Evaluating the effects of a temporary fostering program on shelter dog welfare

Abstract

One of the greatest stressors for dogs living in animal shelters is social isolation. Many studies have demonstrated that human interaction reduces cortisol in shelter dogs, with the possibility that longer periods of interaction may yield greater effects. These types of interventions are contingent upon removing the dog from the kennel and any such reductions in cortisol are often lost when the dog returns to the kennel. More recently, animal shelters are utilizing short-term fostering programs to provide relief from the perceived stresses of kennel life; however the effects of these programs are not well understood. This study assessed the impacts of one- and two-night fostering programs on the urinary cortisol levels, resting pulse rates, longest bout of uninterrupted rest, and proportion of time spent resting of dogs awaiting adoption. Five animal shelters, open and limited-admission facilities, from across the United States participated in the study. During the study, dogs’ urine was collected in the morning before, during, and after fostering stays for cortisol: creatinine analysis. Non-invasive health monitors were worn by the dogs, which collected heart rates and activity levels, in the shelter and in foster homes. In total, 207 dogs participated in the study, and 1,076 cortisol values were used in our analysis. Across all shelters, we found that dogs’ cortisol: creatinine ratios dropped significantly during their fostering stay, but returned to baseline levels after return to the shelter. However, the observed reduction in cortisol varied in magnitude across shelters. We found that dogs of greater weight, age, and average resting pulse rate had higher cortisol levels; and dogs with longer bouts of uninterrupted rest had lower cortisol levels. Dogs had their longest bouts of rest during sleepovers, followed by in the shelter after their sleepovers. Lastly, significant differences were found when comparing in-shelter cortisol values at our five shelters, differences that were in some cases greater than the impact of the fostering intervention itself. Considering the diversity of facilities that participated in this study, it is possible that as yet unstudied, shelter-specific, environmental factors could be contributing to the overall welfare of shelter dogs. Thus while a reprieve from the shelter is impactful for dogs awaiting adoption, mitigating the stressors present in kenneling conditions should also be addressed to improve the lives of shelter dogs.

Fur Color and Nutritional Status Predict Hair Cortisol Concentrations of Dogs in Nicaragua

“…It would be worthwhile to investigate how this seasonality impacts activity levels and nutritional status, which could in turn impact HCC. More generally, cortisol levels in dogs have been shown to be responsive to social stressors and related aspects of their dayto-day lives (9,56). In general, dogs in the Bosawas Reserve are typically allowed to roam freely around the community, and they often accompany their owners on excursions to hunt or work in the horticultural plots.…”

“…The measurement of hair cortisol in domesticated dogs has been validated by numerous studies (9,24,30). This body of research suggests that hair pigmentation is a potential confounding factor that should be considered when investigating other predictors.…”

“…Studies on the impact of environmental factors such as home life, seasonality, weather, and human-dog interactions on dogs have been conducted through cortisol analysis (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Research has also been conducted in dogs to assess the effect of certain activities such as playing and socializing on cortisol levels, and further research has explored the link between cortisol and lifestyles in working and companion dogs (10,12,15).…”

A Multi-Site Feasibility Assessment of Implementing a Best-Practices Meet-And-Greet Intervention in Animal Shelters in the United States

“…In addition to low treatment integrity, the animal shelters also varied greatly in the numbers of captured meet-and-greets by the remote device, suggesting large variance in the ability of different shelters to implement a new procedure. Differences across shelters are substantial, with variation in day-to-day procedures [23,24] and differences in animal health [25,26] and staff wellbeing [27]. It is likely that differences in budget, location, and leadership all affect the ability and interest of animal shelters to implement novel programs.…”

The Sleep of Shelter Dogs Was Not Disrupted by Overnight Light Rather than Darkness in a Crossover Trial

“…Dogs living with their owners had 23 sleep bouts of 16 min (values midway between the two shelter studies) but they slept for only 8 h in contrast to the approximately 11 h nights for these 10 shelter dogs. Whether or not dogs sleep more in shelters than in homes, their corticosteroid levels fall when they are taken from a shelter to a home environment for one night [15].…”