Results of Behavioral Evaluations Predict Length of Stay for Shelter Dogs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: It is common practice for animal shelters to evaluate the behavior of dogs a few days after admission. These evaluations typically consist of a series of tests and subtests that expose dogs to diverse stimuli and situations they might encounter postadoption. Limited information exists on whether behaviors displayed during an evaluation predict a dog’s length of stay at the shelter. We examined records from 975 dogs behaviorally evaluated and released for adoption at a New York shelter. Proportions of the study population evaluated as displaying concerning or especially dangerous behavior on tests and subtests were generally low. Nevertheless, dogs’ scores on some tests or subtests (food guarding and meeting another dog) predicted length of stay at the shelter. Dogs evaluated as showing dangerous behavior had longer lengths of stay than dogs evaluated as showing either concerning behavior or no concerning behavior; the latter two groups did not differ from one another in length of stay. We suggest that dogs with challenging behaviors have smaller pools of potential adopters, which leads to longer lengths of stay. Our findings may aid shelter management of dog populations and help highlight dogs needing special adoption efforts to avoid long stays at shelters. ABSTRACT: Most animal shelters conduct behavioral evaluations before making dogs available for adoption. However, little information exists on whether behaviors displayed during these assessments predict a dog’s length of stay at the shelter. We reviewed nearly 5 years of records from 975 dogs released for adoption at a New York shelter to see whether behaviors shown during their evaluation predicted length of stay. For most tests and subtests, the prevalence of concerning and especially dangerous behaviors was low. Nevertheless, dogs’ scores on some tests or subtests—food guarding and meeting another dog—predicted length of stay at the shelter. Dogs evaluated as showing dangerous behavior had longer lengths of stay than dogs evaluated as showing either concerning behavior or no concerning behavior; the latter two groups did not differ from one another in length of stay. The most likely explanation for the relationships found between behavior during the evaluation and length of stay at the shelter is that dogs with challenging behaviors had smaller pools of potential adopters. Understanding the relationships between performance on behavioral evaluations and length of stay may inform shelter management of canine populations and also help identify dogs requiring special adoption efforts to avoid long shelter stays.