Behavioral assessment in shelters directly affects animal welfare — both within the shelter and post-adoption.
Behavioral assessment in shelters is a high-stakes welfare tool — assessments influence which animals are deemed adoptable, which receive behavioral support, and which are euthanized. The reliability and validity of common assessment methods has been questioned, with research showing that shelter stress distorts behavioral expression and that shelter behavior predicts home behavior poorly. More sophisticated assessment approaches — involving behavior modification trials, extended observation, and foster placement — provide better information while being more welfare-positive for assessed animals.