Safe Animal Handling

SPCA of TexasAnimal Behavior Programs

2015Part 2

What you will learn in this section

• General rules for handling shelter animals• Protect your skin• Protect your face• Disease Control

• Shapes• What are they • How they are selected• How to handle animals based on shapes

• Kennel Tags • Routing Tags• Animals sharing space• Mothers with litters

Protect Us, Protect ThemIt is your responsibility to protect exposed skin from any accidental scratches or bites. You may use a towel or blanket to cover exposed skin if you are interacting with a jumpy/mouthy pet or a pet with sharp claws/teeth.

If you are dealing with a member of the public or potential adopter* it is your responsibility to protect them as well. You can provide them with a towel or blanket to cover exposed skin or wrap the animal up.

* Only volunteers who have had Adoption Counseling training are allowed

to introduce pets to potential adopters.

Protect Your SkinThere are fingerless gloves in all of the cat areas. These gloves allow you the freedom to control the animal with your fingers while protecting your skin from scratches and bites.

Protect Your Face

Because your face and neck are always exposed, you must be careful to avoid accidents and injuries. Also, we can share various disease with animals, called Zoonotic diseases, such as ringworm, various parasites and some bacteria.

You don’t have to come in dressed like Bane, just keep the animals away

from your face.

Protect Your Face

Hovering over an animal or bending towards an animal’s face can be threatening to the animal and make them feel unsafe. When animals feel unsafe they can behave in ways that can cause injuries to us such as jumping or biting.

Protect Your Face

Turn your side to the animal.When leashing or interacting with an animal, turn your side so that your face is not directly above the animal.

Protect Your Face

Do not straddle an animal.Although straddling may seem like a good idea to give certain medications or fit a collar, it can make the animal feel threatened and it puts you in a physically vulnerable position. You may get injured by a jumping dog.

Disease Control

Disease spread very easily in shelters and are most commonly spread by human handlers! Sanitize your hands or wash your hands in between every animal. Puppies and kittens are especially vulnerable so you are required to place a barrier, such as a pillowcase or a towel, in between you and the baby animal if you carry them. You can also wrap the animal up in one of these items.

Disease Control

Disease spread very easily in shelters and are most commonly spread by human handlers! Sanitize your hands or wash your hands in between every animal. Puppies and kittens are especially vulnerable so you are required to place a barrier, such as a pillowcase or a towel, in between you and the baby animal. You can also wrap the animal up in one of these items.

ShapesAnimals are given a “shape” when they enter our shelters based on their behavior. The shapes are:

Circle – Very easy to handle, require little skill.

Triangle – Requires a bit of skill, may jump up or pull on leash, may be a bit fearful.

Square – require the most skill, likely to pull hard on leash, be jumpy or mouthy or be very fearful.

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral History

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

Source – Where did the animal come from

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

SPCA Tag is Shape

Source – Where did the animal come from

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

SPCA Tag is Shape

Source – Where did the animal come from

Location

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

SPCA Tag is Shape

Source – Where did the animal come from

Location

Sex, Age, Weight

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

SPCA Tag is Shape

Source – Where did the animal come from

Location

Sex, Age, Weight

Breed

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

SPCA Tag is Shape

Source – Where did the animal come from

Location Intake information

Sex, Age, Weight

Breed

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

SPCA Tag is Shape

Source – Where did the animal come from

Location Intake information

Spay/Neuter Surgery

information

Sex, Age, Weight

Breed

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

SPCA Tag is Shape

Source – Where did the animal come from

Location Intake information

Spay/Neuter Surgery

information

Vaccinations

Sex, Age, Weight

Breed

Kennel PaperworkBe sure to review all paperwork and kennel

tags before handling any animal.

Kennel Card Medical/Behavioral HistoryName

Animal ID & Adoption Fee

SPCA Tag is Shape

Source – Where did the animal come from

Location Intake information

Spay/Neuter Surgery

information

Vaccinations

Below the Vaccination records will be detailed Vet Check History and BVAL History

Sex, Age, Weight

Breed

Routing Tags

Routing Tags designate everything from where the animal is in the adoption process (e.g. “Vet Check Pending,” “Surgery Pending”) and how to interact with the animal (“Go Slow,” “Bring Toys and Treats”) to the condition of the kennel

(“Clean” or “Dirty”).

Volunteers aren’t allowed to handle animals with these tags until they have received the

required trainings.Use Caution

Needs Evaluation

Needs SAFER

Stray

24 Hour Hold

BVAL Pending

This animal has displayed aggressive behavior.

This animal still needs medical evaluation.

This animal has not been behaviorally evaluated.

Stray animal waiting to be transferred to city shelter. We are not a stray hold facility.

This animal is being given 24 hours to calm down and then reassess. Usually behavioral hold.

Someone has written a BVAL for this animal and it has not yet been seen by the Behavior Department

Vet Check Pending Someone has written a Vet Check for this animal and it has not yet been seen by the Veterinarian.

Free Feed This animal has FAILED the food gaurding portion of the behavior assessment.

Free Feed Animals

If a dog FAILS their Food Guarding test by displaying aggressive behavior, we will allow this animal to have a large, full bowl of dry food at all times for 72 hours and then retest it.

If you see a dog with a “Free Feed” sign that is missing food or running low please alert a staff member. If you are a staff member it may be your responsibility to fill the dog’s bowl.

• Do not give food or treats unless you’re assigned to do so.

Your attention is needed when you see these Routing Tags.

Observation This animal is under observation for medical or behavioral reasons. Please observe the animal and record your observations on the Observation Log (Ob. Log) that is attached.

Fecal Me A fecal sample is needed from this animal so that it can be dewormed.

Meds/TX This animal is being treated with medication. For more information on what is being treated, review the Medical History. This animal is usually okay to handle unless it has a Contagious Sign.

Door Darter Be careful when going in and out of this animal’s kennel because it has a history of escaping. Fearful animal, go slow.

Animals Sharing Space

Never place two or more animals in the same kennel or run together unless they have been assigned by shelter staff to live together (litters or pair bonded).

In most cases cats and dogs should be crated separately. Exceptions may be when the animals are very small and very good friends or when it is a mother animal with a litter.

Mothers Animals with Litters

Mother animals often behave defensively around their offspring, even if they are normally friendly. Coming into the shelter is worrisome for all animals, but for those with puppies and kittens to worry about, it is especially so. Use these guidelines for interacting with mothers and their offspring.

– Go slowly.– Keep your eye on the mother.– Speak gently to the mother.– If a mother dog freezes, gets very still, or stares at you, avert your eyes,

casually move away.– If a mother cat hisses, growls or pulls away, slowly move away. – Remove the mother from the kennel FIRST, before moving the puppies or

kittens. – Do not lean over a mother animal at any time.

Staff Handle Only

You have completed Part 2

Continue to Part 3