Why Adoption Follow-Up?

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Augustine Dominick Perkins
5 years ago
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Mike Kaviani Dog Behavior Program Manager Austin Pets

Learning from our adoptions What can our community bear?

compared to those we saw in the shelter (or in past

we can offer the support Helps to keep more animals out

Learning more about behavior and context Long-term

1 Mike Kaviani Dog Behavior Program Manager Austin Pets Alive! Why Adoption Follow-Up? Learning from our adoptions What can our community bear? What trends do we see in behavior problems in the home compared to those we saw in the shelter (or in past history) AFU (in addition to life-saving mission) guides our behavior depts. Positive outcomes from AFU Able to place behavior dogs if we can offer the support Helps to keep more animals out of our shelters! Learning more about behavior and context Long-term collaborative relationships with adopters Revisiting Our Mission Statements to save more lives! Hopeful trend for more resources supporting them on the way out rather than screening them on their way in! better aligned. Copyright 2011 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved October 25 28,

Behavior Department Vision Statement We will provide the animals in our care all available resources to enhance their quality of life while sheltered and to save as many lives as possible.

We will utilize all tools and techniques in our training and behavior programs to teach and support healthy and appropriate behavior for companion animals within our communities.

2 Behavior Department Vision Statement We will provide the animals in our care all available resources to enhance their quality of life while sheltered and to save as many lives as possible. We will recognize, respect, and treat each animal as an individual. We will utilize all tools and techniques in our training and behavior programs to teach and support healthy and appropriate behavior for companion animals within our communities. We will continue to learn and develop our skill sets as handlers and trainers so that we may meet the needs of as many sheltered animals as possible. We will support our adopters in strengthening and nourishing their fundamental bond with their companion animals. We will share our program successes with other animal welfare organizations to support life-saving efforts beyond our own shelter and community. SASF to APA! SASF APA! Yearly Intake 1,000 dogs annually 2,777 dogs YTD Avg. # of Dogs on Site (145 in foster) Daily Staffing (Dog Depts.) Behavior: 2-3 Kennel/Adoptions: 6 Behavior: 1-2 Kennel/Adoptions: 4 Copyright 2011 by Aimee Sadler, All rights reserved October 25 28,

What We Provide All Complimentary Phone consultations Private sessions at the shelter or home Group classes Board & Train No time limit for AFU support Can t provide ongoing training, but we do

and response to animal aggression: Sheltering Field (can t win) too many good dogs destroyed to expend resources on dogs with issues VS. You don t understand!

3 What We Provide All Complimentary Phone consultations Private sessions at the shelter or home Group classes Board & Train No time limit for AFU support Can t provide ongoing training, but we do provide support for issues or behavior concerns ***Support surrendering when deemed more appropriate*** Sensitivity to Aggression To save more lives our industry needs to address our understanding and response to animal aggression: Sheltering Field (can t win) too many good dogs destroyed to expend resources on dogs with issues VS. You don t understand!...they just need to be loved Professional Training Field the only thing two trainers can agree upon is what the third trainer is doing wrong! Human Nature (defense mechanism) my diagnosis is right but what if you re wrong??? litigious society how many shelters have shut their doors??? October 25 28,

Copyright 2011 by Aimee Sadler, All rights reserved Things to Consider

can they be controlled Thresholds how much to blow them?

Risks Skill level and compliance of adopters sufficient?

4 Copyright 2011 by Aimee Sadler, All rights reserved Things to Consider (Resources pertain) Triggers are they predictable? are there too many? can they be controlled Thresholds how much to blow them? push (rather than provoke) then TEACH/TRAIN to develop coping skills Risks Skill level and compliance of adopters sufficient? (handling and management) Copyright 2011 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved October 25 28,

Our Lines in the Sand Offensive Aggression to PEOPLE it s rare usually defensive no matter how ugly when being aggressive is a self-rewarding

animal allowed to be an animal? Unpredictable Aggression how can we work on a behavior if we can t identify the triggers? Champ Surrendered as 4 mo.

only Worked on ecollar mastering 10 hand cues and qualified as CGC ready!

