Final Editin Animal Shelter Alliance f Prtland Pet Evaluatin Matrix 12/31/08 Healthy The term Healthy means and includes all dgs and cats eight weeks f age r lder that, at r subsequent t the time the animal is taken int pssessin, have manifested n sign f a behaviral r temperamental characteristic that culd pse a health r safety risk r therwise make the animal unsuitable fr placement as a pet, and have manifested n sign f disease, injury, r cngenital r hereditary cnditin that adversely affects the health f the animal r that is likely t adversely affect the animal s health in the future. Cats and dgs wh meet the definitin f healthy are reasnably healthy, well-adjusted pets ver the age f eight weeks. These animals d nt need medical, behaviral r fster care and are ready t be made available fr adptin. Animals may be ld, deaf, blind, scarred, r disabled, but are nt in any pain, d nt require medical treatment, and are scial, healthy, friendly pets. Age, breed and time at the shelter d nt affect the definitin f "Healthy." Behavir Healthy categrizatin includes animals that have n identified behaviral prblems. Healthy categrizatin includes animals that exhibit nrmal levels f species typical behavirs. These include but are nt limited t: Scratching inanimate bjects-cats Jumping n elevated perches cats Play Digging Vcalizatin barking/mewing Initial shyness/submissive behavirs when expsed t nvelty (new peple, bjects, situatins) Treatable-Rehabilitatable The term treatable means and includes all dgs and cats wh are rehabilitatable and all dgs and cats wh are manageable. The term rehabilitatable means and includes all dgs and cats wh are nt healthy, but wh are likely t becme healthy, if given medical, fster, behaviral, r ther care equivalent t the care typically prvided t pets by reasnable and caring pet wners/guardians 1
in the cmmunity. (The prgnsis must be fair t gd t meet this definitin. The fllwing are nly examples and are nt inclusive) Medical URI/kennel cugh Parasitic infestatin Cnjunctivitis Fracture < $750 t treat Ringwrm Mange, lcalized Bite wund Acute Dental Issues UTI Dermatitis, mild, nn-allergic Pregnant Nenatal kittens and puppies ver the age f 4 weeks f age w/ mm Unweaned kittens and puppies w/mm Weaned kittens and puppies <8 weeks Other health cnditins with a reasnable prgnsis t return t healthy state. <less than $750 t treat Behavir Species typical/ nrmal behavirs which are excessive r prblematic. These behavirs can be alleviated r cntrlled thrugh training, neutering r envirnmental changes. This includes but is nt limited t behavirs such as: Barking in respnse t envirnmental nises/territrial breeches (smene walking by huse/smene ringing drbell) Excessive digging Pr leash manners (e.g. pulling) Play/explratry chewing Munting Raming Exuberant / Muthy play Excitement urinatin Submissive urinatin Break r lack f huse-training Urine marking Destructive scratching Feral kittens 4-10 weeks ld Aggressive r Anxius Behaviral cnditins where the Trigger Levels are 1 r 2 and the Intensity Levels are 1 r 2. Treatable-Manageable The term manageable means and includes all dgs and cats wh are nt healthy and wh are nt likely t becme healthy, regardless f the care prvided; but wh wuld likely maintain a satisfactry quality f life, if given medical, fster, behaviral, r ther care, including lng-term care, equivalent t the care typically prvided t pets by reasnable and caring pet wners/guardians in the cmmunity; prvided, hwever, that the term manageable des nt include any dg r cat wh is determined t pse a significant risk t human health r safety r t the health r safety f ther animals. (The prgnsis must be fair t gd t meet this definitin. The fllwing are nly examples and are nt inclusive) 2
Medical FIV IBD Arthritis Diabetes Feline chrnic renal disease Thyrid disease Dermatitis, allergic, minr Urinary Stnes Cystitis, chrnic Stmatitis (chrnic) Behavir Aggressin r Predatry Behavir in which the mtivating circumstances (triggers) can be reasnably avided by a reasnable and caring pet wner Raming (if neutering des nt alleviate) Resurce Guarding Level 4, 5, 6 Aggressive r Anxius Behaviral cnditins where the Trigger Levels are 1 r 2 and the Intensity Levels are 1 r 2 Aggressive n Anxius behavir where the Intensity level is 1 and the Trigger level is 3 Feral, with caregiver Unhealthy & Untreatable The term Unhealthy & Untreatable means and includes dgs and cats wh, at r subsequent t the time they are taken int pssessin (and whse medical r behaviral prgnsis wuld be pr, guarded r grave t meet this definitin): (1) have a behaviral r temperamental characteristic that pses a health r safety risk r therwise makes the animal unsuitable fr placement as a pet, and are nt likely t becme healthy r treatable even if prvided the care typically prvided t pets by reasnable and caring pet wners/guardians in