Three Things to Know
Intake into the shelter can be a stressful experience for dogs. The intake examination can exacerbate this stress, potentially leading to negative associations with the shelter and future behavioral issues.
A survey of 64 Texas shelters revealed that most employed low-stress strategies during intake. However, not all intake personnel receive ongoing training, and 45% of shelters immediately placed dogs on the adoption floor after the exam.
The study suggests that ongoing education for intake handlers is beneficial. Shelters could also implement low-cost strategies, such as placing dogs on non-slip mats and isolating them from the adoption floor during the initial week.
The Full Picture
Shelter intake can be incredibly stressful for dogs, especially during initial exams. These exams are crucial for their health, but dogs often react with fear or aggression due to unfamiliar surroundings, separation from caregivers, or past negative experiences. This stress not only harms the dogs but also poses risks to staff and hinders proper diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, to prevent behavioral issues and increase adoption rates, it’s crucial to minimize stress during intake.
To reduce stress, experts have recommended conducting exams on non-slip surfaces, allowing dogs to acclimate to the exam room, offering treats, using calming pheromones, and employing minimally invasive restraint methods. These approaches can improve the dogs’ well-being, enhance interactions with staff, and potentially speed up rehoming.
This study, titled “Cross-sectional survey exploring current intake practices for dogs admitted to animal shelters in Texas: a descriptive study,” aims to examine intake procedures in Texas shelters and identify ways to reduce dog stress.
Study Methods
An online survey was used to collect data from individuals responsible for animal shelter intake in Texas. The survey consisted of 42 questions divided into three sections:
- Intake Procedures and Information: This section focused on the behavioral and health data collected during owner surrenders.
- Intake Exam: This section explored the personnel involved in the intake exam, the exam environment, and the handling techniques and tools used.
- Housing Environment: This section examined the location of intake exams and the housing arrangements for animals post-intake.
Study Results
Of the 298 shelters contacted across 141 Texas counties, 64 responded, representing approximately 19% of the state. The majority of respondents (59%) were from municipal shelters, followed by private shelters (23%) and other types of shelters (17%).
Timing
For owner surrenders, 72% of participants reported scheduling surrenders except in emergencies. 27% indicated that surrenders were never scheduled. During surrenders, most shelters collected behavioral data, such as dog-directed aggression (90%), while fewer collected medical information, like skin conditions (42%).
Personnel
Regarding intake exam personnel, most respondents indicated that animal control officers (36%) or animal care workers (30%) conducted the exams. Veterinary technicians accounted for 14%, veterinarians 5%, and other roles 14%. Most intake exams involved 2-3 personnel, with no reports of more than three people present. Additionally, 61% of respondents stated that continued education on dog behavior and welfare was required for intake exam personnel.
While animal control officers are required to complete annual training, the results suggest that not all intake personnel are required, encouraged, or given opportunities for continued education in animal behavior and welfare. Investing in ongoing shelter staff training is essential for equipping employees with the skills to handle dogs in ways that promote welfare and ensure safety around fearful or aggressive animals.
Approach
During intake, 64% of respondents approached dogs indirectly by crouching or kneeling, while 49% approached directly. Before the exam, 57% allowed dogs time to explore the room, and during the exam, 76% gave dogs significant attention through treats, petting, or soothing voices.
Regarding exam locations, 41% of respondents never conducted exams outdoors, 51% sometimes did, and 8% always did. For large dogs, exams were most often conducted untethered on the ground (53%) or tethered to a wall (45%). For small dogs, exams were most frequently conducted on a table, either with (28%) or without (39%) a traction surface.
Although most shelters used low-stress techniques like offering food and positive attention, more restrictive methods like muzzles and catch poles were used for aggressive dogs. In some cases, this led to incomplete examinations.
The findings suggest that staff tend to use low-stress techniques for calm dogs but escalate to higher levels of restraint for aggressive dogs. While this aligns with recommendations, using high restraint on aggressive dogs can exacerbate fear, aggression, and risk to handlers. This can have serious welfare implications for shelter dogs, including increased likelihood of returns or euthanasia.
To address these issues, minimizing stress and preventing aggression should be priorities. Further research is needed to evaluate how handling techniques influence shelter dog behavior and welfare.
Details of Exam
During exams, participants commonly detected skin conditions (86%), underweight status (78%), respiratory (59%), musculoskeletal (54%), and neurological issues (51%). Testing for specific diseases was less common, with parvovirus (47%), heartworm (36%), and fever (24%) being the most frequently tested. Ten percent of respondents did not test for any medical conditions.
Most shelters administered vaccines like DHPP, bordetella, rabies, and canine influenza, but 15% did not vaccinate. Additional care included flea and tick control (56%) and deworming (72%), though most shelters (62%) did not microchip dogs during intake exams.
Post-Exam
Following the intake exam, 45% of participants reported housing dogs in kennels on the adoption floor, 20% placed dogs wherever space was available, 7% housed dogs in isolated rooms, 3% used kennels within the intake room, and 25% housed dogs in other rooms.
Most participants reported housing dogs in kennels on the adoption floor. However, the shelter environment can be loud, unpredictable, and overstimulating, contributing to stress in dogs. This stress can negatively affect the dogs’ behavior and well-being, impairing adoption success. Research suggests the first week in a shelter is particularly stressful, highlighting the importance of minimizing unpleasant experiences during this period. Allowing dogs time to settle into the environment before standard housing can reduce fear and promote positive behaviors. Additional research is needed to assess the benefits of providing acclimation periods in shelter settings.
Conclusion
The survey results indicate that most participants use techniques consistent with low-stress handling recommendations during veterinary examinations, such as offering treats, allowing acclimation to the exam room, and indirectly approaching dogs. These strategies are crucial for ensuring positive veterinary experiences and preventing stress-related behaviors in shelter dogs, who require regular handling and medical care throughout their stay. Creating positive veterinary experiences supports future positive interactions and helps mitigate stress-related challenges.
Implementing low-stress strategies in shelters can be challenging due to limited resources, including time, space, staff, volunteers, and funding. To overcome these obstacles, shelters should adopt strategies that fit their specific resources. Simple, cost-effective measures like using gentle approaches, offering treats, and using non-slip surfaces can make a big difference. Training staff on animal behavior and welfare is also crucial for handling fearful or aggressive dogs, as well as promoting stress-reducing practices.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
Optimizing Shelter Operations > Refining Intake Practices > Overview
Year of Publication:
2023
External Link:
Cranford, M., Bing, A., Cisneros, A., Carroll, A. D., Porter, H., & Stellato, A. C. (2023). Cross-sectional survey exploring current intake practices for dogs admitted to animal shelters in Texas: a descriptive study. Frontiers in veterinary science, 10, 1296425. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1296425