Shelter behavioral assessment determines which dogs are suitable for adoption. Evidence-based assessment improves outcomes for dogs and reduces inappropriate placements.
Behavioral assessment in shelters carries direct welfare consequences: dogs assessed as unadoptable may be euthanized based on behavior tests that poorly predict home behavior. Shelter stress causes behavioral suppression or hyperarousal that creates misleading assessment results. False positives for aggression lead to euthanasia of dogs that would be excellent companions in homes. False negatives miss genuine behavioral concerns that lead to unsuccessful placements and returns causing further welfare disruption. The movement toward relationship-based, multi-encounter assessment with behavioral modification support before placement is producing better welfare outcomes with higher live release rates than binary pass-fail assessments.