Behavioral assessment in animal shelters determines adoption suitability and placement decisions that affect both dog welfare and public safety. Evidence-based approaches improve outcomes for dogs and adopters alike.
Behavioral assessment in shelters carries enormous welfare consequences: an inaccurate assessment can result in adoption failure and returned dogs, inappropriate placement creating risk, or euthanasia of a dog that could have thrived in a suitable home. The behavioral science of shelter assessment has advanced significantly; single-session testing protocols have been largely superseded by multi-day behavioral observation and foster placement. Dogs that appear shut-down or aggressive in shelter settings often blossom in home environments. Behavioral rehabilitation programs, including fear and aggression treatment using humane, evidence-based methods, expand the population of dogs that can be successfully placed.