Behavioral assessment of shelter animals helps match animals with appropriate adopters and identifies those needing behavioral support. Evidence-based assessment reduces returns and improves welfare outcomes.
Shelter behavioral assessment serves welfare by preventing the cycle of return that is so damaging to both animal and human welfare. An animal that is returned after adoption experiences the trauma of multiple displacements, each compounding stress and impairing the prospect of future successful placement. Assessment systems that accurately identify behavioral needs, match animals with appropriate adopters, and set realistic expectations for post-adoption challenges prevent these outcomes. The science of animal behavioral assessment is improving rapidly, and shelters that invest in evidence-based protocols and transparent disclosure are providing a welfare service that extends beyond their doors into the homes of adopters.