The Role of Animal Behavior in Shelters
The Role of Animal
Behavior in Shelters
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Pamela Reid, PhD,
Certified Applied
Animal Behaviorist
ASPCA Anti-Cruelty
Behavior Team
and
ASPCA Behavioral
Rehabilitation Center
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
10/10/2013 4
Deployments
Evaluation
Enrichment,
Socialization,
Rehabilitation
Supporting
Evidence for
Prosecution
Placement,
Adoption
Responsibilities Seizure / Handling
Supporting
Evidence for
Prosecution
Placement,
Adoption
Enrichment,
Socialization,
Rehabilitation
Seizure / Handling
Evaluations
Why Evaluate?
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
♦ Identify aggressive
dogs
♦ Assess quality of life
♦ Profile personality
♦ Identify
rehabilitation needs
♦ Match for adoption
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♦Sociability
♦New environment
♦Handling
♦Playfulness
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♦Resource
guarding
♦Toddler doll
♦Dog sociability
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
♦Fear tests
♦Training & problem solving
What makes a good behavior
evaluation?
Copyright 2007 P. Reid. All Rights Reserved.
♦ Inter-tester
♦ Intra-tester
♦Test-retest
♦Content Validity
♦Predictive Validity
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Valsecchi et al.
(JVB, 2011)
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
♦ 163 dogs evaluated
♦ Evaluated 20+ days post-admission
♦ Tested 40 days later
♦ Tested in home 4 mo post-adoption
♦ Revealed four personality factors:
♦ Human sociability
♦ Dog sociability
♦ Playfulness
♦ Docility on leash
♦Practicality
♦ Sternberg’s Assess-a-Pet
♦ARL Boston Match-Up II
♦ASPCA SAFER
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Evaluator
Training
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Puppy Evaluations
Play session with
littermate
Play session with
unfamiliar puppy
Play session with
puppy model
0 10 20 30 40
Biting
Holding
Shaking
Littermate Playmate Fake
Targets of Predatory Motor Patterns
No. of Puppies
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Evaluating
Fear
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Cat Behavior
Evaluations
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COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Feline-ality
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COPYRIGHT © 2006. ASPCA®. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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