Behavioural assessment in dog shelters aims to match dogs with appropriate homes and identify welfare needs, but the validity and welfare implications of current testing methods are actively debated in animal behaviour science.
The welfare stakes of shelter behavioural assessment are high: dogs deemed unadoptable due to behaviour are often euthanised, while dogs incorrectly assessed as safe may cause injury. The science of assessment has not kept pace with the decisions being made. Many commonly used tests have poor predictive validity, and shelter stress makes even valid tests unreliable in kennel conditions. Welfare-centred assessment programmes reduce kennel stress through enrichment, use foster placements to observe behaviour in home-like environments, and employ trained staff in positive interactions rather than confrontational testing. The goal is matching dogs with suitable homes, which requires understanding each animal as an individual rather than categorising based on brief standardised tests.