More dogs and cats entering shelters are saved, but the impacts of long-term sheltering can impact their chances of adoption. This is particularly true with dogs who in the past may have never made it out of the shelter alive. Prolonged sheltering often creates a host of new and problematic behaviors.
More lives saved means longer shelter stays
The so-called “no kill” movement has spared many companion animals a grim fate. Equally important, it has created positive change in the attitude towards homeless animals. More dogs and cats are being saved, rehabilitated, and re-homed.
Dogs with behavior problems that would have previously been killed are now being spared. This is a welcomed development and results in many more innocent pets getting a new leash on life. However, long-term sheltering creates a host of behavior problems even for dogs who otherwise presented with no behavioral issues.
An excellent article by Maddie’s Fund highlights four types of behavior problems observed in shelter dogs:
- Problems correlated to surrender
- Behaviors that reduce an animal’s potential for adoption, once sheltered
- Separation anxiety associated with any time a dog changes guardians
- Issues caused by the shelter environment itself
How to stop problems before they start
Saving more companion animals is a noble and worthwhile goal. And expanding our perception of what makes a pet adoptable means that more animals are being rescued and re-homed. But it is imperative to take corrective action when the environments in which animals are being sheltered causes new behavior problems, or exacerbates existing ones.
Ideally, practices are put into place that prevent the problems associated with long-term sheltering from happening in the first place.
Each of the four categories of behavior problems has its own preventative actions and remedies. Broadly, shelter environments need to consider various strategies to reduce the impacts of long-term sheltering on dogs.
Enrichment
Shelters are stressful places, and most sheltered animals spend the majority of their day in a kennel or small enclosure. Stress reduction involves various forms of enrichment, including walks, group play, behavior training, and co-kenneling, among others. The challenge with most enrichment programs is that they require significant training of staff and volunteers.
In-shelter house-training
Many sheltered dogs are accustomed to eliminating in their kennels. This is due to shelters having limited staff and volunteers to provide the dogs with multiple walks each day. While this behavior is tolerated in a shelter environment, it often leads to dogs soiling in their adoptive homes.
Shelters are encouraged to develop a robust volunteer network to give each dogs three to four walks each day. In addition, some foster homes could focus on house-training adult dogs.
Play and socialization
Dogs are social animals. Yet most shelter environments inhibit dogs’ natural tendencies to investigate, and socialize with people and other dogs. Supervised group play reduces incidence of kennel stress. In addition, it reduces dog-dog aggression and other behaviors that arise when animals are not socialized adequately.
Fortunately, there is professional help for shelters that lack the resources or skill to implement a group play program. Dogs Playing for Life offers free in-shelter group play training for qualified shelters and rescues.
Surrender prevention
The best way to prevent shelter-related behavior problems is to prevent animals from being relinquished in the first place. Shelters, rescues, SPCAs, humane societies, municipal animal controls, and other animal welfare organizations share a responsibility to educate the public about responsible pet guardianship and training. This type of outreach can reduce the intake of dogs whose behavioral issues are altogether avoidable or preventable in a home setting.
Adoption counseling
Too many adopters are ill-prepared for the realities of bringing home a rescued pet. Even individuals who are not first-time adopters often make mistakes in the weeks and even months following adoption. Although shelters cannot control what happens once an animal leaves their care, counseling and take-home tips for welcoming a new pet can reduce problems that lead to surrender.
Similarly, post-adoption support and follow through can help identify and resolve many common training or behavior issues.
Shorter shelter stays
Strategies to reduce pet overpopulation, promote adoption, and decrease surrender are working. However, as a society we still have a lot of work to do to prevent the circumstances that lead to animals being abandoned, neglected, abused, and relinquished.
Once a dog or cat enters a shelter, however, the goal must be quick yet responsible adoption. Even shelters that are classified as ‘no-kill’ would benefit from having a sense of urgency to minimize every animal’s stay. Too many animals are spending months, even years, languishing in homelessness. Even with the best and most well-intentioned care, a shelter is not a home – and the impacts of long-term sheltering are too serious to ignore.
I do understand why some people must give up their pet or pets but this is so hard on animals. Unless my health was so bad I couldn’t take care of myself I would consider trying to find a home for my animal before surrending it to a shelter. I don’t have anything against shelters in’fact I got my last pup from a shelter but I encourage everyone that can keep their fur babies to do so. Animals greev just as humans do when they are separated from their masters esp. if they are used to being loved allot. Please keep your pets and love and spoil them.
My dog was placed in a shelter because she was pulling on her harness she hates things to be on her body I had a handful of things and I lost my phone and I was trying to restrain her and they took her to the pound and they told me I have to wait until May to get around till I go to court I think it’s cruel and I usually to keep a dog and a kennel for that. The time when she’s not used to that and I also refuse me with words and push me down and the only thing I was trying to do is ensure the safety of my dog
What can I do to help find a temporary surrender for an elderly woman who no longer can care for her three pets. She has three Chiweenies that need to be. Surrenders. She is on a fixed income but don’t want to loose then to being homeless. A 3 year old mother and two puppies 5 months old. I am trying to help take them in someone for her this week.
High adoption fees keep many people from adopting. Our beloved pets have always been adopted from shelters, but current fees of $450 to $675 make it difficult now.
Without adoption fees, shelters would not be able to run, let alone provide the enrichment, food, and other necessities to maintain animals health and well-being. The shelters in my area do not have fees quite that high (highest is $299 for puppies) but these fees help cover the cost of staffing, medical care, food, etc. If you were to get a free animal and then provide the medical care the shelter does, it would cost you more than the adoption fee.
Even though most animals that come through the shelter system do not need a lot of specialized medical care, those fees help cover the cost of animals that come in that do. If adopters cannot afford the price of the adoption, maybe more thought should be put into bringing an animal home at all, emergency medical bills can cost well into the thousands. For those unwilling to pay the fee, they are more than welcome to spend thousands to buy an animal from a breeder or get a free puppy and spend more money on the medical care through their own vet.
Plus, many of these rescues provide discounts for seniors (many often free adoptions to seniors!), adoption specials, and partnerships with programs like the wonderful Pets for Patriots program and the Bissell Pet Foundation to help with or cover the cost of the fees
plus they need people to buy them so, just WHY?
We have 2 shelter dogs, a 2 year old husky and a pit bull that I refer to as “old man” cause he’s about 8 years old. They’re both amazing dogs. We’ve had our struggles but I can’t imagine a life without them. I also have a kitten that I got for $10 off craigslist. I’m so proud that we get to be a happy healthy home for these animals. ???? Every animal deserves a loving forever home. ????
Working at a shelter i understand these issues. Our rescue has started a forever foster program and its to help place elderly dogs we pay all vet bills and food and to program is really helping.
Good to hear that the initiative is working, Debbie – the more we all share success stories, the more animals will find loving homes.
Where are you located
A lot of times the shelters and rescue leagues are extremely strict in their adoption process. As a friend told me recently, it’s easier to adopt a child than it is to adopt a dog. I understand you want to make sure the animal is put in a good home, but the restrictions are very strict. A lot of times the price for the animal is expensive also.
All good points, David. We agree that some organizations are too strict, despite good intentions. As we like to say, let’s not let the perfect be the enemy of the good! Thanks for sharing.