides humane release from severe illness, injury or distress
3. In some circumstances it is the best option for animals that have poor quality of life
4. Must be done in a humane manner