By Taylor Laidley
Since its inception, the Seattle Animal Shelter’s (SAS) donor-funded Behavioral Training Program has saved 1,329 dogs and 2,243 cats. Thanks to the generous support of the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF) donors and the tireless work of the shelter’s behaviorists, this groundbreaking program is changing the lives of Seattle’s most at-risk animals. But there is still more work to be done.
Living inside a shelter can be traumatic for any animal—especially those that have been previously neglected, abused, or under-socialized. When animals feel overwhelmed or scared, they can develop adverse behaviors or aggravate existing behaviors that significantly decrease their chances of adoption. Previously, many of these animals were euthanized. But now SAS’s unique program gives them a second chance at life.
“Any dog that couldn’t be walked by our volunteers or easily handled by our staff, that was a dog that would often be euthanized or put down,” said Kara Main-Hester, deputy director of SAS. “When these dogs come into the shelter, I feel like they break just a little bit…It’s overwhelming and exhausting, and because of this, we see a lot of behavior come out, whether it’s literally a dog who sits with their head facing the wall because they’re so overwhelmed, or they become outwardly aggressive. Pretty much what they’re saying is, ‘get away,’ ‘please stop,’ ‘I can’t take it anymore.’”
Developed in 2016 with the help of animal behaviorists from the University of Washington and a grant from the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF), the shelter’s unique Behavioral Training Program is based on positive reinforcement, love, and patience. The program uses behavior modification techniques to help at-risk dogs overcome their fears and start to trust humans again—all in a matter of months.
Through the program, all volunteers and staff are given the necessary skills to curb those adverse behaviors and make that animal’s shelter stay less stressful. In 2017, all of the shelter’s adopted dogs (472) received SAFER training (Safety Assessment for Evaluating Rehoming), a tool developed by ASPCA to help shelters assess the risk of future aggression in dogs and identify which dogs will require one-on-one behavioral training before they can be adopted. More than 50 dogs received highly specialized behavior training in 2017 for especially challenging behavior issues such as separation anxiety and fear aggression.
Cats also benefit from the program. In 2017, all of the shelter’s adopted cats (764) received the “Feline-ality” assessment. Think of it as a friendship app for cat lovers! Whether the cat is chill and laid-back or extroverted and full of energy, this assessment allows the shelter to match the cat’s personality with an owner who is looking for a pet with those traits.
“This [program] isn’t just some sort of luxury,” said Main-Hester. “This is truly just as important of our veterinary programs here at the shelter.”
Across the country, behavioral training programs are slowly being recognized as a necessary component of care. But unfortunately, not every shelter has the resources to institute a program like this. Of the estimated 6.5 million animals that are surrendered to shelters each year, approximately 1.5 million of them are still euthanized, according to ASPCA. SAS hopes that the success of its Behavior Training Program will lead to it being replicated in shelters across the U.S. so more lives might be saved.
This year, the shelter hopes to bring on a full-time behavior specialist to sustain the program and expand its training of volunteers and staff so that the shelter can continue to serve every animal that comes through its wide-open doors. And you can help make that a reality.
The Behavioral Training Program would not exist without the life-saving generosity of SASF donors. On Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, join fellow animal lovers for a night of games, silent and live auctions, delicious food and drink, and camaraderie at the 9th annual Furevermore Fundraising Gala.