Shelter Quality – Welfare Assessment Protocol for Shelter Dogs

Developed by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’, with help from RSPCA International, IFAW, and other organizations, and funded by the Italian Ministry of Health, the Shelter Quality protocol is designed for long-term shelter operators. Its primary goal is to give operators a standardized way to assess the welfare of dogs in their care.

The protocol is structured around the Four Welfare Principles:

  • Good nutrition
  • Good housing
  • Good health
  • Good behavior

Assessments are conducted at three levels:

  1. Shelter-level: Overall management practices
  2. Pen (kennel)-level: Housing conditions
  3. Individual dog-level: Animal health and human-animal interactions

To facilitate its use, the protocol is presented as a comprehensive audit checklist. It includes practical examples and a step-by-step guide.

External link: 
You can access the protocol by clicking here.

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