Behavioral problems are the leading non-medical reason for companion animal surrender to shelters, and early intervention through training and behavioral medicine prevents surrenders that cause welfare harm.
Behavioral problem welfare harm operates at two levels: the problem behavior itself often reflects animal welfare problems, and surrender to deal with behavior causes additional welfare harm to the animal. Animals surrendered for behavioral reasons typically have histories of inadequate training, socialization, or behavioral health support. Shelter welfare costs add to the accumulated harm. Behavioral triage programs that provide support to owners considering surrender -- behavioral assessment, training resources, and veterinary behavioral referral -- prevent surrenders at their highest-welfare-value intervention point: before the animal enters the shelter.