CHAPTER 7: BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH
General
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Rescue must take into consideration the behavioural health and well-being of each animal.
Considerations on Intake
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All incidents or reports of a history of aggressive behaviour along with the context in which they occurred must be recorded as a part of an animal’s record.
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Care must be given to minimize stress during intake.
Behaviour Evaluation
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Assessment of an animal’s behaviour must begin at the time of intake.
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Caregivers must be trained to recognize body language and other behaviours that indicate animal stress, pain, and suffering.
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Animals must be monitored daily in order to detect trends or changes in well-being and respond to their behavioural needs.
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If animals are displaying signs of unrelieved stress, steps must be taken to reduce the animal’s stress, and evaluate the rescue’s stress reduction protocols. Consultation with a trained professional such as a trainer or veterinarian may be required.
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Long-term confinement must be avoided for feral animals and for those that remain markedly stressed/fearful and are not responding to treatment/ behavioural care.
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Caregivers performing behaviour evaluations must receive adequate training in performance, interpretation. and safety. A documented behaviour assessment must consider all of the information gathered about the animal, including history, behaviour during their stay, and evaluation.
Animals that pose a known danger to the public, have demonstrated dog-on-dog aggression, or could pose a danger to themselves must not be adopted.
Post-Intake Care
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Short-term housing must meet the minimum behavioural needs of animals, providing separate areas for urination/defecation, feeding, and resting and sufficient space to stand and sit or lie at full body length.
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Animals must be provided regular social contact, mental stimulation, and physical activity.
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For animals that are housed short-term (e.g., transfer of ownership or housing) and with unknown health status, social interaction must be avoided for biosecurity reasons.
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When animals must remain confined for health or behavioural reasons, positive social interaction should still be provided without removing the animal from the enclosure.
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A high priority must be placed on ensuring proper socialization of young animals, but it must be balanced with preventative medicine and biosecurity.
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Training methods must be based on positive reinforcement in accordance with current professional guidelines.
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Any animal that is observed to be experiencing mental suffering, distress, or behavioural deterioration must be assessed and appropriately treated immediately or euthanized.
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Practices (behaviour modification) must adhere to the well-described scientific principles of animal behaviour and learning, including positive reinforcement, operant conditioning, systematic desensitization, and counter-conditioning.
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Sufficient resources must be available to provide appropriate care if behavioural modification is attempted.
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Caregivers involved in behaviour modification techniques must understand that techniques are generally labour-intensive and time-consuming and that they must be applied consistently over a period of time in order to be successful.
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Prior to adoption, all animals should be well-adapted socially, not display aggression or maladaptive fear, and readily display personality traits suited to possible future environments.
UNACCEPTABLE
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Animals kept in in a crate or small enclosure without appropriate elimination breaks, exercise, and daily enrichment, including social.
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The use of physical force as a punishment or in anger for behaviour modification.
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Animals kept in an unsecured outdoor environment.
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Failure to take action with an animal displaying serious behaviour issues.
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Adopting animals that pose a known danger to the public, have demonstrated overt aggression with the intention of inflicting damage or harm to another dog or person.
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Resources
“Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavioural Modification.” American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour.
https://avsab.ftlbcdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Dominance_Position_Statement-download.pdf
“AVSAB position statement on puppy socialization.” American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.
“AVSAB punishment position statement.” – in the process of being updated. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour.
https://avsab.org/resources/position-statements/
“Feline behavior guidelines.” American Association of Feline Practitioners.
https://catvets.com/public/PDFs/PracticeGuidelines/FelineBehaviorGLS.pdf
“Animal rescue standards of practice.” Animal Welfare Advisory Network of BC.
https://www.pawsforhope.org/uploads/pdf/AWANBC_Rescue_Standards.pdf
“Special Adoptions.” Center for Shelter Dogs, Cummins School of Veterinary Medicine.
https://centerforshelterdogs.tufts.edu/dog-behavior/special-adoptions/