5 Our Lines in the Sand Offensive Aggression to PEOPLE it s rare usually defensive no matter how ugly when being aggressive is a self-rewarding behavior when flight is an option but fight is the chosen response Un-interuptable Drive - when the handler can not influence behavior - when is an animal allowed to be an animal? Unpredictable Aggression how can we work on a behavior if we can t identify the triggers? Champ Surrendered as 4 mo. puppy for aggression to the children While sheltered, determined to be deaf Failed original Bval for high arousal with hard mouthing behavior staff only Worked on ecollar mastering 10 hand cues and qualified as CGC ready! Used as demo dog for disabled children for the Fresh Air Fund Sheltered for 8 months adopted November of hours of AFU home, shelter) Family volunteers walking dogs while Champ attends play group October 25 28,

Cleo Came in as a stray slightly shy Passed original Bval Soft with dogs in play group Once home strong territorial

hours of AFU (2 @ home, 6 @ shelter) Adopters volunteer walking dogs while Cleo attends play group Domino Transfer from

territorial guarding with visitors, extreme OLR to people, dogs and vehicles and intolerance to handling Sheltered for

6 Cleo Came in as a stray slightly shy Passed original Bval Soft with dogs in play group Once home strong territorial guarding with visitors and extreme OLR to people, dogs and vehicles Sheltered for 1 month adopted December, hours of AFU home, shelter) Adopters volunteer walking dogs while Cleo attends play group Domino Transfer from another shelter Failed original Bval for handling Dog social and no signs of OLR while sheltered Once home strong territorial guarding with visitors, extreme OLR to people, dogs and vehicles and intolerance to handling Sheltered for less than 1 month adopted April, hours of AFU home, shelter) Tim and I have become good friends October 25 28,

7 Came in as a stray Sydney Failed original Bval for extreme FG 2 weeks of Bmod for FG while sheltered Sheltered for 2.5 months adopted November, hour of AFU (at our request for documentation) No FG exhibited in the home Who d a Thunk? HISTORY BVAL PERTINENT BEHAVIOR RESOLVED LENGTH IN HOME AFU CHAMP Yes Fail Somewhat Yes CLEO No Pass No Yes DOMINO No Fail Yes/No Yes SYDNEY No Fail No Yes 1 yr. and 11 mos. 1 yr. and 10 mos. 2 yrs. and 6 mos. 1 yr. and 11 mos. Yes Yes Yes No October 25 28,

8 Can we really predict? Relationship can profoundly affect behavior and can not be scientifically measured Concerning Behavior can escalate once home or disappear?!? Collecting data Industry Obstacles to Saving Lives October 25 28,

9 2012 Canine Statistics SASF (1,000 dogs annually) APA! (2,777 dogs YTD) Canine Live Release Rate 97% 97.7% (90.7% City of Austin) Average Length of Stay 27 days 45 days Returned Adoption rate 11.5% (6 months) % of Returns for Behavior (adopter s version) % for Returns for Pertinent Behavior (shelter s version) 12% 37.5% 31% 1% 2.5% Getting to the next level: October 25 28,

What we have learned from them Copyright 2011 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved Mike Kaviani Dog Behavior Program Manager Austin Pets Alive! mike.

10 What we have learned from them Copyright 2011 by Aimee Sadler, All Rights Reserved Mike Kaviani Dog Behavior Program Manager Austin Pets Alive! In Cooperation With: Aimee Sadler Director of Training and Behavior Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation October 25 28,

Our Philosophy. Playing for Life! A Shelter s Training Program featuring Canine Play Groups presented by

Our Philosophy. Playing for Life! A Shelter s Training Program featuring Canine Play Groups presented by Playing for Life! A Shelter s Training Program featuring Canine Play Groups presented by Aimee Sadler Director of Training & Behavior Our Philosophy Before we can expect a dog to cope and thrive, we need