the cmmunity; r (2) are suffering frm a disease, injury, r cngenital r hereditary cnditin that adversely affects the animal s health r is likely t adversely affect the animal s health in the future, and are nt likely t becme healthy r treatable even if prvided the care typically prvided t pets by reasnable and caring pet wners/guardians in the cmmunity; r (3) are under the age f eight weeks and are nt likely t becme healthy r treatable, even if prvided the care typically prvided t pets by reasnable and caring pet wners/guardians in the cmmunity. (The fllwing are nly examples and are nt inclusive) Medical FeLV FIP Canine chrnic renal disease Neplasia with pr prgnsis (under 90 days) Severe Kidney disease Parvvirus Feline Distemper Canine Distemper Nenatal kittens and puppies 0-4 weeks f age, w/ mm Cngestive heart failure, end stage 3
Medical cnditins requiring treatment in excess f $750 Manx Syndrme Behavir Dgs determined t be dangerus in accrdance with state r lcal law Animals that are used fr illegal purpses (such as fighting with n rehming alternatives) Multiple (mre than 3) and verwhelming TR r TM behaviral cnditins Aggressive r Anxiety cnditins that have Intensity Level 3 Aggressive r Anxiety cnditins that have Intensity level 2 and Trigger level 3 Resurce Guarding Level 7, 8 Feral, n caregiver, ver 10 weeks f age Prgnsis Predictin f the prbable curse f a disease r cnditin in an individual and the chances f recvery. 1. Gd Favrable utcme is expected and / r maybe easily managed 2. Fair Favrable utcme pssible and / r manageable 3. Guarded Pssible utcme is unknwn 4. Pr Nn-favrable utcme is expected 5. Grave Death is imminent NOTE: Please always keep in mind that the classificatin des nt imply case utcme. Just because an animal is categrized as unhealthy & untreatable des nt mean the animal can t be saved. Nthing in the Asilmar Accrds definitins prevents shelters frm prviding care beynd that typically prvided by pet guardians in their cmmunities. Animals categrized as unhealthy & untreatable due t serius behavir issues like dg t human aggressin, fr instance, may be placed in sanctuaries r ther apprpriate lng-term care facilities, if available. Similarly, extensive medical interventin, fster care, and ther treatment may be prvided t rehabilitate seriusly sick and injured animals s they t can be placed in lving hmes. Many shelters can and d prvide care that exceeds cmmunity standards and are thus at the frefrnt f humane change in their cmmunities. 4
ASAP Pet Evaluatin Matrix Appendix A Behavir Aggressin Levels/Resurce Guarding Healthy Resurce Guarding Level 1 The ideal and safest respnse when yu apprach the dg at his fd bwl is that he stps eating, wags his tail, and cmes ver t greet yu. Happy t share tys, fd, etc. Resurce Guarding Level 2 A slightly less perfect but still very safe reactin is that the dg lks at yu, wags his tail, and cntinues eating, but is still relaxed abut yur presence in the fd zne. Resurce Guarding Level 3 Dg s bdy may tense as yu apprach, and he may als wag his tail, hwever the speed f the wag will increase as yu get clser t him. Treatable Manageable Resurce Guarding Level 4 Dg s discmfrt escalates, s des his behavir. Yu may see a glare in his eye when he lks at yu, perhaps lifting the lip in a snarl, maybe a lw grwl, and bvius increase in eating speed. Resurce Guarding Level 5 If fd r item is prtable the dg may carry the item under a chair, bed r int his crate. He may grwl when yu cme clser. If he cannt pick item up, he may mve the item farther away frm yu. Resurce Guarding Level 6 A serius fd guarder is mre than willing t put sme teeth int his warnings. A snap is the next step n the cntinuum n cntact with yur flesh, but a n uncertain-terms statement that the dg is nt prepared t share his fd with yu. Unhealthy/Untreatable Resurce Guarding Level 7 As the dg s prtectiveness increases, s des the threat t yur safety (r the safety f a child passing by). Mre serius than a snap is the actual bite. Rarely des a fd guarding bite nt break skin the cntact is usually very quick and hard, and may cnsist f several puncturing bites that mve up the transgressr s arms r face. Resurce Guarding Level 8 Severe fd guarding can be triggered even at a distance. At the strngest level, even a persn n the far side f the rm can be perceived as a threat t the highly valued fd r 5
