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  • 1.  Behavior Teams or Programs: Can you please share any SOP's or training guides?

    Posted 09-09-2021 01:34 PM
    Posting on behalf of @aly martinez at Pensacola Humane

    Of those of you that have a behavior team or program within your shelter, can you tell me more about it?

    Does the behavior team assess every animal upon intake?
    Do they only handle certain cases?
    Is it a full time job?
    Is it staff, a group of volunteers, or a professional organization that does it?

    I'm trying to get this started with my organization as I feel we really really need it, but would like more information from those of you who have had success and benefitted from adding this position.

    Please also share any SOP's or training plans you've created for this.
    Thank you all SO much!
    Aly​



    #Behavior,TrainingandEnrichment
    #OrganizationalManagement
    #AdmissionsandIntake(includingIntake-to-placement)
    ​​​


  • 2.  RE: Behavior Teams or Programs: Can you please share any SOP's or training guides?

    Posted 09-09-2021 02:15 PM
    Hi @aly martinez- I know you asked for someone who has added a behavior staffer or team, but I thought it might be helpful to tell you what we do without one:

    We don't have a behavior team due to staffing constraints- so we consider our entire staff to be our behavior team!

    • All staff including officers are trained on fear-free techniques, and our clinic is completely fear free in its operations.
    • Our animal care staff has all been trained on Dogs Playing for Life play group methodology.
    • Our shelter supervisor is a CPDT so she, in addition to her population management role, helps implement enrichment protocols (things like lunchtime lights out where for the hour before we open to the public at 12pm, all lights are turned out for quiet time, daily peanut butter in kong distribution, one on one out of kennel time for dogs with high FAS , food puzzles, etc.) that are completed by the ACTs as part of their daily work.
    In terms of documenting behavior concerns, we do not use formal assessments. We use documented behavior both in and out of the shelter. Things like play group notes, staff and volunteer interactions etc., are our primary sources, and then we try to get as many as possible out to foster field trips or for longer fostering so we can get more real world perspective.

    Hope that helps!

    ------------------------------
    Alexis Pugh
    Director, Memphis Animal Services
    www.memphisanimalservices.com

    Organizational Management
    & Pet Support Services Specialist
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Behavior Teams or Programs: Can you please share any SOP's or training guides?

    Posted 09-10-2021 08:37 AM
    Very helpful! Thank you so much!

    ------------------------------
    aly martinez
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Behavior Teams or Programs: Can you please share any SOP's or training guides?

    Posted 09-15-2021 03:38 PM
    We are in the process of starting this.

    Our behavior team falls under the watchful eye of our part time Enrichment Coordinator (a volunteer), who works with all our dogs. She and her team of volunteers help identify dogs that may extra help because of behaviors developing, mostly our longer term dogs. Our dog walkers and enrichment volunteers give us feedback based on what they see.

    This information then goes to our behavior team, also part time volunteers who have completed specific training (dog body language, overview and more specific enrichment training, and tools to work with challenging dogs).

    We are still working out a lot of structure and organization for this, but I think we’re heading in the right direction!

    ---------------------------------
    Natalie Moser

    K9 Stray Rescue League
    ---------------------------------



    Original Message


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