Results of Behavioral Evaluations Predict Length of Stay for Shelter Dogs

Abstract

Most animal shelters conduct behavioral evaluations before making dogs available for adoption. However, little information exists on whether behaviors displayed during these assessments predict a dog’s length of stay at the shelter. We reviewed nearly 5 years of records from 975 dogs released for adoption at a New York shelter to see whether behaviors shown during their evaluation predicted length of stay. For most tests and subtests, the prevalence of concerning and especially dangerous behaviors was low. Nevertheless, dogs’ scores on some tests or subtests—food guarding and meeting another dog—predicted length of stay at the shelter. Dogs evaluated as showing dangerous behavior had longer lengths of stay than dogs evaluated as showing either concerning behavior or no concerning behavior; the latter two groups did not differ from one another in length of stay. The most likely explanation for the relationships found between behavior during the evaluation and length of stay at the shelter is that dogs with challenging behaviors had smaller pools of potential adopters. Understanding the relationships between performance on behavioral evaluations and length of stay may inform shelter management of canine populations and also help identify dogs requiring special adoption efforts to avoid long shelter stays.

Predictors of successful diversion of cats and dogs away from animal shelter intake: Analysis of data from a self-rehoming website

“…Our findings may indicate that dogs with owner-reported behavioural issues may have less success in adoption through online-supported, self-rehoming, and thus shelter facilities may serve as a safety net for such dogs. A rise in surrendered dogs with behavioural issues in shelter facilities may result in lack of adoption, increased length of stay (Normando et al 2006 ; McGuire et al 2021 ; Raudies et al 2021 ), increased resource use to care for animals (Bradley & Rajendran 2021 ), and increased euthanasia due to behavioural reasons (Caras 1993 ; Pegram et al 2021 ). However, further research is needed to understand whether dogs entering shelters have more prevalent or prominent behavioural problems that may require additional care and resources when surrendered to animal shelters.…”

“…Supported self-rehoming may alleviate stress associated with shelter stays by removing the need to intake animals into these unfamiliar environments. However, given that those with less desirable characteristics had the greatest odds of being relinquished to animal shelters, organisations may end up with a larger than expected population of pets with less-preferred characteristics, which may lead to increased length of stay and resource use for organisations (Bradley & Rajendran 2021 ; McGuire et al 2021 ). Understanding the pet and owner characteristics that lead to diversion versus shelter relinquishment can inform animal shelters of the population that may still enter their facilities.…”

Using institutional ethnography to analyse animal sheltering and protection II: Animal shelter work

“…Most of the literature on behavioural evaluations is focused on evaluating their validity (e.g. Duffy et al 2014 ; Menchetti et al 2019 ), debating their utility (Patronek & Bradley 2016 ; Clay et al 2020 ; see Halm 2021 for cat behavioural evaluations), using evaluations to predict LOS (McGuire et al 2021 ) or reviewing the type of information gathered about dogs through evaluations (Griffin et al 2022 ). Little research has been completed with staff who perform evaluations, and although Mornement et al ( 2010 ) provided some insights, research is needed to highlight the knowledge and perspectives of staff members who regularly perform evaluations, especially given the common use of dog behavioural evaluations in shelters (Griffin et al 2022 ).…”

Influence of Walker Sex and Familiarity on Scent-Marking Behavior of Juvenile and Mature Shelter Dogs

“…Finally, whereas our sample sizes for mature dogs might be considered moderate (Study 1, 36 males and 49 females; Study 2, 30 males and 30 females), our sample sizes for juvenile dogs (Study 1, 13 males and 15 females; Study 2, 9 males and 12 females) were less than half those of mature dogs. The smaller number of juveniles likely reflects the shorter lengths of stay for juvenile dogs than mature dogs at our study shelter [44].…”

“…A few days after intake, dogs are behaviorally evaluated in the Pet Adoption Center, which is adjacent to the rescue building [42][43][44]. Following evaluation, they are moved to the adoption floor where they are housed in cubicles ranging in size from 5.2 to 7.3 m 2 .…”