item and the dg s behavir can escalate very quickly and alarmingly with a seemingly inncuus mvement, even frm far away. ASAP Pet Evaluatin Matrix Appendix B Aggressive and Anxiety Related Behaviral Cnditins: Assessment and Categrizatin T fulfill the Asilmar Accrds we have been asked t categrize behaviral prblems in pets int fur different categries: Healthy (n behavir prblems); Treatable-Rehabilitatable; Treatable-Manageable; Unhealthy & Untreatable. This is a difficult task since behaviral prblems are ften cmplex cnditins whse ultimate utcme is variable and dependent n many factrs. Hwever, in an attempt t fulfill the mandate f the Asilmar Accrds, a prpsal fr categrizing aggressive (with the exceptin f pssessive aggressin which is categrized in a separate dcument) and anxiety related cnditins in dgs and cats is utlined belw. Reminder: Please always keep in mind that the classificatin des nt imply case utcme. Fr example, a dg whse behaviral prblem falls int the unhealthy and untreatable categry des nt dictate that the cnditin cannt be reslved. It just means that a reasnable and caring pet wner in ur cmmunity wuld be unlikely t pursue treatment fr that cnditin. An example may be a severe case f separatin anxiety where the 60 lb. dg was chewing thrugh drs, barking and huse-siling every time it was left hme alne. While it may fall int the unhealthy and untreatable categry, interventins such as behaviral mdificatin, drug therapy and phermne therapy may imprve the dg s welfare and reduce destructin, creating a successful utcme. These definitins are nly fr the purpse f cming up with a cmmn language fr use between animal care agencies in ur cmmunity. Fr an animal with an anxiety r aggressin behaviral cncern, tw things shuld be identified: 1. What starts (triggers/initiates/prmpts) the aggressive r anxius behavir a. Examples include: i. A child nearby (culd be fear aggressin/fear) ii. A squirrel (predatry aggressin) iii. A lud nise (nise phbia) iv. Being left alng (separatin anxiety) v. An unfamiliar persn walking nt the dg s territry (territrial aggressin) 2. A descriptin f what the animal des when aggressive/anxius 6
a. This may include a descriptin f past injuries that the dg has inflicted, past damage n inanimate bjects that the dg r cat has caused, behavir that has been witnessed by the staff (e.g. when yu walked in the rm the dg grwled at yu). b. The descriptin f the behavir will be classified int mild, mderate and severe levels f aggressive r anxius behavir. 7
Aggressive Behavir Behaviral Triggers: Triggers (what sets ff) the Aggressive Behavir: If we can clearly identify what sets ff the aggressive behavir and hw easily it is avided, this influences hw the behavir is classified with well defined and avidable triggers receiving a lwer ranking than prly defined and/r unavidable triggers receiving a higher ranking. Level 1: well defined (discrete) triggers and avidable triggers examples: dg is nly aggressive when yu trim its nails it is a clear trigger and it can be avided (take dg t grmer/veterinarian fr nail trim). Level 2: well defined (discrete) triggers but unavidable in sme husehlds; dg is nly aggressive t tddlers; in husehlds withut children, clse cntact with tddlers is avidable; in husehlds with yung children, it is difficult t avid cntact with the tddlers. Level 3: prly defined/unidentifiable triggers and/r unavidable triggers; dg is aggressive t all men (impssible t avid all men); dg will grwl when yu walk by it. Intensity f Aggressin (Histrical r Witnessed): Level 1: Warnings such as stare/tensin/grwl/snarl/head threat (turning head quickly arund in directin f intended target)/snap at air but yu suspect r have knwledge that the dg is unlikely t actually bite. Level 2: Bite with cntact but it des nt cause a skin abrasin r any bld r it causes just a superficial skin abrasin (scratch) with minimal bleeding; als includes animals with barriers in place t prevent cntact (behind fencing/wearing a muzzle) that exhibit level ne warnings with such intensity that yu anticipate that a if a barrier was nt present, the animal wuld be likely t inflict injury. Level 3: Bite with significant wund/bld drawn; single r multiple bites; als includes animals with barriers in place t prevent cntact (behind fencing/wearing a muzzle) that exhibit level ne warnings and then actively attack (bite/swat) the barrier. Anxiety Related Cnditins Triggers (what sets ff) Anxiety: Level 1: well defined (discrete) triggers and avidable triggers; dg is scared f flags waving in the wind. Level 2: well defined (discrete) triggers but unavidable in sme husehlds; dg is scared f lud nises. Level 3: prly defined/unidentifiable triggers and/r unavidable triggers; dg is nervus all the time; cat hides all the time under the bed; dg always upset when left alne and has t be left alne. Intensity f Anxiety: Level 1: mild anxiety with mild destructin/mild vcalizatin. 8
Level 2: mderate anxiety with mderate destructin/mderate vcalizatin. Level 3: animal is sustaining self-injury, its welfare is cmprmised r inflicting serius damage/ putting thers at risk. Categrizatin Based upn Level f Trigger and Intensity fr Anxiety Related and Aggressive Behavirs: Trigger Level 1 Trigger Level 2 Trigger Level 3 Intensity Level 1 TM / TR TM / TR TM Intensity Level 2 TM / TR TM /TR UU Intensity Level 3 UU UU UU 9